Lee's Ferry is one of the most celebrated trout fisheries in the American West — a 15-mile tailwater on the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam that has been producing trophy rainbow trout since Lake Powell first began filling in 1963. In a state not typically associated with blue-ribbon trout fishing, Lee's Ferry stands as a remarkable anomaly: a year-round destination producing fish between 12 and 24 inches in numbers that would satisfy any serious angler.
The physics that make Lee's Ferry work are straightforward. Glen Canyon Dam releases cold water (a constant 48°F) from deep in Lake Powell year-round, providing the thermal stability that allows wild rainbow trout to flourish in the desert canyon below. This steady cold flow sustains dense populations of aquatic invertebrates — midges and blue-winged olives in particular — and the trout that feed on them grow large and fat in the clear Colorado current.
The river flows through a high desert canyon of stunning geological drama: Glen Canyon's layered Navajo sandstone gives way to the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument to the east and the pale buff walls of Marble Canyon to the south. Herons stalk the shallows at dawn. California condors wheel on thermals above the rim. And in the river, large rainbows hold in the seams and eddies below massive sandstone boulders, feeding rhythmically on midge clusters and olive emergers in the surface film.
Most fishing is done from drift boats, allowing anglers to cover the productive water efficiently — but wade fishing near the launch ramp and the first few miles of river is productive, particularly for smaller fish. The standard approach involves 5X or 6X tippet, midge patterns in sizes #20-26 (Zebra Midges, RS2s, and WD-40s are house patterns), and strike indicators for deeper nymphing.
Larger fish in the 18-22 inch range are common for anglers who hire local guides with intimate knowledge of feeding lies. Year-round accessibility — Lee's Ferry is a two-hour drive from Flagstaff, four hours from Las Vegas — and consistent fish counts make this a destination that ranks among the top tailwaters in the country, regardless of season.
