Roaring Fork River (CO)

[Bryon Anderson 0]

My wife and I have decided to do the big family vacation in Colorado for summer 2014. We have been looking at a place called The Ranch at Roaring Fork near Carbondale. They own a couple of miles of frontage on the Roaring Fork River. If anyone has fished the Fork, especially the section that flows through this place we're looking at, I would appreciate any comments, advice etc. you might care to share.

 

My plan is to float one day -- probably a half-day -- and the rest of the week that we'll be there I would just fish on foot, probably inside the property if we stay there and if that section is good. I have hatch charts and maps and all the stuff you can get online, but what I could use is some insider info: how hard/easy is it to wade? Do I need cleats and/or a wading staff? Anything I especially need to watch out for that I wouldn't encounter here in Michigan (bears? rattlesnakes?). I'm planning on taking probably two rods -- an 8'6" 4-5 weight and a 9' 5-6 weight. Will these cover my bases, or will I need something longer/shorter/lighter/heavier?

 

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their knowledge/experience.

 

Bryon

[cmb18895 0]

both rods will work fine.

[DavidR 0]

I wouldn't restrict myself just to that piece of water ...plenty of easy access public water on the RF plus the Frying Pan is within 5-10 mins of that location. Couple of great fly shops in Basalt also that will steer you right. PMD's, Green Drakes, Caddis and BWO's all present .... Depending on exact timing major part of hatches during day may have passed upstream of that location ..but between 11-3pm is the peak dry fly window of opportunity on the Frying Pan.

 

I've floated through that stretch many times, wading will be subject to water flows/snow pack and when in summer you will be there, but generally by summer time is not an issue a wading stick will help if you have not waded western rivers before.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Thanks for the replies guys, DavidR I will try not to restrict myself to the property where we're staying, but as I will have wife and kids along on this trip and only one vehicle, I won't be able to vanish with their means of transport for large portions of the day. I may be able to venture away some in the early mornings before they get up and around, or, if I can get my son to come with me, I could have my wife drop us somewhere for a few hours while she and my daughter go do "girl things." I would like to get on the Frying Pan for a bit, just because I've heard/read so much about it.

[DavidR 0]

Check with the fly shops in Basalt for which mile marker the bugs are hatching at on the Frying Pan ...then have the girls drop you and your son off around 10.30/11am at said lication. Send the girls to Aspen, 20 mins away for lunch and shopping, tell them to pick you back up around 3/3.30pm ..mission accomplished ..oh and dont forget to cancel wife's credit cards before she reaches Aspen. :-)

[keep_lookingup 0]

The Roaring Fork is my favorite river and have spent well over 200 days on it. I highly recommend the Jaffe Park area below Aspen airport. A long stretch of public water, you can walk up an old road bed for almost 2 miles. I have never fished the section you are considering, but the entire Fork is a great fishing river if you don't mind catching 5lb + trout. I would suggest getting with Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt. They have been there since I first started fishing it in 1979. As DavidR suggested you should fish the Frying Pan while in the area. The first 3 miles below Ruedi dam are public and some of the best dry fly water in Colorado. My only knock on the Pan is the fish are in very cold water and have been caught a lot they don't put up a great fight. The fish on the Fork are in much warmer water and will take you into your backing. It will be crowded and you will want to move around a lot to find the fish and an open hole. A guide will really help you out.

[DUBBN 0]

Weirdest thing. I have never had a fish on the Roaring Fork take me into my backing, but have many times on the Frying Pan. I am a bit of a novice as I have only fished both rivers for 25 years. I float the Fork 2 to 3 times per month, except December and January.

 

Bryon, do yourself a favor and buy a map for about ten bucks at any of the valley flyshops. It will point out most of the public access points to the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork. The water diverted out of the Roaring Fork and through the Ranch has alot of large fish. I could fish there exclusively for 2 weeks. Bring a camera.

 

I caught these fish in the first 30 minutes on the Pan last Saturday. The fishing was just as amazing for the next two and a half hours. You have picked a great place to vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pics arent of the biggest fish or the smallest fish of the morning, just the first.

 

 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Wow! Thanks DUBBN for that reply and those beautiful photos. NOW I am seriously geeked to get out there (as if I weren't before!). I actually did buy a small guidebook and a very large, detailed river map of the the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork from one of the fly shops out there -- they were about $10 each and totally worth it.

[Odaon 0]

I've never fished either of them, but plan to this year. I live on the Front Range so I'll have to make a trip of it. From what I've heard both rivers are awesome. The Frying Pan probably has the biggest trout in Colorado in it if I had to guess. Just search "Frying Pan Toilet Bowl" and look at the pictures.

[planettrout 0]

I learned how to Fly Fish in both of those rivers,back in the mid 70's. The only Fly Shop between Glenwood Springs and Aspen was Chuck Fothergill's Shop in Aspen...

 

 

...one could work all the water on the "Pan" between Basalt and the dam - in those days and it was rare to run into more than five anglers on any given day...

 

 

...same with the "Fork"...I'd park at Woody Creek Bridge and fish all the way up to the water treatment plant across from the airport, then hitch a ride back to my rig, at dark...

 

 

I caught a 30" Rainbow on a Rat Faced McDougal in that large pool, down there, at dusk one evening...

 

 

another view of that same water...

 

 

My wife was my FF partner...

 

You are going to bring home a lot of good memories of both rivers...Have a blast !!!

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

[keep_lookingup 0]

I have fished these rivers for 34 years, the first time in 1979. Planetrout is absolutely right, back when I first started fishing the Pan you could fish all of the water from the dam down to Basalt without any worries. Not so today. One of my favorite stretches was the big bend right above 7 Castles around the bend back up to the road. I don't see very many people fishing 7 Castles any more even though that is public water. Don't even think about fishing the private water now days. I have had some huge days on the Pan but still prefer the Fork.

[keep_lookingup 0]

Planettrout,

Is that the pool below the big long slow pool down from the bridge. If so, I caught a 15 lb rainbow on a #18 miracle nymph in that pool about 10 years ago. Really big fish that didn't put up much of a fight, but my biggest trout. Saw the monster feeding and cast about 20 minutes before the take. All on 7x. Maybe the same fish?

[DUBBN 0]

You are a couple of old timers. 35 years ago, I was hiking into the Black Canyon where Morrow Point Dam is now located. 30 minute hike in, 3 hour hike out. I did travel through (RFV) there at that time. On school ski trips to Snowmass. Do either of you remember the barn roof that had the mural of the hand flipping the "bird"? As Junior High and High schoolers, we thought that was the best painting of all time.

15lb Bow is also my largest, but it was on another Colorado river.

[planettrout 0]

Planettrout,

Is that the pool below the big long slow pool down from the bridge. If so, I caught a 15 lb rainbow on a #18 miracle nymph in that pool about 10 years ago. Really big fish that didn't put up much of a fight, but my biggest trout. Saw the monster feeding and cast about 20 minutes before the take. All on 7x. Maybe the same fish?

 

 

That pool is a couple of bends downstream from the water treatment plant...

 

I had one on in 1980, in the Fork, that dove under a huge mid-stream boulder that I am certain was a steelie ... :OP

 

PT/TB

[planettrout 0]

You are a couple of old timers. 35 years ago, I was hiking into the Black Canyon where Morrow Point Dam is now located. 30 minute hike in, 3 hour hike out. I did travel through (RFV) there at that time. On school ski trips to Snowmass. Do either of you remember the barn roof that had the mural of the hand flipping the "bird"? As Junior High and High schoolers, we thought that was the best painting of all time.

15lb Bow is also my largest, but it was on another Colorado river.

 

Yup...I remember that mural. I spent almost a year there in 75'-76', fishing and skiing and doing some serious partying...thought about moving there permanently but the influx really began in earnest around that time and the valley was loading up with way too many oeople...

 

PT/TB