Fishing Report

For the Week ending 31st May 2015

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We had another week of intermittent rain and warming temperatures. Towards the end of the week with the mercury moving into the low 70's the flows in the Fork passed its previous peak picking up debris and material which has been laying about since the last time it flowed at this level making the color darker and not offering great conditions for fishing. So it is time to come to the Pan if the weather forecast is correct and the flows in the freestones keep rising with the heat.

Ruedi is up to 82%. With the inflow at 325cfs and the releases barely at 200cfs one suspects that the releases will be jumping soon to make sure that the Bureau maintains control of the level of the reservoir. The melt is late this year. Taylor Creek is just starting to move up and there is a lot of visible snow left to melt. It has been a long time since that amount of snow has been visible at this time of year at these lower elevations. So I suspect that given the amount of snow still to melt and the level of Ruedi, we should be seeing more increases in flows shortly in the Lower Pan.

So keep your eyes on the flows.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 207cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

As the higher flows were held steady during the week, the fish settled into a nice feeding rhythmn again this week with nice BWO hatches a few PMD's and midges. On the warmer days there were a few caddis flitting about.

As noted above though, with rising temperatures the Bureau will have to keep control of the level of Ruedi if it starts to fill quickly with a warm spell. With the inflows rising things could change quickly with a hot spell.

In the meantime the fishing has been good but the rising water is spreading them out a little so it takes some patience. The higher flows are also tending to keep the fish lower and not rising as much while the season changes. and the water conditions ideal. With the forecast for more possible rain over the coming week the make sure you dress for wet conditions. The rain can blow in quickly.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, bwo's, nymphs and attractors. The fish are also taking small nymphs and caddis larva. The fish aren't particularly fussy yet so a well presented pattern will do the trick.

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

The fish are taking generic nymphs such as pheasant tails and caddis larva patterns. The BWO's are coming off as well. Try emerger patterns such as rs2's and WD-50's.

For BWO naturals use standard BWO's, parachute BWO's, parachute Adams, and Thorax patterns.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 947cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The flows are picking up with the additional rains and relatively warm weather. We are up 200cfs at Basalt in week. With the river running at its highs this week and the forecast of more hot weather, it is doubtful that there will be much good fishing on the Fork this week. A cold snap will slow it down, but that's not forecast.

So just head to Basalt and the Frying Pan.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing. Mostly weighted attractor patterns now or small nymphs and grey emerger patterns.

You can try small flies such as, copper johns, pc phlash, mercury rs2's, pheasant tails, bubble back bwos.

They will also take small soft hackles such as the grey biot emerger.

Also try attractor patternssuch as hare's ears, worms and princes.

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 faster water it is also worth trying weighted nymphs such as the Frenchie and Vlad's nymph. They will get down quickly and stay close to the bottom in the faster water where the fish will locate on bright days.

Colorado

The Colorado is colored up now so don't bother stopping down there. Just come up to Basalt.

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.

For streamers use white or black flies.

Check out our new Frying Pan River Lodge.

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