Fryingpan River

Fryingpan River (Lite Report)

Difficulty Intermediate/Advanced
Ideal Days To Fish NA

Weekly Report

Report DateJuly 24, 2023

Note: This report is a part of the FlyCast Lite reporting program and is updated seasonally or in the event of substantial changes that alter fly fishing tactics. FlyCast Lite reports are intended to give anglers a high level overview on seasonal conditions and general fishing tactics.

The Frying Pan, below Ruedi Reservoir, is in good shape and is fishing well. That said, trout activity can be hit or miss depending on hatches, weather and flows. Water clarity is typically on the high side this time of year so expect trout to be skittish and selective. As such, stealth and presentation are key. Do your best to sight fish and if you see one trout lurking around there are likely more close by. Persistence and patience will pay off. Light tippet, yarn indicators and clean casts will go a long way as well. At this point, nymphing remains the most productive mode of fishing. However, dry flies are becoming increasingly effective with a variety of hatches (BWO, PMD, drakes, stoneflies, midges, caddis, craneflies) and opportunistic trout. The water gets crowded this time of year so come prepared to share the water. The early bird gets the worm, as they say.

Recommended Flies

River Flow

Flow Region

Detailed River Info

Background

The Fryingpan, often referred to as the “Pan”, originates east of Aspen in the Hunter Fryingpan Wilderness and flows northwest to Ruedi Reservoir. Below Reudi, which was dammed in the late 60’s, the river flows west another 14 miles before converging with the Roaring Fork in Basalt. This tailwater section was given Gold Medal status and is arguably the most heavily fished as it holds some of the state’s biggest trout. For the sake of this FlyCast report, the tailwater section below Ruedi will be the focus of this report. Here you’ll find a plethora of beefy browns and rainbows as well as some cutthroats and brookies.

Angling

This incredible tailwater offers year round fishing and is particularly productive during the summer and fall as it experiences a variety of prolific hatches and amazing dry fly fishing. The green drake hatch, which occurs in the late summer/early fall, is highly sought after, but does attract a fair amount of anglers. As such, be prepared for crowded water. Otherwise, you’ll find midges year round as well as Caddis and BWOs in the summer and fall. Unlike many tailwaters in Colorado, Reudi Reservoir releases a plethora of mysis shrimp into the Frying Pan. As a result, mysis shrimp are a major part of the trout’s diet. While it is friendly to anglers of all skill sets, tailwaters in general can be fickle, requiring you to be at the top of your game. Trout here see countless imitation flies on a daily basis and will look the other way if your presentation and flies aren’t just right. Traditional nymphing produces the most consistent results. However, unlike many tailwaters in Colorado, Ruedi releases a plethora of mysis shrimp from the dam.

River Access

In general, when fishing a tailwater like the Frying Pan, the closer to the dam you get the better as food sources are more abundant and so are the trout. That being said, this is no secret and you’ll find yourself among a number of other anglers dead set on landing their personal best trout. If the water directly below the dam is too crowded, don’t be afraid to explore further southeast toward Thomasville and Norrie or further toward Basalt.