Colorado River (Lees Ferry) Fishing Guides and Conditions, Arizona

About the Colorado River (Lees Ferry)

Lees Ferry is where two famous rivers meet in one place: the fifteen-mile trout tailwater below Glen Canyon Dam, and the launch ramp where every Grand Canyon raft trip begins. The tailwater is clear, cold and startlingly beautiful, running between vertical Navajo sandstone walls with gravel bars and grassy shelves where wild rainbow trout hold in numbers that make this one of the most productive trout fisheries in the Southwest.

Fishing is done two ways. The walk-in water at the Lees Ferry ramp is public, easy to reach and fishes well on foot. The upper fifteen miles to the dam is boat-only, reached by motoring up from the ferry, and guides run that water daily, anchoring on the gravel bars and fishing small nymphs and midges to sighted fish. The rainbows are wild and self-sustaining, and management here also balances the needs of the endangered humpback chub, which shapes the regulations.

Flows come out of Glen Canyon Dam on a hydropower schedule and change through the day, often between roughly 8,000 and 15,000 cfs, with occasional experimental high-flow releases much larger. Anglers plan around the daily fluctuation: a dropping tide concentrates fish on the bars, and a rising one moves them. Water temperature stays cold and stable year-round, so this river fishes in every month.

Marble Canyon and Page are the base, with Flagstaff about two hours away. Boat rentals, guides and lodging are all clustered at Marble Canyon, and a walk-in day at the ferry costs nothing but a fishing license.

Access

Lees Ferry boat ramp: the main access, the walk-in fishery and the Grand Canyon launch point.
The walk-in reach: public bank access downstream of the ramp, no boat needed.
Upper fifteen miles to Glen Canyon Dam: boat-only access, guided or by rental.
Marble Canyon: lodging, guides and supplies at the highway junction.
Navajo Bridge: the overlook just downstream of the ferry.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: the administering agency; entrance fees apply.

Seasons

Year-round; the tailwater temperature barely changes.
March through May: comfortable weather, strong midge fishing and light crowds.
June through August: hot air, cold water, early starts and afternoon shade under the walls.
September through February: the best months for many guides, stable flows and very few boats.