Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Gunnison Basin
Below Silver Jack Reservoir the Cimarron is a small, scenic tailwater in the national forest south of US-50, best known for willing fish on dry-droppers.
Looking for the latest Below Silver Jack Reservoir 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 Cimarron River โ Below Silver Jack Reservoir.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Below Silver Jack Reservoir fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The Cimarron Road is open from both directions. Flows are below normal after recent rain but fishable, about 20 cfs.
Fish a light dry-dropper, with a Parachute Adams on top and a small Pheasant Tail below, through the seams, soft edges and deep pools at midday.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Below Silver Jack Reservoir, bring: Parachute Adams #16-18, Elk Hair Caddis #16, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18, Zebra Midge #18-20, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Below Silver Jack Reservoir river details
| Access | Cimarron Road from US-50, then a short walk below the dam. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 8,800 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 265 miles, roughly 6 hours 27 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer and early fall |
| Fish | Rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 3 to 4 wt rod, 9 ft leaders, 5X tippet |
| Camping | Silver Jack, Beaver Lake and Big Cimarron national forest campgrounds (seasonal) |
| Kids | Partly. Small, willing fish, but it means rock hopping. |
| Good to know | Snow closes the road. Check before you drive. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Snowed in.
Spring
Late runoff.
Summer
Dry-dropper heaven.
Fall
The last window before snow.
How to get there
Take Cimarron Road (County Road 858) south from US-50 east of Montrose.