Fall Fly Fishing in The Rockies, Colorado Flies That You Need!

Flies for Fall Fishing in Colorado – Get out while you can!!
by Bluequillangler in Fishing Colorado

Tags: colorado fishing flies, colorado fly fishing, fall fly patterns, flies for fall, what fly to use in colorado 2The most frequently asked questions in a fly shop is “What flies should I have?”. This time of year it takes longer to answer this common question. Fall is one of the most exciting times of the year to go fly fishing. But it can also be one of the most challenging. Water flows are low and clear and the fish can be spooky. But there is more going on in the fall than at any other time of the year.

The river can be a “buffet” with many different offerings on the table. Mid summer hatches of Pale Morning Duns, Red Quills, Green Drakes, and Caddis flies can still be prevalent. Morning hatches of Trico Mayflies become a regular occurence with the Spinner Fall coming later in the day as the days get shorter. The reappearance of the Blue Wing Olives, especially on overcast days is a not so welcome sign that winter is just around the corner. Midge hatches that were lost in higher water will once again become a prominent food source continuing throughout the coming winter.

A few terrestrials such as hoppers, ants, and beetles may still he around but most rivers here in Colorado excluding the lower elevation streams have had their first frost so terrestrial fishing is tapering off right now. Brown trout, Brook Trout and Whitefishwill all begin spawning soon so they are on the feed right now looking for anything to satisfy their constant hunger. Fall is the dry fly anglers paradise as the amount and variety of aquatic insects on the surface combined with low, clear water creat ea perfect environment for trout to ”risk it all ” to pluck a struggling morsel from the water’s surface.

Fall Patterns

Patterns for fall fishing cover the broadest range of Aquatic Insects and Terrestrials. Aquatic patterns available to the trout can be a combination of Midges, Mayflies, Caddis Flies, Terrestrial, Stoneflies, Minnows, Eggs and Aquatic earthworms. The best fishing is usually on those first overcast, nasty, days of the fall when a variety of Mayflies including Blue Wing Olives, Tiny Psuedocoleons BWO’s and Trico’s are abundant. Here is a list of recommended flies for a fantastic fall:




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