Jul 19
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 450 CFS in Glenwood Springs
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10 early in the day, afternoon closures in effect
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins
THE LOW DOWN:
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Water temperatures are an issue now, so we urge you to carry a thermometer and reel up when that water hits 68 degrees. Technically, voluntary closures only apply to the afternoons, but it's the angler's responsibility to keep an eye on water temperatures and fish behavior mid-summer, regardless of time of day. Limit any time the fish spend out of the water, keeping pictures quick or skipping the showmanship altogether. We cant control the flows or the temperatures, but its up to us to act accordingly to protect our precious resources.
Most of the action on the lower Fork has gone sub-surface. Generally, we are nymphing the center line with small, shiny nymphs. Think about the places where the trout can stay cool and covered in this low, warm water. Hopper-dropper can be effective and lead to some exciting eats on top when the weather is right, but dont expect to bring them up in numbers to the hopper.
HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, 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 20-22
DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos Pizza Delivery 6, Mercers Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AKs Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22, Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24
STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Barr's Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Hansen's Meal Ticket, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: The best hatches should be seen on cloudier, crappier days.
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
Jul 19
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE
FLOW: 290 CFS at Basalt
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins
THE LOWDOWN:
Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
The Fork around basalt has benefited from the increased flow out of Ruedi Reservoir. This stretch of river is the least prone to temperature concerns, often remaining perfectly fishable even through the warmest summers.
Weeks of high, bright sun are never the best for hatches, but we've been seeing great caddis and PMD fishing in the mornings and evenings. The streamer bite has been decent when overcast or low-light conditions exist.
HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Caddis 16-18, Green Drakes 10-14, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS
DRIES: Comparadun PMD 16-18, Film Critic PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Double-Hackled Drake 12, HOH Last Chance Cripple Drake 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Drake 12-14, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Traditional Adams 20-22, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, Collette's BWO 18-22, Purple Haze Parachute Adams 18-20
NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-16, Jigged Tungsten Red-Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten 2 Bead Nymph Olive 18, Jigged Iron Lotus 18, Jigged Hares Ear 16-18, Stott's Juggernaut 20, Stott's Raisinette 20, Barr's Emerger 18-22, Neon Nightmare 22-24, Bling Midge Charcoal/Tan 20-24
STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Craven's Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor
HINTS: Shorter rigs than you're used to will help this time of year. With water this low, suspended rigs through the riffles will save you some money on flies.
Jul 08
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 565 CFS in Glenwood Springs
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10 early in the day, water temperatures are getting concerning in the afternoons.
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins
THE LOW DOWN:
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Most of the action on the lower Fork has gone sub-surface apart from evening Caddis and the occasional morning PMD spinner fall. Generally, we are nymphing the center line with small, shiny nymphs. Think about the places where the trout can stay cool and covered in this low, warm water. Hopper-dropper can be effective and lead to some exciting eats on top when the weather is right, but dont expect to bring them up in numbers to the hopper.
Water temperatures are bordering on concerning, so we urge you to carry a thermometer and reel up when that water hits 68 degrees. Limit any time the fish spend out of the water, keeping pictures quick or skipping the showmanship altogether. We cant control the flows or the temperatures, but its up to us to act accordingly to protect our precious resources.
HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, 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 20-22
DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos Pizza Delivery 6, Mercers Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AKs Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22,
Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24
STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Barr's Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Hansen's Meal Ticket, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: The best hatches should be seen on cloudier, crappier days.
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
Jul 07
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 565 CFS in Glenwood Springs
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10 early in the day, water temperatures are getting concerning in the afternoons.
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins THE LOW DOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Most of the action on the lower Fork has gone sub-surface apart from evening Caddis and the occasional morning PMD spinner fall. Generally, we are nymphing the center line with small, shiny nymphs. Think about the places where the trout can stay cool and covered in this low, warm water. Hopper-dropper can be effective and lead to some exciting eats on top when the weather is right, but dont expect to bring them up in numbers to the hopper.
Water temperatures are bordering on concerning, so we urge you to carry a thermometer and reel up when that water hits 68 degrees. Limit any time the fish spend out of the water, keeping pictures quick or skipping the showmanship altogether. We cant control the flows or the temperatures, but its up to us to act accordingly to protect our precious resources.
HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, 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 20-22 DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos Pizza Delivery 6, Mercers Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AKs Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22,
Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24
STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Barr's Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Hansen's Meal Ticket, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: The best hatches should be seen on cloudier, crappier days.
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
Jul 07
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE
FLOW: 320 CFS at Basalt
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins THE LOWDOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Its super buggy around Basalt! As stated above, what should be blown out and unfishable is just about in perfect shape.
Twilight drakes, midday caddis and PMDs, plus golden stones are prolific. The streamer bite has been decent when overcast or low-light conditions exist, and theres still enough water to do a two-person float from town down in a light raft.
HATCHES: Green Drakes 10-14, Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Caddis 16-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-16, Jigged Tungsten Red-Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten 2 Bead Nymph Olive 18, Jigged Iron Lotus 18, Jigged Hares Ear 16-18, Stott's Juggernaut 20, Stott's Raisinette 20, Barr's Emerger 18-22, Neon Nightmare 22-24, Bling Midge Charcoal/Tan 20-24
DRIES: Double-Hackled Drake 12, HOH Last Chance Cripple Drake 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Drake 12-14, COmparadun PMD 16-18, Film Critic PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Traditional Adams 20-22, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, Collette's BWO 18-22, Purple Haze Parachute Adams 18-20,
STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Craven's Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor
HINTS: Get your flies down -- heavy shot, small flies
Jul 06
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
Rating: 4/5
LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 565 CFS in Glenwood Springs
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Craneflies, Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Stoneflies, Sculpins THE LOW DOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Most of the action on the lower Fork has gone sub-surface apart from evening Caddis and the occasional morning PMD spinner fall. Generally, we are nymphing the center line with small, shiny nymphs. Think about the places where the trout can stay cool and covered in this low, warm water. Hopper-dropper can be effective and lead to some exciting eats on top when the weather is right, but dont expect to bring them up in numbers to the hopper.
Water temperatures are bordering on concerning, so we urge you to carry a thermometer and reel up when that water hits 68 degrees. Limit any time the fish spend out of the water, keeping pictures quick or skipping the showmanship altogether. We cant control the flows or the temperatures, but its up to us to act accordingly to protect our precious resources.
HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, 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 20-22 DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos Pizza Delivery 6, Mercers Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AKs Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22,
Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24
STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Circus Peanut, Grease Monkey, Barr's Slumpbuster, Devourer of Souls, Hansen's Meal Ticket, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor,
HINTS: The best hatches should be seen on cloudier, crappier days.
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