Fishing Report

For the Week ending 28th April 2013

**********************************

With the entire upper Colorado catchment now 105% of the median and being 339% of last years level at this time, the water conditions are excellent. Of course there is always something to complain about. With a high today of 73degrees in Basalt, the Crystal has blown out so the Fork below Carbondale and the Colorado are out of the question at the moment. So just come to Basalt and enjoy the Fork or the Pan.

The forecast is for the warm weather to stay with little chance of freezing overnight at lower levels. This means that the lower elevation run-off will gather pace this week. As soon as that is done, we will have a window of good fishing at higher levels until the higher elevation run-off kicks in later in June.

It is quiet in town now. So there will still be some great opportunities out on the river provided you make your way to Basalt and higher.

We got some nice photos of deer at the cabins and bighorns in the field above the cabins on Sunday.

We are away next week so their won't be a report until the following week. But if you have any questions about current conditions, we will either have comments on facebook if you use that, or call the shop and speak with Will or Mike.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 43cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

The warm weather has melted off most of the snow except in some of the shaded areas higher up. Conditions are ideal although it would be preferable for the water to be higher. But expect the water to be raised on May 1st to the lesser of 110cfs or the inflow. So give the river a day or so to settle once the water comes up that much so quickly. There will be quite a bit of material for a little while as this is the first time the water will have reached this level for almost 7 months. It will be great to see the river up and give the fish a chance to spread out a little and maybe a little more protection from predators.

Recommended Flies:Use midges 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, nick's larva in miracle pink, olive, and purple back, brassies #18 - #22, midge larva patterns #18 - #22, copper johns #18 - #22, rainbow warriors, black polywings #18 - #22 and bling 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, Johnny Flash in Olive, Grey, and Black, Olive and Red Jujubee, trailing shuck midge black and cream.

In addition try dry patterns such as the z-wing real midge, black cdc 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.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 201cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

Although the Crystal has blown out putting paid to fishing below Carbondale, the condition of the Fork higher up is excellent and should be so for a little while longer. As the temperatures are expected to stay hot this week and not drop below freezing overnight at lower elevations, the best destination for the Fork will be above Basalt.

With the Pan expected to rise this week, that will improve the ability to float from Basalt. So keep an eye on the flow and ring the shop to get an idea of the conditions at Basalt.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing.

In the morning midges, baetis nymphs and BWO emergers.

For nymphing using attractors, midge larvae and emergers, stonefly, 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.

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.

With the rainbows staging underway the fishing are also taking egg patterns.

Colorado River

The Colorado is not fishable at the moment with the releases through shoshone really coloring up the flows and the Crystal dumping mud into the Fork below Basalt. So don't bother. Wait until the flows from the Pan pick up and then float from Basalt if that is your desire.

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.

[Archive Index]