The Crooked is flowing at 94 cfs and a cool 48 degrees, trout are happy and hungry with guides reporting some great days out on the water. We are seeing PMDs still and BWOs have been strong in the afternoons. Look for the fish to start keying into bugs as early as 11am and continue until the sun gets off the water and the canyon begins to cool. A dry dropper rig is a great way to get your nymphs in the water without spooking any fish and fish a dry fly for the hatch all at the time. Using 5x fluro for the dropper and nylon 5x for the dry on top, fish are not insanely picky but the lighter approach will give you more opportunities than not. We have been having good success closer to the damn and on the days when the hatch is strong the fishing can be lights out. If the hatch is a little light and the fish don’t seem to quite key into the bugs a variety of nymphs fished under an indicator or a tight line presentation will do the trick, think small and black making sure to get those flies deep enough.
Suggested Dries: Sparkle Dun BWO #18-22, Tilt Wing BWO #16-20, Carlson’s Olive Haze #18-22, Purple Haze #18-22, Sparkle Dun PMD #16-20, Tilt Wing PMD #16-20, Parachute PMD #16-20, Parachute Adams #16-22
Suggested Nymphs: Red or Black Winkers Midge #18-22, Red or Black Zebra Midge #18-22, Red or Black Two Bit Hooker #16-20, Olive Micro Mayfly #18-20, Olive Anato-May #16-20, Olive Soft Hackle #16-20, Black or Red Copper John #16-20, Jigged Hare’s Ear #14-16, Jigged CDC PT #14-16, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-18, Tan Ray Charles #18