Frying Pan Anglers - Colorado Fly Fishing Report 18th June

We are certainly having more than fair our share of great weather. Despite the prediction of a little bad weather for this weekend, it passed without any thing to speak of save and except for a little cloud on Sunday afternoon. As the inevitable winter weather is bound to arrive in the not too distant future, many of the locals were out on the river today savoring the extended great weather. Actually although it was a little quiet on the river on Saturday with only a few boats and rafts, the traffic was substantial on Sunday, particularly on the lower Fork.

This past week the fishing was excellent both on the Pan and the Fork. With a BWO hatch happening around midday higher on the Pan and midges coming off in proliferation there was some nice dry fly fishing to be enjoyed. On the Fork there was some excellent streamer fishing and some equally good nymphing.

Given the recent performance of the weatherman perhaps it is not worth relating his latest prediction. However, in the off chance, that he is correct, here it is. A little rain and snow is predicted later tonight continuing through tomorrow with it clearing up as the week progresses. The temperatures will range up to the low 50’s and it will be cloudy but clear. We are getting close to the start of the ski season and the warm weather of the past week must be beginning to take its toll on the snow on the lower slopes by now. Actually a little snow and rain over the next few days with it clearing later in the week would supplement the flows in the Fork nicely and if it warms as predicted the fishing would be excellent again next week.

So if you have a mind to come and catch a last days fishing, check the weather reports, and if it remains relatively warm during the week, the fishing next week end will be good. In fact, if you can get out on the river during the week, that would be the ticket. On Thursday, there was not a soul to be seen on the river and the fishing was excellent.

Feel free to call us at the shop to check on the weather and fishing conditions.

The past week continued the excellent weather from the previous week, with the temperatures in the 60’s during the day. With the flow at winter levels of 89cfs most of the Pan is exceedingly accessible and pushing the fish back into the deeper holes and channels.

In the bright light the fish sought as much protection as they could in deeper parts of the river and in the shade. A little cloud on Saturday and with the prediction of cloudy cold and wet weather on Monday, there should be some good BWO fishing. Higher up the Pan, there are usually some BWO’s coming off around midday for an hour or so at the moment.

The warmth of the past few days has kept the midges coming off almost till dark affording some nice dry fly fishing later in the afternoons. While the warmer weather persists the fish will continue to move about on the surface during the day.

Recommended Flies:

As we head into the final stretch before the cold and snow of winter descends, the principal hatches will be midges and a few BWO’s.

Prior to the BWO’s coming off, try a small FPA sparkle baetis, a thorax sparkle baetis, the icebreaker or a pheasant tail before they start to rise. Also try the mighty mite, the juju baetis and the mighty may sloans. Try sizes #20 - #22. In addition, when the BWO's start coming off try RS2's and other emerger patterns behind a dry. It doesn't hurt to try the emergers behind the nymphs if the fish are staying down in the water. For dries, use parachute Adams, Matthews sparkle baetis, biot BWO, the extended body BWO and the grizzly Adams. Try sizes from #18 - #24.

Midges come off during the day, particularly if it is sunny and in the evenings so try WD-40's #20 , red and black chironocones #20, brassie's #18 - #22, midge larva patterns #18 - #22, copper johns #18 - #22, black polywings #18 - #22 and garcia's rojo midges # 18 - #22. Try the gray loopwing emergers #20 - #22, the FPA special emergers, biot emergers both with and without the trailing shuck and gray RS2's #18 - #22. 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.

As the fish start spawning, try egg patterns down stream but keep off the redds, as that is next years sport.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 353cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The principal hatch at the moment is midges which are coming off in the mornings as the day warms up. In addition they come off into the evenings. In the hour before sundown there is nice fishing with midges along the edges in the clear slower water.

The fish will take small nymphs and midge emergers when nymphing during the day. With the browns staging for the spawning season, they are responding aggressively to streamers, both white and black thrown against the edges.

The fishing the last few days on the Fork has been excellent with a variety of flies working. Large streamers from autumns splendors #2 through to large black and white zuddlers and sculpins have worked well. In addition nymphs, such as princes and copper johns and egg patterns.

Recommended Flies:

Overall the best results on the Fork are from nymphing and streamers while floating.

During the day use midge emergers and BWO nymphs and emergers. See some of the patterns we have mentioned for the Pan. If you are nymphing deep down, use plenty of weight in the fast running water and pick where the fish are protected behind structure or deeper down in the slower water.

If floating try streamers. The browns are aggressive and will chase and sometimes take any well presented streamer. Try autumn splendors, zuddlers and wooly buggers all in large sizes. If it slow down try princes, brassies, copper johns and eggs deep down.

In the afternoons and evenings the hatches are predominantly midges. The fish are still keeping low most of the time.

Colorado River

The water in the Colorado has cleared quite nicely. There are still a few BWO’s coming off as well as midges but generally try streamers if floating.

Recommended Flies: BWO both nymphs emergers and dries; midges, eggs and princes, 20 inchers size #10 - #14; streamers #2 - #8.