Fishing Report

For the Week ending 28th June 2015

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Our outlook last week proved pretty accurate with the releases from Ruedi coming down quickly so that now we are at a perfect 261cfs. Furthermore, the Fork is coming down quickly and some of the boys have been floating over the weekend. It was fast but the water is in perfect condition with reports of great fishing lower down. The Fork is coming down so quickly that it will be great floating in the next few days and set for the rest of the season. The flows have halved in the past week so expect the drop from here to be fast. We have had blistering hot weather so everything has contributed to getting the high runoff out of the way quickly and setting us up for a great season 2 weeks ahead of the usual time.

Ruedi is still not full at 98.2% so with the inflow around 350cfs and the outflow 100cfs less, it will still be a while before the reservoir fills. Thereafter the outflow will equal the inflow to enable the Bureau to maintain control.

The flooding of the old trailer park area in the high water last week still generates humorous comment in the local papers. No-one has yet pointed to the 50% higher flows in the last 6 years which would have flooded the area to the road. But so far, according to the powers that be, "don't worry, it is all going to plan". Where have we heard that before?

Anyway, with the peak having passed, we can concentrate on the great fishing season ahead of us. With the forecast looking for temperatures in the high 80's to 90's over the next week, the conditions will be the same as the past week, hastening the end of the runoff. So look forward to more great PMD hatches on the Pan as well as the start of an excellent floating season on the Fork. The best floating at the moment will be lower down, but as soon as the river drops a little more the floating from Basalt will be excellent.

As I am writing at 9 in the evening, we have a thunderstorm passing through but the light cloud cover indicates it will pass quickly. It is amazing how quickly the heat has arrived this year. The growth has been prolific. We are set for a great fishing season.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 261cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

As predicted, the releases into the lower Pan dropped quickly so that now we are at an ideal 261cfs. The water is in excellent condition and the flows are perfect. The PMD's are starting to come off well. Close to the dam the hatches have been excellent with Harry and Cam reporting some of the best hatches for a while. The fish are tending to take dries in the shallower water. But where it is deeper they remain low so it is a matter of taking the time to figure out the water at the moment. The PMD's have been coming off mid-river, but it is necessary to fish the edges or fish with a dropper or nymphs. Closer to town, it is still just nymphing.

Recommended Flies:Use PMD's, midges, bwo's, nymphs and attractors. The fish are also taking small nymphs and caddis patterns.

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.

For PMD's use emergers and dries. For emergers, use the RS2, the emerger, or the FPA shuck trailer PMD. For dries use the No-hackle, the Comparadun or the parachute.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 2110cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

With the Fork having come down quickly it should offer good floating from Basalt this week. Already, the floating from Carbondale is getting good results at the moment.

There are reports of a few drakes coming off lower down as well as a lot of caddis. However higher up where the water is still fast, nyymphing is producing the best results.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing but with caddis in the evening and a few drakes showing up use dries later in the afternoon and evening. When nymphing, use either attractor patterns down deep, caddis larvae and emergers, or stoneflies with baetis.

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.

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. Also try drake nymphs such as the FPA Nymph, or the poxyback. For variety try the muskrat as well.

The caddis are coming off as well as a few drakes lower down. Use caddis emergers and drake nymphs. Higher up on the Fork the water is still fast, so use attractors such as princes, large stonefly nymphs, and hare's ears in that area.

Colorado

The Colorado is colored up now and still running high, so don't bother stopping down there at the moment. Just come up to Basalt and fish the Fork or the Pan.

Check out our new Frying Pan River Lodge.

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