Fryingpan River Report 7-19-21

Posted on 19 July 2021

July 19, 2021

UPPER FRYINGPAN (Mile Marker 8 to Ruedi Reservoir)

FLOW: 174 CFS 

WATER CLARITY: Cold and clear

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Mysis shrimp, Pale Morning Duns, Blue Winged Olives, Caddis, Midges

THE LOW-DOWN :  As many of you are beginning to hear, the rivers in our lower elevations here in the Roaring Fork Valley are low and getting warm. No need to worry about the Fryingpan (or the upper Roaring Fork), the water is a constant 38-40 degrees coming out of the dam and it will stay cold all summer long. 

The latest development we can announce is the return of the PMD Rusty Spinner fall on the upper river at dawn and twilight. If you're in the right spot, you'll see thousands of spinners over the water late in the day as well as first thing in the morning. As you see, the flows are on the low side, so we're all being as gentle as we can with the fish we catch.

The dry fly fishing on the Pan has been top-notch for a few hours, midday usually. There's midges hatching as well as a handful of PMDs and BWOs.  The streamer fishing has been productive especially on cloudy and stormy days.

The best hatch times have trended towards midday, and it has slowed down a bit after 3 or 4, depending on the day. A second midge hatch has been starting most nights around 7:00pm and continuing until dark and Rusty Spinners come around at twilight and dawn.  

It's match the hatch time, so pay attention to the waves of different sizes of bugs and transition accordingly.

HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Rusty Spinners 14-18, Blue Winged Olives18-22, Caddis 16-18, Midges 20-26

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  

DRIES: TC Sparkledun Pink or Yellow 14-18, Iwan-E Dun PMD 16-18, Perfect PMD 16-18, AK's Para Red Quill 16-18, CDC Wing Rusty Spinner 16-18, AK's Para Rusty Spinner 16-18, Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Emerger BWO 20-22, Lawson's No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy Palm's Special Frying Pan Emerger 20-22, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Pearl and Elk Caddis 16-18, 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: Pandemic PMD 16-18, Tungsten Split Case PMD16-18, Halfback PMD Emerger 14-18, Chocolate Thunder 20-22, Ultra Bling RS2 Grey 20-22, Killer Mayfly Olive/ Brown 22, Jigged JJ Nymph BWO 18-20, Maggot Midge 20-22, 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, Medallion Midge 20-22, Tim's Mysis 16-18, Will's Epoxy Mysis 16-20

STREAMERS:  Slumpbuster 6-8, Grease Monkey 4, Baby Gonga Rust/ Black 8, Crispy Critter 4, Tim's Autumn Splendor 4-6

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:  PMDs, Caddis, BWOs, Midges

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

THE LOW DOWN: If the two-legged hatch gets on your nerves, you'll find more solitude (and less paranoid fish) in the middle and lower river. As of now, larger insects like caddis and PMDs are a bit thicker in these sections versus up under the dam.

We haven't seen any drakes yet, but should be soon! Don't forget to add in golden stoneflies to you bug selections in the middle and upper river, these miles support a terrific diversity of insect life.

 HATCHES: Pale Morning Duns14-18, Caddis 14-18, Golden Stoneflies 6-10, BWOs 18-20, Midges 20-26

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 

DRIES: Flag Dun Emerger Pink & Yellow 16-18, Hackle Stacker Cream 16-18, Lawson's EZ Caddis 16-18, Elk Hair Caddis 14-18, Rogue Foam Golden Stone 6-10, Henry's Fork Golden Stone 10-12, No Hackle BWO 18-22, 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: Thorax PMD Emerger 16-18, Mayhem Nymph PMD 16-18, BH Anatomical PMD 16-18, Red or Lime Copper John 14-18, Flashwing Black (or gray) RS2 20-22, Jerome PMD Nymph 16-18, Zebra Midge Red 18-20, Black Beauty 20-22, Maggot Midge 20-22, Kingrey's Cap'n Hook 20-22, Medallion Midge 20-22, Bead Wing Midge 20-22, Rojo Midge 20-22, Cat Poop Stone 8-12

STREAMERS:  Skully Bugger Rust/White 4, Bonefish Deep Minnow 6-8, Bread n Butter Bugger 6-8

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 and low

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT:  Green Drakes, BWOs, Caddis, Craneflies, Golden Stoneflies, Midges

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

THE LOWDOWN: Guess who's back! The famous green drake hatch has begun on the lower river! 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.

This is a great time of year to fish the lower Fryingpan. Keep your eyes out for large golden stones and try fishing a dry and dropper rig. 

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

HATCHES: Green Drakes 10-12, Midges 20-26, Pale Morning Duns 14-18, BWOs 18-22, Caddis 16-18, Golden Stones 6-10

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 

DRIES: BDE Green Drake 10-12, TC Sparkledun Green Drake 12-14, HOH Drake Cripple 12, Missing Link Caddis 14-18, Pearl and Elk 16-18, Perfect Baetis 20-22, Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, No Hackle PMD 16-18, Quigley's Flag PMD 16-18, Rogue Golden Stone 6-8, Morgans Midge 18-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Sprout Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24

NYMPHS:  Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Bead Head Prince 14-18, Chocolate Thunder 20-22, Red or Lime Copper John 14-18, 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

STREAMERS:  Slumpbuster Black 6-8, Wooly Bugger Olive 4-8, Autumn Splendor 4-8

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

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

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