Blue River - Silverthorne

Flows on the Blue have held steady since the end of last month and water clarity is high. While flows are in line with the historical average for this time of year, the water is low and trout are spooky and selective. As such, small and simple nymph rigs with midge and/or baetis imitations will produce the most consistent results. While traditional attractors like a Rainbow Warrior, Frenchie, Flashback PT or Copper John will be effective, you’ll want to try to mix it up with something these picky trout don’t see everyday. Perdigons or anything in the tungsten bead/soft hackle variety should produce at the lead position. Otherwise, when it comes to trailer flies, you’ll want to stick with larval patterns in the early hours and fish them in the deepest water columns. Trout will hug the banks and feed in the slack water in the early hours of the day, but as water temps rise they will move into the deeper pools and slow runs and feed on emerging bugs. Zebra Midges, Black Beauties, Tube Midges, Medallion Midges, Money Midges, Top Secrets, JuJu Baetis, Darth Baetis, Stalcup’s Baetis and WD-40s have all been effective as of late. Conditions through the weekend are near ideal given stable air pressure and mild temps. Sun exposure will leave trout skittish and on edge, but make for better sight fishing. On Sunday (12/5), the weather will begin to turn cooler with a low pressure storm moving in. However, temps will be comparatively mild midday and productivity should hold. On Mon (12/6) and Tues (12/7), expect some sporadic snow and a slower start to the day. During this time, you’ll want to break out those bigger lead flies and keep an eye on midge hatch activity.