Fishing Report

For the Week ending 30th September 2012

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The last day of September! How time flies. It seems as though it was just a short while ago that we were fielding calls in the nature of "will there be any water in Colorado this year?" "Will there be any fishing?" We were very confident about the outcome of the year and we have been proven comfortably correct with some excellent fishing now, plenty of water, beautiful colors and no reason why one would not try and get out on to the river over the next month or so.

It would appear that a number of fishermen have noted the excellent conditions with quite an influx of anglers over this weekend. The weather was perfect and the rivers clear allowing many visitors to enjoy a great weekend.

The coming week promises much of the same with the forecast of clear sunny skies for the next 10 days. The Bureau dropped the Pan on Friday so that it is now running at a very nice 192cfs. So with fractionally lower clear water, bright skies and warm weather, now is the time to consider making it up here if you have been waiting for the ideal time.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 192cfs. (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

The Bureau has dropped the releases to 192cfs making the Pan easier to wade in most sections and tending to bring the fish to the surface as the hatches come off in the shallower flows.

Another great week is in store for us over the coming week with clear blue skies and warm weather being forecast. The nights are getting cooler so the hatches are taking their time in the morning. So there is no need to hurry out. Just be prepared for BWO's, PMD's, midges and drakes closer to the dam.

Although we have had a few more fishermen up this past week, there is plenty of access where you will be uninterrupted and can enjoy some of the best fishing times of the year.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, caddis, PMD's and BWO's.

For mysis at the dam use Mike's Mysis. epoxy mysis, and BUV mysis.

The midges will come off during the day, particularly if it is sunny. So try Wilson's Reverse Candy Cane #20, red and black chironocones #20, brassies #18 - #22, midge larva patterns #18 - #22, copper johns #18 - #22, black polywings #18 - #22 and garcia's rojo midges # 18 - #22.

As they come off 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. In addition try 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.

For baetis, try small nymphs such as pheasant tails, bubble backs, FPA sparkle baetis and rs2's. When the BWO's come off parachute adams and standard BWO patterns. Also try the parachute BWO and the thorax patterns. With the range of bugs coming off, larger BWO patterns will work well in the rougher water.

The PMD's are now in evidence and working well. For nymphs use the micro mayfly, pheasant tails, and emergers such as the FPA beadtail emerger. For dries, use the CDC comparadun, larger Adams, and parachutes.

For caddis, wait for the day to develop and let the fish move towards the surface. In the mornings they are still tending to stay low and generally only coming to the surface if there is a decent hatch or some caddis floating through. Try small olive elk hair caddis and king's river caddis.

With the drakes starting to come off near the dam there are a range of dries that are working - the adult green drake , the Comparadun, the Biot Hen wing, Parachute, and the CDC Flavilinea.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 280cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The further drop in releases puts the Fork now around 280cfs at Basalt. The floating is confined to the region below Carbondale. The water is in excellent condition with the dry weather and the prediction of clear warms days will maintain that condition for the coming week.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing but with PMD's and bwo's and caddis coming off in the evenings, there are a range of options.

In the morning rusty spinners, midges, PMDs and Caddis.

For nymphing using attractors, drake nymphs, midge larvae and emergers, stonefly, pmd, baetis nymphs and emergers. As the day progresses small baetis such as the FPA Sparkle Baetis, the FPA Thorax Emerger, and black pheasant tails have also worked well.

For small flies, copper johns, pc phlash, rs2's, pheasant tails, bubble back bwos, and caddis emergers such as bird of prey, sparkle pupae patterns.

For the stone fly nymphs good patterns continue to include the BB FB Epoxy 20 Incher, the BTB Hot Spot 20 Incher and the CTB RL Epoxy 20 Incher

In the afternoon, black and purple streamers such as black buggers have also produced results.

Colorado River

The Colorado continues to fish very well with the float guides preferring that water. The great conditions have attracted more activity with a few more boats enjoying the great fishing. Provided the weather continues to remain clear the Colorado will remain clear. Best results are from nymphing and streamers.

Recommended Flies: Generally the way to go is nymphing with small baetis, the FPA sparkle baetis, sparkle rs2's and biot emergers. For stonefly nymphs use the BTB Hot Spot 20 Incher, rubberleg patterns such as Mike's BTB Coffee/Black and the Halloween Speckled Girdle Bug, with midges, eggs, worms and small baetis patterns behind the lead fly.

For streamers use white or black flies.

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