Tarryall Creek: Main Valley

Tarryall Creek: Main Valley — Fishing Report for April 26, 2026

Quick Stats

Flow: N/A (no gauge) | Trend: Rising (seasonal snowmelt) | Fishability: Unfishable | Weather: Chance snow showers, high 49°F

The Bite

April in the Tarryall Valley is mud season, and this weekend is no exception. Snow showers are in the forecast through Tuesday, overnight lows are dropping into the upper 20s, and the creek is almost certainly running cold and off-color with early snowmelt. Without gauge data, there's no precise flow number to report — but seasonal patterns and the current weather tell the story clearly enough: this is not a weekend to point your truck toward Tarryall.

There is a silver lining worth noting. Snowpack across the South Platte Basin is sitting at just 16% of normal, and water-year precipitation is running at 65% of normal — a notably dry year by any measure. What that means for Tarryall is that the spring runoff pulse should be shorter and less severe than usual. The creek may clear and drop into fishable shape earlier than a typical year, potentially setting up a legitimate window in mid-to-late May rather than waiting until June. That's genuinely good news for anglers eyeing the Mother's Day Caddis hatch.

For now, patience is the play. The road into the Tarryall Valley can be rough on vehicles in wet conditions, and soft, unstable banks make wading a hazard even if the water were clear. Save the trip.

What to Fish

(Patterns to have ready when conditions turn — not for today)

• Elk Hair Caddis (olive) #14–16
• Caddis Pupa (green) #14–16
• Hare's Ear Nymph #14–16
• Pheasant Tail Nymph #16–18
• Parachute Adams #14–16

Tactics & Rigging

When Tarryall does come into shape, the meadow sections reward a careful, low-profile approach — these are wary wild browns in clear water. A dry-dropper setup works well here: a buoyant Elk Hair Caddis as the indicator fly with a Caddis Pupa dropped 16–18" below on 5X fluorocarbon. Keep your casts short and your silhouette low. The pocket water through the forested stretches can handle a double-nymph rig anchored by a weighted Hare's Ear with a smaller Pheasant Tail trailing 14" above — let it ride the seams drag-free.

Water temps aren't available today, but expect them to be well below the active feeding range for the next few weeks. Once temps climb into the mid-40s°F consistently, the fish will start moving and the caddis activity will build.

Access & Logistics

Tarryall Creek flows through a patchwork of Pike National Forest, BLM, and private ranch land. Public access exists on Forest and BLM sections, but private boundaries aren't always obvious — study a map before you go and respect posted signs. Road conditions into the valley can be rough or impassable during mud season; check conditions before committing. Verify current regulations with CPW before fishing, as rules can change and land ownership affects what's open.

Stop by Deckers Fly Fishing or local South Platte-area shops for flies, current intel, and to support the shops that keep these fisheries healthy.

Looking Ahead

With more snow in the forecast through Tuesday and overnight temps staying cold, Tarryall won't be ready this week — but the unusually low snowpack suggests the fishable window could arrive ahead of schedule. Keep an eye on conditions in mid-May; if the weather stabilizes, the Mother's Day Caddis hatch could make for an exceptional early-season outing on one of the Front Range's most underrated small streams.