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Thread: Westslope CO

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    Default Westslope CO

    We ran up from the Front Range to the Frying Pan River on the west slope Friday and picked up our friend from El Jebel. Stopped in at Basalt and the fly shop recommended size 20 olive sparkle duns. Got on the river probably somewhere around 12:30 - 1:00 p.m. All the fishing holes were practically devoid of fly fishers. Unbelievable and on a Friday no less. Must be that time of year since the trees lost their foliage about a week and a half ago. Water level was very low, maybe 50 CFS. So all of the trout were holding out in deeper pools. The water was gin clear. The weather was actually pretty nice, sunny about low 60's. Trout were freely rising and they went nuts on olive sparkle duns. Never seen so many fish coming up. Also saw mahogany dun in about a size 16. Threw on a rusty spinner size 16 and nailed one that ran about 17".

    Second day, we went to the Colorado River and split up. I floated with our friends from El Jebel and my friend, David, headed downriver to somewhere around Silt. The weather held and was still very nice. No real action on streamers. I picked up a brown on a small purple bugger and a typical, solid (from what I'm told) Colorado River 15" rainbow on a spruce fly. Ran into Dan, a guide who was in his drift boat. We were in his raft which we borrowed. He said the bite had been off too. Tried a stonefly and dropper and crawdad. Dead, dead, dead. Heard later that the guide began picking up fish after we took off. Apparently, he switched out to tiny stuff like RS2's in size 22. More power to him. I begged off of throwing that stuff because the wind had kicked up and nymphing seemed more work than it was worth.

    My buddy who was down in Silt also had a slow day with a couple of fish. But he finally picked up a 19 and 1/2" brown on a halfback. Hey, these old school flies (spruce and halfback) still work!

    Went to the Crystal River outside of Carbondale towards Marble. Beautiful day. Spectacular scenery up towards McClure pass. Too bad I wasn't there a couple of weeks ago to see the aspens change color. Small fish with a few whities thrown in but the backdrop was incredible. They were taking small nymphs.
    Last edited by flyfysher; 10-22-2012 at 09:55 PM.

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