Colorado Fishing Reports ยท San Juan & Dolores Basin
Around Rico, the upper Dolores is a pretty freestone river that follows Highway 145 through the San Juan Mountains, with browns, rainbows and cutthroat.
Looking for the latest Dolores River Rico 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 Dolores River โ Rico.
Current flows
Heads up: Major flooding hit southwest Colorado on November 1 and 2. Expect high, dirty water and check road conditions before you drive.
Wind forecast
Rico fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The November 1 and 2 storms caused major flooding across southwest Colorado. The gauge below Rico shows about 260 cfs, high for November.
The upper river is cold and dirty. Wait for it to clear before making the drive.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Rico, bring: Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, Parachute Adams #14-18, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18, Pat', s Rubber Legs #8-10, Woolly Bugger #8, 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.
Rico river details
| Access | Pullouts and national forest stretches along Highway 145. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 8,800 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 356 miles, roughly 10 hours 4 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer and fall |
| Fish | Brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 5X tippet |
| Camping | Cayton and other national forest campgrounds (seasonal) |
| Kids | Yes at the campgrounds in summer. |
| Good to know | Check road conditions on Lizard Head Pass. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Snowed in.
Spring
Late runoff into June.
Summer
Prime time for dries.
Fall
Short window before snow.
How to get there
Take US-550 or US-160 toward Durango and Cortez, then Highway 145 north to Rico.