Fly fishing the Roaring Fork River Colorado This includes a Roaring Fork River fly fishing report
Type of Stream
Freestone
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Brook Trout
(Wild)
Rocky Mountain Whitefish (Native)
Size
Medium
Location
Central Colorado
Nearest Towns
Aspen, Colorado
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Season
Year-round
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of Colorado
Seasons:
You can fish the Roaring Fork anytime
during the year.
Winter:
Nymph fishing can be good at certain times during the winter.
Spring:
With the exception of the runoff period,
fishing is good during the spring season.
Summer:
Summer is probably the best time to fish
the Roaring Fork.
Fall:
Early autumn can be very good for fly
fishing the Roaring Fork River.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Roaring Fork River, Colorado Fly Fishing Report – May 01, 2024 . Stream levels are flowing at a normal level and the water is clear. There are good light green midge, March Browns, BWO and Skwala Stonefly hatches taking place. We are still getting good catch reports. We update the fly fishing report for the Roaring fork river often.
Stream Conditions:
Rate: 1010 cfs Depth: 2.56
Afternoon Water Temperature: 52
Clarity: clear
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data at Glenwood Springs
7 Day Weather Forecast: (click the link below for more detailed information)
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Light Green and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Skwala stoneflies, size 10, nymphs and adults
Little Black Caddis, size 18, pupa and adults
Fly Fishing On The Roaring Fork River In Colorado
The Roaring Fork is a fast flowing, high gradient freestone stream that begins in the snow packed ski country and high alpine lakes near Independence Pass. It is a tributary of the Colorado River. It joins the Colorado, along with the water from the Frying Pan River at Glenwood Springs. This river is about seventy miles long. Twelve miles of it is classified by the state of Colorado as “Gold Metal” water. Fly fishing the Roaring Fork River can be challenging but also very productive. Its headwaters have tributary streams with populations of brook trout. The main river has both brown and rainbow trout. The fish are smaller in the upper waters above Aspen but they are plentiful and fairly easy to catch. The White River National Forest provides plenty of public access in the upper part of the river. McFarlane Creek is a tributary entering the Roaring Fork above Aspen that is also worth fishing. From Aspen to Carbondale, what is referred to as the middle river, is the most popular destination for anglers. It is still a relatively small stream that can be waded most places. The stream can be accessed at several points along the way off highway #82 that runs nearby for almost the entire length of the river. At the town of Basalt, the Frying Pan River adds its water and the stream becomes much more fertile. It can still be waded in places especially during low water. Aquatic insect hatches become more diverse and plentiful. The lower section of the Roaring Fork from the confluence of the Crystal River downstream to the Colorado River, offers great fly fishing and is best suited for drift boats. Runoff takes place from about the middle of May to the middle of June. It means anglers will have to stop fishing the Roaring Fork for a while and move around the corner to the Frying Pan River. What a deal! In summary, the Roaring Fork River can reward and challenge any angler who wades its waters. From its headwaters near the 12,095-foot Independence Pass downstream to Aspen mostly small trout but the advantage is they are eager and plentiful. Most of the river flows through national forest land but there are some privately owned property on the stream. From Aspen downstream to the Upper Woody Creek Bridge, the Roaring Fork canyon that’s about six miles long, you can fish pocket water at its finest. It all consist of public water. Respect its catch and release regulations and fish only flies. The Aspen waters that runs from the Slaughterhouse Bridge near the west side of town. You can reach it by taking Cemetery Lane north at the stoplight on Highway #82. It’s about a mile to the bridge and parking is available. It’s best to walk downstream and fish back upstream. but you can fish the stream towards Aspen. A very good trail makes walking along the river easy. The Upper Woody Creek Bridge provides an entrance to the lower end of the canyon. Turn off Highway 82 at the Woody Creek Canyon sign. It is about six miles west of Aspen. Wading can be a little difficult in this stretch of water at times. It’s heavy pocket water that’s well worth fishing. Below the Upper Woody Creek Bridge all the way down to Basalt, the Roaring Fork river first flows though a valley and then through a narrow canyon. Access to this long section of the river is from Highway 82 at many pullouts.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Roaring Fork:
The seventy-mile long Roaring Fork River offers a wide diversity of fly fishing opportunities ranging from its small stream brook trout headwater tributaries to its larger drift boat waters its lower section. The Roaring Fork River is one of the steepest rivers in the state of Colorado. The decline of the stream from it headwaters to the Colorado River doesn’t allow the water to flow lazily along in very many places. The name of the river says it all. It does roar. The typical fast water also provide a good clue about the way you have to fish the Roaring Fork River. The small tributary streams hold a lot of small brook trout but once they form the main stem of the Roaring Fork, rainbows and browns begin to show up. These trout don’t average as large as the ones in the middle and lower sections of the river, but they are easier to catch because they are not as picky. This upper area flows from the headwaters through Aspen. This part from its headwaters through Aspen down to the Woody Creek Bridge, is considered the upper section of the seventy mile long stream by the locals. The upper section that’s inside the White River National Forest area is all open to the public for fishing. The middle section of the Roaring Fork River extends from just below Aspen to Carbondale. One of the best areas to access and fish within the middle section is from the Jaffe Park. This is prime pocket water. It also has excellent access from a trial that follows the river for over five miles. Most of the time, this part can be waded easily. It is best fished in an upstream direction. In general, short more accurate cast are preferred over long cast, or downstream cast. You want to keep your rod tip held high and as much fly line out of the water as possible to prevent drag. Fish the current seams between the fast and slow water and on the side of the pockets. The long runs and riffles generally hold the most active or feeding trout. There are plenty of trout in the pools, but they are not as easy to catch. Another tip is that if you fish a nymph, the “high stickin” method usually works better than using strike indicators and making longer cast. There’s plenty of fast water where you can get very close to the fish without spooking them if you do it correctly and carefully. The middle section gets the water from the famous Frying Pan River at Basalt. It adds a lot more water and most importantly, increases the pH of the water. There’s a lot more aquatic insects in the river from that point downstream. This area is easily accessed from Basalt down to the Lower Bypass Bridge. This is also one of the best places to fish during the winter because of the warmer water from the Frying Pan River tailwater. The river changes in that the extra water makes wading more difficult but it is still possible to wade on normal and low levels if you exercise caution. There are a lots of hatches in this section and plenty of trout. At Carbondale, the Crystal River adds its water to the flow. The lower section is considered to be from this point all the way to the Roaring Forks confluence with the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs. This section of the river is much larger with the added water from both the Frying Pan and the Crystal River. This section flows through a lot of private property. It is best fished from a drift boat. This area has a huge amount of aquatic insect life. The trout grow large, especially the brown trout, and aren’t quite as easy to catch as the middle and upper section trout, but they are certainly catchable. You have to pay more attention to the hatches and also more attention to the water because of the Crystal River water. Its Spring runoff affects the Roaring Fork and when there is heavy rains in the upper Crystal River area, the water can quickly become cloudy because of the quarries located in the upper area of the Crystal River. Keep in mind when you are fishing the Roaring Fork River that the elevation at Glenwood Springs is a few thousand feet lower than the headwaters well above Aspen. In other words the water temperatures can vary drastically at any one time depending on where you are fishing. This has a big influence on the timing of the hatches. If you prefer drift boat fishing, then by all means fish the lower section. It you prefer wading and good size trout, fish the middle section. If you prefer the high altitude streams, its beautiful scenery and lots of easy to catch wild trout including brook trout, fish the headwaters. Wherever you fish this very fine freestone river, you should find it rewarding in many ways. It is one of the best freestone rivers in the state of Colorado and one of the few that flows very far without being dammed.
Roaring Fork River Hatches and Trout Flies:
Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Roaring Fork River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726.
The important thing to remember when you are looking at the hatch times for the aquatic insects in this river is the difference in the elevation of the stream at different points. The water is always much colder in the high altitude headwater areas than it is in the lower section of the river. When hatches occur, they usually start in the lowest sections first and move upstream as the days go by. When we give a hatch period, keep this in mind. If you are fishing the upper part, hatches will most likely occur near the end of the hatch period and hatches starting in the lower sections may start close to the beginning of the time period and end well before we show the hatch ending. The Spring runoff occurs about the first to the middle of May and last around a month. During this time, the hatches can be difficult or impossible to fish. Midges hatch all year long but are more important when there are no other hatches occurring. From about the end of October through the month of March, you should always have imitations of the larvae, pupae and adults. Fish the moderate and slow sections of the river or pockets and edges of the fast water. Blue-winged Olives are the most common species of mayflies that exist on the Roaring Fork River. They are bi-brooded and hatch in the Spring and again in the Fall. They start hatching about the middle of March and last for a couple of months or until the middle of May. They hatch again during the later part of August. The second hatch can last through the month of November, depending on the weather. The Western Green Drakes provide a lot of action for some anglers. The reason I say some anglers is that the Green Drake hatch on other nearby rivers like the Frying Pan River, draws more anglers than the Roaring Fork. The only pressure the river gets is from the drift boat anglers on the lower section of the river. These mayflies start hatching near the end of June and can hatch through the month of July and even later in the high elevations. They can hatch through the month of August and into September in certain areas. Pale Morning Duns or PMDs hatch from about the middle of June all the way into September depending on the particular part of the stream you are fishing. There are two species of this mayfly, one of which hatches a little later than the other. At any one point, the hatch usually last about two months. These mayflies are found in the moderate sections of water in the river and the pockets and edges of the fast water. The Red Quill is another important hatch. It usually occurs from about the first of July through August. The fish can be keying on this mayfly when anglers are fishing patterns of everything else. Around the middle to late April, Branchycentrus caddisflies hatch is huge quantities on the Roaring Fork. This is the hatch that is commonly called the Mothers Day hatch. It can be fished very similar to a mayfly hatch because the pupae hatch midstream. It last about three weeks at any one point but moves upstream every day as the water warms. It may be near the end of May before the hatch ends in the upper section of the river. The most abundant species of caddisflies are Spotted Sedges. They hatch from June through the month of September, depending on the particular species and section of the river. Make sure you have imitations of their larvae, pupae and the adults. There are also a few of their Little Sisters that hatch during July and early August. Short-horned Sedges is another common caddisfly hatch. These little caddisflies hatch from June through July. There are a few others but those listed above are the most important and most abundant ones.
There’s a Salmonfly hatch that occurs usually during the time the Spring runoff is occurring. It is possible to catch fish from the banks at certain times during the hatch on both the nymphs and adult imitations. Little Brown Stoneflies, some of which are almost black hatch before the Salmonflies during April until about the middle of May. There’s also a Golden Stonefly hatch that occurs from about the first of June through July and into early August depending on the elevation. One of the better hatches that occurs on the Roaring Fork is the Little Yellow Stoneflies, or Yellow Sallies, as most anglers call them. It starts about the middle of June and can last through August depending on the location. Make certain you have imitations of the nymphs and the adults. During the months of July, August and about half of September, terrestrial insects can play an important part of the trout’s diet in the Roaring Fork. Imitations of ants, beetles and grasshoppers all work at times. Make sure you have some terrestrial flies with you if you fish the headwater areas during the summer. They work great in the lower section of the river also and any areas where the stream runs through ranch land. Streamers can be very important anytime the water is high and off color. Imitation of minnows, baitfish and sculpin all work great anytime there is low visibility conditions. Even when the water is clear, they often out produce other flies early and late in the day. They also have a tendency to catch large trout, so don’t overlook them. The best advice we can give you is to check our hatch chart for the time you plan on fishing the Roaring Fork River and have imitations that match the insects and other food the period of time calls for. By far the best flies you can obtain to do just that are our “Perfect Flies”. We have specific imitations of everything that exist in the river. They not only are the most realistic flies you can purchase, they are the most effective flies you can use. They have been proven to be very effective on this particular river. If you haven’t already done so, we ask you to please give them a try. You will be happy you did.