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Crystal River Upper Section Fishing Information
Upper Section - near Aspen, CO
The Crystal River Upper Section is a small to medium sized freestone that’s often living up to its crystal clear name. Small to medium sized browns and rainbows and rocky mountain whitefish are common here with the occasional large fish found near the hatchery (lower section) as they release the big fish once they are done spawning. The upper section of the Crystal River is a great place to get away from crowds and throw some dry droppers in some pocket water for eager trout. You won’t find as many large fish but the beauty and numbers of trout can make it a worthwhile journey.
The upper section of the Crystal River, which extends from its headwaters to Redstone, is a particularly great spot to fish due to its crystal clear water, decent insect populations, and beautiful scenery.
One of the things that sets the upper Crystal apart from other rivers in Colorado is that it is often not very crowded, allowing anglers to fish in relative solitude. This means that it’s a great place to practice a variety of techniques like dry fly fishing, euro nymphing, and streamer fishing. Euro nymphing, in particular, is a great technique to use on the Crystal River as it allows anglers to detect even the slightest bite and target fish in deeper pockets of water.
In addition to being a great place to fish, the upper section of the Crystal River is also home to some beautiful geological formations. The Maroon Formation, a rock formation that consists of a mix of red sandstone, shale, and limestone, can be seen along the banks of the river. Another interesting geological feature is the Coal Basin, which was once a thriving coal mining town and is now an abandoned ghost town.
The upper section of the Crystal River is also a great place to see some of Colorado’s iconic wildlife. The area is home to a variety of animals such as elk, mule deer, black bears, and even mountain lions. Anglers can fish while taking in the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, including the towering Mount Sopris.
The Crystal River is home to a variety of fish species, including rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and whitefish. In the upper section of the river, anglers can expect to catch fish in the 8-14 inch range, with some fish reaching up to 20 inches. The river has a decent population of aquatic insects such as mayflies, caddisflies, and stoneflies, making it a prime spot for dry fly fishing.
The upper Crystal River is easily accessible from the town of Marble and there are several public access points along the river. Anglers can park their cars and walk down to the river to find the perfect spot to cast their line. It’s important to note that the upper section of the Crystal River is catch and release only, so anglers should be prepared to release any fish they catch.
Fish: Some Small-Sized Fish
Popularity: Low
Difficulty: Easy
Accessibility: Easy
Best Techniques: Dries & Nymphs
Best Seasons: Spring - Fall
River Type: Medium Freestone
Fish Types:
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
Dog Friendly: Yes
Located in the Colorado River Basin near Aspen, CO
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Exploration Images
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Hatch Charts
Knowing what flies to use is only have the battle. You have to know when the insects are active on the water and when it's likely the trout are feeding on them. Refer to our hatch charts below to understand when the insect categories and some of the possible hatches on the river.
Midge Hatches
Midges hatch year round, but their importance is from September through winter into April. During the warmer months, the trout often focus on larger insects as they are more active on the water like mayflies, caddis and stoneflies.
Aside from Blue wing olives, mayflies are active most commonly from May to August in Colorado. There are many different mayfly hatches found on most rivers and the most common are listed below.
Blue Wing Olive: September throut winter to April
Colors: Green/Olive
Sizes: #16-24
Pale Morning Dun: June to Mid September
Colors: White, Yellow
Sizes: #14 - #20
Green Drakes: June to August
Colors: Olive/Green
Sizes: #8 - #14
Stonefly Hatches
We have some great stonefly hatches in Colorado and while not all rivers carry all species of salmonflies, you can often fish stonefly adult patterns with confidence from May to September. Start off in bigger sizes and get smaller till September hits (size 8 - 16)
Little Black Stone: January to May during warm sunny days.
Colors: Black, Grey
Sizes: #16 - #20
Golden Stone: June to August
Colors: Yellow, Tan
Sizes: #8 - #14
Yellow Sally Stonefly: Mid June to August
Colors: Yellow, Tan
Sizes: #12 - #18
Terrestrial Activity
Terrestrials don't hatch since they are out of the water, but they can have importance starting in Mid April and ending in September.
These are the the top flies we sell for this river. Use the hatch chart above to know what flies you will want to have in your fly box during your adventure on the river and then select the flies here 30 days before your trip to get them at a great price. All of our flies are hand tied to each order to ensure quality and to keep our prices low for you.
Click on a fly below to select a size and color for purchase.
Our fly assortments make fly selection easy. We take our entomology knowledge and years of fly fishing experience on these rivers to bring you the right fly patterns, including the correct colors, sizes and quantities to set you up for success. A good selection of flies will prepare you properly for anything the trout may be eating on the river and our fly assortments are specifically curated to maximize your success. Take a look at the assortments we provide below and add one to your box today. Use coupon code AST50 for $50 off and free shipping on these as well, just to help make fly fishing a little more affordable!
Click on any of the pictures to see what flies, colors and sizes we recommend in each assortment.
View our access map for the Crystal River Upper Section and learn public and private access points as well as other notable features around fly fishing this river. We include headwater and confluence data and in an effort to not "hotspot" river access points that are better than others, we list every access point available. This serves two purposes. First, it keeps us from hotspotting, which is just showing the best spots and bringing unwanted and harmful attention to the specific access point. The second reason is while we want to help you catch fish and find great places to explore, we don't want to spell it all out for you. If you get it all spelled out, we're doing the exploring, not you. Missing out on the journey of exploring places to fly fish is one of the more enjoyable aspects of fly fishing. While not everyone has time to go explore everything in person, we provide some of the top level data to help you know if something is worth your time, then pass it off to you to explore and find your own adventure. Now enjoy the info, if you're on this page then this river is worth exploring! Go out and find some memories.
Crystal River Upper Section Tips & Resources
Use these epic resources to get ready for your adventure. Whether you're planning your trip, learning your insects, improving your fishing with expert tips or getting detailed resources from the USGS streamflows or DoW, we got you covered to help you find the river and find the success you want.
