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Uncompahgre River Fishing Report

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

The Uncompahgre: Ridgway's tailwater gift, where the San Juans' silt turned to trophy water below the dam at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
106 cfs
Air / High
82 / 84 F
Wind
WSW 14 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09147500, 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.

Uncompahgre River rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 106 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind WSW around 14 mph, rising pressure near 1006 hPa and a high of 84. 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 84 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 Uncompahgre at Colona.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09147500.

112143173106 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp82 F
High / Low84 / 59 F
WindWSW 14-17 mph
Pressure1006.2 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain22% cloud, 6%
Sunrise / Sunset06:43 / 19:36
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 · Partly cloudy, 84/59 F, wind 16 mph, rain 6%

Fair or better. A 16 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Uncompahgre 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 Uncompahgre 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).

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 Uncompahgre 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 82 F, wind to 16 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 79 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 77 F, wind to 15 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. Pa-Co-Chu-Puk: catch-and-release, artificials: check CPW/park signage.

Access

Ridgway SP (Pa-Co-Chu-Puk units), Billy Creek accesses, Montrose town water.

About this water

The tailwater below Ridgway Dam, Ouray County, CO. The San Juans' reclaimed trophy stretch.

Fishing Uncompahgre River: the full guide

The reclaimed river

The Uncompahgre ran orange with mine silt for a century: then Ridgway Dam settled it and the tailwater below (the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk stretch through the state park) became one of Colorado's finest short trout waters: big rainbows and browns in constructed pools, framed by the Sneffels range's postcard wall.

Pa-Co-Chu-Puk program

The park's catch-and-release miles fish like a manicured spring creek: pods of large fish in the engineered pools (eggs, sowbugs, small streamers), winter fishing that stays open and productive, and family infrastructure (paths, camping) that makes it the San Juans' easiest quality water. Downstream toward Montrose, stocked reaches relax the rules.

The valley beyond

Above the reservoir, the river runs freestone through Ouray's canyon (small wild fish, big scenery): the reservoir itself adds stillwater rainbows: and the valley's position (Ridgway to Ouray to the Sneffels trailheads) makes fishing one thread of the San Juan tapestry: ice climbing and hot springs share the calendar.

San Juan practicalities

Ridgway State Park anchors everything (fees, ramps, the tailwater trail): flows run irrigation-driven (300-plus CFS fishes big, winter's 40-80 fishes technical: our Colona gauge tracks it): and altitude weather flips fast. Montrose supplies: Ouray charms: the river rewards both directions.

Common questions

What does Pa-Co-Chu-Puk mean for anglers?

The state park's tailwater stretch: catch-and-release pools full of large rainbows, open and fishable all winter. Colorado's friendliest trophy water.

When should I fish the Uncompahgre?

October-April for solitude and pods (the tailwater shines in winter): summer adds the freestone canyon above. Irrigation season swells flows: adjust weights, not plans.

Is fishing good at Uncompahgre 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

Ridgway Reservoir8 miSan Miguel River26 miBlue Mesa Reservoir31 miTaylor River54 miVallecito Reservoir66 miGunnison River67 mi
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