Fishing Report

For the Week ending 4th August 2013

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The Colorado cleared today so provided it stays clear, that is the destination for floating in the coming week rather than the Fork. We are now seeing our veritable Spanish Armada on the Fork in the morning so that the first boats get the fish and the remainder just have a nice float down the river with some casting practice and lunch.

The Pan is settling in very nicely now with the water at 244cfs. The Bureau dropped the flows a little early in the week so now at current flows the conditions are perfect. We are now seeing great PMD hatches on the top quarter of the Pan and there are still a lot of PMD nymphs in the water lower down, so we have great hatches ahead of us.

The past week was relatively cool and today it rained a little later in the afternoon. This is cooling down the conditions nicely.

The coming week promises more of the same with temperatures in the mid 70's and the chance of rain in the afternoon. As the hottest days abate this is great for the water condition and for the hatches. So get your wet weather gear and be ready for some great fishing in the coming week.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 244cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

The Bureau dropped the flows a little earlier in the week so that now at 244cfs conditions are ideal both for the fish and for the wader. The hatches mid river have remained patchy and sporadic but with several weeks of higher colder water it seems that the PMD hatches closer to the Dam have picked up nicely. Early to mid afternoon there are some great hatches coming off. In addition there are drakes, bwos and midges so there is plenty for the fish to choose from.

As we move into August it seems that the river is getting a little busier. So with the flows at the current level there is nothing precluding accessing the Pan closer to town. It is possible to wade most sections provided one takes care.

So the coming week promises some more great fishing with the promise of temperatures in the mid 70's and the possibility of rain in the afternoon.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, PMD nymphs and BWO's. Also try caddis and drake dries.

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.

The PMD's are now coming off twice during the day so use PMD nymphs and emergers and when they come off the fish will take dries. Try Pink Cahill's, Sulphur Dun's and the Comparadun for dries. For emergers try the FPA beadtail emerger, the FPA special emerger, and the killer mayfly pmd.

With the drakes now beginning to come off use drake nymphs and drake dries and emergers when the fish show interest. Use the comparadun or the H & L Variant, or for nymphs the FPA Nymph or the Muskrat.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 476cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

After the spike last week from the rains, the Fork has settled back nicely to flow in the mid 400cfs at Basalt. The conditions are now ideal for both wading and floating. There is only one problem. There is a veritable armada putting in on the Fork, particularly from Carbondale so that unless you are out very early or very late you are in for a nice relatively unproductive float down the river.

So at the moment our guides are recommending floating the Colorado provided it stays clear. The fish on the Fork have been pounded of late and are getting pretty wary. One has to get out early and preferably fish down deep to get the fish keeping out of the way. There is some dry fly action higher up the Fork but it needs a raft for access.

Alternatively wading offers good opportunities if one is prepared to walk and stick to the edges in the pocket water where the float traffic cannot meaningfully reach.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing. Use either attractor patterns down deep. Alternatively stoneflies with baetis or caddis larva or emergers. Hopper dropper combinations with caddis or baetis droppers will also work.

In the morning midges, baetis nymphs and BWO emergers. Also use PMD emergers, sallies and drake nymphs.

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 drakes now coming off try drake nymphs and in the evenings drake dries. The drakes will last a little longer with the colder flows.

Colorado River

The Colorado has cleared a little and so long as it remains in this condition it should be the best destination for float traffic. We are having a little rain overnight so it is a matter of keeping a watch on the weather to ensure that it does keep clear.

Ring the shop to get an update. But if the Colorado is clear, that is a far better destination than the lower Fork for floating at the moment because there is so much traffic from Carbondale down. If the Colorado is not clear, then a raft from near Basalt is your next best option.

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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