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River: Roaring Fork River - Lower
Like fishing in the depths of hell.
Post By: Toad      Posted: 7/21/2010 12:03:25 PM     Points: 807    
Thats what it was like fishing the fork last week thurs and fri--effin' HOT!!!. We fished Burry, both carbondale bridges, Catherines', and tree farm accesses. We were looking for drakes but didn't run into them. The shop in carbondale said they were around basalt, but we didn't see any in the evenings, just lots of caddis, but not too many risers. I am going to Taylor creek flyshop next time for some better advice, they have never steered me wrong and are very helpful and knowledgeable, unlike the bro-bra in the carbondale shop.

The Pan was fishing well, with many fish coming up for all sorts of flies-lots of bugs around. I got a lot of attention on green drakes as well. The upper section doesn't seem to hold many big fish anymore, I think it gets too much pressure and all the big ones die after poor revivals. Saw a big one floating down river. Caught many 12-16 inchers on mysis and tiny black mayfly patterns. Left slightly disappointed after seeing no big fish, just a lot of small guys.

The crystal was by far the most fun, no crowds, shade, and stupid fish. We fished by Marble and downstream by Bogan flats campground (where we were camped). Up by marble I landed a nice 14 inch rainbow on a size 12 pmx as well as numerous others on caddis dries, parachute adams, beetles, and attractor nymphs. Caught a few decent whitefish too.

Biggest fish of the trip was a 18 in whitefish by burry access on the fork. Hooked a few large bows and browns but they came off pretty quick. Nicest fish was the bow up on the crystal, but also caught a nice 15 in bow on a twenty incher up by the tree farm. Overall, slow action. oh well, next time.

I'll have to wait to post some other pics.
 Reply by: fishinwfoos      Posted: 7/21/2010 12:37:10 PM     Points: 1475    
I cant believe that about the upper Pan. I have always been able to locate lagre fish up there...I rarely fish it in the heat of the summer though.

Good to hear you traveled the entire area and located plenty of hungry fish.

Thanks for the report-

Tight Lines
 Reply by: Joeyone      Posted: 7/21/2010 12:47:27 PM     Points: 1126    
Great post. It sounds like you were all over the place. I go a couple of times a year to the Roaring fork and love it. I would like to take some time and do a little exploring on other lakes up there. I was going to hit the Frying pan after the Fork on one trip but when I got there it looked like an amusement park. Thanks for sharing.
 Reply by: finsnfeathers      Posted: 7/21/2010 1:03:49 PM     Points: 57    
There are still hogs in the pan, trust me I talk to a guide that fishes this river weekly. This time of year is harder to find them. They are in the toilet bowl and bend pools. The toilet bowl fishes better with higher releases and in the spring after Ruedi turns over.

I saw some fish over 10 pounds in the toilet bowl riffle above the flats a couple weeks ago. They are still there.
 Reply by: Sleazy E      Posted: 7/21/2010 1:17:35 PM     Points: 1119    
dam, big white fish.
And the first picture *almost got the fish. Were you with Skeezbaggin'?
 Reply by: Toad      Posted: 7/21/2010 9:03:16 PM     Points: 807    
Was with the Dad and brother wed through sun. No Skeezbaggin.

Yeah I guess there were a couple of guys who were camped at the toilet bowl for a day and a half and they had brought up a few hogs while I was there. The bend pool was taken all day, I guess I know why now. But I looked everywhere else and didn't see anything over 18 inches. Last year I did see bigger fish but the flows were quite different i think.

Here's that rainbow I caught, A stonefly adult from the upper Crystal, and poor John C. Mcgee, a prospector who died while on route to a doctor and was buried by the highway in Marble.
 Reply by: Bullyhunter      Posted: 7/21/2010 9:38:44 PM     Points: 3517    
Awesome report! Great pics to boot. Thanks for sharing.
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