Roaring Fork River Report 5-16-24

May 16, 2024

UPPER ROARING FORK- ASPEN DOWNSTREAM TO BASALT   

FLOW: 175 CFS

WATER CLARITY: Cold and mostly clear, but we will see more color as we warm up. Keep in mind real runoff does not begin until mid-May.

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT:  Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Winter Stoneflies, Sculpins 

THE LOWDOWN:  The bug menu is pretty simplified- blue winged olives, midges and a few winter stones. Dry fly hatches are winding down, but be ready if you're out there on a warm and cloudy afternoon. The river is low and clear, it's time to get stealthy and treat the upper Fork like you would the Fryingpan.

HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24, Winter Stoneflies 16-18

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  
DRIES:  HOH CDC Thorax BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 20-22, Massacre Midge 22-24, Mole Midge 20-22, HOH Hanging Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-24, Skittering Z-Lon Midge 20-22, Putterbaugh Caddis Black 16-18 (fished as a winter stone)

NYMPHS: BTS Baetis 20-22, Sparklewing RS2 20-22, Freestone Emerger 20, BH Polywing Emerger 20, Kingrey's Cap'n Hook 20-22, Bead Wing Midge 20-22, Rojo Midge 20-22

STREAMERS: Autumn Splendor 6, Carlton Banks sz 4, Cousin It Sculpin sz 6, Grease Monkey sz 4, Beldar Lemon Drop sz 8

HINTS: Fish the soft water where your flies have time to get down in front  of the fish.

MIDDLE ROARING FORK- BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE 

FLOW: 629 CFS in Basalt

WATER CONDITIONS: Clarity is starting to yo-yo with the warming temperatures

OVERALL RATING:  4 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Caddis, Winter Stoneflies, Sculpins 

THE LOWDOWN: We are starting to see the first waves of springtime baetis! The river is in perfect shape and the dry fly fishing is good.  Dry flies in the afternoon include BWOs, Winter Stones and midges.

There's not a lot of public access mid-river, 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, Winter Stoneflies 16-18

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS
NYMPHS: Stott's Good Carl 20, Stott's BH Drama Rust 20, Jigged Tungsten Red Tie PT 18-20, Freestone Emerger 20, BH Polywing Emerger 18-20, Biot Baetis 18-20, Sparklewing RS2 20-22, Imposter 20-22, Lil Foamy 18-20, Neon Nightmare 20-22 

DRIES: Mole Fly Baetis 20-22, Perfect Baetis 20-22, Befus' Para Emerger 18-22, Hackle Dun Baetis 20-22, Bill's Midge Emerger 20-22, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, Hatching Midge 20-22, Morgan's Para Midge 20-22, Massacre Midge 22-24, Roy's Special Emerger 20-22, Putterbaugh Caddis Black 16-18 (fished as a winter stone)

STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint sz 4-8, Hansen's Meal Ticket sz 4, Baby Gonga Black sz 8, Home Invader sz 2

HINTS: Find some deep water where you can and keep an eye out for risers too

LOWER ROARING FORK- CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD  

FLOW: 1180 in Glenwood Springs and on the rise

WATER CONDITIONS: The Crystal is starting to spike with the warm ups, and the lower Fork is getting dirty. We will see flows yo-yo a bit now that we are warming up. Keep in mind real runoff does not begin until mid-May.

OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Caddis, Midges, Winter Stoneflies, Sculpins

THE LOW DOWN:  Some of the best dry fly fishing of the year is here! Strong Caddis and BWO hatches are now happening daily, especially when it's cloudy. Midday hatches of BWOs, midges and winter stones are keeping us busy in our boats and while wading. Next up, April caddis.

Streamers are usually effective on the lower Fork, we'd suggest smaller flies and natural colors for the most part. Keys tarpon eat size 8 flies, so don't feel like you have to throw a 3/0 double articulated fly to be "streamer fishing."

Annual tributary creek spawning closures go into effect on March 15th, you'll see the signs. The majority of the river is fishable, these closures are at a few creeks like 3 and 4 Mile.

HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-26, Winter Stones 16-18

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 
NYMPHS: Foam Top RS2 18-20, Murder She Wrote Rust 18-20, Guide's Choice Hares Ear 16-18, Double Down CDC PT 16-18, Copper John 14-16, BLMs 18-20, Freestone Emerger 22, RS2s 20-22, Polywing Emerger 18-20, Roy's Biot Baetis Emerger 18-20, Soft Hackle BWO 20-22, Imposters 20-22, TC Poxy Biot Baetis 22, Jerome Baetis 20-22, RIP Midge 22

DRIES: Improved Sparkle Dun BWO 18-22, Stealth Link Baetis 22, Quasi-No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy's Special Emerger 20, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Perfect Baetis 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, Dorsey's Midge Adult 20-22, Iwane's No Mercy Midge 22-24, Matthew's Improved Z Lon Midge 22-24, Morgans Midge 18-20, Sprout Midge 18-20, Griffiths Gnat 20, Putterbaugh Caddis Black 16-18 (fished as a winter stone)

STREAMERS: Beldar Lemon Drop sz 2, Grease Monkey sz 4, Slumpbuster 6-8, Devourer of Souls 6, Tim's Splendor 6-8

HINTS: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best hatches and 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