Roaring Fork River Report June 16, 2026

UPPER ROARING FORK - ASPEN DOWNSTREAM TO BASALT   

FLOW: 377 CFS below Maroon Creek

WATER CLARITY: Clear

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Caddis, Blue Winged Olives, Golden Stoneflies, Midges

THE LOWDOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

There are two boot and wader cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek in Basalt.

Apologies for our lack of current report lately, we are working through some technical issues.

As most of you know, the snowpack was less than we’d hoped for, so the Roaring Fork is already at a perfect flow (versus being blown out like it should be). Everything except for PMDs and Green Drakes are hatching on the upper, so bring along your golden stones, caddis, BWOs and midges.

HATCHES: Golden Stones 6-10Caddis 16-18, Blue winged olives 18-22, Midges 18-24

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:  
DRIES: Chubby Chernobyl 6-10, Cloud 9 Golden Stone 6-8, Stimulator 12-18, Elk Hair Caddis 12-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Quill Midge 20, Solitude Hatching Midge Black 22, Bill Fitzsimmons Trailing Shuck Midge 22-26

NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-14, Stott's Raisinette 20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph 18-20, Jigged Hot Orange Bead CDC Pheasant Tail 18-20, Tungsten Rainbow Warrior 20-22, 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 tend to be down in the slowest, deepest water they can find right now.

MIDDLE ROARING FORK - BASALT DOWNSTREAM TO CARBONDALE 

FLOW: 588 CFS at Basalt

WATER CLARITY: Slightly off color

OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10

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

THE LOWDOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

It’s super buggy around Basalt! As stated above, what should be blown out and unfishable is just about in perfect shape.

Twilight drakes, midday caddis and PMDs, plus golden stones are prolific. The streamer bit has been decent when overcast or low-light conditions exist, and there’s still enough water to do a two-person float from town down in a light raft.

HATCHES: Green Drakes 10-14, Pale Morning Duns 14-18, Caddis 16-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-24

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS
NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stone 8-12, Prince Nymph 14-18, Griffin's Twenty Incher 12-16, Jigged Tungsten Red-Tie PT 18-20, Tungsten 2 Bead Nymph Olive 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: Double-Hackled Drake 12, HOH Last Chance Cripple Drake 12, TC Custom Sparkledun Drake 12-14, COmparadun PMD 16-18, Film Critic PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Traditional Adams 20-22, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, Collette's BWO 18-22, Purple Haze Parachute Adams 18-20, 

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

HINTS: Get your flies down -- heavy shot, small flies

LOWER ROARING FORK - CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD  

FLOW: 1250 CFS in Glenwood Springs

WATER CLARITY: Slightly off color but fishing very well

OVERALL RATING: 9 out of 10

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

THE LOW DOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.!  Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Every bug you can imagine is hatching here on the lower. The twilight drake bite is best around Carbondale (we’re seeing them up in Basalt but the fish aren’t quite on them yet) and midday hatches are about as good as it gets.

Bright sun brings the waves of caddis, cloud cover makes the PMDS, BWOs and drakes come off well.

HATCHES: Green Drakes, Pale Morning Duns, Yellow Sallies, Golden Stones, Craneflies, Caddis, Midges, Blue Winged Olives

APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: 
NYMPHS: Cat Poop Stonefly 8-12, Rust Murder She Wrote 18-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18-20, Tungsten Two Bead Nymph Black 18-20, 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, Flash Egg 18

DRIES: Rogue Foam Golden Stone 8-10, Egg Layer Golden Stone 6-8, Grillos’ Pizza Delivery 6, Mercer’s Stealth Link PMD 16-18, AK’s Melon Quill 16-18, HOH CDC Thorax PMD 16-18, Quasi-No Hackle PMD 16-18, Missing Link Caddis 16-18, Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis 16-18, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Rat-faced McDougal 16-18, Barr's Vis-a-Dun BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams 18-24, TC Custom Collette's BWO 20-22, Bill Fitzsimmons' Trailing Shuck Midge Emerger 22-24, Sprout Midge 20-22, Antonio's Hi-Vis Midge 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24

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: The best hatches should be seen on warmer, sunny days.

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