Roaring Fork River
Lower (Below Carbondale)
Recent Guide Reports
Trending Flies in Recent Reports
- Sparkle Dunn BWO
- CDC Midge
- Soft Hackle BWO
- RS-2
- Imposter Pupa
- Brook's Sprout Midge
- Parachute BWO
- Slump buster
- Emerging Midge
- BWO
Current Conditions
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Water Temperature
Water Temperature Over 68°F
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Recent Guide Reports
Apr 15
Taylor Creek Fly Shop - Aspen
LOWER ROARING FORK- CARBONDALE DOWNSTREAM TO GLENWOOD
FLOW: 1010 in Glenwood Springs
WATER CONDITIONS: The Crystal is starting to spike with the warm ups, and the lower Fork is getting dirty. We will see flows yo-yo a bit now that we are warming up. Keep in mind real runoff does not begin until mid-May.
OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Winter Stoneflies, Sculpins
THE LOW DOWN: Some of the best dry fly fishing of the year is here! Strong BWO hatches are now happening daily, especially when it's cloudy. Midday hatches of BWOs, midges and winter stones are keeping us busy in our boats and while wading. Next up, April caddis.
Streamers are usually effective on the lower Fork, we'd suggest smaller flies and natural colors for the most part. Keys tarpon eat size 8 flies, so don't feel like you have to throw a 3/0 double articulated fly to be "streamer fishing."
Annual tributary creek spawning closures go into effect on March 15th, you'll see the signs. The majority of the river is fishable, these closures are at a few creeks like 3 and 4 Mile.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-26, Winter Stones 16-18
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Foam Top RS2 18-20, Murder She Wrote Rust 18-20, Guide's Choice Hares Ear 16-18, Double Down CDC PT 16-18, Copper John 14-16, BLMs 18-20, Freestone Emerger 22, RS2s 20-22, Polywing Emerger 18-20, Roy's Biot Baetis Emerger 18-20, Soft Hackle BWO 20-22, Imposters 20-22, TC Poxy Biot Baetis 22, Jerome Baetis 20-22, RIP Midge 22DRIES: Improved Sparkle Dun BWO 18-22, Stealth Link Baetis 22, Quasi-No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy's Special Emerger 20, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Perfect Baetis 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, Dorsey's Midge Adult 20-22, Iwane's No Mercy Midge 22-24, Matthew's Improved Z Lon Midge 22-24, Morgans Midge 18-20, Sprout Midge 18-20, Griffiths Gnat 20, Putterbaugh Caddis Black 16-18 (fished as a winter stone)
STREAMERS: Beldar Lemon Drop sz 2, Grease Monkey sz 4, Slumpbuster 6-8, Devourer of Souls 6, Tim's Splendor 6-8
HINTS: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best hatches and action
Upper Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09076300&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
Middle Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09081000
Lower Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085000
FLOW: 1010 in Glenwood Springs
WATER CONDITIONS: The Crystal is starting to spike with the warm ups, and the lower Fork is getting dirty. We will see flows yo-yo a bit now that we are warming up. Keep in mind real runoff does not begin until mid-May.
OVERALL RATING: 3 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Winter Stoneflies, Sculpins
THE LOW DOWN: Some of the best dry fly fishing of the year is here! Strong BWO hatches are now happening daily, especially when it's cloudy. Midday hatches of BWOs, midges and winter stones are keeping us busy in our boats and while wading. Next up, April caddis.
Streamers are usually effective on the lower Fork, we'd suggest smaller flies and natural colors for the most part. Keys tarpon eat size 8 flies, so don't feel like you have to throw a 3/0 double articulated fly to be "streamer fishing."
Annual tributary creek spawning closures go into effect on March 15th, you'll see the signs. The majority of the river is fishable, these closures are at a few creeks like 3 and 4 Mile.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 18-22, Midges 18-26, Winter Stones 16-18
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS: NYMPHS: Foam Top RS2 18-20, Murder She Wrote Rust 18-20, Guide's Choice Hares Ear 16-18, Double Down CDC PT 16-18, Copper John 14-16, BLMs 18-20, Freestone Emerger 22, RS2s 20-22, Polywing Emerger 18-20, Roy's Biot Baetis Emerger 18-20, Soft Hackle BWO 20-22, Imposters 20-22, TC Poxy Biot Baetis 22, Jerome Baetis 20-22, RIP Midge 22DRIES: Improved Sparkle Dun BWO 18-22, Stealth Link Baetis 22, Quasi-No Hackle BWO 20-22, Roy's Special Emerger 20, TC Sparkledun BWO 18-22, Perfect Baetis 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Midge Adult 24, Dorsey's Midge Adult 20-22, Iwane's No Mercy Midge 22-24, Matthew's Improved Z Lon Midge 22-24, Morgans Midge 18-20, Sprout Midge 18-20, Griffiths Gnat 20, Putterbaugh Caddis Black 16-18 (fished as a winter stone)
STREAMERS: Beldar Lemon Drop sz 2, Grease Monkey sz 4, Slumpbuster 6-8, Devourer of Souls 6, Tim's Splendor 6-8
HINTS: Generally, cloudy days tend to produce the best hatches and action
Upper Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09076300&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060
Middle Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09081000
Lower Roaring Fork: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?09085000