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Flows are slowly and surely coming down, and the river is looking like its summer self. Water levels have been dropping about 50-60 cfs between morning and afternoon, and water temperatures at Maroon Creek have been fluctuating from the mid/high 40’s early in the morning up to the mid/high 50’s in the afternoon (water temps are slightly higher at emma).

This flow and temperature range means that our approach to the river has been slightly different between morning and afternoon. Generally, Caddis and PMD nymphs have been our most productive patterns throughout the day. That being said, midges have been hatching in good numbers in the morning, so if you’re not having luck on bigger patterns early, midges could be the answer. We’re also seeing Stoneflies flying around in the morning (and throughout the day), so Stimulators and Foam Stones are good dry fly options earlier in the day. Stonefly nymphs have been effective in fast water.

Happy Fourth of July Weekend! After weeks of high water, it looks like the Roaring Fork is dropping! Flows have come down significantly in the last two days. With lower flows and better water clarity, it’s time to adjust rigs your rigs slightly. Though leading with larger bugs like stoneflies and worms will still catch fish, we’re starting to see a lot of caddis out there! Caddis nymphs like Guides Choice Hare’s Ears, Sparkle Caddis, UV Caddis, Dirty Birds and Plan B caddis have all been producing. Try fishing larger (size 12-14) caddis patterns as lead flies, or trail smaller caddis nymphs (size 16-18) behind a stone, worm or drake and see what works!

The Roaring Fork is roaring! Runoff is in full swing, but the fishing remains good. Visibility is definitely low, but clarity is better as you move higher up valley. High flows and cloudy water means that it’s time for the big nasty bugs! Stoneflies, worms, big jig style nymphs, flashy bugs and streamers are the name of the game. Caddis have started popping on the fork, if you haven’t tried fishing some bigger caddis nymphs yet, give it a try!

Weather this past week has caused inconsistent conditions on the river. As we move into a warmer weather pattern this week, we expect some snow melt at higher elevations, increased flows and some cloudier water. River conditions also may change throughout the day! We’ve been seeing clearer water earlier in the day with visibility decreasing as we move into the afternoon and evening. If you’re fishing earlier in the morning, try trailing midges and BWOs behind a smaller, more natural stonefly pattern. As we move into the afternoon, or on days with poor visibility, we’re finding good success with bigger flashier stoneflies, worms, generalist patterns and streamers!