There is not a prettier time of year to be on the river fly fishing in the Roaring Fork valley. Anywhere from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and below. It’s spectacular right now, and the fishing is off the charts good. This photo was taken between Basalt and Carbondale on the Roaring Fork River on Oct. 8th. Our weather is nothing short of amazing. It’s Almost the middle of October and our future forecast calls for room temperature daytime highs for the next 10 days. The fishing will continue to be good right through the first part of December.
With these amazing temperatures and no frost, the big fish are still keying into grasshoppers and streamers as well as nymphs. We’ve got some great hatches that are going on every day. Red Quills, extra-large PMD’s (pale morning duns), baetis (blue wing olives) and Tricos are the go-to insects. With this cooler temperature the oxygen content in the water is increased and the fish become more active. The brown trout are in a pre-spawn mode and the Rainbow Trout can smell them eggs. Just another go-to to pattern to fly fish.
The lower Colorado is always our go to place to fish, but it’s been such a challenge the past two year with discolored water due to the forest fire up in the Glenwood Canyon. Almost any rain has made it unfishable the past two years. The fish all survived and seem to be even bigger than before. But the monsoon season is gone now, and the river has cleared, and the fishing is nothing short of amazing. This is where the Colorado River joins the Roaring Fork. Not only does the river get bigger, but the fish do also. The fish down here typically range in size from 16″ to 20″ and average 1.5 to 3 pounds and can go much larger.
If you would like an up to date fishing report, check out my website https://harcourtflyfishing.com. On my front page I have a post about the current fly-fishing conditions. Depending on the season, I update my “NEWS FROM THE RIVER” at least one or two times a week. If you have a question about fishing our valley, please call or text me at 970-404-1339. I am an independent fly-fishing guide and have guided this valley for over 25 years. I am the “Local’s Favorite Fly-Fishing Outfitter” per the Post Independent and selected “The Best Guide of The Rockies” by Elevation Outdoor Magazine. This covers 6 sates from Idaho to New Mexico and all sports, i.e., rafting, skiing, climbing, etc. MY company is called Harcourt Fly Fishing 3G. The 3G stands for 3 generations.