It has been a high-water year so far, and after dropping/clearing water last week, increased flows and decreased visibility are the hallmark of the river once again! Clear skies, warm days, and an unbridled natural flow from the top of the drainage this week means that we will be seeing a full river for a while still. Break out those bigger bugs that were working earlier this spring, increase your tippet size, and get ready to fight fish AND river! Have fun and mix it up, intrepid anglers will may even be rewarded with hopper/dropper rigs and streamers in certain locations.
Fishing Runoff
Summer is here and the Roaring Fork is roaring! The Roaring Fork is classified as a “Freestone” river, meaning that it contains no dams from its headwaters to its confluence with the Colorado River. As a result, water levels in the Fork and other Freestones are controlled by snow melt and precipitation alone. That means that in spring and early summer, snow melt produced by warm weather at high elevations causes a surge of water to course through our river systems in a process we call “runoff.” Runoff means high, fast moving water, and presents unique challenges to trout and anglers alike. But, as fishermen we can take advantage of the fast moving, murky water to fool trout with big flashy bugs and heavy tippet. If you haven’t fished high water, you’re missing out on an amazing and unique experience!