Colorado ·
Frying Pan River Fly Fishing Report - September 20, 2026

FRYING PAN RIVER
ReportSEP 20 — 27, 2026
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Flow
165CFS
FRYINGPAN RIVER NEAR RUEDI, CO.
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Water Temp
—
Updated 2026-09-20
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Weather
34–70°F
Mostly Clear
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Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
Flow is 165 CFS at the Ruedi gauge with a gauge height of 1.74 ft — higher than recent web reports but clear and fishable throughout the canyon. Sunny skies and a high of 68°F today will warm the afternoon air nicely, pushing BWO and midge activity into prime windows.
What's Working — Hot Flies

Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
#22

Olsen's Peacock Blowtorch Barbless #22 - 24
#22-24

Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
#22

Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
#20

Olsen's Hare's Ear Blowtorch Barbless #20 - 28
#20-22

Egan's Silver Bullet - Baetis #14
#14

Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug - Rainbow #10
#10

Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
#12

Roza's World Spain Perdigon Barbless #18 - 32
#18-20

Coffey's CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin #6
#6

Egan's CDC Rainbow Warrior #22
#22
Barr's Flashback Emerger - BWO #22
#22
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive (Baetis) | #20-22 | Heavy | 11 AM - 3 PM |
| Midge | #20-24 | Heavy | 9 AM - 12 PM |
| Pale Morning Dun | #18-20 | Light | 12 PM - 2 PM |
| Mysis Shrimp | #10-12 | Moderate | All Day |
| Sculpin / Baitfish | #4-6 | Light | 7 AM - 10 AM |
Best Time Window
- 7 AM - 10 AM: Low-light streamer and heavy nymph window; target undercut banks and deep boulders with sculpin patterns before the sun hits the water.
- 10 AM - 1 PM: Midge and early BWO nymph activity peaks; work soft seams and tailouts with small Baetis and midge patterns tight to the bottom.
- 11 AM - 3 PM: Prime BWO dry-fly window as afternoon sun warms the canyon; switch to emergers and parachute dries in the flat tailouts when you see rising fish.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith flows at 165 CFS the river has more push than recent reports indicated — wade carefully and focus on the inside seams and soft water behind mid-river boulders where trout won't burn energy fighting current. Set your indicator depth so your flies are ticking the bottom in 2-3 feet of water; the Pan's fish are tight to the substrate this time of year. When the BWO hatch fires between 11 AM and 2 PM, watch for subtle sipping rises in the slower tailouts and drop down to a fine 6X or 7X tippet with a size 22 dry or emerger — these fish see a lot of pressure and leader diameter matters. Keep your approach low and slow on the clear-water flats.
Main Species
Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Mountain Whitefish
