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Category
Trouts Journal

Trouts Frisco Forecast | July 2021 Edition

Zeke Hersh / Jul 14, 2021

WELCOME TO THE TROUTS Monthly Frisco/Mountain Forecast!

Can you believe we are in the middle of July? It’s always crazy to me how fast summer comes upon us every year.

As usual, June started out hot and dry. Then we got a little gift in the form of an earlier than usual thunderstorm season. Let me tell you this was very welcome as just before that trend we were seeing forest fires starting to sprout up around the state. So far this trend is staying in place and this is a very welcome surprise. Sure, it’s not the best experience to be caught in an afternoon thunderstorm, but the added rainwater and cooler temperatures have sure been helping out our rivers and reservoirs in the past few weeks. Not to mention keeping the forest fires and smoke at bay.

This rainwater has helped the fishing quite a bit in the last couple of weeks. Streams have been warming up again but we have a pretty consistent trend of thunderstorms in the forecast for the next ten days. This should mean some good fishing early in the days and later in the evenings.

All kinds of different bugs are hatching right now and this makes for some great fishing. Right now we are seeing lots of caddis, yellow sallies, pale morning duns, other mayflies, and small dark stones all hatching. Look for the next significant hatch of Drakes on the Blue, upper Arkansas, upper South Platte, Roaring Fork, and Fryingpan rivers.

" Right now we are seeing lots of caddis, yellow sallies, pale morning duns, other mayflies, and small dark stones all hatching. "
RIVERS TO WATCH

The Arkansas from Leadville to Buena Vista:

This section is a favorite at this time of the year. I love to fish this section as the flows are dropping but still a little bit higher. This gives the fish some good cover, delivers the fish lots of food and there tends to be tons of bug activity all day long. This is the time of year here for some great single dry or dry dropper fishing on this section.

The South Platte above Spinney Mountain Reservoir:

This section like the upper Arkansas fishes great as the flows are dropping. Bug life of all kinds will be hatching in great numbers for the next few weeks. Look for fish to be next to undercut banks, in small eddies, and on inside bends. Dry fly and dry dropper fishing should be at its best for the next few weeks to come.

The South Platte above Elevenmile Reservoir:

This is the time of year to go check out the Trico hatch on the Dream Stream. While this hatch can be frustrating to fish at times it can also be very rewarding. Flows have bumped up out of Spinney Reservoir so this should bring some colder water and good flows into this section firing up the fishing. If the Trico fishing is disappointing the nymphing should be quite good.

The Roaring Fork out of Basalt:

The next big hatch to look for on this river system should be the Green Drake hatch. Look for colder water up the river corridor which will offer some great fishing. The green drake hatch is a must experience on this river but to be honest, just fishing the Roaring Fork is a must experience. This river's abundance of bug life supports lots of healthy fish ready to eat a fly.

The Eagle from Avon to Wolcott:

This upper section of the Eagle is fishing well with colder flows and lots of different bug life. Look for caddis, yellow sallies, small dark stones, pale morning duns, drakes, and more in the weeks to come. Take your time wading these upper stretches as the rocks are very slippery and can be treacherous.

Staff Picks

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FLY SUGGESTIONS

UV Sally

This is a great pattern for the summer months, but to be honest I have caught fish in this nymph pattern year-round. A small amount of flash, rubber legs, and a tungsten bead help this fly attract the fish’s attention and get into the feeding zone. A must-have in your fly box for the months to come.

KGB in Tan

You may have heard me preach about this fly in the past and if you don’t know about the KGB, you should get acquainted. I have had many people tell me how impressed they were with it, once they bought a few and fished them. Tied very sparsely but with just enough flash to attract attention and a tungsten bead to sink fast, this fly fishes great in the months to come.

Amys Ant

This is a favorite single dry or second fly on a double dry setup this time of year. My favorite color is olive, but all the colors work well. This fly floats well and attracts the fish’s attention with a little bit of flash on its belly. For the next few months, this is a must-have in your fly box.

Tails Up Trico

Since we were talking about the Trico hatch we better give a favorite pattern. The Tails Up Trico is one of my patterns of choice for those picky Trico eaters. With a spent wing and the tail tied to ride up, this fly ride just right. During the Trico hatch, this pattern can make all the difference.

Sparring Partner

The Sparring Partner is a new fly from Umpqua for this year. A single hook pattern that is tied a little sparse and with a conehead making this fly easier to cast and a great swimmer. This fly comes in three colors; black/purple, brown trout, and white/gold.


FLOWS TO WATCH
Weather

The weather for the next ten days looks to be like a normal summer pattern for Colorado. That means mild temperatures in the mornings and possible thunderstorms in the afternoons. This is great news and we need the moisture badly. This looks to be an ongoing trend for weeks to come and this is great news for Colorado. This should make for some great fishing! Just remember your rain jacket and steer clear of lightning.

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