Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Colorado Basin
Near Red Cliff the Eagle River is high, small pocket water along Highway 24, best fished in summer.
Looking for the latest Eagle River Red Cliff 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 Eagle River โ Red Cliff.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Red Cliff fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
At about 8,600 ft the river is very low and cold, with ice building. Expect few fish. A small dry with a nymph dropper in the pocket water at midday is the only real option. We suggest saving it for summer.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Red Cliff, bring: Parachute Adams #16-18, Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, 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.
Red Cliff river details
| Access | Roadside pocket water along Highway 24. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 8,600 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 126 miles, roughly 2 hours 41 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer |
| Fish | Brown and brook 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 | Camp Hale and Tigiwon (seasonal) |
| Kids | Somewhat. Small water near the road. |
| Good to know | A summer water. Skip it in November. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Frozen.
Spring
Late runoff.
Summer
Dries in the pocket water.
Fall
An early October window.
How to get there
Red Cliff is off Highway 24 between Minturn and Leadville.