Rudy Dodorico fished Colorado with a good friend the second week of October and had a very successful trip. Here is a quick report from his week.

Rudy says he fished the South Platte, Cheeseman Canyon, the middle fork of the South Platte, Dream Stream (5 fish over 20” and some Kokanee), and Frying Pan between Ruedi Reservoir and Basalt.  Sounds like he had great fishing everywhere.

Blue copper johns were only great on the South Platte, Middle Fork and Dream Stream.  Only caught a couple on the Frying Pan.

Frying Pan

 ·      It is like 11-Mile canyon in terms of steep access.

·       Below dam for ½ mile it is not worth it.  He did see any fish, it is very shallow, moss covered, and no one else fished it.

·       About 10 miles from Basalt, as you drive upstream on Frying Pan road, you pass two properties, nearly back-to-back that are posted no trespassing.  The best fishing is upstream from the last of those properties.

·       The next three miles are bolder strewn and excellent.  All turnouts have access. Fish in pockets.  He fished from just above Baetis Bridge down steam to he thinks about mile marker 7, but not sure.

o   The best fly was soft hackle in dark brown, red, then purple.  You can dead drift them under an indicator or attractor.

o   The next best was a bead head pheasant tail flashback.   These were good as droppers under a caddis imitation.

o   Also very good under a dry dropper were #20-#22 olive zebra midges.

o   Great dry fly fishing in the flat water in the afternoon.

o   When nymphing, he might have two soft hackles, or a pheasant tail with a midge above it.

o   Rudy used 6x tippet.  The guide said he sometimes has to use 7x.

o   He didn’t use streamers.

·      No fish caught on RS2s.  He tried black, grey, and olive.

·      The afternoons have large hatches of BWO, small caddis, and a few black stone files.