Some days on the water require a little patience, a little adaptation, and a whole lot of appreciation for where you are. This was one of those days.
I made the drive up toward the Dolores River tailwaters early in the morning, winding through the rugged Colorado terrain with my 5 wt Sage reel in tow and a box full of my own hand-tied flies. The plan was simple—hit the river, work the riffles, and see what the fish were willing to take.
Hiking into the Tailwaters
After parking near the access point, I hiked down into the canyon, breathing in the cool mountain air and taking in the towering rock walls that framed the river. The Dolores tailwaters are a special place—remote, beautiful, and teeming with trout. The kind of water that makes you slow down and take it all in.
I started the day with dry flies, size 14 and 16, hoping for some surface action. The morning light filtered through the canyon, and for a while, the fish were cooperating. I landed a few solid browns on small dries, watching them rise in the gentle seams. But as the day wore on and the rain clouds rolled in, the bite slowed, and it was time to adjust.
Swinging Streamers in the Riffles
With the drizzle setting in, I switched gears. I tied on one of my hand-tied streamers—yellow and black, a pattern that’s served me well in these waters before. Instead of focusing on delicate presentations, I turned to the riffles, picking out lanes where I could swing my streamer through deeper pockets.
The rain had the trout fired up, and swinging streamers proved to be the right move. It wasn’t long before I felt that familiar jolt—a big brown hammering the fly mid-swing. The fight was strong, the fish pulling hard in the current before finally coming to hand.
Adapting to the Conditions
Fishing in the rain is all about managing comfort and efficiency. I kept my rain jacket zipped up, my gear as dry as possible, and my focus on adjusting to the changing water conditions. The rain added a bit more flow to the river, making the seams and runs even more defined, perfect for targeting fish holding in deeper water.
A Day to Remember
By the time I hiked out, I was soaked but completely satisfied. The Dolores had given me a little bit of everything—technical dry fly fishing in the morning, aggressive streamer action in the afternoon, and some truly incredible scenery along the way.
Days like this remind me why I love fly fishing. It’s not just about the fish—it’s about reading the water, adjusting to what the river gives you, and taking in the beauty of the places these pursuits take us.
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