Fryingpan River near Basalt, Colorado
Whirling Disease has decimated many Colorado rainbow trout streams. However the Fryingpan River has been much less affected compared to other rivers thanks to quick action by the Department of Wildlife. What that means for us now is that if you want to 5lbs rainbow your best bet is to fish the Fryingpan River. One really cool thing about fishing the river is that stocking ended in 1996. The reason this is cool is all the fish are wild (other than a few really big old fish). Another cool thing about this river is that has Gold Medal status which means artificial only, a minimum length limit for brown trout (14 inches), a daily bag limit for brown trout of 2, and all rainbows must be immediately released.
Some of the best fishing in the whole river can be found under Ruedi Dam. HUGE fish wait in an area call "the toilet bowl" for food to wash down from the reservoir above. Below that area you will find a river that flows through riffles, into pools, over the sandstone and shale that make up the river bed, around occasional big granite boulders.
If you like wading this is the river for you because the flow is usually only about 100 cubic feet per second and the river is seldom wider than 40 feet wide. Because very little sediment enters the river the river manages to stay clear most if not all year long. That makes Fryingpan a dry-fly and nymphers paradise. However that can be a bad thing because of all the anglers that flock to the area.
As for hatches the signature hatch of the Fryingpan is the green drake hatch which starts in early July and lasts until sometime in September or early October. The Blue-Winged Olives startup in in March and last until mid-May. They then start hatching again in early September. That lasts until early November. Pale morning duns are plentiful from July until late August. Caddis are not quite as prolific as on some other rivers in the area but they are still the primary insect in the heart of summer. July and August are also the months that little yellow stoneflies show up. As for the flies you should use streamers don't work all that well for some reason. However nymphs that imitate the insects listed above work very very well all year. One last thing to consider before fishing; the Fryingpan is the best wintertime fishery in all of Colorado. Good luck fishing!
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Fryingpan River Fishing near Basalt, Colorado
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Details for Fryingpan River
Species Caught Here:
Rainbow Trout
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Access: Public Property
Body of Water Type: Stream
Lat/Long: 39.366650 -107.034210
Bodies of Water near Fryingpan River
Description for Fryingpan River, Eagle County, Colorado
Fryingpan River is a stream located just .2 miles from Basalt, in Eagle County, in the state of Colorado, United States. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout here. Whether you’re fly fishing, baitcasting or spinning your chances of getting a bite here are good. So grab your favorite fly fishing rod and reel, and head out to Fryingpan River. Alternate names for this stream include Frying Pan River and Fryingpan Creek.
For Fishing License purchase, fishing rules, and fishing regulations please visit
Colorado Fish & Wildlife.
Please remember to check with the local Fish and Wildlife department to ensure the stream is open to the public. Now get out there and fish! Check out our
Fishing Times chart to determine when the fish will be most active.
Fishing Hot Spots near Fryingpan River
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