Frying Pan River
Colorado Fly Fishing
Frying Pan River
- •Tiny midges and baetis emergers fished delicately
- •Egg–midge setups in deeper bends
- •6X fluorocarbon for spooky, line-shy trout
- •Slow, short-strip leeches near dusk
- •Mysis close to the dam
Winter patterns have fully settled in. Midges make up most of the daily activity, especially in slower pockets and tailouts. Baetis are still around on cloudier afternoons and can pull a few fish up in softer seams. Mysis shrimp continue to be a staple in the upper mile, and trout are feeding consistently on drifting eggs from brown trout. Expect subtle rises and selective fish — the river is low, clear, and technical.
Detailed Report
The Fryingpan is running low and crystal clear, which means two things: the fish are a little extra spooky, but still hungry, and are incredibly aware of anything unnatural. The low and clear conditions make them spook to almost anything — even perfect drifts can get refused if too much leader, indicator, or shadow hits the water. Think long leaders, tiny flies, and quiet, deliberate movements. Midges are the bread-and-butter throughout the entire upper river, and drifting a small midge emerger behind a mysis or egg has been extremely productive. Try a Juju Baetis down to a smaller midge, such as a Mercury Pheasant Tail or Zebra Midge. Further downstream, the same themes continue: clear water, tiny insects, and the need for long leaders. You'll see occasional baetis activity on cloudy afternoons, but nothing explosive. Sight-fishing is the name of the game now — low flows make trout visible, but they're sitting in soft edges, gentle seams, and deeper winter pockets. Expect the best fishing from late morning through afternoon when temperatures bump slightly. Stealth, drag-free drifts, and the right micro-patterns are the keys to success.
Dries
CDC Midge #22–26, BWO Sparkle Dun #20–22, Griffith's Gnat #22–24
Nymphs
Black/gray/olive RS2 #20–24, WD-40 #20–22, Zebra Midge #20–24, Mysis #16–20, Egg patterns #16–22, Mercury Pheasant Tail #18–22, Pat Dorsey's Top Secret Midge #22–24, Bling Midge Grey #18–22
Streamers
Mini Leech (black/olive) #10–12, Slumpbuster #8–10, Thin Mint #10–12
- •Approach quietly — these trout spook instantly in low, clear flows
- •Use 6X and long leaders to reduce surface disturbance
- •Fish the softest water you can find — that's where trout winter
- •Pair an RS2 or egg with a tiny midge for the best combos
- •If you see refusals, downsize both fly and tippet
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