Colorado Fishing Reports ยท South Platte Basin
The Cache la Poudre is Colorado's only National Wild and Scenic River, with more than 40 miles of public water along Highway 14 west of Fort Collins.
Looking for the latest Cache la Poudre River Poudre Canyon river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Cache la Poudre River โ Poudre Canyon.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Poudre Canyon fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Flows are low and clear. Use a dry-dropper on warm days and a nymph rig on cold ones, with a Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear and an Adams or small attractor dry.
The upper canyon fishes better later in the day. Rain can bring burn-scar runoff, so check the gauge after storms.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Poudre Canyon, bring: Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Hare', s Ear #16-20, Parachute Adams #18-20, PMX #12-16, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Poudre Canyon river details
| Access | Highway 14 up the canyon with lots of public water mixed with private cabins. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 5,300 to 9,000 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 91 miles, roughly 1 hour 53 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer and fall |
| Fish | Brown, rainbow, cutthroat and brook trout |
| Regulations | Catch-and-release stretches apply. Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 5X tippet |
| Camping | Many national forest campgrounds (mostly closed for the season now) |
| Kids | Yes. Many easy pull-offs. |
| Good to know | Burn-scar runoff after rain can muddy the river quickly. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Lower canyon only.
Spring
Pre-runoff BWOs.
Summer
Caddis.
Fall
BWOs and quiet water.
How to get there
Follow Highway 14 west from Ted's Place into Poudre Canyon.