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Archived Report

Frying Pan Near Ruedi - 04/08/07

Guides Rating: Guides Rating of 4 Stars
Streamflow at time of report: 138cfs

The Pan has good flows and will run consistently clear throughout runoff. While the Pan is no secret, even a crowded Pan is better than not fishing at all during runoff. As long as you stay mobile, you should find less people on the lower stretches of river. Be sure to arrive early if you have to fish the fabled water below the dam.

The midge hatch is on, but you need to have a variety of nymphs and dries in order to find the fly-of-the-day. The hatch typically starts around noon and lasts until around 3pm. We're seeing midges most everyday, and only high winds can stall the hatch. Nymphing is a great fall back plan! These are educated fish, so you need to have the exact color, profile and size pattern to get eats. If you're patient and switch bugs, you will eventually find the answer. Your best bet is a well placed cast and perfect drift - if you don't have that then you are probably in for a humbling day. Sight fishing is the best way to target big fish.

The Pan has seen a strong warming trend the past couple of weeks creating a longer feeding period. Spring is right around the corner, so the fish are feeding for more than just a 30-minute window that is typical during winter conditions. As the weather continues to warm, we'll start to see BWOs showing themselves on a more consistent basis. The crowds are relatively low except on weekend near the dam. There are feeding fish throughout the river, so spread out and you should be rewarded.

Fly selection: Mysis shrimp are always a good choice. Midges should be tied in a dark color. WD-40's, WD-50's, JuJu Baetis, Zebras, Gidgets, Top Secret Midges, Sparkle Wing RS2 and Andrew's 5-O's are all good choices for Midge larva patterns. Since this is a tailwater, the Rainbows usually start spawning a little later than other rivers, but egg patterns are still a good choice throughout Spring.

Warning!! Avoid spawning beds at all costs! There's plenty of other fish to catch, so don't be greedy and ruin future trout population.

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