Below McPhee Dam, the Dolores River is a catch-and-release tailwater

Just below McPhee Dam, the Dolores River runs cold and clear out of the reservoir. This kind of river, fed by water released from the bottom of a dam, is called a tailwater, and it can grow good trout. The reach below the dam is known among anglers for rainbow and brown trout.

This stretch carries special fishing rules rather than the general statewide ones. On the regulated reach, fishing is by artificial flies and lures only, and trout must be returned to the water right away. Those rules protect the fishery, so it helps to know them before your line is wet. The river is also remote and reached by rough access in places, so plan the drive, not just the fishing.

One more thing shapes a day here: the flow. Because this water comes from McPhee Reservoir, how much runs in the river depends on dam releases and the year’s water supply. In a dry year the river below the dam can run thin. That changes both the fishing and the safety of wading.

Check the current fishing regulations for this reach, and any flow notes, with Colorado Parks and Wildlife before you go.