On the Fly: Opportunities abound in Aspen

While most anglers flock to the Roaring Fork River near Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs to hunt their quarry, the Aspen area offers equally good fishing opportunities this time of year. Our famous green drake mayfly hatch begins on the lower Roaring Fork River near Glenwood Springs and gradually advances up the river and has now reached the Aspen area.

While green drakes hatch predominately in the evening hours on the Roaring Fork River, sporadic numbers of these insects also hatch midday, particularly during periods of overcast weather. Large size 12 green drake imitations fished in the pockets with smaller bead head droppers will yield many fish. Caddis hatch during sunny afternoons as well as pale morning duns, but PMDs, like green drakes, love cloud cover. These smaller size 16 mayflies are typically yellow in color as adult, winged insects. Generally speaking, fish the larger green drakes in the fast water and the smaller pale morning duns in the softer pieces of water. 

If you’re not seeing much in the way of rising fish, a tandem nymph setup fished in the deeper pools and seams are highly effective. If you simply want to go out and pull on a bunch of fish, this is the technique most guides use day in and day out.  The key to fishing this way is to put on enough weight above your flies to drive them to the bottom. Adding on a strike indicator about 4-6′ feet above your flies will aid in detecting strikes and will keep your flies in that all-important zone.  Pheasant Tails, 20 Inchers, Prince Nymphs, RS2s, and tungsten baetis nymphs are catching more than their fair share of fish.

Lower Woody Creek, Jaffe Park, the ABC, and the Animal Shelter are all within a short drive from Aspen and offer good access to the Upper Roaring Fork River. The coveted evening “lightning rounds” are offering superb dry fly fishing opportunities. During the last hour of light, trout will often rise with reckless abandon to a variety of green drake and egg-layer caddis imitations. This time period yields the easiest fishing of the entire day, so be sure that you take an hour or two if you can, and refuel your soul with running water, serenity, and trout.  

This report is provided every week by Taylor Creek Fly Shops in Aspen and Basalt. Taylor Creek can be reached at 970-927-4374 or TaylorCreek.com.