Fryingpan River
South Fork

LOWER FRYINGPAN (Basalt upstream to Mile Marker 4)
WATER CONDITIONS: Much improved with the recent warm-ups.
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Caddis larvae, pupa and adults, Blue Winged Olive nymphs, emergers and adults, golden stonefly nymphs, midges, sculpins
OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10
THE LOWDOWN: We say it all the time -- hatches start earlier in the season at the lower elevations near town. We've got caddis and BWOs crawling around the back porch here at the shop, but it will be weeks before we see them up near the dam.

The fish down lower see significantly less pressure and tend to be easier to fool. Another week or two and you can even consider small hopper-dropper rigs and Euro setups.
HATCHES: Caddis 14-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-20, Midges 20-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Elk Hair Caddis 14-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, TC Custom Collette's BWO Adult 18-20, Parachute Purple Haze Adams 16-20, Traditional Adams 16-22, Morgans Midge 18-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Sprout Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, Mole Fly Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, CDC Comparadun BWO 20-22
NYMPHS: Prince Nymph 16-18, Twenty Incher Nymph 16, Bucksin Caddis 16-18, Cat Poop Stonefly 6-10, Jerome Baetis 20-22, Ultra Bling RS2 Gray 18-20, Stott's Good Carl 20, Murder She Wrote Rust 20-22, Bling Midge 20-24
STREAMERS: Home Invader, Carlton Banks, Skully Bugger, Dali-Lama
HINTS: Fish in the lower river tend to ramble and migrate around, so keep searching if you're not feeling the love.