The Trout Spawning Process
The actual trout spawning process begins with the female trout digging a nest (or redd) in
a shallow gravel covered section of the riverbed with just the right amount of current.
She fans her tail rapidly against the small rocks to remove the debris and clean the redd
before laying her eggs. Once her eggs are laid, she will move to the upstream side of her
nest and allow one or two male trout to fertilize the tiny eggs before she covers them
up with more rocks. When the eggs are fertilized, the trout abandon the redd and return
downstream to their normal territories. The eggs will remain in the nest for most of the
winter until rising water temperatures and longer days signal the next generation to hatch.
How Anglers Can Help
The two best ways we as fly fisherman can help the fish along are to stay away from
the redds, and to limit our trout fly fishing at the confluences and small streams where the large
populations of spawning fish are holding. Also, please avoid fly fishing for trout that are
actively spawning on redds as they are very vulnerable and not all challenging to catch.
Avoid the Brown Trout Redds
Most brown trout redds are easy to see once you know what to look for. Often times
they are in slower moving water where the river bed is made up of small rocks or gravel.
The rocks and gravel inside the redd will appear cleaner and lighter in color than the
rest of the area. One fly fisherman can wipe out thousands of trout eggs with just a few
misplaced steps. While fishing during the spawning season, we need to be more careful
than usual not to step on these fragile areas.
Steer Clear of the Confluences
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has instated limited closures of known trout spawning
grounds on the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers. These areas are at the confluences
where small streams meet the main watersheds, such as the closure at Grizzly Creek on
the Colorado River. Although not all of these areas are closed to fishing, fly fisherman
can go the extra mile and stay away from them until the trout are done spawning.
Fall Fly Fishing in Colorado
Fall can provide some of the best fly fishing of the year. The scenery is beautiful, the
bugs are active, the water is cool again, and the fish are healthy. It is important, however,
not to inhibit our local trout’s reproductive process while we enjoy this epic season.
Remember to visit Vail Valley Anglers to get answers to your fly fishing questions and to load
up on your fall fly fishing gear essentials.
Andy “Otter” Smith, Guide and Content Writer