Fryingpan River Report April 20, 2026
UPPER FRYINGPAN (Mile Marker 8 upstream to Ruedi Reservoir)
FLOW: 75 CFS (recently bumped up)
WATER CLARITY: Clear
OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10
FOOD SOURCES PRESENT: Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Mysis Shrimp, Sculpins
THE LOW-DOWN: Be a Pain in the A.N.S.! Clean Your Gear | Colorado Parks and Wildlife
We have two wader and boot cleaning stations here at Taylor Creek!
The warm weather has stuck around and the hatches continue to improve. We're still focused on midges, but we're seeing them up to size 18-20s (AKA "Midgezillas") plus the first waves of spring baetis. 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.
HATCHES: Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Midges 18-26, Winter Stones 16
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Uber-Realistic Baetis 20-22, Lawson's No Hackle Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, Roy Palm's Special Fryingpan Emerger 20-22, TC Sparkledun Baetis 20-22, Barr's Vis-a-Dun Baetis 20-22, 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 Olives, Sculpins
OVERALL RATING: 7 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. Hatches are slightly less consistent in this stretch, but the right warm day and you may be hit with a pleasant surprise. 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: Blue Winged Olives 20-22, Midges 18-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Uber-realistic Baetis 20-22, Lawson's No Hackle Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, Roy Palm's Special Fryingpan Emerger 20-22, TC Sparkledun Baetis 20-22, Barr's Vis-a-Dun Baetis 20-22Parachute 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: Caddis, Golden stonefly nymphs, Blue Winged Olives, Midges, Sculpins
OVERALL RATING: 7 out of 10
THE LOWDOWN: We are starting to see our first Fryingpan mayflies of the year down here. Little BWOs have been coming off on warmer afternoons. We've had a few random caddis on the windows behind the shop as well. Most fish are still hanging out near the bottom, but that's bound to change any day, so get out there and look for some heads.
Spring has sprung, so 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.
HATCHES: Caddis 16-18, Blue Winged Olives 18-20, Midges 20-26
APPROPRIATE PATTERNS:
DRIES: Lawson's No Hackle Baetis 20-22, Harrop's CDC Biot Dun BWO 20-22, Roy Palm's Special Fryingpan Emerger 20-22, 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: Cat Poop Stone 10-12, 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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