On the Fly: The green drakes are here

This past week we have switched into summer fishing mode, as runoff is now subsiding and all streams and rivers are beginning to clear significantly. Anglers keeping their eyes on the flows have seen the Roaring Fork dropping, usually reducing around 100 cubic feet per second daily. Smaller feeder streams are dropping as well, which adds to the good clarity we are now seeing valleywide. Mudslides on the Colorado haven’t affected that river as much as one might suspect, so far.

High Country lakes are getting more fishable every day. High elevation spots take longer to thaw out, but spots like Cathedral and American are already beginning to fish well. Keep a few small streamers, damsels and attractor dries handy up there, and keep in mind that fishing high country early rather than late will play in your favor as we head into our usual monsoonal cycles of brief summer afternoon storms.

The biggest news of this week is the renowned green drake hatch has officially begun on the Roaring Fork River. As most of you know, these huge mayflies emerge at twilight, although our guide staff have been seeing them hatch mid-day here and there on this week’s commercial float fishing trips, which have been quite successful. The drakes are ahead of schedule this year, and we are already seeing them from Basalt all the way down to the Colorado River on the Roaring Fork.

Caddis hatches will keep you busy until the drakes start going, although most seasoned locals prefer to wait for the drake hatch versus disturbing the water fishing caddis before the hatch ensues. Whether it’s yellow sallies, pale morning duns, caddis, golden stoneflies or green drakes that get your juices flowing, summer is here, the bugs are popping, and it is time to stay on the river until dark.

This report is provided every week by Taylor Creek Fly Shops in Aspen and Basalt. Taylor Creek can be reached at 970-927-4374 or TaylorCreek.com.