Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Rio Grande Basin
Around Del Norte the Rio Grande leaves the mountains for the San Luis Valley, big water with large browns and limited public access.
Looking for the latest Rio Grande Del Norte 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 Rio Grande โ Del Norte.
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
Del Norte fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Flood water from the November 1 to 2 storm ran through Del Norte, and flows are still extremely high for November, close to 3,000 cfs, with dirty water and debris.
Wait for it to drop. When it does, big stonefly nymphs, worms and dark streamers along the edges are the way to start.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Del Norte, bring: Pat', s Rubber Legs #6-10, San Juan Worm #10-12, Woolly Bugger #4-8, Sparkle Minnow #4-6, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, 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.
Del Norte river details
| Access | Limited public spots near town. Much of the river is private, with irrigation diversions. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 7,900 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 232 miles, roughly 4 hours 59 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Fall |
| Fish | Big brown and rainbow trout |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 2X to 4X tippet |
| Camping | Limited |
| Kids | No. Big water and limited access. |
| Good to know | Irrigation pulls a lot of water out in summer, and flows rise once irrigation ends. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cold, with some open water.
Spring
Big runoff.
Summer
Irrigation lowers flows. Hoppers.
Fall
Higher flows after irrigation ends and big browns.
How to get there
Del Norte is on US-160 west of Monte Vista.