FLY FISHING THE HEADWATERS OF THE SOUTH BOULDER CREEK - ROLLINS PASS, CO (JUNE 2014)

It's been spring runoff around these parts for the last month and a half. It began at the start of May with chocolate milk-looking rivers that swelled to their banks, but luckily with no serious flooding this year. We had our share of flooding in Boulder County in September 2013 with 24 inches of rain falling in 12 hours and destroying the bug life across much of our river fisheries, not to mention all of the roads that access the high country. Since the runoff started, the weather has been great, so without fly fishing, I've simply been working on the garden, biding my time.

When the runoff begins to subside, the first place to access is generally the high country, usually above 11,000 feet. With all of the Colorado snow this year (nearly 200% snowpack in some places), local fly fishing guides have been spreading the word that the high alpine likes are mostly still frozen. Flow rates started to come down this week and since it's already mid-June, I figured I would take a peek at the alpine lakes above Rollins Pass (the 4 Crater lakes and Clayton Lake).

The valley approach made it look like a promising wager on the way in. The hike from the parking lot at the tunnel leading up to the trail turnoff for Crater Lake was beautiful, but it was all snowshoeing once I got into the trees. Once I reached the lakes, it was clear that I was too early this season. Frozen lakes, even the lake outlets, with easily 4-5 feet of snow on the ice. Current plans are to check back in a couple of weeks.

 

I bailed from the high alpine and headed back to the car to fish the winding meanders of the South Boulder Creek that flow passed the small town of Rollinsville. This section of river holds all four species of trout (brook, cutthroat, rainbow, brown). The water was still high, but surprisingly clear and certainly fishable. Having spent most of the day on the approach and descent for the alpine lakes, I only had a couple of hours to fish, but it proved worthwhile. I found a deep hole still west of town under the bridge that crosses to the south side of the river, where about fifteen fish, including some big trout (20+ inches), were lined up in a feeding lane on a back eddy below some falls. I had success feeding them a Golden Pat's Rubber Legs (size 12) and blue poison tungsten midge (size 16). The markings on the bows up there are impressive.



Adolescent rainbow