Byers Canyon to Kremmling
Byers Canyon to Kremmling — Fishing Report for April 24, 2026
Quick Stats
Flow: 716 CFS | Trend: Stable | Fishability: Fair | Weather: Sunny, High 55°F
The Bite
With snowpack sitting at just 19% of normal across the Colorado headwaters basin, runoff this year is shaping up to be modest and early — and that's actually good news for Byers Canyon. Flows that would normally be climbing hard toward blowout territory by late April are instead holding in a manageable range. At 716 CFS, you're above the seasonal sweet spot, but the canyon is still fishable for anglers who are comfortable in technical, high-gradient water. The fish are here, they're active at 45°F, and the crowds are not.
Today's sunny skies and a high of 55°F are the key variable. Forget the BWO playbook for this morning — overcast is their trigger, and you won't get that until the weekend. What you will get is a legitimate Skwala window. These chunky stoneflies are one of the first big-bug opportunities of the year, and on a warm, sunny April afternoon in a canyon like this, adults crawl on the rocks and fish look up. Target the slower water along boulder edges and in the calmer margins of plunge pools between roughly 11 AM and 3 PM. The fish here see a fraction of the pressure that Parshall browns do — a well-presented Skwala dry in the right seam can produce an aggressive eat.
If the dry fly action doesn't materialize or you want to stay productive through the morning, the heavy pocket water is your friend. Nymphing deep structure with a weighted rig is the reliable fallback at these flows, and the canyon's plunge pools hold fish stacked in the slower water behind boulders.
What to Fish
- Skwala Dry #8-10 — fish the calmer margins of pools and boulder edges midday; let it ride the seam drag-free
- Skwala Nymph #8-10 — anchor fly for a double-nymph rig; fish it deep along the bottom of plunge pools
- Prince Nymph #14-16 — trailing dropper 14–18" above the Skwala nymph; covers attractor and general stonefly bases
- Pheasant Tail #16-18 — swap in as the dropper when fish are keying on smaller profiles
- RS2 (olive) #20-22 — if clouds build Sunday and BWOs pop, this is your subsurface anchor
- Parachute BWO #18-20 — hold this in reserve for Sunday's rain and overcast; conditions will flip toward classic BWO weather
Tactics & Rigging
For nymphing, rig a Skwala Nymph #8-10 as your point fly with a Prince Nymph or Pheasant Tail 14–18" above it on a 5X fluorocarbon dropper. Add enough split shot to tick the bottom — at 716 CFS, the current is pushing hard through the canyon and you need to get down fast. High-stick through the seams behind boulders and along the edges of the main current, keeping your indicator close to the water. Long drifts are less important here than depth and line control.
For the Skwala dry, go with a single #8-10 Skwala pattern on 4X tippet and focus your casts on the slower water — the inside bends, the foam lines behind large boulders, and the tailouts of pools where the current flattens. The canyon's complex currents will put drag on your fly quickly; shorter, precise casts with immediate mends will outfish long heroic throws every time.
Access & Logistics
Byers Canyon's access is genuinely limited — the railroad parallels the river and wade-in points require scrambling. Plan your entry carefully and scout from above before committing. Wading at 716 CFS in this canyon is advanced-level; felt soles or studs and a wading staff are strongly recommended. Don't push water you're not comfortable in. Verify current regulations with CPW before fishing.
Stop by Riverside Anglers in Hot Sulphur Springs for flies, local intel, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy.
Looking Ahead
Sunday's rain and the chance of snow Sunday night will flip conditions toward classic BWO weather — if you can get into the canyon Sunday afternoon, overcast skies and 53°F temps could produce the best dry fly fishing of the week. With a light snow year in the basin, flows are unlikely to spike dramatically from weekend precip, so the window should hold.