River guide · Colorado

Fly Fishing the Eagle River

Colorado's longest true freestone river, the Eagle runs cobblestone-fast through the I-70 corridor from Camp Hale to the Colorado River at Dotsero: prolific caddis hatches, wild rainbows and browns up to 20 inches, and easy roadside access for over 40 miles.

18 shops nearby
freestone
Year-round
Colorado
6 key hatches

See fly shops ↓

The best time to fly fish the Eagle River is Year-round. Key hatches include Midge, Blue, Caddis, Pale Morning Dun. 18 fly shops near the Eagle River can outfit your trip.

Fly shops near the Eagle River

Shops and guides that fish the Eagle River. See all 122 Colorado shops →

12 fly shops shown

Species on this water

Bass Bonefish Carp Pike Redfish Salmon Tarpon Trout

Nearby towns

Eagle Wolcott Edwards

Rivers nearby

Frying Pan River Roaring Fork River Gore Creek Colorado River

Hatches & seasons

When & what to fish on the Eagle River

River typefreestone

Best seasonYear-round; best April–August and September–October

AccessLong stretches of public water run along I-70/Highway 6 through Minturn, Avon, Edwards, and down to Dotsero. CPW and Eagle County have developed ample angler access points from Wolcott to the Colorado River confluence; BLM land covers most of the lower river. Walk-wade accessible year-round.

Key hatches

Midge (winter–early spring)
Blue-winged Olive / Baetis (March–April, October)
Caddis (May–June, prolific)
Pale Morning Dun (June–July)
Yellow Sally Stonefly (July)
Hopper / Terrestrials (August–September)

From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Eagle River

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse all 880+ patterns at The Fly Bench

Gear up

Gear up on the Eagle River

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear Flies that work

The flies that work on the Eagle River

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

Find your flies

Updated June 2026