The Yampa
There is often only a short period of spring hatches of BWOs in the Steamboat area before the river rises in late April or early May. Early Grannom caddis hatches (the Mother’s Day Caddis hatch) and the PMD hatches of June are usually swallowed up by high water in the Steamboat area, but are strong below Stagecoach Reservoir—especially in the Service Creek SWA.
Steamboat reported over 420 inches of accumulated snow over its 3,000 acres of terrain late in the spring of 2006, so the regular two months of runoff on the Yampa (May and June) may extend into July this year. Stagecoach is a small reservoir located upstream of most of the Yampa’s tributaries and does little to regulate the stream flow when snow is melting.
After runoff, caddis, Tricos, and terrestrials are the most important summer hatches. Henderson says the evening micro-caddis hatch just before dark is as close to a sure thing as you get on the Yampa. When the sun starts to set, the trout use the last 15 to 30 minutes of waning light to feed on #18-22 caddis. Use the low light to get as close as possible to the trout for accurate presentations with simple X-Caddis or CDC Caddis patterns. The trout won’t move for a small caddis in low light—you’ll have to drift it right into their mouths.
Tricos are the most important summer mayfly hatch. They start showing up in July, but the fish don’t start focusing on them until the heavier hatches of August. The insects start hatching in the early morning, and the spinner falls happen at about 11 A.M.—earlier if the morning is especially hot, later in the day if it is cool. In September, the Trico spinner fall can overlap afternoon BWO hatches. A late-morning or early afternoon hatch of Mahogany Duns—a chocolate #12-14 insect the trout recognize and relish—also happens in September.
Fish #20-24 Pablo’s Cripples for the hatching and spent Tricos, Parachute BWOs for the Baetis, and sparse dark-bodied parachute dry flies for the Mahogany Duns.
Terrestrials such as ants, beetles, and grasshoppers work well from the middle of July through October. Hay fields, trees, parks, and grasslands border the Yampa, and terrestrial insects make up an important part of the trout’s diet. An ant or hopper fished during a Trico hatch can bring aggressive strikes from otherwise difficult fish.
After the Tricos stop hatching in late September, BWOs continue through October, and then the dry-fly fishing winds down for the season. Nymphing and streamer fishing can be great in the low, cool water of October. In November, the fish start to congregate in the slow, deep wintering holes where they are susceptible to both nymphs and streamers.
The Yampa is one of Colorado’s best trout rivers, and the efforts of the YVFF and local businesses have done much to improve this fishery. Support the YVFF and local business if you can, and show your appreciation by treating their water with respect when you visit.
Ross Purnell is the editorial director at Fly Fisherman magazine. He lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, for seven years before moving to Palmyra, Pennsylvania.
Local Contacts
Bucking Rainbow Outfitters
(970) 879-8747
buckingrainbow.com
Steamboat Flyfisher
(970) 879-6552
steamboatflyfisher.com
Yampa River Outfitters
(970) 846-6835
Straightline Outdoor Sports
(970) 879-7568
straightlinesports.com
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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