Merry Christmas from Fly Fish Addiction

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Frying Pan River Colorado Toilet Bowl Closing Down!

Voluntary fishing closure sought at ‘Toilet Bowl’ below Ruedi dam


Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking anglers to honor a voluntary closure of a popular spot on the Fryingpan River just below Ruedi Reservoir dam.

"The fishing spot — known locally as the 'toilet bowl' — will experience significantly reduced flow as water that normally feeds the pool will be rerouted to facilitate required dam maintenance," a statement from parks and wildlife said.

Work by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is tentatively scheduled to continue until Nov. 10, but the deadline could be extended.


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Georgia Bulldogs SEC Champs and Pasadena Rose Bowl Bound!

Fly Fishing For Steelhead, An Epic Journey

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Great Day out in Denver Fishing for Lunkers!

 

Fly Fishing local water with friends always turns out well!

 

 

 

Lee with another beauty Bow

 

Countless pigs this day and had me wanting more about hearing that drag!

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Idaho Stillwater Fall Fly Fishing

 

 

The Bite is Still On!

It's hard to put into words how much fun our trip was recently. Between the gorgeous weather, okay it snowed a few days but it stayed warm enough to stay on the water most days.

What's better, a great day out fishing with friends with no crowds, or a great day out with friends and plenty of fish....how about both?

These hidden lakes kept us busy for most of the week and when not enjoying some Stillwater action, we also hit some local tailwaters for some streamer action!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fall Stillwater Adventures

Annual Fall Rumble Fly Fishing Trip

It's that time of year again where the guys are off on another Fly Fishing Adventure. This Fall is back to a familiar spot that can be good or as fishing goes, very temperamental.

With this amount of water in the region we are fishing at near Yellowstone seems daunting, well daunting in a good way as in too much water to fish. With so many lakes and river close by it's not a question of which lake but better yet...who has the biggest fish this time of year.

In a number of Fly Fish Addiction post on the way, I'll let you decide on how well our 8 day adventure went!

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Idaho Big Trout Lakes

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Fly Fishing Montana Rivers in September

Many avid anglers target September as their preferred month for fly fishing in Montana. Once kids go back to school the amount of tourist traffic visiting the Big Sky state drops off dramatically so the casual anglers sneaking in a guided day of fishing on their Yellowstone Park vacation almost vanishes and the rivers are left to more serious fly fishers. Locals also begin turning their attention to the fall hunting season so the trout see relatively few flies in the Autumn months. September also offers some of the most pleasant weather of the year with dry weather, crisp mornings, and warm days. Fortunately the fishing can be very good in September with a mixed bag of dry fly fishing, streamer fishing and nymph fishing.

Where to fish? All of the favorite classics that fish well in the summer are still a good option in September. Legendary rivers like the Upper Madison, Yellowstone, Gallatin etc. still produce. One of the perks about fishing in September is that several of the lower elevation rivers also become a good option. Waters such as the Lower Madison, Upper Missouri, Jefferson and Lower Gallatin often get too warm in the popular mid summer months to produce good fishing. Once the nights become longer and temperatures begin to drop a bit these fisheries often hit ideal trout temperatures and once again become productive. The lower elevation waters often have lower trout counts per mile but often produce some of the larger brown trout in the region with a ten-pounder a possibility for a very lucky angler. Spring creeks are also an interesting choice for September. By the end of the month the fall baetis hatch is producing steady mid day match the hatch fishing. Earlier in the month terrestrials are the main dry fly staple but nymphing the troughs with midge larva. Usually the famous spring creeks near Livingston only have a few rods a day in September so you can have all of the best runs available without a lot of other anglers around (just be prepared for technical fishing).

Montana Angler Article Link



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Grand Lake Rocky Mtn National Park Family Weekend

 

What a great weekend to spend up in Grand Lake with my Family. No better place than Rocky Mountain National Park late Summer to enjoy right before school starts. Who needs Estes Park when you can escape the crowds on this side!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tom Rosenbauer & The Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing | Dry Fly Fishing

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Stillwater Wyoming Lake Action!

Guys Weekend Wyoming

Every Summer rolls around and I get very excited to hit the lakes, escape the crowds and most notably, get my Lake bite on!

This trip was no exception, we timed it perfectly and were able to get into a number of fish. Boca Dawg pointed us in the right direction when she wasn't swimming and led the way.

Can't wait to get back to central Wyoming again soon for some outstanding Chiro action!



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Metro Denver Boys Fishing Weekend

Take a Kid Fishing

Nothing more satisfying than taking your boys out fishing. Whether they catch fish or not, it honestly doesn't matter. If they have fun, it's all worth it.  When a bass or trout decides to take the bait in this case, or mepps spinner, it really makes it a special outing.

Both Trevor and Caleb hooked close to 10 fish over a span of an hour and thanks to Dad's collection of freshwater nymphs, a water boatman seemed to be the ticket this day.






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Fly Fishing Colorado's Top Summer Trout Hatches

Here are Colorado's major summer hatches in basic chronological order as they appear in the summer along with some fly choices and fishing tips. Don’t forget many of these hatches overlap and trout may feed on several different hatches in the same day.

Salmonflies
The first major hatch of the summer and at two to three inches in length, Salomflies are also the biggest insect we’ll see all year and the hatch begins before the official start of summer, sometime in late May or early June. Primarily found on the upper Colorado around Pumphouse, smaller numbers of these big stoneflies are also present in the Eagle and Roaring Fork Rivers. Try a # 2-6 brown or black Pat’s Rubberleg, Yuk Bug or Bitch Creek for the salmonfly nymph and a Rogue River Stone, Orange Stimulator or Orange Noble Chernobyl for the adult. While trout will hammer nymph patterns for weeks before the actual hatch, the adults are only around for a few days and your timing must be superb to experience good dry fly fishing.

Green Drake
Green Drakes are Colorado’s largest mayfly species. These #10-12 olive mayflies are found in the largest numbers on the Roaring Fork River but also hatch on the Eagle and Gore Creek. Their emergence varies from mid-June to early July depending on stream flows and water temperature. The Zug Bug, Mercer’s Poxyback Drake, and Olive Guide’s Choice are all good nymph patterns while the Green Drake Parawulff, Lawson’s Cripple Drake and House and Lot Variant are great dry flies.

Caddis
The summer hatch of caddis usually begins right after runoff begins to recede in mid to late June on the Eagle and Roaring Fork Rivers. These tan caddis run #12-16 and hatch for several weeks with trout feeding heavily on the surface. Soft Hackle Pheasant Tails, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear and Barr’s Graphic Caddis will work dead drifted or on the swing while a Tan Stimulator, Tan Elk Hair Caddis and Tan Foam Caddis will all work on the surface.

PMD
PMDs or Pale Morning Dun mayflies hatch beginning in early July on the Colorado, Eagle and Roaring Fork and trout seem to prefer them as a late morning change of pace from caddis. Colorado’s PMD are a pinkish orange color and average #16-18. Good nymph patterns include a brown Micromayfly, Trina’s Bubbleback PMD, and Quasimodo Pheasant Tail. For risers try a Pink Foam Parachute, Melon Quill or PMD Parawulff.

Golden Stonefly
Golden Stoneflies are the Salmonfly’s slightly smaller (#4-10), less popular but more numerous and more important cousin. They hatch on all area rivers from early July through the end of summer. The adults emerge mostly at night but nymph patterns can be effective anytime while a big Golden Stonefly dry fished in the early morning or when hoppers are around can bring explosive strikes. For nymphs it’s hard to beat a Tan Pat’s Rubberleg, Twenty Incher or VVA Rubberleg Hare’s Ear. Dries that work well are a Tan Chubby Chernobyl, Yellow PMX, or a Peacock Stimualtor.

Yellow Sally
Yellow Sallies are another stonefly but at #14-18, much smaller in size. These bright yellow insects start hatching in early July often alongside caddis and PMDs on the Eagle and Roaring Fork. They’re slow and trout like them. Look for patterns that feature a red, pink or orange butt for added attraction and realism. Mercer’s Microstone, Kyle’s BH Yellow Sally, are good nymphs while a Yellow Foam Stone or Yellow Elk Hair Caddis will fool surface feeders.

Terrestrials
Usually, by mid-July in Colorado a variety of terrestrial insects such as ants, beetles and grasshoppers are on the menu. They’re a valuable food source on any piece of moving water from mid-summer through early fall but the trout on the Colorado River seem especially inclined to pound hoppers fished tight to grassy banks. Terrestrials, while they can be fished drowned and under the surface are really most effective as dry flies. Here’s some favorite patterns: Gould Half-Downs, Royal and Yellow PMX, Chubby Chernobyl, Noble Chernorbyl, and the Fat Albert.

Red Quill
Red Quill mayflies are often seen hovering in packs of adults over the water. As their name implies they are a rusty red color in size #12-16. Most common on the Colorado but also important on the Eagle and Fork, they begin hatching in August. For nymphs, a simple Pheasant Tail or Red Copper John is a good imitation while a Royal Wulff with a trailing Rusty Spinner are top dry fly choices.

Trico
Another mayfly, the Trico, or "the white-winged curse", is a diminutive #20-24 olive and black mayfly with bright, whitish wings. They hatch in late summer around mid-August on all of Central Colorado’s major trout fisheries. Trico Spinners, small Royal Wulffs and Renegades are especially important to trout sipping on the surface in slow water on the Colorado. Drowned trico imitations, Barr’s Trico Emerger and black midge emergers work well in faster water on stream like the Eagle or Roaring Fork.

BWO
When the small Blue-winged Olive mayflies begin hatching with the arrival of cooler nights in late August or early September, it’s a sure sign that summer is coming to an end. The same bug that hatches in the spring, this late summer/early-fall version tends to run a little smaller at #20-22. They can be found on any trout stream but hatch in the largest numbers on the Colorado River. Barr’s BWO Emerger, Sparkle RS-2 and the WD-50 are ideal nymph patterns while the Adams Parawulff, Foam BWO Parachute and the good old Parachute Adams are go-to dry flies.

With some basic knowledge of these ten summertime hatches, anglers in Colorado can expect to have good fly fishing no matter when they hit the river during summer. For more information on the best fly patterns, when to fish Colorado or to book a guided fly fishing trip, check in with the Vail Valley Anglers fly shop in Edwards, Colorado or check us out online.

Brody Henderson, Guide and Content
Article Link

 

 

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