Finally! A late and cold spring had held of runoff conditions several weeks late, but the centerpiece venue of the area, Rocky Mt.
National Park, has seen it's streams drop into fly fishing shape this week. While full, RMNP streams are now at presentable levels for much of their structure for both the Dry and subsurface angler.
Our World-class small stream fishing in the park is something not to be missed. Water such as the Roaring, Upper Thompson, Fall and St.
Vrain Rivers, and the fast-flowing Glacier Creek below Bear Lake are all excellent venues for the angler looking to experience classic high mountain stream fishing. Bulky, high floating dry flies such as Grasshopppers, Stimulators and foam-bodied terrestrials can all be fished to good effect in small pockets with aggressive drift control.
Getting your rod tip up over your flies as they swing though your target water is the key to success in these waters.
Fly fishing in the lower Estes valley for last two weeks has been very strong, with perfect streamflows allowing anglers to get out on all of the open water in the lower valley. Insect hatch activity -- especially larger Mayflies -- has been consistently heavy in the lower valley streams, with accompanying trout feeding displays. EPMS guided groups have been having excellent success on the Big Thompson and North Fork of the Big Thompson rivers, with some larger specimens even being caught on film before release!
Flows on the Tailwaters of the Lower Big Thompson downstream of Estes Park are now at very wadable levels of under 130cfs, allowing sight fishing to larger fish in thinner holding water. Nymphing on the Lower Big T has been the ticket during the midday feeding segment (9am to 3pm), with Tungsten beadheads on point above unweighted emergers and nymph droppers getting great response Lighter Flourocarbon tippets down to 6x - especially on droppers -- are required in the lower, clear water as well. Technical rigging for both pattern and depth will serve the Tailwater afficionado well in the Trophy Trout water immediately below the Olympus Dam behind the shop. The largest trout in the valley live within easy walking distance of EPMS.
For those interested in fishing Dry Flies, larger Mayfly, Caddis and Stonefly adults are now on the menu, with smallish emergers fished "damp" in the surface film as droppers about 12" below the indicator point flies. The best early season Freestone / Dry Fly river in the area -- the North Fork of the Big Thompson -- has seen nice midday hatches of dry flies lately in the calmer side pools and riffles, with the expected late spring Grey Drake and Blue Winged Olive hatches starting at about 12:30 pm on cloudy days. The Golden Stoneflies began their annual appearance in the middle of this month as well, and Orange or Yellow Stimulator patterns have now been producing downriver, and will continue to be strong producers though the early Fall.
For those on an evening angling schedule, we have been seeing increasing displays of medium sized Caddis flies in the late
evenings, especially after 7:00PM. Brachycentrus Caddis are one of
the predominant hatches in the Estes Valley in the Summer and Fall, and anglers will do well to pay attention to evidence of these important insects, matching pattern accordingly. Smaller beadhead Caddis larvae and emerger patterns have been producing as droppers as well, especially downriver where large populations of these bright green Casebuilder Caddis thrive. Try letting your drift swing downstream and let the dropper rise to the surface under tension below you -- fish will often chase this presentation, as it imitates the rapid ascent of hatching Caddis emergers.
Also, in the evenings on the Thompson, don't hesitate to try a weightier streamer pattern like a Conehead Wooley Bugger or Zonker fished down and cross current. Our minority population of Brown trout are very predatory, and the larger males patrol the banks searching for fingerlings in low light conditions. Be sure to use heavy leaders of at least 3x, as the strikes can be vicious on a downstream take! Egg patterns such as Glowbugs can also be used to good effect at this time for Brown trout that have become accustomed to feeding on Rainbow eggs below post - spawning beds. Fishermen should be careful to not wade on larger areas of open gravel this time of year, as you may be stepping on nests of trout eggs, and damaging next years fish population!
Lakes in RMNP are fully open to the highest elevations, and we've been receiving recent reports of excellent fishing with small Midge or Terrestrial patterns hung in the surface films. Trail approaches can still be muddy in the more shaded areas of forest however, and our high mountain weather has been consistently unpredictable, so anglers wishing to venture up high should be well equipped to deal with all conditions.
If you are a fisherman, now is a great time to visit the Estes valley! Stop in the shop -- our friendly staff will be more than happy to answer your questions about conditions, and of course, we maintain a fully stocked fishing shop for all your gear needs. With late retail shop hours for the after dinner fisherman, EMPS also is the only guide service in the Estes Valley that guides the Evening Hatch segment of the day, getting off the water at dusk. If you are new to the area, feel free to book a guided day out with one of our experienced guides -- they will enthusiastically show you how to fish the Estes Valley the way the locals do!
For those interested in fishing Dry Flies, larger Mayfly, Caddis and Stonefly adults are now on the menu, with smallish emergers fished "damp" in the surface film as droppers about 12" below the indicator point flies. The best early season Freestone / Dry Fly river in the area -- the North Fork of the Big Thompson -- has seen nice midday hatches of dry flies lately in the calmer side pools and riffles, with the expected late spring Grey Drake and Blue Winged Olive hatches starting at about 12:30 pm on cloudy days. The Golden Stoneflies began their annual appearance in the middle of this month as well, and Orange or Yellow Stimulator patterns have now been producing downriver, and will continue to be strong producers though the early Fall.
