Gore Creek Fishing Report

Designated a gold medal fishery below the area at Lionshead, the Gore can be a tremendous fishery for those who can figure out her little secrets. Sight fishing to large fish can be very rewarding, if not downright challenging! The Gore Creek fish are smarter than your average trout. So hire a smarter than average guide for success on the Gore.

The Gore is in good fishing condition if you know where to go, that’s why we’re here. Nymphing is the go in Spring for fishing from Lionshead down to the Eagle confluence. Stealth and a good guide are the keys to success on the Gore Creek.

October 2026 | Vail, Colorado

Fishing: Good

Water: Low & Clear | Best Fishing: Late Morning–Afternoon

October is a beautiful time to fish Gore Creek right through the heart of Vail, Colorado. Cooler fall temperatures, changing aspens, fewer anglers and active trout make this small Gold Medal stream a great choice for an October walk-and-wade trip.

Flows are currently very low and clear, so this is technical fishing. Concentrate on the deeper pools, pocket water, riffles and faster oxygenated runs where trout have enough depth and cover to feel comfortable.

Blue-Winged Olives

Blue-Winged Olives are one of the most important October hatches on Gore Creek.

Look for BWO activity from late morning through the afternoon. Cloudy and overcast days can provide particularly good opportunities for dry-fly fishing.

Watch the slower edges of deeper pools, seams and softer water behind structure for rising trout.

Recommended BWO Patterns:

• Parachute Adams #18–20
• BWO dries #18–22
• Film Critic BWO #18–20
• RS2s #18–22
• Barr’s Emergers #18–22
• JuJu Baetis #18–22
• Pheasant Tails #16–20

Midges

Don’t overlook the midges.

Midges remain an important food source on Gore Creek throughout the year and are especially valuable when there isn’t an obvious mayfly hatch.

Try small Zebra Midges, Rainbow Warriors, RS2s and other midge larvae and emergers in the #18–22 range.

Dry-Dropper Fishing

A small dry-dropper rig is one of our favorite setups for Gore Creek right now.

Use a small Parachute Adams, caddis or other visible dry fly with a BWO or midge pattern suspended underneath.

This allows you to cover both surface-feeding fish and trout holding just below the surface without using a heavy traditional nymph rig.

October Streamer Fishing

October is also a great time to explore Gore Creek with a small streamer.

Gore Creek holds some surprisingly large brown trout, particularly in its lower reaches. Fall is a great time to slowly work deeper pools, undercut banks and structure looking for an aggressive brown.

Try:

• Thin Mints
• Small Woolly Buggers
• Mini Dungeons
• Sculpin patterns
• Small olive or black leeches
• Autumn Splendors

Keep the streamers relatively small. Gore Creek is intimate water, and you don’t need a huge articulated pattern to get a big brown’s attention.

Low Water = Stealth

Stealth is extremely important right now.

The low, clear water makes Gore Creek’s trout spooky. Avoid walking directly up to the edge of a pool and immediately casting.

Instead:

• Approach productive water slowly.
• Stay low whenever possible.
• Use longer leaders and light tippet.
• Make your first cast count.
• Concentrate on deeper water and faster riffles.
• Minimize unnecessary wading.

Some of Gore Creek’s best fish can be surprisingly close to the bank if they haven’t been disturbed.

Fall Brown Trout Reminder

October brings brown trout closer to their spawning season.

As the month progresses, watch for redds—clean areas of freshly disturbed gravel where trout are spawning. Please avoid walking through redds or deliberately targeting actively spawning fish.

There are plenty of feeding trout in the deeper pools, riffles and pocket water.

OCTOBER OUTLOOK

October is a great time to fly fish Gore Creek in Vail.

Expect technical low-water conditions, but anglers who adjust their approach can find excellent opportunities with Blue-Winged Olives, midges, dry-dropper rigs and small streamers.

And one of the best things about Gore Creek is its location—you can enjoy excellent Colorado trout fishing right in the heart of Vail.

Beautiful fall colors, crisp mountain air and Gold Medal trout water make Gore Creek a perfect choice for an October walk-and-wade trip. https://www.vail.gov/visiting/live-webcams/gore-creek-fish-cam

GOT MAP APP?  

This GPS digital map will change your life.

Get the App, Get the Map.

Avenza Maps® uses your device’s built-in GPS to locate you even when you are out of range of a network or internet connection. BLUE GPS DOT follows you wherever you go so you always know where you are on the map.  Get the free Avenza PDF Map App.

Maps are highly detailed including all Federal, State, County and City public fishing access lands along with boat put-ins, take-outs, river miles, insect hatch charts and more.  Drop pins/placemarks to mark your favorite locations or fishing holes. Add notes to your pins like insect hatches, water clarity, water temperature and more. Snap photos with your camera and geo-tag to one of your pins/placemarks.

Click here to download the free Avenza PDF Map App for Iphones
Click here to download the free Avenza PDF Map App for Androids

Discounted Bundles available.

After downloading and installing the free Avenza Map App, open the app, store tab, in the Location, Keywords, Activity grey search bar type FFO and enter.  You will now see all of the mobile fishing maps available for purchase and download.

• Follow the blue GPS dot to the access points!
• Drop pins on your favorite spots
• Public access are highlighted GREN.Private in RED
• Detailed locations and descriptions of all public access points
• Boat luanch locations,rapid names and float mileages.

GPS means no cell signal needed! Get the Free Map App the river maps are only $1.99 each. Blue River Map coming very soon.