For those of you who are having a bit of cabin fever or those of you looking forward to this summer here’s a fishing report and an update on the current snowpack and reservoir levels. The flow out of Palisades is running at 900 cfs, and should stay that way through March and into most of April. Palisades reservoir is 85% full.
At 900 cfs there are a lot of walk and wade options. For boaters on the upper river, the put-in at the Dam has been plowed as have Spring Creek and Conant, the Irwin slide is also an option. Wolf, Byington and Lorenzo are all accessible on the lower river. I would recommend scoping out your put-in and take-out before committing to your float and packing a rope or strap to pull your boat closer to the ramp if needed.
The fishing has been best in the middle (warmest) part of the day. If conditions are warm and calm enough you might see fish rising to midges, if so a Griffith’s Gnat and a good presentation should be all you need. If you’re not seeing rising fish you’ll want to work slow-moving holes with streamers and nymph setups. Fish those streamers low and slow. Nymphs should focus on midge lifecycle patterns and stoneflies. A Rubber Legs trailed with a Tungsten Thread Midge will get the job done.
As of today, our snowpack sits at 87% of average. It’s currently snowing with more on the way this next week. It would be great to see that number get into the 90th percentile by next week. With Palisades sitting at 85% full and a good amount of snow in the mountains, the reservoir is sure to fill which is always the best way to start our Summer. We’ve got a lot of winter left!
