Fishing Report

For the Week ending 21st August 2016

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As school returns the families and holiday makers are leaving the valley. The pressure is beginning to come off the rivers. It will be a little more quiet now. The evenings are beginning to offer a hint of cooler air slowing down the hatches markedly. Officially it is another month before Autumn begins, but the temperatures are definitely dropping a little during the days. The coming week promises some temperatures in the 70's and high 60's with some possible thunderstorms.

So expect some excellent fishing with rain, less pressure on the rivers and some great mayfly hatches.

Frying Pan

Current Flow: below the Dam 300cfs.(if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page)

The higher flows have slowed down the hatches lower down towards Town and the fish are tending to stay deep. They will take dries in the shallower sections where the river is wider, but the narrower sections are difficult to access. The hatches towards the Dam have suffered a little as well although the fish are still taking dries. The higher flows have made access a little tricky in the narrower sections so take care where you try to access tht water.

The cloudy weather predicted for the coming week will afford some good dry fly activity in the quieter sections. Otherwise nymph a little deeper.

Recommended Flies:Use midges, bwos, pmd's and drakes, both nymphs and dries.

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.

There will also be caddis and crane flies in the evening.

Roaring Fork

Current Flow: near Emma - 542cfs (if you want more uptodate figures check out current readings on our "Links" page).

The Fork is dropping further but with the flows around the mid 550cfs from Basalt there will be raft access for a little longer. The water is too warm closer to Glenwood with the moss in the river and too much traffic is concentrated in the Carbondale to Glenwood area. So avoid that if you can.

The Fork cloer to Basalt is the best place to head. The wading access is excellent now.

The hatches have abated on the Fork now with the drakes done and the caddis less prolific. There are PMD's and BWO's in the rain and the ubiquitious midge hatches as well. The colder evenings are shutting down the hatches earlier, so don't plan to stay out too late.

The best results are from nymphing and the best nymph patterns are getting smaller. The conditions are good on the Fork now higher up. Not so much towards Glenwood.

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.

Try streamers.

Colorado

The Colorado is generally in good condition and affords some of the best floating in the area. The effective flies are getting smaller, but streamers are still yielding good results.

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.

Try streamers as well.

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