Roaring Fork River
Flow: 91cfs/Aspen (Jaffe Park), 236cfs Basalt, 523cfs Glenwood Springs
Conditions: Spring conditions are abounding! We’re seeing the water rise with snowmelt and color-up a bit though still plenty green and very fishable even below the Crystal. Lots of float traffic lately with the Colorado being discolored. Larger attractor nymphs like worms, eggs, stoneflies and caddis are all producing fish. Good numbers of rising fish are being seen daily with overlapping hatches of midges and BWOs. Expect the best dry fly fishing to occur during overcast and warmth, otherwise the majority of risers won’t be seen until the late afternoon/evening hours. I’ve noticed in my own fishing recently that the fish have been keying-in on BWOs even through blankets of midges. Streamer die-hards are now beginning to hook a few as the fish transition out of winter holding water. Overall, the best fishing has been from Basalt t0 Glenwood due to the lower elevation. The upper river from Snowmass to Aspen has just woken up from winters slumber – trails have opened and post-holing through the snow is no longer much of an issue. The fishing has been quite good up here with less pressure than downstream.
Flies-
Dries: Roy’s Special Emerger, CDC Adult Midge, Griffith Gnats, Trailing Shuck Midge, Sprout Midges, CDC Sparkledun BWO, Purple Haze, Parachute Adams, CDC RS2’s
Nymphs: 20 Inchers, Princes, Rubberlegs, Worms, Flashtail Eggs, Rainbow Warriors, Disco Midge, Zebra Midge, Two Bit Hooker, BTS Baetis, Pheasant Tail, Micro Mayfly, Sparklewing RS2, Biot Emergers Gray/Black, Perdigon, Frenchie, Jig Rain Drop Olive, Jig Tung Tied Baetis, Buckskin, BH Electric Caddis
Streamers: Sculpilicious, Sculpzilla, Winter Warlock, Sculpinator, Thin Mint, Gongas, Dungeons
