Fishing Report

For the Week ending 5th October 2014

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Some more great weather this week which ended with the Bureau dropping the Pan a little more down to 174cfs. We had some cold weather earlier in the week which resulted in some snow above 10,000ft so it was quite cold in the mornings. However with the clear skies the temperatures rose nicely each day to make it very pleasant out on the river.

So there is no rush now to get out on to the river at first light. Give it a little time to warm up. The weather should be similar over the next week with maybe a few clouds and temperatures in the mid 60's to 70's.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 174cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

The Pan had some more great fishing this week. Earlier in the week when it was cloudy and wet, the dry fly fishing was exceptional closer to the dam with myriads of hatches coming off. We had visitors in town who indicated that they had never seen such prolific hatches. Everything from drakes, pmd's, BWO's, midges and small caddis. It was just a matter of good fly presentation. The lower flows in the Pan helped in granting access to spots which have been hard to get to with the higher flows.

Closer to town, the hatches haven't been as strong and the fish are tending to keep low having been accustomed to unseasonally higher flows for the past few months. It will be interesting to watch and see if the bug hatches increase and bring the fish to the surface in the lower water. Time will tell.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, PMD's, BWO's and drakes. Small caddis are also working closer to the dam.

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.

With the beatis nymphs and BWO's coming off in the shade 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.

The PMD's are now coming off so try the nymphs before the hatches start and then emergers and 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.

The drakes are still coming off but slowing down, so try the nymphs at the moment and get ready for the hatches around midday. For nymphs try the Flavilinea, the FPA Nymph and the Muskrat. As soon as the fish start taking dries start with the emerger and then try W's Drake, the Wulff, the hairwing, the cripple, and the Comparadun.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 484cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The rain and snow up high earlier in the week pushed the flows up a little in the Fork but now they are coming back. The small drop in flows in the Pan will bring the Fork a little lower as the week progresses. With clear weather and blue skies, the Fork will offer good fishing this week, but as usual, it will be a matter of fishing deep as the river drops because the fish tend to stay low or in the riffles on bright days. It is still possible to float from Basalt in a raft at these levels.

Most float traffic is now confined to the lower section below Carbondale. But the wade access is excellent with the lower flows and offering good fishing the full length of the Fork.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing. Use small baetis and pmd nymphs after a large stonefly patterns. The browns are starting to think about the coming spawn so try streamers but it is early and so far most of the streamer fishing has just involved a lot of casting practice for little return.

Try small baetis such as the FPA Sparkle Baetis, the FPA Thorax Emerger, and black pheasant tails have also worked well. For emergers, the rs2 in black or gray. Also the sparkle wing rs2.

For small flies, copper johns, pc phlash, mercury rs2's, pheasant tails, bubble back bwos.

Also try PMD nymphs.

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.

Colorado

The Colorado has cleared nicely and is in great condition. It is looking excellent at the moment and should remain that way for now. There are still good hatches coming off but don't waste much time fishing on top. Nymphing produces the best results. Streamers are good only for casting practice at the moment.

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, worms and small baetis patterns behind the lead fly.

Also try Pat's Rubberlegs, Twenty Incher #8-#16, BTB Twenty Incher #8 - #16, BH Prince #12 - #18, Natural Hare's Ear #14 - #18, Hare's Ear Olive #14 - #18.

For streamers use white or black flies.

Check out our new Frying Pan River Lodge.

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