Colorado River - Pumphouse | Overview
Flowing west from the Pumphouse Recreation Area, this section of the Colorado River carves its way through dramatic canyon walls and sweeping bends that define the upper reaches of Little Gore Canyon. It’s one of the most iconic floats and fisheries in Colorado—a mix of wild scenery, healthy trout populations, and cold, clear flows that stay productive throughout much of the year. The river here offers a perfect combination of deep runs, riffles, and slower eddies that invite a range of approaches, from nymphing and streamer work to classic dry-dropper fishing along the banks. Anglers can expect strong brown trout numbers with the occasional rainbow in the mix, and steady hatches of midges, mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies that keep the fish active from spring through late fall. Access begins at Pumphouse Recreation Area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and continues downstream toward Radium. The stretch through Little Gore Canyon is especially scenic, with towering rock faces, hidden side channels, and a true sense of remote wilderness that belies its accessibility. It’s equally rewarding whether you’re wading the edges or floating through in a drift boat or raft.
Colorado River - Pumphouse: Current Discharge Loading...
Colorado River - Pumphouse: Water Temperature (°C)
Current Conditions
May 2026: Flows on the Colorado at Pumphouse bumped up through the back half of April but have dropped back down and are currently around 250 CFS. If you’re floating, keep an eye on flows because things are getting thin and you may find yourself dragging the boat through a few spots. Despite the low water, fishing has been great. We’re still seeing BWOs in the mornings and on cloudy days, while caddis hatches have been thick during afternoons and evenings. We’ve even started seeing a few salmonflies crawling around! Dry fly fishing has been excellent, especially targeting rising fish in intermediate runs and deeper riffles. Fishing shelves along the banks with a dry dropper rig has also been very effective. Try a Chubby with a perdigon 18–24 inches below it and add a Barr’s Emerger or Foam Back RS2 as a second dropper if you want to maximize fish count. If you’re running a straight nymph rig, focus on shelves along the banks or foam lines through the middle of the river.
Recommended FLies
NYMPHS: Pats Rubber Legs (coffee, olive) 10-14, Flashback Pheasant Tail 16-18, Squirmy Worm, Perdigons 16-18, Manhatten Midge (black, olive) 18-20, Barr's Emerger BWO 20 -22, Copper Ribbed RS2 20-22
DRIES: Chubby (gold, royal) 8-14, Para Wulff 18-24, Parachute Adams 18-24, Peacock Caddis 16-18, Snowshoe Caddis 14-16
STREAMERS: Goldie, Leach (black, olive), Rusty T, Double Thin Mint
