Fishing Report

For the Week ending 25th August 2013

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

Another week of good fishing, mild weather and a little rain. Conditions remain excellent with the hatches now being consistent towards the Dam. That is attracting most of the attention at the moment apart from the armada floating from Carbondale every morning.

The forecast for the coming week is similar with a forecast of cloudy days in the mid to high 70's and the possiblity of afternoon rains. We have been getting a little rain, but nothing too heavy. There was a downpour on Friday near Glenwood which blew out the Colorado but the water conditions up valley remain excellent.

With schools returning for the new year, the visitors are dissipating and the traffic is slowing down a little.

Davide was in town over the past 2 weeks and left us with another great set of photos. We have loaded a few this week.

We are now posting photos separately to make the loading of the report easier for your computer. You can see the latest photos: Fly Fishing Photos.

Frying Pan

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

The Bureau dropped the flow in the Pan a little so that it is now at 192cfs. The hatches are now consistent up close to the Dam with PMD's and drakes in abundance. Lower down though the hatches remain sparse and so the fish are not tending to look up as much. It is a matter of looking for fish in the shallow water now where they will see a dry coming at them. Otherwise, it is a matter of nymphing.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, PMD's 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 coming 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 - 375cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The river continues to settle down. Early in the morning or in the evenings the fish will come up to dries a little, but generally nymphing is the most productive approach. This afternoon when heavy cloud cover bought a little rain the fish came up and fed on emergers for a while. They did take dries but generally tended to stay sub-surface.

The water is in excellent condition and is very clear. The only risk is if there is a blow out up the Crystal which clouds up the river below Carbondale. There is always this risk when the weather forecast is calling for thunderstorms. So keep an eye on the weather and check in with the shop for the latest conditions if there is any doubt.

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 blew out again after a downpour on Friday. It is hard to get consistent conditions on the Colorado at the moment, but when it is clear it is the preferred destination for float traffic. So just watch the weather conditions and check in to see if it is clear.

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]