Dolores River: Rico Canyon

Rico Canyon — Fishing Report for April 24, 2026

Quick Stats

Flow: 80 CFS | Trend: Stable | Fishability: Poor | Weather: Mostly Sunny, High 50°F

The Bite

Snowpack across the southwest basin is running at just 10% of normal this year — a historically low number — and that's actually the most interesting story at Rico Canyon right now. In a typical April, this section would be blowing out with early snowmelt and largely inaccessible. Instead, flows are sitting right at 80 CFS, the top of the ideal range and well within fishable territory. On paper, that sounds promising.

The catch is elevation. At 8,700 feet, the calendar matters as much as the gauge. Water temperatures aren't available from this gauge, but seasonal patterns and overnight lows in the upper 20s suggest the river is likely running somewhere in the mid-to-upper 30s°F — cold enough that trout metabolism is still sluggish and feeding windows are narrow at best. Shaded canyon sections may still carry ice shelves along the banks, and footing near the water's edge deserves real caution. The fish are here, but they're not in a hurry.

If you make the trip, the warmest part of the day — roughly noon to 3 PM under today's mostly sunny skies — offers the best window. A degree or two of solar warming in shallow tailouts can be enough to nudge fish into a brief, opportunistic feed. Don't expect surface activity; this is a subsurface game right now, worked slowly and patiently through the deepest water you can find.

What to Fish

• Zebra Midge, #20-22 — Point fly, fished deep and slow through plunge pools. The go-to when water is cold and fish are lethargic.
• Hare's Ear Nymph, #14-16 — Weighted anchor in a two-nymph rig; covers the bottom where fish are holding tight.
• Pheasant Tail Nymph, #16-18 — Dropper 12–16" above the Hare's Ear; a reliable searching pattern in cold, clear water.
• San Juan Worm, #12 (red or pink) — Worth a try as an anchor in deeper pocket water; early melt can dislodge worms and fish recognize them.
• Copper John, #16 — Versatile attractor nymph if you want a single-fly approach in faster pocket water.

Tactics & Rigging

Rig a weighted Hare's Ear on point with a Pheasant Tail or Zebra Midge trailing 12–16" above it on a 9-foot 4X leader, dropping to 5X or 6X fluorocarbon on the dropper. Add enough split shot to get the flies bouncing along the bottom — in 38°F water, fish won't move far to eat. Focus on the deepest plunge pools and the slow, dark water at the tail of boulder gardens where trout can hold without burning energy.

Presentation needs to be drag-free and deliberate. Use a high-stick nymphing approach to keep as much line off the water as possible and extend your natural drift through each pool. If you're not occasionally ticking the bottom, you're probably not deep enough. Work each piece of structure thoroughly before moving — cold fish are patient, and you should be too.

Access & Logistics

Rico Canyon is accessed via CO-145 through the town of Rico. The road is paved and should be passable, but Saturday night and Sunday bring snow showers — check road conditions before heading out Sunday. Dress in layers; a 50°F high sounds mild, but canyon shade and wind can make it feel significantly colder. Wading boots with felt or aggressive rubber soles are essential given the potential for icy bank edges. Crowds are nonexistent this time of year.

Stop by local fly shops in Telluride or Durango for current flies, road conditions, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy.

Looking Ahead

Snow showers are expected Saturday night through Sunday, which could nudge flows slightly but is unlikely to cause any meaningful spike given how low the basin snowpack sits this year. The bigger picture: with such a light snow year, Rico Canyon may see an earlier-than-normal transition into prime summer conditions — keep an eye on flows in late May rather than waiting for the traditional June opener.