Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 3/17/23

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

If you didn’t get a chance to do some fishing this past week, get out there this weekend! We have another front moving in at the beginning of next week, but the weekend is shaping up to be warm, sunny and glorious. Water temperatures should be on the rise, and the fish will be active. On sunny days with low water make sure you’re being stealthy, downsizing tippet and wearing sunscreen! 

Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 3/10/23

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

Warmer weather this week made for some great fishing! The fish are relatively concentrated right now, so once you find them be patient and focus on getting good drifts. We’ve got some weather moving in this weekend, but water temps should remain stable as the forecast shows lows in the mid 20’s and highs of around 40 degrees. That means we should have beautiful, snowy banks and good fishing!

Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 2/24/23

Cian McGillicuddyWinter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

The fishing has been good this past week, particularly as low pressure systems lift between periods of snow. With warm weather in the forecast for Saturday, it should be a great weekend for fishing! As always, safety is the number one priority on the river. Ice has been building up in parts of the upper fork. With significant temperature changes after the recent snow and fluctuations between night to day, ice shelves are prone to breaking, and ice dams can be a concern. Fish with a friend, keep an eye up-river for ice flows and if you see the water levels starting to rise, move away from the water.

Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 2/10/23

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

The second week of February has given us warmer days and the fishing remains very productive, particularly during midday and the afternoon. As we mentioned last week, safety is the number one priority on the river. With significant temperature changes from night to day, ice shelves are prone to breaking. Keep an eye up-river for ice flows and if you see the water levels starting to rise, move away from the water. With cold temperatures and low flows in the Upper Fork, the fish are stacked up in slower, deeper water. Focus on deep holes and eddies near natural structure for great results.

Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 2/3/23

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

It’s the first week of February and it looks like the coldest part of the winter is behind us. Fishing remains very productive, particularly during the middle of the day. As always, safety is the number one priority on the river. With significant temperature changes from night to day, ice shelves are prone to breaking. Keep an eye up-river for ice flows and if you see the water levels starting to rise, move away from the water quickly. With cold temperatures and low flows in the Upper Fork, the fish are stacked up in slower, deeper water. Focus on deep holes and eddies near natural structure for some great results.

Aspen Outfitting Company’s Upper Roaring Fork River Report 1/20/23

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly FishingLeave a Comment

Going into the last 10 days of January, the fishing has been great! With cold temperatures and low flows in the Upper Fork, the fish are stacked up in slower, deeper water. Focus on deep holes and eddies near natural structure for the best results. During this time of the year, when you find one fish, you often find many — so make sure to cover water until you find success.

Entomology for Trout Fishermen Pt. 1: Midges

Cian McGillicuddyFly Fishing, Winter Fly Fishing2 Comments

When it comes right down to it, Fly Fishing is all about the bugs! Each trout stream has a unique array of insect life that cycles and changes on its own schedule. If you’re an angler that is comfortable with the fundamentals of casting, mending and getting a good drift, then geeking out about bugs is your next step. Read through our series of articles to learn about Stoneflies (Plecoptera), Mayflies (Ephemeroptera), Caddisflies (Trichoptera), and Midges (Chironomidae). We hope that you can take this knowledge and apply it on the river, because getting down to the nitty gritty of the variation within each species will help you find success out on the water.

Why Winter Fly Fishing Is Great in Aspen!

Jarrod HollingerWinter Fly Fishing1 Comment

Winter is one of our favorite times of year to fly fish here on the Roaring Fork River!  Many people think of fly fishing as a warm weather affair, but the winter means less fishermen and more fish for those willing to get out there. Ski season isn’t quite in full swing — in fact it’s off to a pretty slow start this year — so the next few weeks are the perfect time to get out and discover the wonders of winter fly fishing. Snow-covered banks, icicles dripping with sunlight, and the dazzling flashes of a wild trout tugging on your line in clear cold water. It’s a magical experience, and once you try it, you may find yourself reaching for a fly rod instead of your skis!