Fishing Report

for

Rocky Mountain National park

June 23

Today I had the great pleasure of having a client land over 30 fish.  This isn't all that unusual in July & August, but it is unusual when the stream flows are raging with runoff.

Here's Dr. Andy Smith holding a couple of the trout he took on his new Sage rod, a birthday present from his father-in-law, Robin.  I can honestly say that he went home with a smile and a well broken in rod.  Thanks Andy & Robin.

Although flows in Moraine Park are fluctuating as much as 100 CFS per day, all of the Park streams are clear and insect activity is increasing. 

We're seeing BWO, caddis and stonefly hatches each day, along with the usual midge hatches that can occur several times a day throughout the Park. 

Hatches also mean that we're throwing emergers and dries, not dredging with nymphs. 

And today--
          30+ fish, All on Dries!

If you know how to fish high alpine lakes and streams you may not need a guide.

But, if you want to learn how to fish the Park, give us call, and allow us to be your guides to the "Wild" side of the Park.

Tight Lines,

Chris Conway
Owner / Guide

For those of you planning your trip, this will help when you start to pack your gear.

Suggested Patterns

DRIES:
    Caddis #12-16 (cream, green, yellow)
    BWO #18-22
    Adams #18-20
    PMD #18
    Light Cahill #16
    Yellow Sally, #16
    Stimmie, #16 (green, yellow)
    Griffith's Gnat, #18-22

NYMPHS & EMERGERS:
   Soft Hackles (partridge & orange, pt softhackle), #16-18
   PT, Prince, Stones, #18-20
   Green Copper John or Olive Hares Ear, #18-20
   Black Beauty Midge, Disco Midge, #20-24
   Barrs Emerger-- PMD or BWO
   RS2 -- PMD or BWO 

Choosing the right fly
You'll notice in my Fly Patterns suggested above, I use fairly generic names for the flies.  There are specialty patterns for each of these flies, but if you match to:
   - Size
   - Color
   - Profile
on any insect you're seeing, you'll do fine.  You'll also want to seine for insects in 3 areas-- surface, water column, kicking up the bottom.

The surface will tell you what is in the top inch or so of water-- spinners, emergers, duns.

The water column will give you an idea of what will hatch shortly- adult nymphs, emergers.

The bottom will tell you what stage of the life cycle the bugs are in, and which will mature in the next 12 to 24 hours (i.e.- larger nymphs and larvae will be the next probable hatches).

As you reach the stream, and before you tie on a fly, sit and watch the fish to see where they are feeding in the water column. 

Are they hugging the bottom and barely moving, or just down from a riffle darting side to side? 
   Solution:  Tungsten bead nymph for the former, unweighted nymph for the latter.

Are the takes on the surface a subtle dimple or whorl, or do they aggressively break the surface? 
   Solution: Barr's emerger for the former, high-floating dry for the latter.

For the caddis hatches, remember there are two times to fish soft hackles:
   - when the insects swim to the surface preceding the "hatch".
   - when the insects hit the water and swim to the bottom to lay eggs.

If all of this makes sense to you, you probably don't need a guide other than to speed up learning how to fish Park waters.  If this is Greek to you, give us a call and allow us to be your guides to the "Wild" side of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Tight Lines,

Chris Conway
Owner / Guide                           

                                                                                                          
A beautiful greenback from Ypsillon lake. RMNP

AREA STREAMFLOWS

Big Thompson River (Moraine Park & Upstream)
     Click for Streamflow

Colorado River (Kawuneechee Valley)
     Click for Streamflow

North St Vrain
     Click for Streamflow