![]() ![]() Streamers can work well throughout the float, especially on cloudy days from late summer through fall. When you exit the canyon look for good nymphing and dry fly opportunities in the “Benches” areas. The lowest part of the canyon below Yarmony rapids has excellent habitat and the fishing is great. The upper part of this float has great dry fly banks, recirculating eddies and braided runs and riffles for nymphing. PMDs, yellow sallies, BWOs, Red Quills, various caddis and planty of terrestrials all hatch from spring through fall. The Radium float through the canyon can have a pretty good salmonfly hatch in early June-although perhaps not quite as heavy as the Pumhouse section directly upstream. This float can be combined with the Pumphouse upstream section or float anglers can continue down to State Bridge past Rancho Del Rio. Several campsites are available along the river. The Yarmony Rapid, located at the end of Red Gore Canyon can be dangerous at these high flows, hire an experienced local float fishing guide from to navigate this class 3 (4 at very high water) section of river unless you are an experienced boatman.įor anglers looking for a very long one day float or overnight options this is a great float. Above 3000cfs drift boats should be avoided and caution should be excersised even rowing a raft. This section float fishes best anywhere around 800-1200 cfs and begins to get dicey for drift boats below 600 cfs. Fly fishing can be good at almost any flow if water is clear enough but after about 3,000 cubic feet per second you may want to consider another float. You may use a raft or drift boat for float fishing the Colorado River but it will depend on the river level to determine your best selection. From this area down to the takeout at Rancho Del Rio the water is slower and braided with easy rowing and excellent dry fly fishing. Bench number one is an island others are marked by paths up to tree stands with picnic tables and level camping areas. These areas are great for a shore side lunch, short wading stop or overnight camping spot (first come, first serve). Please respect private property, as some of the river here is private-mostly on the north side- until the water exits Red Gore Canyon where both sides are public BLM land and you enter an area called the “benches” camping and picnic sites which are found river left. The slower meadow water from the boat launch down to the canyon is great for dry fly fishing from a boat, with several foam holes and eddies you may want to nymph just below the surface of the water. The Radium to Rancho Del Rio float tends to flow with less turbidity than stretches down river and is slightly cooler in the summer both trends providing more prolific hatches in this section. The faster water can support more aquatic life then the slower sections of the Upper Colorado. These great canyons have been created for thousands of years by deep fast moving water, great for trout habitat. Where we find uplifts and faster water along the Colorado River we tend find more trout. The Colorado River has just exited Gore Canyon about five miles back upstream, several miles downstream is Sheephorn Canyon and after passing by Radium the river is going to enter Red Gore Canyon about two miles downstream of the launch. Access is easy via the Trough Road from either highway 9 south of Kremmling or via 131 north of Wolcott. The cement boat ramps can fill up quickly with white water rafters, as this is one of the State of Colorado’s most popular white water runs, plan to arrive early. The BLM Radium Recreation Area provides camping ($6 per night), restrooms, pay phone, picnicking and river access. This scenic river float begins at the BLM boat launch in Radium, a small railroad community along the Upper Colorado River known most for the hot springs found about a mile upstream from the improved boat launch. Varying water types and a good trout population will keep anglers happy. The Upper Colorado River offers float fisherman 5 miles between Radium and Rancho Del Rio with excellent opportunities to fly fish from a boat as the class I-III, intermediate water, is inviting for most angling boaters. In earlier blogs we discussed fishing the upper Colorado at Gore Canyon and Pumphouse and will be running a weekly series discussing the various float trips available to anglers on the upper and lower Colorado. Float fishing the Colorado River between Radium and Rancho Del Rio is one of the most scenic floats the river has to offer and the fly fishing is nothing short of excellent.
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