UPPER ROARING FORK - ASPEN DOWNSTREAM TO BASALT   

FLOW: 165 CFS near Aspen

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

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

THE LOWDOWN: Flows have stabilized with high clarity. The Drakes are on their last legs, approaching and passing Aspen. This is their last hurrah before the cycle starts all over again on the Fryingpan River. Expect to see some risers in the early morning and late evenings, with a few rising to caddis mid-day. 

Midges, BWOs and PMDs are most abundant in regard to hatches, but you can start to consider some nymphs for the upcoming emergences, like golden stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae, green drake nymphs, et cetera. Dry dropper can rigs can be very effective on this stretch. 

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

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  
DRIES: HOH CDC Thorax Drake 12, Royal Wulff 12-13, 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: Twenty Incher Nymph 14-16, Prince Nymph 16-18, San Juan Worm 12, 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: 410 CFS at Basalt

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT:  Caddis, PMDs, Midges, Blue Winged Olive, Golden Stoneflies

THE LOWDOWN: Don't expect many, if any, Green Drakes on the Fork mid-valley at this point. The oddball fish will surface for the sweet memory of weeks past, but the smarter specimen will have eyes on micro patterns and baitfish subsurface. 

We've seen good numbers of caddis coming off in this section, especially in faster water near banks. Streamers and larger food items also play well during rainy/overcast weather. Skittering caddis dries seems to be the ticket to getting eats on top. Nymphing large flies can also be quite productive in between hatches. 

HATCHES: Caddis 14-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, PMDs 16-18, 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, Twenty Incher Nymph 14-16, Jigged Tungsten Red Tie PT 18-20, Cat Poop Stonefly 6-12

DRIES: Colorado Green Drake 12-14, 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: 500 CFS in Glenwood Springs

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Caddis, PMDs, Sculpins, Yellow Sallies

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 can all get the job done. Up top we're seeing Yellow Sallies, caddis, Blue Wings and PMDs.

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

Construction on Westbank boat ramp is complete.

HATCHES: Caddis 14-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, PMDs 16-18, Midges 18-26, Yellow Sallies 16

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, No-Hackle PMD 16-18, Sparkle Dun Pale PMD 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, Royal Wulff 12-14, High Profile Green Drake 12-14, Hair Wing Sallie 16

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