Fryingpan River Report 7-18-22

July 18, 2022

UPPER FRYINGPAN (Mile Marker 8 to Ruedi Reservoir)

FLOW: 114 CFS

WATER CLARITY: Clean, clear and ever-cold

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10 

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Mysis shrimp, Green Drakes (sporadic) Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Caddis, Pale Morning Duns, Craneflies, Sculpins

THE LOW-DOWN :  Low and warm water concerns are not an issue on the Fryingpan due to the ever-cold deep release from Ruedi Reservoir. If you are fishing down valley on the Roaring Fork and Colorado please keep an eye on water temperatures and reel it up if the water is approaching the high 60s and low 70s.

Flows remain low and clear, for the time being. There are terrific mid-day hatches of PMDs, BWOs, small Caddis and midges. The midge action lately has lasted until dark, so you'll find less people and willing fish well into the afternoon.

All the usual "rules" apply, being small flourocarbon tippets (even on your dry flies), downstream dry fly presentations, short and sweet 6x nymph rigs, small non-beaded non-flashy nymphs  and no hero casting sure seems to help. 

Flows are going to stay low if we are going to have a good chance of filling Ruedi Reservoir this year. Green Drakes are starting to hatch on the lower and middle river, we are seeing them sporadically up under the dam as of now.

Don't forget to take a few streamers with you, the bite is strong right now. Crowds are steadily increasing.

HATCHES: Green Drakes 10-12 (sporadic) Craneflies 10-16, Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Pale Morning Duns 16-18, Midges 18-26, Caddis 16-20 

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  

DRIES: Barr's Vis-A-Dun PMD 16-18, Fryingpan PMD Cripple 16-18, Quigley's Sparkle Flag Dun PMD 16-18, Perfect Baetis 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 20-22, Collette's Quilled Para Emerger 20-22, No Hackle BWO 20-22, HOH Hanging Midge Grey/Black sz 20-22, Mole Midge 20-22, Roy Palm's Special Frying Pan Emerger 20-22, Bill's Midge Emerger 20-22, Skittering Z-Lon Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Midge Adult 22-24, CDC Transitional Midge 22, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, Hatching Midge 20-22, Morgan's Para Midge 20-22

NYMPHS: CDC RS2 Grey/Black sz 20-22, BMW Foam Top RS2 Grey/ Black 20-22, Killer Mayfly Olive/ Brown 22, Jigged JJ Nymph BWO 18-20, Rojo Midge 20-22, Neon Nightmare 20-22, Bling Midge 20-22, Flashdance Midge 20-22, TC Candy Cane Midge 18-22, Money Midge 20-22, T Midge 20-22, Tim's Mysis 16-18, Will's Epoxy Mysis 16-20

STREAMERS: Cousin It Sculpin sz 6, Baby Gonga Tan/Yellow sz 8, Autumn Splendor sz 8, Carlton Banks White/Olive sz 4

HINTS: Hatches are thick in one spot and "not so much" in others, move around until you find 'em!

MIDDLE FRYINGPAN (Mile Markers 4 to 8)

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear flows

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Craneflies, Midges, Sculpins

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10 

THE LOW DOWN: For those who get bummed out seeing other anglers, here's a hint: the middle river has the same hatches without the crowds! Another benefit of fishing the middle river is the plethora of public access. What is private is clearly marked, and the rest is there for you to explore.

HATCHES: Green Drakes 10-12, Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Pale Morning Duns 16-18, Midges 20-26, Caddis 16-20

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 

DRIES: HOH Hackled Green Drake 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Green Drake 12-14, CDC Comparadun PMD 16-18, TC Custom Sparkledun PMD 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, Harrop's CDC Thorax BWO 20-22, Mole Midge 20-22, HOH Hanging Midge 20-22, Roy's Special Fryingpan Emerger 20-22, Skittering Zelon Midge 20-22, Bill’s Midge Emerger 20-22, Brooks Sprout Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, Hatching Midge 20-22, Morgan's Para Midge 20-22

NYMPHS: Flashwing Black (or gray) RS2 20-22, Zebra Midge Red 18-20, Black Beauty 20-22, Maggot Midge 20-22, Kingrey's Cap'n Hook 20-22, Bead Wing Midge 20-22, Rojo Midge 20-22, 

STREAMERS:  Tungsten Double Mint sz 8, Beldar Lemon Drop sz 8, White Zuddler sz 8, Hansen's Meal Ticket sz 4

HINTS: Fish a whole mile of river, you'll fish many different water types and get shots at a lot of fish!

LOWER FRYINGPAN (Basalt to Mile Marker 4) 

WATER CONDITIONS: Clear flows

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Caddis, Green Drakes, Tricos, Blue Winged Olives, Golden Stoneflies, Craneflies, Midges, PMDs, Sculpins

OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10

THE LOWDOWN:  The fish in the lower Fryingpan are not as paranoid as their cousins up under the dam- this makes for terrific beginner water where the fish will still eat bigger flies with not-so-perfect drifts.  Dry dropper rigs can be deadly in this section of river.

If the crowds of people upstream are thick, come explore some lower Fryingpan access spots!

HATCHES: Caddis 14-20, Green Drakes 10-12, Pale Morning Duns 16-18, Golden Stoneflies 4-10, Tricos 20-22, Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Midges 20-26,

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 

DRIES: Stott's KGB Drake 12, HOH Drake Cripple 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Green Drake 12-14, Hackle Dun PMD 16-18, Melon Sparkle Dun PMD 16-18, Egg Layer Golden Stonefly sz 4, Cloud Nine Golden Stonelfyu 4-8, Tan Elk Hair Caddis 14-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, CDC Comparadun BWO 20-22, Morgans Midge 18-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Sprout Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24 Sparkle Flag PMD 16-18, Morris May PMD 16-18 

NYMPHS: Red or Lime Copper John 14-18, Cat Poop Stone Flies 8-12, Jerome Baetis 20-22, RIP Midge 20-22, Medallion Midge 20-22, Ultra Bling RS2 Gray 18-20, Desert Storm Midge 20-22, San Juan Worm 10, BTS PMD 16-18 Stalcup PMD nymph 18

STREAMERS:  Home Invader sz 2, Grease Monkey Natural sz 4, Double Dirty Hippy sz 4

HINTS: Great section to work small streamers, just keep moving!

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09080400

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