Fishing Report Hub

Share your catch

Rio Grande Fishing Report

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

The San Luis Valley’s river: the Rio Grande runs Gold Medal browns below the San Juans.

3/5

Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Water temp

~54 F est.

Air / High

77 / 79 F

Wind

WSW 13 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 08220000, 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Rio Grande feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. Today brings cloud cover, wind WSW around 13 mph, rising pressure near 1005 hPa and a high of 79. 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 81 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 Rio Grande near Del Norte.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp77 F

High / Low79 / 51 F

WindWSW 13-15 mph

Pressure1004.9 hPa, rising

Sky / Rain95% cloud, 3%

Sunrise / Sunset06:38 / 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.

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 79/51 F, wind 15 mph, rain 3%

Fair or better. A 15 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Rio Grande: 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 Rio Grande 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 Rio Grande 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 79 F, wind to 15 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 17 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 75 F, wind to 10 mph.

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. Gold Medal reach has specific rules: check current CPW regulations. Much of the valley river is private: know the access boundaries.

Access

Public reaches near South Fork and Del Norte, Coller State Wildlife Area, and Forest Service land upstream.

About this water

The Rio Grande through the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, Rio Grande and Mineral counties.

Fishing Rio Grande: the full guide

A river from the San Juans

The Rio Grande rises in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado and flows east across the San Luis Valley toward New Mexico, with a Gold Medal reach near South Fork and Del Norte that holds brown and rainbow trout in genuinely good numbers. The upper river above the reservoir runs as a mountain freestone, while the valley reaches broaden through ranch country.

Browns on freestone water

The Gold Medal water fishes with nymphs, streamers and dries through the season: caddis and stoneflies in early summer, hoppers and attractors through the warm months, and blue-winged olives in fall. Fish average solid with genuine large browns present. Public access is limited in stretches by private ranch land: know the boundaries.

Runoff and the season

Snowmelt from the San Juans holds the river high into June most years, with the fishing opening as flows drop through July and staying good into October. Irrigation diversions in the valley reduce flows downstream through summer, which concentrates fish and can stress them in warm years: carry a thermometer.

Rio Grande County logistics

Access is via public reaches near South Fork, Del Norte and the Coller State Wildlife Area, plus Forest Service land upstream. South Fork and Creede provide shops, guides and lodging. The upper river toward Creede offers small-water fishing in the San Juans for anglers who want to escape the valley entirely.

Common questions

Where is the Gold Medal water?

The reach near South Fork and Del Norte, holding brown and rainbow trout in good numbers.

When does runoff end?

Usually late June to early July: the fishing opens as San Juan snowmelt drops.

Is access limited?

In stretches, yes: private ranch land borders much of the valley river. Know the public boundaries.

Is fishing good at Rio Grande right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Arkansas River59 mi Vallecito Reservoir70 mi Heron Lake70 mi Blue Mesa Reservoir72 mi Taylor River73 mi Ridgway Reservoir85 mi

Share your catch