Top Ten dry flies for trout in Colorado

Top ten dry flies for Colorado

1.  Parachute Adams

Easy first.  Most versitile dry fly on the market.  The parachute Adam floats low in the water and is very visible.  When fished in sizes 10-12, it can represent large mayflies and even hoppers.  In sizes 14-16, this fly looks like a BWO or a regular mayfly. Sizes 18-24 represents small mayflies and midges.  In the spring, this fly fishes best in size 16.  It represents the spring BWO hatches.  Then, during the summer, the most effective size is 14.  This represents your everyday summer mayfly hatches.  In the winter, use a size 18-24 to represent small midges.  If trout are rising, this pattern can catch them.

2. Black bodied Elk Hair Caddis.

The elk hiar caddis has been catching fish year after year.  This dry fly is best in black because it is more versatile.  The elk hair caddis sits high on the water and is easy to see.  Fish love this pattern during the spring caddis hatches.  This fly is best fished in sizes 14-16; however, the Elk hair caddis can be fished effectively in both smaller and larger sizes to suit the current hatches.

3.  Brooks sprout midge/baetis

In Colorado, midge hatches happen year round.  The brooks sprout midge is a perfect midge emerger dry fly to suit all midge and small BWO hatches.  In the middle of the winter, this is your best bet to get fish to rise.  Fish the olive in sizes 18-22 to represent small baetis emergers.  In black, fish this in sizes 18-24 to represent midge hatches.

4. PMX

  

When larger insects are in the air, this is a go to fly in Colorado.  The great thing about the PMX is that it represents all the large insects near water, such as a hopper, stonefly, October caddis, and hex mayflies.  The PMX can be fished in an assortment of colors, but the most effective are black, olive, and peacock herl with a red belly.  This fly floats very well because of its elk hair wings and parachute.  The parachute also makes this fly visible in the water.  Usually, you can fish 2 heavy nymphs under this fly with no problems.  This fly is best fished in sizes 10-14 during the summer.

5.  Mosquito fly

The mosquito fly is incredibly versatile.  This flies is great in small streams, ponds, high alpine fishing, and lakes.  While it does represent a mosquito, this fly accurately represents hatching BWOs and other mayflies.  This fly is best fished alone or with another dry fly in sizes 18-20.  Even when this fly sinks, it still gets strikes.  

Top flies for Blue river, Silverthorne Colorado.

The most effective flies on the blue river are as followed

                                                            1. Mysis schrimp fly:

A mysis schrimp is a small, freshwater schrimp that is found in many lakes and reservoirs throughout Colorado; this includes Lake Dillon.  The fish in the tailwater of Lake Dillon gorge themselves on these freshwater schrimps and grow large.  Mysis shrimp are an important food source to the trout all year long.  Mysis patterns work best in sizes 18-20

2. Juju midge

The Juju Midge is a deadly midge pattern on the blue river year-round.  Midges nymphs make up a significant portion of a trouts diet and the Blue river is no exception.  Best fished in black or red, this fly gives a realist presentation in the water that trout cannot resist.  Best in sizes 18-22.

3. Pheastant tail fly

The pheasant tail nymph is a wonderful nymph to use in spring, summer, and fall.  It represents small Baetis nymphs and fish will eat it year round.  This fly is best fished in sizes 18-22 with a little flash.  

4.  Zebra midge

This fly is very effective year round.  The zebra midge is a simple fly and sinks to the fish very quickly.  Best colors to use on the blue are black, red, and purple in sizes 18-24.  Use this fly as your bottom fly, tailing behind an attractor pattern.  

5. San Juan worm

The san juan worm is a great fly to use during spring.  This fly will get aggressive strikes from both large and small trout.  When new fish are stocked in the blue, the new fish will eagerly take this fly.  The San Juan worm is best used in red, pink, and red/pink.  Use this as your attractor or first fly in sizes 12-14,

Honerable mention:

super bugger streamer

The best streamer to use on the blue river.  It's relatively small and has great action.

Blue river fishing report January 29 2015

The Blue has been fishing very well the past few weeks and continues to produce large trout.  Flows have increased close to 290 CFS the past few days which means more mysis are being swept out of Lake Dillon.  New fish have also been stocked and are willing to take midge, mysis and streamer patterns.  As usual, I recommend fishing subsurface.  Fish are sill finicky, so use 6x or 5x florocarbon tippit.   Also, don't chose a bright colored bobber; choose a clear or white bobber.  Fish are in the slower pools and behind large rocks.



Flies that caught fish: size 18 mysis schrimp, size 6 olive scupzilla, size 8 Super bugger, Galloups sex dungeon, size 20 Rojo midge

Fish caught: 10

Fish hooked: 15+

Largest: 22 inches

Average: 17 Inches

Blue river at silverthorne fishing report 1-1-2015

Fishing is great.  The water is clear and low so 6x or fluorocarbon is a must.  Fish the slower water close to the banks.  Not much insect movement above water, although trout rose occasionally.  Under the I-70 highway bypass, there is a great pocket.  Recommend nymphing using mysis schrimp and small red and black midge patterns.  If fish are active, use a small, dark colored streamer.

Fish hooked:  12
Fish landed: 7
Average: 17" rainbow
Nymphs: 16-18 Mercury midge, 18-20 red juju midge, 16-18 mysis schrimp, 6-8 olive scupzilla,