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for
periodic updates (every 4-8 weeks) on important river events and hatches, special sales at the shop and our online store. Simply type "Subscribe" in your e-mail, and we will gladly take any
other questions, comments, or requests from you.
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ROARING FORK RIVER (Updated 7/18)
LOWER RIVER: (Glenwood to Carbondale): Has dropped to 1100 in Glenwood Spring and gin clear. Float fishing
on the Lower Roaring Fork continues to be very good, with more fish looking up during the day at these levels! The PMD's
and Yellow Sallies have been hatching in great numbers, along with the big yearly emergence of golden stoneflies occurring
over the past week. Green Drakes have finished in the lower river, bug there is no shortage of bugs whatsoever.
Nymph fishing with appropriate PMD, Yellow Sally, and stonefly nymphs/ emergers has been excellent, and fishermen who can
give good clean drifts with adult versions of the same bugs will also be rewarded with some very good dry fly action.
Dry fly fishing is best during the afternoon hatch and evening egg-laying sessions of numerous caddisflies. BOOK
YOUR FLOAT NOW--IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE TO THROW DRY FLIES OUT OF A BOAT! MIDDLE AND UPPER RIVER (Carbondale to Aspen):
600 cfs at Emma and only 250 cfs at Maroon Creek this morning, and gin clear. Both are ideal levels for these sections
of river, with tons of eager fish looking up for dry flies. The best Green Drake hatches are between Catherine's Store
and Woody Creek right now, but don't forget the other food sources that are often more abundant (caddis, PMD's, Yellow Sallies).
PMD spinnerfalls and trico hatches can provide dry fly opportunities in the morning--and now is the time to also be throwing
large golden stone adult imitations since they are hatching and laying eggs. Why use a strike indicator if you're nymphing,
when you can use a big dry fly (or the Edible Indicator pattern)? You can successfully fish dry flies from morning til nightfall above the Crystal and catch fish
if you are observant and adjust your fly selection to what is going on at different times of the day!
Catch of the Week: 21 Inch Brown on a #16 ParaWulff Patriot
Two-Week Fishing Forecast
It doesn't get much better than right now on the Roaring Fork for wade or float fishermen up and down the valley!
Hot Fly Patterns
GREEN
DRAKES, SIZE 10-12, DRIES: Colorado Drake, Biot Hairwing Paradrake, Royal Wulff, H & L Variant, Challenged
Drake, Green Drake ParaWulff; NYMPHS: Crown Jewel, Poxyback Drake, Stalcup's Drake Emerger, Green Drake
Crawler, Robo Pheasant Tail, Trina's Bubbleback Emerger, Yeager's Drake Nymph. PMD'S, SIZE 14-16, DRIES: Zelon Cripple, Sulpher Parachute, Para-Wulff Patriot,
Red Quill, Royal Wulff Cripple, Hatch Matcher, Pink Albert, Rusty Spinner; NYMPHS: Improved Barr's Emerger, Sulpher Emerger Nymph, Sparkle Biot PMD, BTS PMD emerger,
Juju PMD, Pheasant Tail; YELLOW SALLIES, SIZE 16, DRIES: Headlight Sally, Barrett's Hairy Sally,
Slow Water Sally; NYMPHS: Red Tag Sally, Kyle's BH Sally, North Fork Stone, Yellow Prince. CADDIS, SIZE 14-18, DRIES: Hi-Vis Caddis, TCF, Foam Caddis,
Mother's Day Caddis, Ethawing Caddis, Garcia's Mini-Hot Peacock Stimulator; NYMPHS: Caddis Crawler,
Electric Caddis, BH Electric Rockworm, Lime Serendipity, Litebrite Caddis Pupa, Bead Diving Caddis, Z-wing Caddis Pupa, CDC
Peacock Pupa, Peeking Caddis, Fried Twinkie, Prince. STONEFLIES,
SIZE 8-12, DRIES: Swisher's PMX Stone, Trina's Dog Puke, Trina's Cat Vomit, Edible Indicator, Fat Albert, Para-Triple
Decker, Sparkle Stimulator, Foam Para-Stimulator, Gorge Stone; NYMPHS: 20 Inchers, Thurmanator Golden Stone,
Flexi-Girdle Bugs in all sizes and colors, Tungsten Biot Stone, GENERAL ATTRACTOR NYMPHS: Copper Johns, Mexican
Flag, Flashback Prince, Wire Prince.
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FRYING
PAN RIVER--(Updated 7/18): An ideal summer level of 164 cfs. Green Drakes are hatching on the lower river,
and they will stick around on the Pan until late September (the Pan boasts the longest Green Drake hatch in the country).
Drake fishing on this river can be an awful lot of fun when they're on it, but you should also be prepared to encounter selective
feeding behavior when other food sources at present at the same time if fish have been stung a few times on big Drake patterns.
There will usually be other bugs hatching at the same time as Drakes (which are usually about 11 AM until 3 PM), and those
bugs are PMD's, caddis, BWO's, and craneflies (very underrated hatch). Try to pay close attention to what fish are keying
in on at the time, and don't be afraid of riffles and pockets where fish will seek refuge from fishermen at these levels.
Fish will often prefer low-riding Drake dries or Drake nymphs during the hatch if they've been
caught a few times on some of the standard fare--so try both if you're getting short strikes. The PMDs usually start
after lunch, and if you're attentive you will notice PMD duns hatching well into the evening--often as late as 7 PM.
The spinnerfalls in the morning and at dusk continue to be thick, with tons of rising fish right before dark. Take advantage
of our evening lightening round special guide trips to get you into this fantastic dry fly fishing, when you can often find
practically every fish in your section of river rising and feeding aggressively. There are also a lot of caddis laying
eggs in the evening to get the fish looking up, and caddis larva and emergers can be fished effectively any time of day. BWO's
continue to be an important food source mid-summer, especially in high-traffic areas of the upper river. A well-stocked
fly box, and adapting to feeding patterns are the essential keys to your success on the Pan--you need more than "a couple
flies" when you stop at a shop to pick up some bugs for the Pan these days (and light 6X & 7X tippets are also par
for the course). Mornings on the Pan are most effectively fished with nymph rigs, and you will
probably want a midge pattern behind that PMD, Caddis, or Drake nymph, since midges are the only thing hatching in the morning.
Fish can still key in on midges at any time, any place on this river, so if you are finding a lot of rising fish who keep
snubbing your offerings, then try to take a good look around at what's coming off. If you can't see anything, chances
are that very small midges are coming off and you may want to try the smallest flies in your box. Also pay attention
to the fish--are you seeing tail rises or are the fish actually feeding on the surface? If their mouths are not penetrating
the surface, then your fly probably should. Catch of the Week: 20 inch
cutthroat on a rusty spinner
Two-Week Fishing Forecast:
Awesome--let's go! Hot Fly Patterns: GREEN DRAKES, SIZE 10-12, DRIES:
Challenged Drake, Fanwing Drake, Para-Biot Hairwing Drake, Dry Ice Drake, Drake Spinner; NYMPHS:
Poxyback Drake, Crown Jewel, 20 Incher, Stalcup's Emerger, Drake Crawler. PMDS, SIZE 16, DRIES: PMD Quad,
Biot Comparadun, Hatch Matcher, Hackle Dun PMD, Moof's Sparkle Dun, Extended Body PMD, Zelon Cripple, Para Biots, Pink Albert,
AK's Quill Bodies in Pink & Rust, Rusty Spinners; NYMPHS: 2
Tone PMD Nymph, Improved Barr's Emerger, Kolanda's BTS, CDC Loopwing Emerger, Juju PMD, Sulphur Emerger Nymph, Halfback Emerger,
Pheasant Tail. CADDIS, SIZE 14-18,
DRIES: Mother's Day Caddis, Stalcup Caddis Adult, Para-Biot Emerger, Crippled Caddis, Foam
Caddis. NYMPHS:
Buckskin, Caddis Crawler, Electric Caddis, Peeking Caddis, Translucent Pupa, Z-Wing Pupa; BAETIS, SIZE 18-22, DRIES: Para Biot, Comparadun Biot BWO, Stalcup's Hackle Dun, Para-Biot Emerger,
BWO Quad, Moof's Sparkle Dun, Blue Dun No-Hackle, Williamson's Paracripple; NYMPHS: Batwing Emerger, BTS
Black and Olive, Pheasant Tails, Sparkle RS2, Poxyback Baetis, Solitude Emerger Nymph, Killer Mayfly Nymph, Bubbleback Emerger,
Micro Mayfly, BWO Emerger Nymph, Barr's Emerger, WD50's. CRANEFLIES,
SIZE 16. MIDGES, SIZE 20-28, NYMPHS: Pulsating Biot Emerger, Wine BMW, Juju Midge, CDC Loopwing Emerger,
Zebra Midges, Improved Biot Midge Emerger, Poxythread Midge Larva, UFOs; DRIES: Stalcup's Emerging Midge,
Stalcup's Midge cluster, Roy's Special Emerger, Trailing Shuck Midge, Trico Quad; MYSIS SHRIMP, SIZE 16-18 near the dam. |
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COLORADO RIVER FROM GLENWOOD TO RIFLE (Updated 7/18): 3000 cfs in Glenwood
with great clarity conditions. It's been a lot of fun on the Colorado the past few weeks, and there's still some great
fishing down here. But the action is best now during the mornings and on cloud covered afternoons when water temps are
cooler. It's the dog-days of summer down here, and if you're out on a very hot day, the action will most likely be slower,
and you need to make the time to appropriately revive fish--the stress of being caught on very warm days can be lethal on
trout that are not properly released this time of year. Your main food sources now are caddis, PMD's, stoneflies, and
fish are now starting to turn on to hoppers. Two-Week Fishing Forecast
Good fishing during the cooler parts of the day--please revive fish properly to minimize stress
at these warmer water temperatures.
 PICTURED ABOVE: Green Drakes are here--book
your trip now for some of the best dry fly fishing of the season.
SPECIAL REPORT ON FISHING REGULATIONS REVIEW FOR THE
NEXT 5 YEARS: The DOW is currently gathering public comment on fishing regulations for the next 5 year period, which of
course have significant impacts on our local fisheries. An important concern on the Colorado River locally is extending
the length of closures on spawning area tributaries like Canyon Creek and Grizzly Creek, to give post-spawn fish time to leave
and go back into the river. Currently, too many of these big, beautiful, wild fish end up in fish tacos because of the
killing sprees that occur immediately after these areas are re-opened. We feel the I-70 corridor to be the most vulnerable
local area at risk in coming years because of the population boom of people moving here from other areas who just aren't educated
enough about catch and release, selective harvest, or who are expoited by commercial interests who profit by selling bait
and encouraging bad, unsustainable behavior. The DOW is soliciting
comment, and if you shoot us an e-mail through the link at the top of this page, we will forward you an e-mail form so you
can forward your concerns directly to them. We encourage you to agree with these recommendations and pass them along
with your comments: Extend closures in tributaries that are spawning areas from May 15th until June 15th to give these big brood
fish time to leave after reproducing. - Add Mitchell and Elk Creek to the list of local tributaries that are closed to protect spawning fish.
- ELIMINATE THE USE OF BAIT ON THE COLORADO RIVER BETWEEN GLENWOOD
SPRINGS AND SILT--Flies and lures only in this special stretch of the river.
Treble hooks should be eliminated on all Colorado rivers--keep them
in lakes and reservoirs where they can be of use for warmwater species or youth (or in warmwater rivers in Eastern Colorado).
Barbless
hooks should be required on Gold Medal streams--optional in other areas. If 10 year olds can land countless fish on
barbless flies, then adults can also fish barbless in these special areas. Bag and possession limits for trout are probably fine as they are
now. However, fishermen who's sole purpose is to catch and kill should be required to stop fishing once they reach their
bag limit. This will prevent the possiblity of mortality of fish caught and released after they have caught their limit,
especially in the event that they are fishing with the deadlier tackle types common with catch and kill fishermen. Liquid scents and scented lures should be
banned from all fly/lure waters. Support all legislation that decreases the spread of non-native species from one body of
water to another Oppose rule changes that threaten carp populations in still waters, whether it is additonal rods, chumming, spearfishing
or bowfishing. The lakes and reservoirs with the biggest and most opportunistic pike, bass, crappie, and other game
fish are the lakes and reservoirs that have significant populations of carp. The gamefish need the carp minnow to feed
on. Without them, the pike cannabalise each other and eat more trout, and the crappie never get bigger than your hand.
Try catching a carp with a fly--you will get a new appreciation for their intelligence (certainly more noble than a lot of
human beings out there). Oppose efforts by the DOW to eliminate pike and smallmouth from rivers like the Yampa, or reservoirs. There are
trout in practically every body of water in this state. Pike and bass are a novelty in Colorado that provide trout anglers
with unique experiences, and these species shouldn't be persecuted.
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CRYSTAL
RIVER (Updated 7/18): 312 CFS at Redstone. Levels are perfect now for dry fly fishing and wading.
A lot of pocket water has become more exposed than it was a couple weeks ago, and fish are looking up for attractors such
as Humpies, Wulffs, Stimulators, Drakes, and Caddis. More fish are looking up during the day now, and of course dry
fly fishing peaks in the evenings before dark. Nymphing the deeper runs can also be deadly now with pheasant tails,
copper johns, and princes. More remote areas are fishing much better than the usual obvious pullouts and fishing holes.
Locating the fish is usually more important than fly
selection early in the summer because the fish are hungry and will eat almost any properly presented fly. Covering water
is especially important to your success this year, as is releasing your catch--the DOW has put in fewer fish and will be putting
in fewer fish throughout this summer than they did last year (when they stocked a ton of fish) because of increased demands
upon the Crystal River hatchery by other jurisdictions. The Crystal does depend a fair amount on stocking because of
smaller insect populations and an abundance of fish harvested through a typical summer. Please practice catch and release,
and politely encourage catch and release or selective harvest to fellow anglers by spreading the word. Beaver Lake and
McPhee Pond are fishing very well right now--make sure you are stocked up with damselflies and callibaetis because fish are
keying in on both. Special Report
Crystal Fly Shop has partnered up with the historic Redstone Inn for
special, all inclusive pricing for lodging and fishing packages. Includes trips done on their private water at the Preserve,
as well as float and wade trips on the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, or Colorado. The Inn is also a perfect place to stay
if you are headed over McClure Pass to fish at popular Bar ZX ranch, where we are also happy to guide you. Call for
details. HIGH
COUNTRY LAKE AND CREEK REPORT (Updated 7/18): Avanlanche Creek is fishing very well,
as are pretty much all of our local high country creeks and lakes. The snow is gone and access is perfect for anywhere
you want to go. Be prepared for mosquitos, and start your hikes early in the day to avoid afternoon lightening if you
plan on being exposed at high altitudes.
BAR ZX RANCH NEAR PAONIA--ALSO KNOWN
AS LAMPTON LAKES (Updated 7/1): Pictured above, Bar ZX Ranch has a well earned reputation
for offering an exciting private water fly fishing experience--it is probably the premier stillwater private fishery destination
of its type in Colorado. We are the closest fly shop to Bar ZX, which is about an hour and 15 minute drive over McClure
Pass towards Paonia. Located at the foot of the fabulous Ragged Mountain Range, Bar ZX offers tranquility and beauty
as you fish over 25 lakes and ponds that have have almost every trout known to mankind inhabiting them--and many over 10 or
15 pounds! Crystal Fly Shop hosts guide trips to Bar ZX, which is not only a great place for kids and family, but also offers
stillwater challenges to experienced anglers as well. Picnic and restroom facilities, along with drive up access that
makes waders unneccessary, help make the ranch a very pleasant experience. Fishing at Bar ZX tends to be best early (right now!) and late in the season when water temperatures
are cooler than they are in August. The ranch tends to be a popular place during spring runoff, but offers great fishing
later in the season as well. These lakes offer huge rainbows, browns, cutthroat, brookies, and more, along with some
fabulous terrestrial style fishing with hoppers and beetles. The bigger fish will sometimes make you earn it with stillwater
patterns like callibaetis and scuds presented properly. Overall, this is a controlled, yet wild environment that guides
and anglers find extremely satisfying and well worth the rod fee. Access is limited to 12 rods per day. Call us
for availability and to make your reservations. HOT FLY PATTERNS FOR LAKES AND PONDS EVERYWHERE: CALLIBAETIS, SIZE 14-16, DRIES: Quigley's
Hackle Stacker, Organza Callibaetis Spinner, NYMPHS: Poxyback Callibaetis Nymph, Pheasant tails. HOPPERS, SIZE
8-12: Fat Albert, Godzilla Hopper, Para-Triple Decker, Chernobyl Ants, Trina's Carnage Hopper. BEETLES, SIZE 12-16.
SCUDS, SIZE 14-18 in olive, amber, and orange. STREAMERS IN ALL SIZES AND COLORS. |
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