Fryingpan River Report March 9, 2026
UPPER FRYINGPAN (Mile Marker 8 upstream to Ruedi Reservoir)
FLOW: 41 CFS
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 6 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olive Nymphs, Midges, Mysis Shrimp, Sculpins
THE LOW-DOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
With a slew of warm, sunny days we've been seeing more and more hatches. We're still focused on midges, but we're seeing them up to size 18-20s (AKA "Midgezillas"). The key seems to be riding those emergers in the film, easiest done behind a higher-floating dry.
More important now than ever, keep nymphs slim, dark and bead-less, with the exception of egg imitations. Fish won't tolerate much flash at these flows.
Streamers have been surprisingly productive, just keep them small and natural. Look for fish holding in deeper runs and fish them slow.
Mysis shrimp are a year-round food factor.
Snow is now a factor along the banks, so studded boots and a staff can help a lot.
HATCHES: Midges 18-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Parachute Adams 20-22, HOH Hanging Midge Grey/Black 20-22, Mole Midge 20-24, Roy Palm's Special Frying Pan Emerger 20-22, Bill's Midge Emerger 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Matthew's Improved Z-Lon Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24
NYMPHS: Barr's Emerger and Barr's Black Back Emerger 20-22, Stott's Good Carl 20, Stott's Juggernaut 20, Dorsey's Mercury RS2 Gray 20-22, Skinny-tied Pheasant Tail 20-24, Killer Mayfly Olive/Brown 22, Jigged JJ Nymph BWO 18-20, TC Candy Cane Midge 18-22, Tim's Mysis 16-18, Will's Epoxy Mysis 18-20, Craven's Mysis 16-18
STREAMERS: Barr's Slumpbuster, Borski's Bonefish Slider, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor, Tungsten Thin Mint, Craven's Swim Coach
HINTS: Be stealthy and present your offering with minimal line on the water whether dry fly or nymph fishing. Fryingpan fish will not tolerate hero casting or laying line and indicators over them; they'll shut down and stop feeding.
MIDDLE FRYINGPAN (Mile Marker 4 upstream to Mile Marker 8)
WATER CONDITIONS: Clear
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Midges, Blue Winged Olive Nymphs, Sculpins
OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 10
THE LOW DOWN: While the fish may be concentrating in the deeper pools towards the dam, you'll always find a few gems in this stretch. Like the upper river, keep bugs tiny and subtle -- there's almost nothing between you and the fish at these flows, so approach with light feet and lighter presentations.
HATCHES: Midges 20-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Parachute Adams 20-22, HOH Hanging Midge Grey/Black 20-22, Mole Midge 20-24, Roy Palm's Special Frying Pan Emerger 20-22, Bill's Midge Emerger 20-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Matthew's Improved Z-Lon Midge 22-24, Dorsey's Midge Emerger 22-24, McCannel's Massacre Midge 22-24
NYMPHS: Pat Dorsey's Top Secret Midge 22-24, Pat Dorsey's Black Beauty 20-22, Mercury Pheasant Tail 16-20, Tim Heng's BLM 18, CDC RS2 20-22, Zebra Midge Red 18-20
STREAMERS: Tungsten Double Thin Mint, Dali-Lama, Skully Bugger, Tim Heng's Autumn Splendor
HINTS: Keep moving if you're mid-river, there's going to be quiet zones and others with more activity the more you explore. The middle river can hold more fish than you'd think!
LOWER FRYINGPAN (Basalt upstream to Mile Marker 4)
WATER CONDITIONS: Clear
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olive Nymphs, Midges, Sculpins
OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 10
THE LOWDOWN: This is a good time of year to fish the lower Fryingpan with the number of fish that run up out of the Fork for the winter. That said, be aware of spawning beds -- they look like patches of brighter, polished riverbed, usually in slower sections -- and please, do not fish them. Not only is it bad practice, but it impacts the viability of the species we all love.
Like the upper stretches, any hatches down here will be tiny bugs, most likely midges. It's not super common to see fish rising on this lower stretch these days, but a gentle presentation with a light nymph rig may just do the trick.
HATCHES: Midges 20-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Traditional Adams 20-22, Morgans Midge 18-22, Hatching Midge 20-22, Sprout Midge 22-24, HOH CDC Spent Midge 22-24, Mole Fly Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, CDC Comparadun BWO 20-22
NYMPHS: Jerome Baetis 20-22, Ultra Bling RS2 Gray 18-20, Stott's Good Carl 20, Murder She Wrote Rust 20-22, Bling Midge 20-24
STREAMERS: Home Invader, Carlton Banks, Skully Bugger, Dali-Lama
HINTS: Fish in the lower river tend to ramble and migrate around, so keep searching if you're not feeling the love.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09080400
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