UPPER ROARING FORK - ASPEN DOWNSTREAM TO BASALT   

FLOW: 107 CFS near Aspen

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10

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

THE LOWDOWN: Flows continue to drop as the last of the snowpack up high disappears. With the water at these levels, expect to find the heartiest fish hiding out in the riffles. Smart trout seek cover, plus this agitated water contains more all-important oxygen as the water temps rise. Dry dropper rigs can be useful for searching these stretches.

Midges, BWOs and PMDs are most abundant in regard to hatches. Keep your flies small,  tippet light and casts short. These fish can see for miles right now,

HATCHES: Midges 18-24, Blue-winged Olives 20-22, PMDs 16-18

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  
DRIES: Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Quill Midge 20, Solitude Hatching Midge Black 22, Bill Fitzsimmons Trailing Shuck Midge 22-26, TC Sparkledun BWO 20-22, HOH CDC Thorax BWO 20-22, Uber-realistic Baetis 20-22, Taylor Creek Custom Collete's Parachute BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun PMD 16-18, Melon Quill PMD 16-18. H&L Variant 14-18, Skippy Hopper 8-12, Chubby Chernobyl 6-12

NYMPHS: Prince Nymph 16-18, Guide's Choice Hares Ear 16-18, Stott's Raisinette 20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph 18-20, Jigged Hot Orange Bead CDC Pheasant Tail 18-20, Tungsten Rainbow Warrior 18-22, BTS Baetis 20-22, Sparklewing RS2 20-22, Beadwing Midge Emerger Grey 20-22, Pulsating Midge Emerger 20, Freestone Emerger Olive 22, Tailwater Tiny Midge Red 20-22

STREAMERS: Craven's Swim Coach, Barr's Slump Buster, Carlton Banks, Craven's Baby Gonga, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor

HINTS: Fish the soft water along the banks before you cast into the middle of the river

MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE 

FLOW: 292 CFS at Basalt

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Caddis, Stonefly Nymphs, Sculpins

THE LOWDOWN: This stretch and down are affected by flow drops on the Fryingpan, so things are getting bony, making for great wading but sketchy floating. Tiny fly rigs are now the most productive way to fish the middle and lower sections of the Fork. Clarity remains 100%. PMD and BWO hatches have slowed to a trickle. 

We're still seeing caddis coming off in this section, especially in faster water near banks, and especially in the evening. Skittering caddis dries seems to be the ticket to getting eats on top.

Streamers and larger food items also play well during rainy/overcast weather.

HATCHES: Caddis 14-18, Midges 18-24

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS
NYMPHS: Jigged Tungsten Red-Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten 2 Bead Nymph Olive 16-18, 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: Elk Hair Caddis 14-18, Kaufmann's Stimulator 14-18, AK Best's Melon Quill PMD 16-18, Quasi-No-Hackle PMD 16, TC Custom Pink Sparkledun PMD 16-18, Missing Link 14-16, Traditional Adams 18-22, TC Custom Sparkle Dun BWO 18-20, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, Amy's Ant 8-10, Chubby Chernobyl 6-12, Craven's Baby Boy Hopper 12

STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Mint, Tungsten Thin Mint, Craven's Baby Gonga, Carlton Banks, Circus Peanut, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor

HINTS: Fish the banks first- trout are lazy!

LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD  

FLOW: 386 CFS in Glenwood Springs

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Stonefly Nymphs, Annelids, Caddis Larvae, Sculpins

THE LOW DOWN: We're fishing small bugs even down here right now. Most of us still want to throw those small bugs underneath a big, juicy hopper pattern, but expect most of your eats on the minis. Small mayfly patterns, midge patterns, and slightly larger attractors/worms can all get the job done. We're really not seeing much of anything up top on our recent floats.

Floaters beware -- it's getting super boney down here, especially as you approach the Colorado. We're nearing, if not surpassing, historic lows for this time of year. 

As always, keep an eye on the water temperatures in the afternoon. Temps over 68 degrees are bad news for trout, especially when combined with the stress of being caught and handled.

Clarity is perfect most days, with slight interruptions after afternoon downpours. This can mean selective fish, especially at high noon.

HATCHES: Caddis 14-18

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 
NYMPHS: Jigged Hot Bead PT 16-18, Guide's Choice Hares Ear 16-18, 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 20-22

DRIES: Missing Link Caddis 14-18, Lawson's EZ Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh Foam Caddis 16-18, 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, Chubby Chernobyl 6-10

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: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best hatches.

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