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Colorado River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Lees Ferry: the Colorado runs enormous rainbows through Marble Canyon below Glen Canyon Dam.

2/5

Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Flow

8,000 cfs

Air / High

95 / 96 F

Wind

SW 17 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09380000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view

Friday

4

September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Colorado River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 8,000 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind SW around 17 mph, rising pressure near 1008 hPa and a high of 96. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Similar at 95 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Colorado River at Lees Ferry.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09380000.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp95 F

High / Low96 / 70 F

WindSW 17-23 mph

Pressure1007.5 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain0% cloud, 2%

Sunrise / Sunset06:00 / 18:50

MoonLast Quarter, 50%

Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Clear, 96/70 F, wind 21 mph, rain 2%

Fair or better. A 21 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Colorado River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Colorado River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Rainbow trout

Brown trout

SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Colorado River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data

Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 95 F, wind to 20 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 95 F, wind to 22 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 89 F, wind to 15 mph.

Before you go

License

Arizona requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Arizona license. Special regulations apply at Lees Ferry: check current AZGFD rules. National recreation area fees apply.

Access

Lees Ferry launch within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; guides and outfitters at Marble Canyon.

About this water

The Colorado River tailwater between Glen Canyon Dam and the Grand Canyon, Coconino County, Arizona.

Fishing Colorado River: the full guide

A tailwater in the Grand Canyon

Lees Ferry is the fifteen-mile reach of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and the head of the Grand Canyon, and it is one of the most striking trout fisheries in the world: clear, cold water released from the bottom of Lake Powell running between thousand-foot walls of Navajo sandstone. Rainbow trout are the fishery, with numbers that make it a destination.

Rainbows on the ledges

The fishing centers on gravel bars, ledges and side channels, fished from boats that run up from the launch at Lees Ferry: scuds, midges and small nymphs under indicators dominate, with dry-fly windows during hatches. Wade fishing at the launch area is productive and accessible for anglers without a boat.

Flows and the dam

Glen Canyon Dam releases fluctuate daily with power demand, changing water levels by feet within hours: the fluctuation is part of the fishery and anglers plan around it. Occasional high-flow experiments reshape the gravel bars. Water clarity is exceptional except after Paria River storms bring in sediment.

Marble Canyon logistics

The Lees Ferry launch within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area provides the only access, with guides and outfitters based at Marble Canyon. Page is 45 minutes north. This is the last road access before the Grand Canyon: everything downstream requires a permit float of many days.

Common questions

Do I need a boat?

It helps enormously, but wade fishing at the launch area is productive and accessible without one.

Do flows change?

Daily: dam releases fluctuate with power demand, changing levels by feet within hours. Plan around it.

What is downstream?

The Grand Canyon: Lees Ferry is the last road access before multi-day permit floats.

Is fishing good at Colorado River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Lake Powell48 mi Panguitch Lake82 mi Otter Creek Reservoir93 mi Minersville Reservoir115 mi Fish Lake116 mi Green River131 mi

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