Frying Pan Anglers - Colorado Fly Fishing Report 18th June

This past week was clear despite the predictions of snow and cold. It was certainly cold overnight and in the mornings but by noon it warmed considerably and was quite pleasant. We had the X Games on this weekend and it brought a number of visitors to town. There were a few additional fishermen on the river as they enjoyed the warmth and bright sun. We certainly need a little snow for the ski fields although the conditions remain excellent. So it was a little disappointing that the weatherman did not get at least one prediction for snow correct this past week.

The prediction for the coming week is snow commencing on Tuesday and continuing through to next week end. The warmer weather has contributed to the increased flow in the rivers as the extensive ice has begun to shift a little and melt off on the edges. However the Frying Pan remains a channel towards Basalt as does the Roaring Fork. With additional snow expected next week the flow will get a little higher.

The days are noticeably longer and the sun a little higher making the wider parts of the Frying Pan Valley remain in the sun a little longer extending the fishing time. The fishing activity is certainly picking up on the pleasant days when a few of the skiers decide to take the day off. However a little snow will keep most visitors on the ski slopes.

With the promise of snow from Tuesday if the weatherman is correct the cloud cover will mean it will be just a fraction warmer. With the temperature still below freezing, the guides will continue to 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. With the cloud cover you may not see the sun but it won't stop the midges. They will generally start to come off towards midday. But it will all quieten down as the sun passes behind any mountain peak.

Midges have been coming off well all week and we have had good reports of dry fly fishing towards the Dam. The fish took both emergers and dries. Fishing larva and pupae also worked well and in fact was more successful in the bright light. With the promised cloud cover in this coming week, the dry fly fishing should be good as the leader should not be so visible to the fish.

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 - 235cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The flow remained a little elevated all week as the warmer weather and lack of snow caused a little melt. However the sun is still low enough to prevent any meaningful concentration of sun to start any significant flow yet. In the coming week, the promised snow will put the flow up a little as it will not be cold enough to freeze any snowfall immediately. 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.