Roaring Fork: Carbondale to Glenwood Springs
Roaring Fork: Carbondale to Glenwood Springs — Fishing Report for April 24, 2026
Quick Stats
Flow: 405 CFS | Trend: Stable | Fishability: Good | Weather: Mostly sunny, high 63°F
The Bite
This is one of those days worth clearing your schedule for. Water temps are sitting at 47°F — right in the active feeding range for both browns and rainbows — and with sunshine and a high of 63°F, the lower Fork should come alive in the early afternoon. Skwala stoneflies are still in play on warm midday stretches, and this is the kind of day they show up on the water. Keep an eye on the banks and rocks; if you're spotting adults crawling around, the fish already know they're there.
The bigger story this week is timing. With snowpack running at a fraction of normal across the basin, runoff is expected to be mild and potentially short-lived — but it's still coming. The lower Fork is the first section to feel that push, and at 405 CFS it's holding steady right now. The window between fishable and blown out could compress quickly once temperatures stay warm. Sunday's forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms, which may nudge flows upward. Fish hard today and Saturday before that system moves in.
Late afternoon could bring the first whispers of Mother's Day caddis — this section of the Fork is the earliest in the system to see them. If you notice small tan-bodied adults fluttering low over the water after 4 PM, don't hesitate to tie on an Elk Hair Caddis. You may be catching the very front edge of one of the best hatches of the year.
What to Fish
- Skwala Dry #8-10 — fish this as your point fly during midday warmth; let it ride the seams naturally with minimal mending
- Pheasant Tail #16-18 (beadhead) — dropper 18" below the Skwala; this combo covers both the surface and the mid-column
- Pat's Rubber Legs #8-10 — anchor fly for a double-nymph rig in deeper slots and runs
- Brown Stonefly Nymph #14-16 — trailing 14" behind the Pat's; stonefly nymphs are active and drifting
- Parachute BWO #18-20 — switch to this if overcast conditions develop or surface activity shifts to smaller rises
- Elk Hair Caddis #14-16 — keep one rigged and ready for late afternoon; the first caddis of the season could show today
Tactics & Rigging
For the midday window, rig a Skwala dry as your indicator with a size 16-18 beadhead Pheasant Tail dropped 18" below on 5X fluorocarbon. This dry-dropper setup covers fish that are looking up and those holding just below the surface. Target the slower water along the inside bends and the softer seams behind mid-river boulders — that's where fish will be staging to intercept drifting stonefly adults and nymphs alike. Let the rig ride drag-free through the full length of each seam before picking up.
If you want to work the deeper runs and pocket water, anchor a Pat's Rubber Legs on point with a Brown Stonefly Nymph trailing 14" above on a 10-12" tag. Use enough split shot to get the rig ticking bottom — at 405 CFS the current has some push to it. Swing the rig slightly at the end of each drift to imitate an ascending nymph. As the afternoon light softens and any cloud cover builds, watch for BWO or caddis surface activity and be ready to switch to a single dry on 5X or 6X.
Access & Logistics
Access along this stretch is generally straightforward via pullouts along Highway 82 between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. Wading is easy at current flows — the low gradient and wide channel are forgiving. Crowds are light on this section, so you should have room to work. Verify current regulations with CPW before heading out, as rules can change.
Stop by Roaring Fork Anglers or Taylor Creek Fly Shop for flies, local intel, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy.
Looking Ahead
Saturday looks nearly identical to today — take advantage of it. A rain and thunderstorm system moves in Sunday and could push flows up and cloud the water heading into next week. Fish this weekend's window; it may be the last clean pre-runoff opportunity before the river transitions.