Frying Pan Anglers - Colorado Fly Fishing Report 18th June

The hot weather of last week has given way to snow and rain this weekend. This morning we awoke to an inch or so of snow on the ground, heavy clouds and the prospect of more snow. It did snow again in the afternoon. The cold weather will have slowed down the run-off a little bringing down the rivers which had run up quite a bit during the week. By the end of the week the only reliable fishing was in the Pan or high up the Fork as by Friday the Fork was running at 1000cfs at Basalt. But by today it had dropped back to 700cfs. This will clear up the water nicely and with the promise of cold snowy weather for a few days, the water will actually be quite good for fishing.

The Pan is its usual pristine self and with the additional flow from last Sunday fished quite well all week. The tributaries were running high but not depositing any color in the Pan.

It is expected that the weather will warm up as the week progresses so that by the end of the week it will be sunny and in the 60's again. The last few days being cold cloudy and wet brought excellent BWO hatches. Provided one dressed adequately, a few hours spent on the river was quite rewarding. This weather will persist for a few days, so if you get the chance to get out, dress for winter and wait for the waves of BWO's to come drifting by exciting the fish to the surface.

Definite spring weather with warmth followed by cold and snow. The trees are showing some leaves and the ground is now covered in green grass. A lot of birdlife has been passing through. There was a merganser on the pond this week. They are extremely efficient fishermen. Luckily for the fish it decided to move on. However I have noticed a few blue herons arriving back to start stalking around the pond in the mornings. They are also efficient fishermen. I saw something very interesting today. I had hooked a small trout and was in the process of landing it when it was hit sideways by a large brown about 3 times its size. It actually knocked the fish off the line! There is always something interesting on the river.

If you have a mind to do so, see if you can get out on to the river in the next day or so while this gray weather persists. It will certainly be rewarding provided you dress adequately for the occasion.

The flow in the Pan was running up a little as a result of the flow from Rocky Fork so the Bureau dropped the flow back a little on Wednesday. However the run-off has settled in and the Pan now continues to run at 115cfs. The wet weather over the last couple of days has brought on some excellent BWO hatches provided one dressed for the sleet and snow.

Before the hatch the fish took sparkle baetis nymphs. But as the adults started drifting by they shifted their attention to the surface. #22 gray RS2's worked as well as Parachute and Grizzly Adams. But the best fly was the #22 Matthews baetis. The fish tended to take the smaller flies even though the natural's were #18 - #20. Earlier in the week there was good midge and BWO fishing and lower down towards town Mal reported that they took stone fly nymphs.

Recommended Flies: The fish can easily be spotted in the deeper slower water. Look in the seams as the fish are preferring the slower water at the moment but they are moving up into the faster water to take the mayfly nymphs. With the additional flow the fish have spread out a little more. They are also in the slower pools taking adult midges off the surface. Fish midges deep and then if they start coming off fish closer to the surface with emergers when the fish start rising in the water column. Watch until they are poking their heads out of the water to take the midges off the surface before switching to dry patterns. 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. 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 emergers both black and gray, some with a trailing shuck. Also carry dry patterns such as the z-wing real midge, suspended midge and any similar dry black and gray patterns in sizes from #20 through to #26. This week they also took black RS2's #20 when fished 36 inches behind a sparkle baetis.

The baetis are now coming off well particularly in the wet cloudy weather. Try a small FPA sparkle baetis, icebreaker or a pheasant tail before they start to rise. Try sizes #18 - #22. In addition, when the BWO's start coming off try RS2's and other emerger patterns behind a dry. So take along a few dry patterns such as a parachute Adams , Matthews sparkle baetis, the extended body BWO and the grizzly Adams. Take sizes from #18 - #24.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 704cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

Except very high up the Fork was practically unfishable on Friday as it ran 1000 cfs at Basalt. The warm weather had really kicked up the flow. However the cold wintery weather over the weekend has slowed it back to 700 cfs so although high it will be very fishable as the lower flow will be a lot clearer.

The caddis are hatching prolifically on the Fork at the moment from Glenwood up. The midges are working well as are sanjuan worms, streamers and baetis patterns. At the moment the better fishing remains higher up but if the weather warms up again the run-off will pick up again. The best thing is to ring the shop and check the conditions. Just because the river looks dark at Glenwood doesn't mean that we haven't got excellent fishing higher up.

Recommended Flies:Use the same flies as the Pan. (See our report for the Frying Pan). In addition use bwo's, streamers, stone flies such as the 20 incher and golden stones, san juan worms and egg patterns. Use caddis in the shade in the afternoons when the caddis start flying around. Try dries as well as emergers. Generally try midges. Try larva and pupa patterns until the fish are moving under the surface then try emergers.

The Colorado is now dirty. If it remains cold for a few days the Colorado may clear up a little. So if you are in the area, make the journey up valley to at least Basalt to the Frying Pan to experience the difference in water color.

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