Fly Fishing The Frying Pan River In Colorado: Flies, Access, And Ruedi Releases

Small flies deserve plenty of space in your box for the Frying Pan. Midges and mayflies are central to this Colorado tailwater, with Mysis shrimp adding another food source in the upper river below Ruedi Dam. I’d arrive ready to fish small imitations and spend time getting the presentation right.

I’ve caught rainbow and brown trout on the Frying Pan, and I’d happily return for a day devoted to this river. The stretch below Ruedi gives you about 14 miles to consider before the Frying Pan meets the Roaring Fork in Basalt. Choosing legal access and checking the dam releases are the first jobs.

Other Rivers In Colorado

• Arkansas River
• Animas River
• Rio Grande In Colorado

My Colorado fly fishing guide covers more places to take a rod around the state. Our U.S. river guide has state-by-state options for a longer fishing trip.

Start With The Water Below Ruedi

For a first visit, I’d concentrate on the tailwater between Ruedi Dam and Basalt. That keeps your route, flow information, and fishing rules tied to the same stretch. From Basalt, follow Frying Pan Road toward Ruedi. Highway 82 gets you to Basalt; Frying Pan Road takes you up the river corridor.

I’d use CPW’s access maps and rules to choose where to stop before setting out from Basalt. Save the map with your route so you can refer to it during the day.

The fishing rule for the approximately 14 miles from Ruedi Dam to the Roaring Fork confluence is artificial flies and lures only. Trout must be returned to the water immediately, with an explicit exception for brown trout. Read the current Colorado fishing regulations before fishing, particularly if you plan to keep a brown trout.

Choose a couple of fishing stops before leaving Basalt and give each one enough time to fish. You can make the day feel rushed by driving between stops whenever a few casts go unanswered. Having a short list leaves more time to watch the water and work out how to approach it.

Fill A Box For Midges And Mayflies

Start the fly selection with midges, then add PMD and BWO imitations. Pack Bling Midge nymphs in sizes 20 to 24 for part of that small-fly selection. Zebra Midges are one option, alongside other midge nymphs such as Black Beauties.

PMD stands for Pale Morning Dun, and BWO means Blue Winged Olive. Both belong in your Frying Pan planning. Carry subsurface imitations as well as dries so you have something to fish when trout start taking insects at the surface.

For the upper river below Ruedi, add Mysis shrimp imitations. Keep them with your small nymphs so they’re easy to find. Mysis is an upper-river consideration; the rest of the box still needs the midges and mayflies you’ll use elsewhere on the tailwater.

A slim SF fly box is an option for organizing these smaller patterns. Separate the midge nymphs from the mayfly imitations so a fly change doesn’t involve searching through every row.

With small flies, prepare your tippet before you reach the water. 6X fluorocarbon is a common starting point on the Frying Pan. Carry enough to replace it as you change flies, and give yourself time to thread and check each connection. Our explanation of leaders and tippet covers how the two parts fit into your setup.

Before the trip, use the Frying Pan Anglers report to check the current upper- and lower-river fly selections. Let that guide the final additions to your box. The report is particularly useful for choosing among patterns once you’ve packed the basic food groups.

Read The Releases Before Choosing A Date

I’d check the below-dam gauge before deciding which access areas to fish. Flows below Ruedi Dam vary with reservoir releases. The tailwater’s discharge reflects those operations, so the current release deserves a look even when the weather seems familiar.

Use USGS station 09080400, Fryingpan River Near Ruedi, for the tailwater below the dam. Check the station name as well as the river name when opening a flow page.

The historical chart below shows how monthly discharge has varied at the near-Ruedi gauge. Each bar is the median of the recorded monthly mean flows for that month. It gives you background for the regulated river, while the current gauge shows what is happening before your visit.

These historical values don’t define a safe wading level or a productive fishing window. Make the access decision at the water, using the current conditions and your own ability. If a crossing looks uncertain, choose water you can fish without making it.

Use the current gauge, a recent river report, and any agency notices together when choosing where to fish. Ask a shop which access areas suit the conditions you’re about to find.

Give The Small-Fly Fishing Enough Time

My preference for a day on the Frying Pan would be to fish a manageable amount of water carefully. Spend a few minutes watching before you start casting. Decide where you can stand, what water you can reach, and how you’ll keep the presentation under control.

The river is a good reason to practice reading trout water. Our guide to reading water for trout explains how to assess current and holding areas. Use that observation time to choose a target for the next cast, especially when you’re changing from nymphs to a dry fly.

For gear, start with a trout rod you’re comfortable fishing. The best fly rods for trout guide compares options if you’re buying one. A familiar setup lets you put your attention into the fly and the water in front of you.

I’d pack polarized sunglasses, too. The KastKing Skidaway sunglasses are one option covered in our fishing sunglasses guide.

Check your waders before the trip and choose boots that suit the footing you’ll encounter. Frogg Toggs Canyon II waders are an option if you need a pair. The access route and water conditions should decide how far you wade.

Once you’re fishing, give each change a purpose. You might need to try a different food imitation, move to a position with a better presentation, or spend longer watching a fish. I’d resist changing everything at once, because it’s easier to learn from the next drift when you know what you’ve adjusted.

Frying Pan River Fishing Questions

These are the questions I’d settle while planning a first trip. The below-Ruedi reach, its current rules, and the day’s insect activity will shape the fishing.

The answers below cover the tailwater between Ruedi Dam and Basalt. Keep those endpoints in mind when checking access or looking at a flow report.

Make Time For The Frying Pan

I’d give the Frying Pan a full day and keep the route simple. Choose a couple of legal access areas, bring the small flies, and leave yourself enough time to watch what happens between casts. The appeal for me is the chance to concentrate on one stretch of trout water and improve the presentation as the day goes on.

Once you’ve found a place you can fish comfortably, stay with it for a while. Watch how the current carries the fly and give yourself time to try a better approach. I’d be happy spending the afternoon on the same piece of water if there were still fish to work on.

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