Hatch charts are a secret weapon for selecting the flies that work best. It seems odd that a simple size change can make a difference, IT DOES!
Below is an index to JUMP to your favorite river in Colorado and fill your fly box with the bugs that catch more trout.
- Animas River HATCH CHART
- FRYINGPAN RIVER HATCH CHART
- Colorado RIVER HATCH CHART
- South Platte RIVER HATCH CHART
- North Delaney Butte Lake Hatch Chart
- Gunnison River HAtch Chart
- Blue River Hatch Chart
- Roaring Fork River Hatch Chart
- Arkansas River Colorado Hatch Chart
- Gore Creek Hatch Chart
- Fly Fishing Gear for Colorado
- Looking to Buy Flies for Fishing Colorado?
- Ventures Fly Co. 40 Fly Assortment Has a Great Selection of Flies
- More Colorado Hot Spots to Toss a Fly
Ventures Fly Co. 40 Fly Assortment Has a Great Selection of Flies
This assortment has most of the flies needed lay the foundation for an effective fly box. the most common dries, nymphs and streamers. Check out the on water video review on YouTube – HERE
Animas River HATCH CHART
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18 | March 1 | October 31 |
| Caddis | 14 | June 15 | September 15 |
| Golden Stonefly | 8 | June 15 | August 15 |
| Pale Morning Dun | 18 | July 1 | September 15 |
| Terrestrial | 10 | July 15 | September 30 |
| Midge | 12 | January 1 | December 31 |
| Yellow Stonefly | 14 | June 15 | August 1 |
| Salmonfly | 8 | May 15 | July 15 |
| Sculpin | 4 | January 1 | December 31 |
| Damsels | 8 | April 15 | August 31 |
Favorite Flies for the Animas
- Elk Hair Caddis, size 14- Elk Hair Caddis are the ideal dry fly to throw on those beautiful summer evenings. As the sun is setting and the hatches begin, Elk Hair Caddis should be one of the first patterns you throw. The fish will eat them from runoff season until late summer.
- Blue Winged Olive, size 16- BWO dries and nymphs are going to work great. Pheasant Tails before the hatches and BWO dries seem to work great from spring all the way through the summer. Find the riffles and shallow pools and see what strikes. It won’t take long for you to find fish.
- Sculpin, Size 4- The ideal streamer for the Animas is the Sculpin. These are all over the bottom of the river and the trout can’t get enough of them. You can throw them all day long and catch fish!
Guide Tip: Read more about the Animas River in this article – Where to Fly Fish on the Animas
FRYINGPAN RIVER HATCH CHART
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Blue Winged Olive | 20 | April 1-15 & August 15 | October 31 |
| Caddis | 14 | July 1 | September 31 |
| PMD | 16 | July 1 | August 15 |
| Golden Stones | 10 | July 1 | August 15 |
| Green Drake | 10 | July 1 | August 15 |
| Red Quill | 12 | August 1 | August 15 |
| Terrestrials | 8 | August 1 | September 31 |
| Trico | 22 | August 15 | September 31 |
| Midge | 18 | January 1 | December 31 |
Favorite Flies for the Fryingpan
- Pheasant Tail Nymph– size 18, The Pheasant Tail is a must have on the Fryingpan. These flies are great to use in a nymph rig. Since the BWO’s hatch several times throughout the year, you’ll find that they aren’t only productive in the spring.
- Mayers Mysis Shrimp- Size 16, You can’t fish the Fryingpan without using a Mysis shrimp pattern. The Fryingpan is rare in the sense that it has any of these! Many rivers in the country do not.
- Elk Hair Caddis- Size 20, For a dry fly pattern, you’ll find that there are few more productive than the Elk Hair Caddis. When those hatches occur in the mornings and evenings, this is a great fly to start fishing with.
Guide Tip: Read more about the Fryingpan River in this article – Where to Fly Fish on the Fryingpan River
Colorado RIVER HATCH CHART
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Midge | 18-22 | All Year | |
| Scud | 16-18 | All Year | |
| Baetis | 18 | April 15 | October 1 |
| Caddis | 16 | April 1 | September 1 |
| Stonefly | 12-14 | April 1 | September 1 |
| Golden Stone | 8 | June 1 | August 1 |
| Trico | 20 | July 1 | October 1 |
| PMD | 16-18 | June 15 | August 1 |
| Red Quill | 14 | June 1 | August 1 |
| Terrestrials (Hopper and Beetle) | 6 – 12 | July | August |
Favorite Flies for the Colorado
Midges continue to be a key food source, but we begin to see baetis hatches, and occasional Stone and Caddis hatches. Surprisingly, although this upper river is a “freestone”, scuds are common and can be found in orange, olive and tan.
The source of these scuds is the alpine lakes, high above this valley. There are rumors that brook trout exceeding 5 pounds can be found gorging on scuds in these high alpine lakes, but it takes a fly fishing expedition to reach them.
Guide Tip: Read more about the Colorado River in this article – Best Places to Best Places to Fly Fish on the Colorado River
South Platte RIVER HATCH CHART
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Midge Patterns | 18 | January 1 | December 31 |
| Golden Stonefly | 8 | May 15 | July 31 |
| BWO | 16 | March 15 | May 15 |
| Trico | 20 | July 15 | October 15 |
| PMD | 16 | June 15 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | May 10 | Sept. 30 |
| Terrestrial | 8 | July 15 | September 15 |
| Egg Patterns | 10 | September 1 | October 31 |
Favorite Flies for the South Platte
Parachute Adams- Size 20
The Parachute Adams is the perfect dry fly for the South Platte River. It’s a small fly that can represent any of the smaller midge hatches that occur on these waters.
San Juan Worm – Size 16
The San Juan Worm is a great fly to pair with any nymph rig you’re fishing. Let it drag along with your nymphs and you’ll likely get a taker.
Guide Tip: Read more about the South Platte in this article – Best Places to Best Places to Fly Fish on the South Platte River
North Delaney Butte Lake Hatch Chart
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Scud | 14 | April 1 | November 1 |
| Midge | 20 | April 1 | November 15 |
| Streamers | 6 | April 15 | November 30 |
| BWO | 18 | August 1 | October 1 |
| Callibaetis | 14 | June 1 | August 31 |
| Trico | 20 | July 15 | October 15 |
| PMD | 16 | June 15 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | June 1 | August 15 |
| Terrestrial | 8 | July 15 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for North Delaney Butte Lake
Guide Tip: Read more about exactly when to plan a trip to Colorado in this article – When to Fish in Colorado
Gunnison River HAtch Chart
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Salmon Fly | 6 | June 15 | June 30 |
| Golden Stone | 8 | April 15 | June 30 |
| BWO | 16 | April 15 | May 30 |
| Callibaetis | 14 | June 1 | August 31 |
| Midge | 16 | April 15 | November 15 |
| Trico | 20 | July 15 | October 15 |
| PMD | 16 | June 15 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | June 1 | August 30 |
| Terrestrial | 8 | July 15 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for the Gunnison
Guide Tip: Have you ever wanted to toss a fly in Rocky Mountain National Park? Let me help with this article – Where to Fly Fish in Rocky Mountain National Park
Blue River Hatch Chart
| Fly | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Midge | 18 | All Year | All Year |
| Mayflies | 16 | March 1 | November 15 |
| Stonefly | 8 | April 1 | June 15 |
| BWO | 16 | April 1 | May 15 |
| Yellow Sally | 16 | July 1 | August 15 |
| Trico | 20 | July 15 | October 15 |
| PMD | 16 | July 15 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | April 15 | September 30 |
| Terrestrial | 8 | July 1 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for the Blue River
Guide Tip: Looking for some great water in the Colorado Springs area? Here’s a complete guide -> Where to Fly Fish Near Colorado Springs
Roaring Fork River Hatch Chart
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Ants and Beetles | 18 | June 15 | September 30 |
| Golden Stoneflies | 10 | May 1 | August 15 |
| Green Drake | 12 | June 1 | August 15 |
| BWO | 16 | April 15 | May 30 |
| Streamers | 4-10 | All Year | All Year |
| Midge | 16 | April 15 | November 15 |
| PMD | 16 | June 15 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | March 15 | August 30 |
| Terrestrial and Stimulators | 6-10 | July 15 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for the Roaring Fork
Guide Tip: Get the convenience of a big city, but the solitude of a mountain stream. Where to Fly Fish Near Denver
Arkansas River Colorado Hatch Chart
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Grannon Caddis Nymph | 16 | April 1 | May 30 |
| Golden Stone | 8 | May 1 | July 15 |
| BWO | 16 | April 1 | May 30 |
| Yellow Sally Stonefly | 14 | June 15 | August 15 |
| Midge | 20 | March 1 | November 1 |
| Light Cahill | 18 | July 15 | September 1 |
| PMD | 16 | July 1 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 16 | June 1 | August 30 |
| Terrestrial | 8 | July 15 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for the Arkansas
Guide Tip: The Fort Collins area is my “little secret” I’m going to share where to go in this article -> The Best Places to Fly Fish Near Fort Collins
Gore Creek Hatch Chart
| Fly Name | Size | Start Date | End Date |
| Midge | 20 | September 1 | April 1 |
| Golden Stone | 10 | June 15 | July 1 |
| BWO | 20 | October 1 | April 1 |
| Yellow Sally Stonefly | 16 | June 1 | August 31 |
| Beetles | 16 | May 1 | September 15 |
| Flying Ants | 18 | August 15 | September 15 |
| PMD | 16 | June 1 | August 30 |
| Caddis | 14 | May 1 | September 15 |
| Terrestrial/Stimulators | 10 | June 15 | September 15 |
Favorite Flies for the Gore Creek
Guide Tip: Looking for more places to fly fish in Colorado? Check out my comprehensive Colorado guide. Where to Fly Fish in Colorado
Fly Fishing Gear for Colorado
Small streams in any of the high mountains are about the same as small streams anywhere. A 3 or 4 weight rod and simple box of dry flies is about all you need on these streams. Perhaps add a few bead head nymphs to fish dry/dropper and you are set.
On most of the larger gold medal streams, the wind blows often enough that a stout 5 weight or 6 weight rod is best. The trick is balancing something that can cast through the wind with a rod that can gently lay down a size 24 midge emerger. Many of these larger rivers feature rather technical fishing at times. Thus, long leaders that end in 6x tippet are often required.
Looking to Buy Flies for Fishing Colorado?
I tie and buy hundreds of flies every year. If you need to get a pretty darn good assortment to catch fish in Colorado, I recommend the Ventures Fly Co Assortment <- link to Amazon. Check out the video review below.
More Colorado Hot Spots to Toss a Fly
- Get a complete guide to the best places to fly fish in Colorado in this article: Best Place to Fly Fish in Colorado
- Colorado Springs is a fly fishers paradise. Want to know where to go? Read Where to Fly Fish Near Colorado Springs
- Wondering where to toss a fly in the Denver Area? I’ve got the answer – Where to Fly Fish in the Denver Area
- Have you heard about the “Dream Stream” that’s just a little area on the South Platte River – Find more spots in Where to Fly Fish on the South Platte River
- The hidden gem is the Animas…….Don’t say anything, but read THIS
Hi David Humphries Owner of Guide Recommended. I love everything to do with fly fishing. Casting, Tying, YouTube, writing about it and even teaching. I’ve got a FREE video workshop teaching how to dry fly fish at this link How to Fly Fish