Colorado Fishing Reports ยท Rio Grande Basin
The South Fork of the Rio Grande comes down from Wolf Creek Pass along US-160 to the town of South Fork, a small freestone right off the road.
Looking for the latest South Fork Rio Grande South Fork 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 South Fork Rio Grande โ South Fork.
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
South Fork fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The river reached flood stage on November 2 and is still running very high, around 1,000 cfs. Expect it to stay high and dirty for at least a week.
Check road conditions on US-160, which was closed during the storm, before heading this way.
Load your fly box
Before you head to South Fork, bring: Parachute Adams #16-20, Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Zebra Midge #18-22, 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.
South Fork river details
| Access | US-160 toward Wolf Creek Pass, with national forest pull-offs. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 8,200 to 9,000 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 242 miles, roughly 5 hours 12 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer and early fall |
| Fish | Brown, rainbow 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 | Park Creek and Highway Springs national forest campgrounds |
| Kids | Yes at normal flows. A small stream right off the road. |
| Good to know | It floods quickly in rain. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Mostly iced.
Spring
Runoff.
Summer
Attractor dries and caddis.
Fall
BWOs and spawning brook trout and browns.
How to get there
Follow US-160 west from the town of South Fork.