Fishing Runoff

Runoff occurs when snow starts to melt and flows into creeks, streams, and rivers, typically from April to June here in Colorado. This increases water flows and leads to fast-moving, murky water. Factors such as the amount of snow that year and temperatures during the days and nights make predicting runoff conditions difficult. Runoff can look very different from year to year, and adapting your fishing locations and methods accordingly is key to success. 

Because there is a large increase in water during runoff, the water flows increase drastically, forcing the trout to hold in areas with slower-moving water because it’s less work for them. The food flows through the faster-moving water and can deposit into the slower-moving regions around the fast water, where the trout will be waiting to eat. Also, because of the murky, dark-colored water, they feel safer in shallow water, which can be a more common area for them to sit.

Places to look:

Structure/Cover:

Behind and in front of structures in the river is always a good place to throw a few casts. The fast-moving water is broken up and slowed down by the obstruction, allowing the trout to sit and feed off of bugs being deposited by the fast water.

Edges:

The edges or banks of the river can be a great spot to find trout holding up out of the fast-moving water farther off in the middle. This would be a great place to throw a dry-dropper rig as the water will typically not be very deep, and terrestrials falling off from the bank can be a common food source for the trout. 

Channels:

Channels coming off of the main river can be a common sight during runoff as the overflowing water creates new paths. These almost miniature rivers provide a calm area for trout to sit and feed on bugs being washed downstream. These channels are often more shallow so, like the edges, a dry-dropper rig would work best here.

Eddies:

Eddies are a great place to locate big trout feeding in the river because they are a calmer section of water with many bugs constantly flowing through them. Eddies are cut out of the sides of the main river and have a flow that comes from the bottom of the river back up to the top, creating an almost whirlpool effect. You often find foam and bubbles in these areas, making good cover for the trout as they sit and feed. Allowing your flies to flow through the entire eddy is a great way to get a hookup.

Since the water is moving fast, and some trout may be sitting deep where the slower water is, you want to get your flies down deep and fast. Don’t be afraid to use split shots; they are your best friend during runoff. 

Since the water is dark and the trout will have a more challenging time seeing, getting your flies right in front of them is crucial.

Since the top of the water will move much faster than the deeper sections, having an indicator can create some problems if you’re fishing in these faster sections. The indicator could get pulled faster downstream and drag your flies through the deep, slower areas, which is not a realistic movement that flies make. If this is the case, you would want to get rid of the indicator and fish your rig like a euro nymph setup, keeping the line tight as you go through the run and watching for any movement of the leader going into the water.   

4x and 3x for nymphing and 12-16lb for streamers. The water is dark, so you don’t have to worry about the trout seeing your line. Fish a stronger line so you can fight the fish harder and bring them in faster against the strong current. 

Nymphing:

Flashy is the key; you don’t want to use flies that will easily get lost in the murky water. Use flashy flies and colors that stand out in murky water, like rainbow, pink, chartreuse, and black. If there has recently been an increase in water, I would throw worms and larvae, bugs that come from the bank, into the water. If there hasn’t been a significant increase in water, then nymphs and leeches will work well. Another factor to consider when choosing flies is their weight. For your lead fly, you generally want to have this be your heaviest fly to get you down deep, and then the flies coming off of it are slightly smaller, so they ride higher in the water column. You will most likely be using some sort of indicator with your runoff rig; you can use your standard strike indicator or a large dry fly, like a hopper or salmon fly, to add the possibility of a topwater hookup, this would be called a dry-dropper rig. 

Dry-dropper Rig: 

Streamers:

Using streamers during runoff can be a very effective way to hook into aggressive trout. The movement and flash going through the murky water can be enough to get a hungry brown trout to chase it down and strike. There are a couple of different techniques that you can use when fishing a streamer, including your standard cast and strip back, making sure to change up your striping pattern and rate. You can also cast the streamer out and let it swing down the river, imitating a hurt or struggling bait fish or leech. Once you swing it back to your side of the river, you can strip it upstream back to you, which is another time when a fish could strike.

• Go slow and stay safe
• Fish big and flashy
• Fish deep
• Don’t be afraid to change depths and flies 
• Fish the slower moving areas

Although runoff could seem like a less-than-ideal time to fish, it is often the opposite. The fish are less pressured and feel safer because of the dark, murky water, but still feed heavily. The main thing to worry about during runoff is your own safety. The water flows are much higher, and the water can be colder than usual, so avoid wading into fast sections and move slowly, ensuring you have a good foothold before making your next step. Apart from that, once you find where they are holding and determine the correct weight and size of your rig, you will be hooking up with trout all day during runoff!