Site search
sponsored by
News
ENLARGE
Mike Canino
The time is near.
After what seemed like an endless runoff season for fly fishermen in and around the Roaring Fork Valley, river water flows have decreased to a more fishing-friendly level.
“The fishing is really starting to heat up around here,” said Cam Scott of Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. “The flows are dropping to optimal levels, and the hatches are in full force.”
To some, it doesn’t get much better than the famous Green Drake hatches which occur on the Frying Pan, and they’re just becoming apparent on the lower sections, slowly working themselves upstream day by day.
The 450 inches of recorded snow throughout the winter can be blamed for the slight delay of perfect fishing conditions, leaving the river to thrill-seeking white water rafters and kayakers. But now, it’s our turn.
Although it may be a few more weeks until perfection makes its appearance, there are plenty of fish to be landed on both the Frying Pan and the Roaring Fork Rivers.
“Even though the fishing wasn’t great during the runoff, it was a great time of year,” said Scott. “(The heavy water flow) is Mother Nature’s way of spring cleaning, it really flushes out the bad stuff.”
Current flows on the upper Roaring Fork from Aspen to Basalt are fluctuating near the 180 cubic feet per second mark, while the Frying Pan is seeing numbers near 280 cubic feet per second (CFS).
To more simply explain what these numbers actually mean, just think of a basketball, which is roughly one cubic foot. Now, take the number 280 CFS, for example, and imagine 280 basketballs passing by you down the river in one second. Still a bit strong, but again, the number is dropping dramatically with little snow left on the hills.
Day floats are available and currently running from most guided shops, although you might want to stick with a wade trip until the flows drop a little more.
“The fish are mostly sticking to the slower pockets right now, and that’s what we’re concentrating on,” Scott said. “Float fishing is possible right now, but is tough. It’s easier to focus on fishing the soft water by wading, because it’s still hard to slow boats down enough to really fish the softer sections of the river.”
After what seemed like an endless runoff season for fly fishermen in and around the Roaring Fork Valley, river water flows have decreased to a more fishing-friendly level.
“The fishing is really starting to heat up around here,” said Cam Scott of Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. “The flows are dropping to optimal levels, and the hatches are in full force.”
To some, it doesn’t get much better than the famous Green Drake hatches which occur on the Frying Pan, and they’re just becoming apparent on the lower sections, slowly working themselves upstream day by day.
The 450 inches of recorded snow throughout the winter can be blamed for the slight delay of perfect fishing conditions, leaving the river to thrill-seeking white water rafters and kayakers. But now, it’s our turn.
Although it may be a few more weeks until perfection makes its appearance, there are plenty of fish to be landed on both the Frying Pan and the Roaring Fork Rivers.
“Even though the fishing wasn’t great during the runoff, it was a great time of year,” said Scott. “(The heavy water flow) is Mother Nature’s way of spring cleaning, it really flushes out the bad stuff.”
Current flows on the upper Roaring Fork from Aspen to Basalt are fluctuating near the 180 cubic feet per second mark, while the Frying Pan is seeing numbers near 280 cubic feet per second (CFS).
To more simply explain what these numbers actually mean, just think of a basketball, which is roughly one cubic foot. Now, take the number 280 CFS, for example, and imagine 280 basketballs passing by you down the river in one second. Still a bit strong, but again, the number is dropping dramatically with little snow left on the hills.
Day floats are available and currently running from most guided shops, although you might want to stick with a wade trip until the flows drop a little more.
“The fish are mostly sticking to the slower pockets right now, and that’s what we’re concentrating on,” Scott said. “Float fishing is possible right now, but is tough. It’s easier to focus on fishing the soft water by wading, because it’s still hard to slow boats down enough to really fish the softer sections of the river.”
With a little help from our friends
Any avid fisherman knows the problem of Whirling Disease. This disease, which has affected so many trout populations over the years, is caused by a microscopic parasite. According to Trout Unlimited, “the disease is named for the characteristic swimming behavior that results as the parasite multiplies in the head and spinal cartilage of the infected fish. All species of trout and salmon may be susceptible to whirling disease.” With the help of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and outside researches, the recent introduction of a hybrid “Hofer” trout into the Frying Pan will help reduce such infections. The CDW has been crossbreeding Hofer strain rainbow trout with stocked rainbow trout, and the end result shows that this new hybrid is resistant to Whirling Disease.
“A few weeks ago, they introduced nearly 12,000 of these fish into the Frying Pan,” said Scott.
“Now for the first time since Whirling Disease decimated most naturally reproducing rainbow trout populations throughout Colorado over 10 years ago, these new crossbred rainbow trout are reproducing naturally in the Gunnison River and in ponds located along the Frying Pan River in Basalt,” stated a recent press release from the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Fish on and tight lines!
