Frying Pan River Report

May 13, 2008

UPPER FRYING PAN
                         
FLOW: 328 cfs.

WATER CLARITY: Clear.

THE SHORT AND SWEET:  Flows were recently raised on the 22nd to the now present 328 cfs level. Though this is certainly not ideal flows, it does make for some superb mysis "hatches" and good nymph fishing. The water is perfectly clear, just a bit on the high side. The dry fly fishing is tapering off a bit in these flows but steady hatches of BWO's and Midges are occuring daily. Fishing pressure is steadily increasing with most fisheries across Colorado being high and muddy. Still light traffic on weekdays though. The best fishing has easily been later in the day from 2pm on down. In fact, from 6pm until dark the river has been very solid with the fish feeding quite hard.

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT:
Mysis Shrimp (16-20), BWO's (20-22), Midges (20-24), Eggs (14-18)

IN DEPTH REVIEW:
These higher flows have really been pushing loads of Mysis Shrimp out of the dam for the past six months. You'll notice that the fish you catch are turning into those famous football shaped fish that were once common along the upper Pan in the 80's until the mid 90's. Due to the heavy mysis "hatch" the Toilet Bowl has been almost void of fish. We attribute this to the higher water flows, as Mysis Shrimp patterns are fishing well all the way down to the Bridge Pool, thus the big fish are spreading out more as their diet is flushing further down the river. Heavier tippets of 5x and 6x can be fished along the river. The Flats are now holding plenty of fish in these flows. In addition this is also the easiest section of river to wade in these flows. Don't just focus your efforts along the bottom end of the Flats as a few large 10lb. plus fish have been seen along the upper section of the Flats also. A very few spawning rainbows will begin to move into the Flats and we encourage you to not disturb these fish. We all know how tempting it is to cast to large fish in shallow water though please leave these fish alone. May is the big spawning month for the rainbows along the Pan. With these spawning fish, eggs will litter the river and the non-spawning fish will eat egg patterns with wreckless abondon at times. Our Mini Flashtail Hot Eggs are a deadly pattern. With the warm up of Spring weather lately, the BWO hatch is increasing weekly. Count on seeing more fishable numbers of BWO's as we progress further into the month, and into May. Keep in mind that the BWO's on the Pan have unique colorations. The BWO nymphs are very dark, almost black in color, while the emergers and duns have gray bodies. Size 20-22 patterns are best. Micro Mayflies, Black Poxyback Baetis, P-Tails, and STD's are killer subsurface flies. It is still crucial to be fishing light fluorocarbon tippets of 6x and 7x whether you are nymphing or dry fly fishing. Seaguar Grand Max tippet is bar-none the best on the market and we all recommend and fish it religiously. Your usual midge patterns are still of importance along the upper river also, and should include all stages of the midges life cycle. Thus, TC Red Midge Larvas, Jujubees, RS-2's, Morgans Para Midge, Bills Midge Emergers, and Capt. Hooks are all fishing well in sizes 20-24. The benefit of fishing now is that crowds are still light and the fishing is pretty kick butt. The streamer fishing is picking up with these higher flows too! Don't rule out swinging some streamers to the Pans browns and rainbows. There's no need to move them real quick, but we are moving them faster than what we were doing with lower flows.

Appropriate Patterns 

Dries: *new* Flag Dun Emerger BWO, *new* Sparkle Stacker Emerger BWO, Befus Para. Emerger BWO, *new* Morgan's Para Midge, Bill's Midge Emerger, Sprout Midges, *new* Transitional Midge, *new* Para. Poodles, *new* Stillborn Midge

Nymphs: Pheasant Tails, Poxyback Baetis, Jujubee Midges, TC Red Midge Larva, Pure Midges, Sparklewing RS-2's, Bead Wing Midge, Mercury Brassie, Flashtail Mini Eggs, Epoxy Mysis, Tims Mysis, *new* Pulsating Emerger, *new* Red Headed Step Child, *new* Capt. Hook, *new* Mojo Midge, *new* Freestone Emerger, *new* Chironocones

Streamers: Tan and Olive Stingin' Sculpins, Black and Olive Slump Busters, *new* Stingin' Clousers, *new* EP Conehead Streamers, *new* EP Micro Minnow

Hints:  Remember to dress in layers as the weather can go from 60'f one day to snow and 25'f weather the next day. Stay mobile. If you aren't catching fish in a given area after 15 minutes, move on and fish another area. Fish can be active in one pool and not in the pool directly below or above.


MIDDLE RIVER FRYING PAN

WATER CONDITIONS:  Clear

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: BWO's (18-22), Midges (20-24), Caddis (16-20), Huevos (16-18)

THE SHORT AND SWEET:
Like the Upper Pan, BWO's and Midges comprimise the majority of the hatches and insect life. Eggs and Beatis nymphs will also pick up numerous fish. No longer is the Middle River hit and miss fishing. The best dry fly fishing and the heaviest hatches are occuring on the middle stretches of river right now. Mile markers 4, 6 and 8 are all yielding some great hatches of midges and bwo's. Often both of these insects are hatching during the same time period thus two fly rigs are the best way to go. A size #20 Sparkle Stacker or Flag Dun trailed with a Stillborn or Bills Midge Emergers is the hot setup. Look for the fish to begin rising anywhere from 11:00 up to 3pm. Keep in mind that with these higher water flows, the fish will stack up in the soft pockets of water. In other words, fish close to the banks and in other slower moving water. The same tactics one would employ along the upper river will apply equally well here. The biggest differences are that you can get away with fishing slightly larger flies (18-22's) and tippets (5x and 6x). Don't get us wrong, you might on occassion have to drop down to 7x tippet especially when fishing dries in soft water. If you want to avoid the crowds of the upper river, this is a great area. Some surprisingly large fish in the 16" - 22" inch range have been landed in the middle river lately. Like the upper river, if you stumble across spawning fish, please let them spawn undisturbed. Shallow nymph rigs are deadly prior and there after the hatches. In general, place your indicator about 4-5' feet above your split shot. Focus on the well defined seams and bubble lines. Keep in mind that as hatches progress, fish will move into shallower water. Thus don't over look even shallower nymph rigs or dry/dropper rigs just prior and during the hatches. Some decent hatches of Caddis are being seen along the middle river also, especially during the heat of the day. Carry a few sz. 16-18 Caddis dries in your flybox to round things out.

The In Depth Review:
For goodness sakes, get out there and fish! Plenty of solitude and great fishing, not to mention the awesome weather.

Appropriate Patterns

Dries:  Frying Pan Emergers, Bill's Midge Emerger, *new* Morgans Para Midge, *new* Transitional Midge, *new* Para Poodle, *new* Flag Dun Emerger, *new* Sparkle Stacker BWO, Little Yellow Caddis, *new* Outrigger Caddis

Nymphs: STD Baetis and PT, Tungsten Bead Baetis, Pheasant Tail, Poxyback Baetis, Sparklewing RS-2, Zebra Midges, Flashtail Mini Eggs, *new* Red Headed Step Child, *new* Chironocones, *new* Freestone Emerger, *new* Bad Habit, 20 Incher, Red Copper John, Electric Caddis, *new* Yuba Pupa

Hints: Break out the streamer box during lulls in the fishing. Stoneflies and Caddis Larva are also producing some fish here and there.



LOWER  FRYING PAN :   

WATER CONDITIONS:  Decent. Very weather dependant. Sediment from Seven Castles Creek is present along the lower river, and with warm weather and snow melt, the river below the creek will become unfishable. Currently the lower river below mile marker 4 is blown out and rendered unfishable.

FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: BWO's, Caddis, Stoneflies and Attractor patterns.

THE SHORT AND SWEET: With the sediment of last summer's Seven Castles mudslide, the lower river has been hit or miss and not carrying the clarity of the upper river especially on warm days. Subsurface patterns have worked well mid-day to dusk with the dry fly fishing being variable at best.

THE IN-DEPTH REVIEW: If in doubt, the upper and middle river is the place to be. If you want solitude though and the lower river is clear, by all means, hit-it-up!. The fishing has certainly been good here, just variable. Nymph fishing is certainly the ticket down here. Small stones, caddis larva and the usual midge and baetis patterns are productive. Don't hesitate to toss out some larger attractor patterns is the fish don't see to be patterned to anything in particular. Larger size #12-16 Red Copper Johns and Beadhead Pheasant Tails have been picking up quite a few fish. Larger, spring midges have been seen in good numbers, especially on those nicer days. Size #18-20 midge dries such as Bills Midge Emerger, Para Morgans Midge, and Stillborn Midges have all been accounting for some fish. BWO's will be out in decent number as well and often hatch in unison with the Midges. Look for the caddis hatch to continue increasing in numbers weekly.
  

Appropriate Patterns

Dries: Same as Middle River

Nymphs: Same as Middle River


Link to the USGS Real Time Flow Chart for the Frying Pan River