We got a little bit of snow and more is forecasted for the rest of the week here in the high country. These storms are a bit warmer, so low temps will be around the freezing level while the highs will remain close to the 50 degree mark.

These storms may bring some new fish into the river. Crowley Lake has been rising and there is a solid connection to the river for the new rainbows to migrate upstream. The fish currently in the river are still very spread out and covering water to find them is still key. You must stay on the tails or downstream of these fish currently to avoid spooking them. They have seen a lot of flies and anglers, so switching it up and thinking outside the box can be effective in fooling these rascals. The baetis hatch has been coming off very solidly in the early afternoon when the weather warms. Casting #18-20 mayfly patterns will get some takes for the wild and hatchery surface feeders. Egg patterns, San Juan worms, Crystal Leeches, midges, assassins, and flashback PT’s have been very effective flies when presented properly. Historically in past years, mid to late December has seen good numbers of migratory fish move into the river. We are looking forward to many of these fish returning to the river for the fall spawn soon. Here are a few of the fish from last year in December around this time.