January 2025 Fishing Update
Published by: Harlan Kimball
Winter came out of the gate swinging this year. As of January 15th we are sitting at 103% of average snowpack, while this time last year we were at 73%. That being said, a lot of people are out on the ski slopes, leaving the fishable rivers practically empty. Swing by your local fly shop for advice and find some tranquility on the river this winter.
Fishing the Silverthorne town section of the Blue is the best option close to home. Keep the rigging simple this time of year. An egg pattern, pheasant tail, or mysis shrimp is a good option for your attractor pattern. Below that, a UV Midge, Top Secret Midge, or Bling Midge in size 20-24 have all put fish in the net. With the lower flows, sight fishing is the most fun way to catch this time of year. Go for a walk, keep your hands warm and look for the fish before freezing your hands off blind casting.
Besides the Blue, the only other river options close to home are the Williams Fork Tailwater, the Colorado River below Parshall and the Dream Stream. Flows at Williams Fork is 80 cfs making it very fishable using light tippet and small flies. Be prepared for a snowy 1 mile hike in to this tailwater section. The Dream Stream is sitting at great flow of 130cfs. Small leeches and egg patterns will work as an attractor pattern with, you guessed it, midges tied as your second or third fly. The section of the Colorado River below Parshall offers tons of pubic water to explore and an abundance of fish. For the most part, keep the flies small but every once in a while the good ol' Pat's Rubber Leg can bring a few fish to net.
Most of our lakes are capped with safe ice but as always use caution. Dillon Reservoir has been fishing very well near the Snake River inlet as well as around Dillon Marina. Focus your efforts on anywhere from 10 - 30 feet of water. Atomic Teasers and Dynamic Tungsten Ice jigs are very productive lures right now. If you're looking to target lake trout, Green Mountain Reservoir has been producing good numbers, mostly in the 15-20 inch range. There are giants out there, so don't be afraid to jig some larger Jake's Tubes or Dynamic HD Ice Lures.
Shop hours for the winter have changed from 9-5pm Tuesday through Sunday. We will be closed on Mondays for the months of January and February. We hope to see you out on the water this winter!
Flies for January:
