Blue River Silverthorne
Fishing Report
UPDATED: 8/29/24
Flow: 108 CFS River Graph
The "tailwater" section of Blue River through Silverthorne fishes fairly consistently year round. Water temps normally stay within the lower forties (fahrenheit), which doesn’t produce a large variety of hatches. For the most part, small midge larva, and Mysis Shrimp (small clear/white shrimp inhabiting Dillon Reservoir), are staples of the trouts diet. Things start to get more interesting if Dillon Reservoir reaches capacity and “spills” through the top release of the dam, instead of the bottom. This causes a larger variety of aquatic insects that live in the Blue River to become active, and therefore more available to trout.
The best technique is usually nymphing under a small, inconspicuous indicator. Adjust your weight and indicator depth depending on the depth of the piece of water you are working, and to the depth at which the fish are holding. Seeing rising fish is a possibility, as is seeing some action on streamers.
Current Conditions:
RIVER FLOW:
The Blue is around 110 CFS coming out of the bottom of the reservoir.
WATER TEMPERATURE (DEGREES F):
39-45º
WATER CLARITY:
Clear, High
CURRENT FOOD SOURCES:
| Worms | Stoneflies | Midges | Mysis Shrimp | Caddis | small mayflies(BWO and PMD) | leeches, smaller fish, worms etc.
Flies to Try
Guides Choice Dozen $24.99
NYMPHS:
San Juan Worm 12-16 | Red or Pink Squirmy Worm | Epoxy mysis #18 | Natural Pheasant Tail #18-22 | Mayfly Nymph BWO size 18-20 | RS2 Dun 18-22 | Jujubee Midge #18-22 | Miracle Midge #20-22 | WD-40 Chocolate and Black #18-22|
DRIES:
| Elk Hair Caddis Yellow #18 | Peacock Caddis #18 | Extended Body BWO size 18-22 | Extended Body BWO #18-22| Matthew's Sparkle Dun BWO | Griffith’s Gnat size 18-24 | Umpqua Adult Midge Dark 20-22 | CDC Morgan's Midge size 20-22
STREAMERS:
| Thin Mint #6 | Near Nuff Sculpin olive size 04-06 | Super Bugger Tan size 6 | Pop’s Bugger pearl/grizzly size 8 | Pine Squirrel Leech in black size 12 | Slump Busters in olive and natural | Crystal Bugger white sizes 8-12 | Halebop Leech wine no bead size 8
Guide Tip of the Week:
The Blue's flows are around 108 CFS. The Blue River is presenting quite a challenge right now, especially as a high-pressured tailwater. The water has been getting a bit of a stain in the afternoons and evenings after rainstorms above Straight and Ptarmigan Creek, but dirty water adds quite a bit of food to the system. We have been able to convince quite a few fish to eat San Juan and squirmy worms lately, or your favorite heavy attractor pattern for the stained water that we can see in the afternoons. To increase your chances of success, consider using smaller flies that are classic tailwater patterns. These patterns are designed to imitate the small insects that trout are feeding on in these conditions. Focus on nymph flies like the RS-2, Zebra Midge, and Pure Midge in sizes 18-22. We still recommend sight fishing and using enough split shot to get your flies in the strike zone so you can present the flies as efficiently as possible.
RIVER ACCESS
Also check out the Town of Silverthorne's Blue River Fishing Access Map
OTHER LOCATIONS
Weather data provided by 
