Fall Fishing in Grand County
The colors are popping, the temperatures are dropping, and the fish are still very hungry. Fall fishing in Grand County is my favorite time of the year to fish. Let me tell you why.
Fewer crowds: Mud season is here with the month of October. Kids have gone back to school, and businesses have slowed down. (It’s a great time of the year to go catch a movie, go bowling, and dine out as well.) This is the quietest month of the year which also means the rivers are usually dead, and the fish are less pressured. This obviously means better fishing.
Cooler temperatures: Those 100 degree days are over. Time to break out the cotton hoodies and waders. No more sweaty clothes and the mosquitoes and horseflies have gone back to the hell where they belong.
Smaller, clearer water: Wade fishing is much easier, as well as pulling on the oars of a drift boat or raft. The fish are easier to spot, making sight fishing much more enjoyable. Using a suspended nymph rig, single dry, or even an autumn colored streamer can help you stick that bigger fish you’ve been hoping for all summer.
Fish are hungry: Cooler air temperatures mean cooler water temperatures as well. 53-55 degree water temperatures are prime for a trout’s metabolism. These lower water temperatures are also ideal for some incredible hatches such as caddis, midge, and increased blue-winged olive activity.
Brown trout spawn: As water temperatures drop to more ideal temperatures, the female brown trout begin to search out shallow, gravely river bottoms often near or below tributaries or even in the tributaries. This is where they build their nests aka redds. (A redd is a trout spawning bed that is characterized by its clean, bright gravel that is typically in an oval shape.) That being said, please respect these redds and do not fish them. This is to protect the future of our fisheries. However, the males begin to take on their bright fall colors, and their behaviors turn aggressive as they get ready to mate. This is the time of the year to target those bigger kyped up males with streamers or stoneflies.
These are just a few solid reasons to come fishing this fall in Grand County. If you’re a beginner or even a seasoned veteran, Winter Park Flyfisher has guides that can take you to the next level. Our guides can show you why fall fishing in the area is our favorite time to fish. Book a trip at fraserflyshop.com
Categorised in: Fishing Report