Spring clouds up fishing forecast

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Last weekend’s warm temperatures clouded the Roaring Fork River, ushering in spring’s guessing game for anglers — is it fishable, or isn’t it?

Warm temperatures combined with cold spells will keep the lower Fork, in particular, in a state of flux, but chilly weather last week could mean a window of clearer water for the Roaring Fork going into the weekend.

“It’s typical for this time of year — it’s off and on, depending on the weather,” said Drew Reid at Roaring Fork Anglers in Glenwood Springs.

Last Thursday, both the lower Fork and the Colorado River were “pretty muddy” in Glenwood, Reid reported.

The upper Roaring Fork, particularly above its confluence with Brush Creek, should remain fishable until temperatures in Aspen and the upper valley really heat up, added Kirk Webb at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt.

In the lower Roaring Fork Valley, blue-wing olive hatches are in full swing, according to Reid, suggesting BWO nymph patterns such as pheasant tails, the magnymphico and BLM. The RS2 is a good emerger pattern, and Reid’s pick for BWO dries are an olive quill or parachute olive quill. Go with size 18 for all of them, he advised.

The 20-incher in sizes 8 or 10 also have been effective of late, Reid said.

If the Fork is cloudy, try a San Juan worm or stonefly nymph (sizes 10-14).

On the upper Fork, from Woody Creek to Aspen, Webb suggested small midge and BWO nymphs, but look for dry-fly action in the late afternoon and early evening. If the trout are rising, try a Bill’s midge emerger or Morgan’s parachute midge, he advised.

The Fryingpan River above Basalt is producing good hatches of BWOs from about 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the middle stretch of the river below the dam, according to Webb. Try dries and subsurface flies in the 18-22 range, he said. For dry flies, he suggested a winged dunn or sparkle stacker BWO; for subsurface fishing, try gray emerger patterns such as the sparkle wing RS2, pulsating emerger or master baetis, he said.