Frying Pan Anglers - Colorado Fly Fishing Report 18th June

With another 30” of snow over the last week, we must be approaching an abnormal year by now. Usually January is the coldest and darkest month with little snow. According to the snowmass mountain report, we have already surpassed the January snowfall average and we are not half way through the month!! Apart from the last 2 days it has been cloudy with snow and not so cold. The last 2 days have been clear and colder overnight but within a couple of days we are expecting more clouds and more snow un until next weekend. Thereafter it is expected to clear so we would be expecting some colder nights.

The abnormal snow levels are driving a lot of animals closer to the verges of the roads. In the past week we have seen sheep, plenty of deer, elk and turkeys along the Frying Pan road. The roads are also in treacherous condition and we have had more than our fair share of accidents to date. A number of cars are regularly finding their way off the highways and roads, particularly at night. So if you are coming out, be extremely careful while driving and remember it is not just yourself to watch out for, it is the other character who loses control ahead of you who can be equally troublesome.

The holiday visitors have all gone and we are now quiet again until the days lengthen a little and spring break is upon us. So there will be some good opportunities to get out onto the river uninterrupted. Dress in fully fledged sub-zero clothing now and don’t take any chances on the cold. So take care and enjoy some excellent winter fishing.

We have started to get some new patterns into the shop for the new season. This week we received some specially tied midges down to size #32!! No kidding. We have the 12x leader to go with them as well. So if you are coming up and have tried everything, see what you think of our new tiny midges.

The snow and ice continues to build up along the edges of the river. However the temperatures have not caused the formation of much anchor ice which is good for the fish. Access to the roads near the dam depend on the Forest Service clearing the road.

As the days begin to lengthen look for the widers areas of the valley floor where the sun can reach the water. It has been quite warm and pleasant in the sun, but as soon as it goes down, it gets cold. The fish have been taking dry and emerger midge patterns well into the afternoons up near the dam. Elsewhere the fish are now down deep or in the slower parts of the river below areas of aeration. The fish will continue on the redds closer to the dam well into this month so take care of those areas.

Recommended Flies: The principal hatch is now midges. They will come off during the day, particularly if it is sunny. 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 #28. As the cold weather intensifies the midges will tend to get smaller, so be prepared to fish very light leader and very small flies. In addition try egg patterns.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 211cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The snow over the past week continues to build up the snow and ice on the edges of the Fork particularly higher up above Basalt. The breaking of the ice dam during the week will have a lasting effect on the Fork to the extent that a lot of the material carried down will have been dropped in the flow as the river widened out. So it will be interesting to note the extent to which the flow has changed. It will now be a matter of that material being cleared out in the run-off. However that should not be a problem given the amount of snow we have been having. Provided the snowfall continues from here at even an average rate, the prospects for a strong run-off grow with each storm. The snow and ice will continue to build up with the forecast for more snow and temperatures remaining below freezing for the next week.

The principal hatch at the moment is midges which are coming off in the mornings as the day warms up and some sun can get onto the water. The fish will take small nymphs and midge emergers when nymphing during the day. The big fish are now in the deeper slower parts of the river. So concentrate on nymphs such as princes and copper johns, various midge patterns and egg patterns.

Recommended Flies: Use midge emergers and tiny nymph attracters. See some of the patterns we have mentioned for the Pan. If you are nymphing deep down, use plenty of weight and pick where the fish are protected behind structure or deeper down in the slower water. Also try princes, brassies, copper johns and eggs deep down.

Colorado River

The water in the Colorado remains clear at the moment. Try midges, streamers if floating or alternatively nymphs and eggs deep down.

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