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Dentry: Brief appearance for runoff season

Published May 16, 2007 at midnight

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Rivers revved up late last week, so it's off to the tailwaters for most trout-stream anglers. But their retreat probably won't last long.

Runoff ramped up Thursday and soared during the hot spell last weekend. But snowpacks are below normal for most of western Colorado.

Mike Gillespie, snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, says he anticipates a brief runoff season.

"There's so little snow left up there that I expect runoff to drop off in the next week or so in rivers like the Yampa, White, Gunnison and San Juan, instead of continuing into June," Gillespie said.

The South Platte River Basin is strongest, at 104 percent of average snow/ water equivalency. But the statewide snowpack stands at a poor 57 percent.

The Yampa River is lowest, 29 percent of average. The Gunnison River Basin has slipped to 44 percent. The upper Colorado and Rio Grande rivers each stand at 60 percent. The only basin besides the South Platte that is faring reasonably well is the Arkansas River, 88 percent.

Despite the modest water situation, last weekend's swift melt left rivers muddied, swollen and, in some cases, unfishable.

The Colorado River at Kremmling rose from a flow 800 cubic feet per second Thursday to 1,280 on Tuesday. The Eagle River more than doubled in volume, squelching a dense Mother's Day caddis hatch that had anglers raving.

Flows in the lower Roaring Fork tripled, to more than 3,000 cfs, with poor visibility. However, fly shops reported that anglers casting streamers tight to the banks were catching fish in the Fork's upper reaches, from Aspen to Basalt.

Fishing the edges is the way to go if you must challenge rivers in their brawny state. Trout typically hug the banks and sulk in eddies when rivers roll.

Runoff is a good time for fly fishers standing on shore to employ streamers, flashy nymphs, attractor dry flies and San Juan Worms.

Muddy currents also favor spin fishers.

Runoff comes in pulses that react to the length of time it takes daily snowmelt on the higher slopes to filter down to a river's main stem.

The delay usually means today's melt will swell the river tomorrow morning. But currents will be a tad clearer and more fishable in the evenings.

Of course, rain can muddy the waters and ruin the best laid plans.

WHILE YOU WAIT: Tailwaters are the answer to runoff frustration. Wherever currents are regulated by dams, anglers have alternatives to bench sitting.

Take Cheesman Canyon, the heavily trodden, world-class stretch of the South Platte River.

"The river is gin clear in the canyon," said Danny Brennan, the new owner of the Flies and Lies shop in Deckers.

Brennan said the river in the canyon stayed clear despite rainy days and high dam releases of 500 cfs. He said Denver Water planned to drop those releases to 450 cfs.

Trout have been rising to blue-winged olive mayflies, particularly after 1:30 p.m. on cloudy days. Cased caddis also are abundant in the river and emerging most evenings.

In the Frying Pan River, releases from Ruedi Reservoir have been holding at 128 cfs, currents are clear and BWO hatches have been dense on cloudy days.

It's understood that such quality fishing retreats can get crowded during runoff. The good news is, the wait should be short this year.Fishing hot spot: Steamboat Lake

• Why here? The lake offers good springtime fishing in a scenic mountain setting during a popular resort area's offseason.

• What's hot? Larger-than- average trout are cruising along the shore and inlet areas.

• Tackle box: Olive Woolly Buggers, Dardevles, Rooster Tail and Mepps spinners, Power Bait and worms.

• How to get there: From Denver, take U.S. 40 to Steamboat Springs. Travel two miles west of town to County Road 129, turn right and head 26 miles to the lake.

• Ask the experts: Steamboat Lake State Park, 970-879-3922.

• Fishing report: For the Colorado Division of Wildlife's complete fishing report, visit Rocky MountainNews.com/fishing.