Gore Canyon: Kremmling to Pumphouse
Gore Canyon — Fishing Report for April 24, 2026
Quick Stats
Flow: 716 CFS | Trend: Stable | Fishability: Fair | Weather: Sunny, High 49°F; snow likely Saturday–Sunday
The Bite
This is a rare moment in Gore Canyon — the kind of day that doesn't come around often. With snowpack sitting at a fraction of normal across the Colorado headwaters basin, the spring runoff pulse that typically makes late April a coin flip here is looking muted and compressed. Flows have been hovering right around 716 CFS for the past 10 days, just a tick above the ideal range but well within fishable territory. The canyon's wild browns are active, water temps are at 45°F and climbing, and the pressure? Essentially zero.
Today's sunny skies and 49°F high set up a classic late-morning midge window followed by a legitimate BWO opportunity in the sheltered canyon pools from roughly 1 to 4 PM. Don't overlook the stonefly angle either — Skwala and Little Black Stonefly adults have been crawling on rocks in early season conditions like these, and nymphs are active in the riffles. The fish in here are opportunistic and largely uneducated. A well-presented nymph rig through the right piece of water can produce the kind of brown trout that most Colorado anglers never encounter.
The incoming snow Saturday and Sunday is worth watching — not because it'll blow the river out (the light snowpack makes that unlikely), but because trail conditions into the canyon could get slick. Today's window is clean. If you're going, go today.
What to Fish
- Pat's Rubber Legs #6–8 — Point fly, anchor of your nymph rig. Let it tick bottom through the deep slots and plunge pools.
- Pheasant Tail #16–18 — Dropper 14–18" above the Pat's. Natural drift through mid-column; this is your bread-and-butter in the canyon pools.
- RS2 (olive) #20–22 — Secondary dropper or standalone in slower pool tailouts during the BWO window.
- Parachute BWO #18–20 — Worth rigging on a second rod for the 1–4 PM surface window in calmer eddies and pool tails.
- Black Stonefly Nymph #14–16 — Swap in for the Pheasant Tail in faster, broken water where stonefly nymphs are more likely to be dislodged.
- Skwala Dry #8–10 — Low-percentage but high-reward if you spot fish looking up near rocky banks in the afternoon.
Tactics & Rigging
Rig a double-nymph setup with a Pat's Rubber Legs on point and a Pheasant Tail 14–18" above it on a 6–8" tag off the main tippet. Use 3X fluorocarbon to the Pat's, stepping down to 4X for the dropper. Add enough split shot 8–10" above the Pat's to get the rig down fast in the heavy water — Gore Canyon's hydraulics are unforgiving, and a rig that's not on the bottom isn't fishing. Target the seams along the canyon walls, the deep water behind large boulders, and any pool tail where current slows and depth holds. High-stick through the fast water; give the rig a longer, drag-free ride through the pools.
For the afternoon surface window, set up a separate dry fly rod with a Parachute BWO on 5X tippet and work the calmer eddies and pool tails where fish can sip without fighting current. Keep presentations short and precise — these pools are small and a dragging fly will put fish down fast.
Access & Logistics
Gore Canyon requires a serious commitment. The Gore Canyon Trail descends steeply from the rim — plan on a challenging hike in and out, and give yourself enough daylight buffer. Trail conditions should be clear today, but Saturday's snow could change that quickly. Wear layers; the canyon stays cool even when the rim is warm. Wading is difficult at 716 CFS — felt soles or aggressive rubber with a wading staff are strongly recommended. Verify current regulations with CPW before fishing.
Stop by Cutthroat Anglers in Silverthorne for flies, local intel, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy.
Looking Ahead
The snow moving in Saturday through Sunday is unlikely to spike flows dramatically given how little snowpack remains in the basin — but watch the gauge if you're planning a Sunday trip. If flows stay in the 700–800 CFS range through next week, Gore Canyon will remain fishable, but that window could close quickly if warm temperatures accelerate any remaining melt.