Frying Pan Anglers - Colorado Fly Fishing Report 18th June

Our weather prediction last week was a little conservative. We have just completed the coldest week this winter. Today it felt warm with the temperature at 20°. Earlier in the week it struggled to get much above zero and the rivers froze as much as they have all year. There is now a large ice build up including anchor ice in places, so if we have a quick warmer spell there will be a lot of floating ice, particularly in the Roaring Fork. So take care wherever you are wading. In addition there is a lot of ice which has built up on the riverbanks and constitutes fragile shelving on the edge of the flows. Be observant and do not trust that the ice will hold. In addition it will be slippery so be vigilant.

The coming week promises some more cold weather until the middle of the week but at least the highs will get closer to 20°. However with the expectation of further snow towards the weekend the temperatures should move towards their average which is around 5° low to highs in the 30's. The promised snow will also be welcome as the snow we had a week ago has not been augmented to any extent for a week. The ski slopes are in excellent condition and there is now a healthy base to last well through the next few weeks.

There have not been many fishermen about. Those that are present have tended to congregate towards the dam which has less ice than elsewhere. The releases from Ruedi, being relatively warm, contribute to the lack of anchor ice in the first section of the Pan. However lower down the ice has caused the flow to narrow. Consequently there is anchor ice in places and it is dangerous to attempt to wade.

If you are going to drive to any of the parking places, be careful and ensure that you have good tires. If you have any doubts about your vehicle's ability to handle deep snow and ice do not take the risk. Another car was stuck near the dam today. It had to be removed. It is not worth the trouble. It is a long walk to town and there is either little or no passing traffic. Park on safe ground and walk in.

In addition be careful walking about on untracked snow when making your way into a fishing spot. In places at the moment the snow is 2 – 3 ft deep and if you are a little unsteady on your legs you will struggle. So if you are a little unsure, don't take a short cut thinking you will beat the crowd. There isn't one. Take your time. And take the beaten path. Particularly if you intend to spend a good deal of time on the river.

With the promise of continuing cold weather try and fish in the sun if there is no cloud. Frankly, if it is below 10° I won't fish because it is just to harsh on the fish unless you are prepared to break off your fly to release it. The other thing to do, apart from ensuring that the barb is pinched down (which should always be the case) is to open the gape on the hook so that after a little struggle the fish will come off by itself. I consider it a long distance release. You can have the satisfaction of knowing you fooled the fish but did not fight it too long. With the temperature in the teens, the guides will ice up regularly so pick up some Stanely's "ice-off" and keep your guides clear of ice as best you can. The key will be to wait until the sun is up then follow the sun. The midges will generally start to come off towards midday. But it will all quieten down as the sun passes behind any mountain peak. So follow the sun.

Midges were coming off today with the with cloud cover. They took both emergers and dries. It is a challenge to keep the dry fly floating in the cold as any moisture turns to ice and sinks it quickly. So dry your fly every few casts and watch closely.

Take care when handling the fish. Leaving a fish out in the air when it is so cold will cause the water to freeze and damage the gills potentially causing irreparable harm to the fish. In addition, land the fish and release it quickly to limit the amount of energy expended. Sometimes if I can't remove a hook quickly enough I will just break off the line. The fish are now confined to restricted diets for the next 2 months so it is important to let them alone as much as possible so that they will survive the winter in reasonably healthy condition.

Recommended Flies: Wait for the sun to hit the water before venturing out. Then follow the sun . In the bright light the fish can easily be spotted in the deeper slower water. In the coming week fish midges deep and then if they start coming off fish closer to the surface with emergers if the fish start rising in the water column. Watch until the fish are poking their heads out of the water to take the midges off the surface before switching to dry patterns. When the fish are taking midges they won't move much to take them so fish as accurately as possible to ensure that the fly drifts down or up to the level of the feeding fish. It is imperative that one fishes right to the fish, so continually vary your weights. If you are careful you will get a lot of shots at a suspended fish as it won't move much to inspect a fly. Try WD-40's #20 , red and black chironocones #20, brassie's #18 - #22, midge larva patterns #18 - #22 and garcia's rojo midges # 18 - #22. It's only when you practically hit the fish on the head and he moves off that you will know for sure he won't take your midge pattern. When the fish are taking midges off the surface, try and identify the size of the midges floating by and match the size. Carry a range of dry patterns such as the z-wing real midge, suspended midge and any similar dry black patterns in sizes from #20 through to #26. In addition with the browns on the redds still spawning take care not to disturb them. Instead fish downstream with egg patterns where other fish will gather to feed on them.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 238cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The colder weather and snow has slowed the flow earlier in the week, but the warmth (relatively speaking) of the last few days has pushed up the flow a little. The additional flow will have ice and material coming down with it so take care when wading. The further downstream you fish the more dangerous it will be. Essentially the conditions at the moment make rafting or floating a questionable proposition. So if you are interested call the shop and check the latest report if you are interested. There are midge hatches in the sun. Streamers and eggs will work as well.

Recommended Flies: Use the same flies as the Pan. (See our report for the Frying Pan). In addition use streamers, san juan worms and egg patterns. Generally try midges. Try larva and pupa patterns until the fish are moving under the surface then try emergers.

The Colorado should remain clear for the moment. There continues to be good fishing with similar patterns to the Fork only a little larger.

Recommended Flies: midges, larva, pupae, dries and emergers; 20 inchers size #10 - #14; streamers #6 and #8 and smaller and try egg patterns.