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Dillon Reservoir Fishing Report

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

Colorado’s high-country blue: Dillon holds kokanee, browns and arctic char at 9,000 feet with Tenmile Range for a backdrop.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
54 cfs
Air / High
75 / 76 F
Wind
WSW 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09050700, 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.

Dillon Reservoir rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 54 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind WSW around 9 mph, rising pressure near 1004 hPa and a high of 76. 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 77 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 Blue River below Dillon.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09050700.

54545454 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp75 F
High / Low76 / 42 F
WindWSW 9-11 mph
Pressure1003.6 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain22% cloud, 10%
Sunrise / Sunset06:35 / 19:30
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 76/42 F, wind 12 mph, rain 10%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Dillon Reservoir: 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 Dillon Reservoir 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).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

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 Dillon Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 76 F, wind to 13 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 72 F, wind to 12 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 68 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

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

Regulations

Colorado license. Kokanee limits and the fall snagging season have specific rules and dates: check current CPW regulations before fishing.

Access

Frisco Bay Marina and Dillon Marina ramps; shore access at the dam, Sapphire Point and along the recreation path.

About this water

A 3,233-acre water-storage reservoir at 9,017 feet in Summit County, Colorado, fed by the Blue, Snake and Tenmile drainages.

Fishing Dillon Reservoir: the full guide

Summit County’s centerpiece

Dillon Reservoir spreads 3,200 acres at 9,017 feet between Frisco, Silverthorne and Dillon, storing Denver’s water beneath some of Colorado’s most photographed peaks. The cold, deep water supports a distinctive fishery: kokanee salmon in numbers, brown trout that grow heavy on them, rainbows, and arctic char: one of the few populations in the lower 48. It is a big-water, cold-water fishery where boats and downriggers matter.

Kokanee and the troll

Kokanee are the main event: troll dodgers and small hoochies or squids from 20 feet in June down to 60-80 feet by August, working the main basin and the Frisco Bay area. The fall spawning run pushes them toward the Blue River inlet, where the snagging season (when open) draws crowds. Browns follow the kokanee: larger plugs and spoons trolled the same depths take fish past five pounds.

Char, rainbows and shore fishing

Arctic char hold deep year-round and are usually caught incidentally by kokanee anglers jigging or trolling the deepest water: a genuinely rare catch in Colorado. Rainbows cruise nearer shore, especially after ice-out and in the fall, giving bank anglers at the Frisco marina, Dillon marina and the dam legitimate action on PowerBait, spinners and small spoons.

Altitude logistics

Marinas at Frisco and Dillon rent boats and provide ramps; the water is cold enough that safety gear matters year-round. Afternoon thunderstorms and wind build fast at this elevation: fish mornings and watch the sky. Wakeless zones and a short boating season (typically late May through September) shape the calendar, and ice fishing takes over in winter when conditions allow.

Common questions

Are there really arctic char?

Yes: Dillon holds one of the few arctic char populations in the contiguous United States, caught deep and usually by accident while kokanee fishing.

When is kokanee season best?

July through September as fish school and feed heavily; the fall run toward the Blue River inlet concentrates them further.

Can I fish from shore?

Yes: the dam, Sapphire Point and marina areas give bank anglers access to rainbows and the occasional brown, especially spring and fall.

Is fishing good at Dillon Reservoir 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

Blue River (Silverthorne)2 miGore Creek21 miTarryall Reservoir35 miEvergreen Lake39 miTwin Lakes39 miClear Creek (Golden)40 mi
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