Fishing Report

For the Week ending 23rd August 2015

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As families return from holidays the rivers are not at all crowded at the moment. There was plenty of access to the Pan this weekend to enjoy an excellent drake hatch and some great dry fly fishing in the few miles before the Dam. The weather has been excellent and pretty much as predicted. The coming week suggests a little afternoon rain mid-week but generally pleasant temperatures in the high 70's to low 80's. Generally though it is expected to be cloudy which will again offer excellent dry fly fishing opportunities.

The Fork continues to slowly drop and is currently running at close to the historical median at a little over 500cfs. The floating conditions remain excellent. The Colorado is also in great condition.

So overall conditions are ideal as we begin to move into late summer. As the weather cools a little and the crowds depart this is the beginning of the favorite time for locals to get out onto the rivers.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 270cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

With the flows at 270cfs the fishing became a little more consistent. This week there were excellent hatches of drakes in the last 2 miles to the Dam and the fish rose nicely. Overall it was a good week for fishing with some cloudy days and minimal rain.

Mid river, though the hatches were lighter, the fish responded well to dry flies as they continue to look up. The lower water has helped the quality of the dry fly fishing.

The coming week should have similar weather so the conditions will remain excellent.

The lower water and the cooling temperatures seem to be pushing the hatches to be a little more consistent and reliable. So be prepared to fish a range of hatches from midges, PMD's, drakes, caddis and BWO's in the shade.

Recommended Flies:Use PMD's, midges, bwo's, nymphs and attractors. The fish are also taking small nymphs and caddis patterns.Also use drake nymphs and be prepared to switch to emergers or dries as the fish key in on them.

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.

For drake 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 cripple, and the Comparadun.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 512cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The Fork continues to fall with flows now at the historical median. The conditions are ideal for floating the full length now. For those wanting to float above Basalt the window is always short and won't remain open for much longer if the flows keep falling at the current rates.

Recommended Flies: The best results on the Fork now are from nymphing. Use either stoneflies or attractor patterns down deep, with small nymphs or emergers as the second fly. In the clear water and bright days the fish are near structure or down deep.

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.

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. Hopper droppers will work if floating in the shaded areas. We haven't had a really hot summer so there have not been a lot of hopper around, but it is worth trying one against the banks on hot afternoons.

Colorado

The conditions in the Colorado are excellent at the moment with the water being remarkably clear. This is forcing the anglers to resort to smaller flies as the fish are a little spooky in the clear water.

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.

Check out our new Frying Pan River Lodge.

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