Clear water and dry flies on the Dolores and Gunnison

June 30, 2011

Dolores River: (300-400 cfs near Rico, 500-600 cfs at Dolores, 75 cfs below McPhee)  The Upper Dolores is dropping quickly.  There are several creeks that are already quite fishable, even with dry flies.  The main stem of the Upper Dolores is fishable between Rico and Cayton Campground and in places further downstream.  The low gradient water below the West Fork confluence is slow enough to work your drifts, but still a little off color.  The PMD hatch has begun on the Lower Dolores.  Fishing conditions vary greatly with weather.  Hot and windy bad.  Cloudy and calm good.  Call the shop for specific recommendations!

Lower Dolores River Water flows are at 75 cfs!  At present, this is one of the few clear water river fishing opportunities in the state.  The PMD hatch is in full effect, but rising fish come and go with wind and clouds.  Throw terrestrials, such as hopper and beetle patterns, when no heads are rising.  During the hatch (late afternoon), throw technical PMD patterns on 6X or 7X tippet.  Ak's Para Red Quill, Quigley's Film Critic and Harrop's Pink Albert patterns are particularly effective.  Watch for midging fish early in the day and pick them off with micro parachute midges.

Nymphs: Mayhem (#20-22), Barr's Emerger (#18-20), Copper John (#16-#20), Zebra Midge (red or black, size #20-22), KF Flasher, Cheeseman Emerger, Black Beauty (size #20-24), egg patterns. As flows rise mix in larger nymphs and streamers: 20-incher, Prince, pulsating caddis, hydropsyche caddis, Copper John, Wooly Buggers, Autumn Splendor, Sheila Sculpin.

Gunnison: (1,220 cfs below Crystal Reservoir and falling to 1,100 cfs) Unbelievable!  What a great flow!  Salmonflies have begun hatching throughout the canyon. Dry fly action has gone canyon-wide in the last three days.  This is a near-perfect flow for floating anglers, as trout stack on the walls to eat the crawling stoneflies.  Wading anglers are able to cross the river only in a couple of places, but there are plenty of fish to go around.  Note:  fish the following flies on extremely heavy leaders (we recommend 1x and 2x).

 Dry flies: Rogue Foam Stone, orange and golden (#4-#10), Sofa Pillow (#4-#8), Clark's Stone #8, Henry's Fork Stone #8, Orange Chernobyl Ant #4-6, True Stone #6 (orange and golden), Golden Stone dry fly patterns #6-#10.

Nymphs:  Pat's Rubber Leg Stone, brown or black, size #6-#8, Halfback #4-#8, Jumbo John orange/black #6-#8, Tungsten Bitch Creek, red or orange, #4-#8.

Streamers:  Black Wooly Bugger (#6-10), Rubberlegs Bugger #4-6.

Uncompahgre: (497 cfs below Ridgway Reservoir)  The lake is not quite full and flows have been reduced slightly this week.  This is curious, since we presume there is plenty of snow in the upper Uncompahgre watershed.  The Uncompahgre cannot be described as "on fire," but steady fishing is available in the rivers' tailwater section through all hours of the day. Fish numbers are particularly strong at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk State Park, so if you fish methodically, you're likely to hang quite a few despite pushy water conditions. 

Hatches: PMDs, midges, a few caddis

Dries:  Always watch for heads, but we honestly don't expect much dry fly fishing for another couple weeks.

San Miguel: (700 - 1,200 cfs at Placerville) Runoff has peaked on the San Miguel, but it will be several weeks before the river is fishable.  Trout Lake, Woods Lake and Priest Lake are all quite fishable, but the main river will not clear for several weeks.  On the lakes, fish Wooly Buggers, soft hackles and other life-like streamers and nymphs.  In the evenings, fish will rise if the wind dies down.  Catch them on midge patterns and drab-colored general imitator dry flies such as the Griffiths Gnat and Parachute Adams.

Call Telluride Angler for specific fishing recommendations: 1-800-831-6230