Roaring Fork River
Lower (Below Carbondale)
Recent Guide Reports
Trending Flies in Recent Reports
- Parachute BWO
- BWO
- Zebra Midge
- Circus Peanut
- RS-2
- Brook's Sprout Midge
- Autumn Splendor
- Parachute Adams
- Rainbow Warrior
- Adult Midge
Current Conditions
Gauge Flow
High Water Warning
Gauge Height
Water Temperature
Water Temperature Over 68°F
Condition Graphs
Fly Shop Directory
Recent Guide Reports
Dec 08
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 480 CFS in Glenwood Springs
WATER CLARITY: Very low and Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges
THE LOW DOWN: The same daily increase and decrease in flows affecting the middle Fork (quite obviously) is being seen on the lower as well. But, again, no worries, and it shouldn't affect fishing. You can also expect the same morning ice/slush with dropping nighttime temps.
Construction on Westbank boat ramp will continue through the winter; expect some color downstream from the heavy machinery when river work takes place. Add that to the color commonly spewed from the Crystal after moisture and this section can get pretty hazy. As of now, though, fall fishing abounds.
At this point in the year hatches almost exclusively comprise BWOs and midges. The buggiest time of day is the afternoon by far. The streamer bite can be hot all-day-round.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, Bead Head Swiss Straw Emerger 16-18, Stott's Raisinette 20, Stott's Mercury Bad Carl Grey 20, BMW Foam Top RS2 Black 20-22, Mercury Bead RS2 Grey 22, Pandemic BWO Emerger 20-22, Freestone Emerger Olive 22, Internal Wire Tube Midge Black/Red 20, Desert Storm Midge Fluor. Orange 22, TC Custom Midge Red/Clear 20-22DRIES: Improved Sparkle Dun BWO 18-22, No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy's Special Emerger 20, Adams 18-22, TC Custom Collette's Para BWO 20-22, Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, Mike Lawson's No-Hackle BWO 20-22, Mole Fly Baetis 20-22, Brook's Sprout Midge Grey 20-22, Bill Fitzsimmon's Midge Adult 22, Bill's Midge Emerger 22-24, Antonio's Hi-Vis Quill Midge Emerger 20-22, Harrop's Midge Adult Black 20-22
STREAMERS: Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Meal Ticket, Tim's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best mayfly action.
Upper Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09076300&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
Middle Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09081000
Lower Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085000
FLOW: 480 CFS in Glenwood Springs
WATER CLARITY: Very low and Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges
THE LOW DOWN: The same daily increase and decrease in flows affecting the middle Fork (quite obviously) is being seen on the lower as well. But, again, no worries, and it shouldn't affect fishing. You can also expect the same morning ice/slush with dropping nighttime temps.
Construction on Westbank boat ramp will continue through the winter; expect some color downstream from the heavy machinery when river work takes place. Add that to the color commonly spewed from the Crystal after moisture and this section can get pretty hazy. As of now, though, fall fishing abounds.
At this point in the year hatches almost exclusively comprise BWOs and midges. The buggiest time of day is the afternoon by far. The streamer bite can be hot all-day-round.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, Bead Head Swiss Straw Emerger 16-18, Stott's Raisinette 20, Stott's Mercury Bad Carl Grey 20, BMW Foam Top RS2 Black 20-22, Mercury Bead RS2 Grey 22, Pandemic BWO Emerger 20-22, Freestone Emerger Olive 22, Internal Wire Tube Midge Black/Red 20, Desert Storm Midge Fluor. Orange 22, TC Custom Midge Red/Clear 20-22DRIES: Improved Sparkle Dun BWO 18-22, No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy's Special Emerger 20, Adams 18-22, TC Custom Collette's Para BWO 20-22, Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, Mike Lawson's No-Hackle BWO 20-22, Mole Fly Baetis 20-22, Brook's Sprout Midge Grey 20-22, Bill Fitzsimmon's Midge Adult 22, Bill's Midge Emerger 22-24, Antonio's Hi-Vis Quill Midge Emerger 20-22, Harrop's Midge Adult Black 20-22
STREAMERS: Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Meal Ticket, Tim's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best mayfly action.
Upper Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09076300&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
Middle Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09081000
Lower Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085000
Dec 08
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE
FLOW: 300 CFS at Basalt
WATER CLARITY: Very low and Clear
OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Sculpins
THE LOWDOWN: Melting snow during the sunniest part of the day has led to a regular oscillation in the CFS charts, with flows peaking mid afternoon and dropping again overnight. This difference is usually no more than 100CFS so it's not worrisome, nor should it impact the quality of fishing. We expect the curves to flatten out as days get colder in the next week.
With cold overnight temps, it's normal for the river to be slushy and crunchy into the afternoon. It's a good idea to keep an eye upstream, as ice and anglers don't tend to get along (don't ask how we know).
It's the time of year where our middle and lower Fork boxes mirror our Fryingpan boxes with their tiny nymphs and understated dries. Midge and BWO activity is probably the most prevalent. In all honesty, its a real nymphing game right now; we're not seeing much in the way of hatches. With the cooler weather, fish will start moving back out from the riffles and into the slower, deeper water.
There's not a lot of public access mid-valley, but local favorites are Catherine Store, behind Crown Mountain Park, and the section along Two Rivers Road here in Basalt.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Midges 18-24
APPROPRIATE PATTERNSNYMPHS: Murder, She Wrote Epoxyback Rust 20, Thorax BWO Emerger 20-22, Jigged JuJu BWO 20, Mercury Bead RS2 Grey 22, Tungsten Zebra Midge Red 20-22, T Midge Black 24, Stott's Good Carl 20, Jigged Tungsten Red Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten Rainbow Warrior 20-22
DRIES: Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, No Hackle BWO 20-22, TC Custom Sparkle Dun BWO 18-20, Traditional Adams 16-20, Fitzsimmon's Midge Adult Black 22, Harrop's CDC Spent Midge Black 22-24, Morgan's Midge Dark 24, Brook's Sprout Midge Grey 22-24
STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim's Autumn Splendor
HINTS: Fish the banks first- trout are lazy!
FLOW: 300 CFS at Basalt
WATER CLARITY: Very low and Clear
OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Sculpins
THE LOWDOWN: Melting snow during the sunniest part of the day has led to a regular oscillation in the CFS charts, with flows peaking mid afternoon and dropping again overnight. This difference is usually no more than 100CFS so it's not worrisome, nor should it impact the quality of fishing. We expect the curves to flatten out as days get colder in the next week.
With cold overnight temps, it's normal for the river to be slushy and crunchy into the afternoon. It's a good idea to keep an eye upstream, as ice and anglers don't tend to get along (don't ask how we know).
It's the time of year where our middle and lower Fork boxes mirror our Fryingpan boxes with their tiny nymphs and understated dries. Midge and BWO activity is probably the most prevalent. In all honesty, its a real nymphing game right now; we're not seeing much in the way of hatches. With the cooler weather, fish will start moving back out from the riffles and into the slower, deeper water.
There's not a lot of public access mid-valley, but local favorites are Catherine Store, behind Crown Mountain Park, and the section along Two Rivers Road here in Basalt.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Midges 18-24
APPROPRIATE PATTERNSNYMPHS: Murder, She Wrote Epoxyback Rust 20, Thorax BWO Emerger 20-22, Jigged JuJu BWO 20, Mercury Bead RS2 Grey 22, Tungsten Zebra Midge Red 20-22, T Midge Black 24, Stott's Good Carl 20, Jigged Tungsten Red Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten Rainbow Warrior 20-22
DRIES: Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, No Hackle BWO 20-22, TC Custom Sparkle Dun BWO 18-20, Traditional Adams 16-20, Fitzsimmon's Midge Adult Black 22, Harrop's CDC Spent Midge Black 22-24, Morgan's Midge Dark 24, Brook's Sprout Midge Grey 22-24
STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim's Autumn Splendor
HINTS: Fish the banks first- trout are lazy!