Fryingpan River
Twenty-three kilometres of cold, clear water that made mysis shrimp famous in fly fishing.
Hatch timeline
- Jan · 11:00-15:00Midges (Chironomidae) Pupa
#20-24 · Jan · Hatch
- Mar · 12:00-16:00Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) Emerger
#20-22 · Mar · Hatch
- May · 11:00-15:00Green Drake (Drunella) Dun
#12-14 · May · Hatch
- Jul · 09:00-12:00Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella) Spinner fall
#16-18 · Jul · Hatch
- Aug · 08:00-11:00Trico (Tricorythodes) Spinner fall
#22-24 · Aug · Hatch
- Sep · 13:00-16:30Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) Dun
#20-22 · Sep · Hatch
- Nov · 12:00-15:00Midges (Chironomidae) Adult
#22-24 · Nov · Hatch
Matched fly box
| Pattern | Imitates | Size | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mysis Shrimp | Mysis relicta | #12-14 | Dead-drift it under a tiny indicator right below the dam; the shrimp come through the penstock. |
| Blowtorch | Chironomid pupa | #18-20 | Point fly on a two-nymph rig in the flat water of the Bend Pool. |
| Sparkle Dun BWO | Baetis dun | #20 | Downstream drift to sighted fish in the shallow flats above the bridge. |
| San Juan Worm, red | Aquatic worm | #12 | A high-water fly only; useless when the release is clean and low. |
| RS2, black | Baetis emerger | #22 | Fish in the film, 4.5-metre leader, no indicator, watch the tippet. |
The river
Ruedi Dam sits above Basalt and releases water from deep in the reservoir, which carries a population of Mysis relicta — freshwater shrimp that spilled downstream and turned the Frying Pan's rainbow trout into fish that regularly pass 50 cm. The river is short, walkable end to end in a long day, and the seven kilometres below the dam are the reason it appears on every list of American tailwaters.
On this river
The Mysis drift
Dead shrimp come out of the dam continuously and drift like translucent flakes about 1 cm long. Fish a #12 Mysis on the point, 60 cm under a small indicator, and concentrate on the first 400 metres below the outlet. The take is often a slow, heavy stop rather than a tap because the fish is turning on a large mouthful.
Fishing to sighted fish on the flats
The flats above the bridge are shallow enough that you can see fish 20 metres away. Do not cast to the nearest one. Find the fish moving, get upstream of it by walking the bank, and put a single small dry three metres ahead of its nose. A fly that lands on top of a flat-water fish ends the opportunity for the whole pool.
Two-nymph rigs without tangles
Use a 60 cm dropper tied off the eye of the point fly rather than a separate tag, and keep the weight difference between the two flies small — one size up on the point is enough. On a river this narrow, a rig that casts cleanly is worth more than a rig that sinks 20 cm faster.
Licence and rules
When should I come?
The best months are Jan · Feb · Mar · Sep · Oct · Nov. Fishable every day of the year thanks to constant 4–6°C releases
What licence do I need?
Colorado fishing licence required from 16 up. The Frying Pan below Ruedi is artificial-flies-only and catch-and-release for most of its length, with a small harvest section marked near Basalt. The catch-and-release water also bans the use of any weight attached to the line above the fly; split shot must be on the leader, not on the tippet knot.
How does the water behave?
Ruedi releases are cold enough that the Frying Pan rarely freezes and rarely warms above 12°C, which is why the shrimp hold on and why the fish keep growing. When the release is very low — 60 cfs or less — the flats above the bridge become spooky and the advantage moves to long leaders and a stealthy approach rather than more weight.
Related rivers
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