The river is beautiful as always with new snow. It is flowing at 90 cfs, clear and 38.5 degrees. The fishing has been best with nymphs in the #16-18 size. The best nymph colors have been olive, red, cream, and red. I have also been fishing many streamer patterns such as the Baby Gonga, Dragon Bond, and Slump Busters. With the snow and cold temperatures the trails are very dangerous and slippery so make sure you have studs or a wading staff to walk the trails.
We will be closed on Sunday the 16th due to weather conditions and Monday the 17th in observance of MLK day.
We have just restocked our reel case with some beautiful Abel Vaya’s. There is simply no other reel like it. The Vaya is one of our favorite reels here at Backwater Angler not only for its stunning looks but also for it durability and technology. Crafted by avid Colorado anglers, the VAYA series debuts an all-new technical look and feel paired with outstanding performance. The partially-ported VAYA frame offers the unique combination of minimized weight, incredible rigidity, and just enough surface area to highlight Abel’s hand-anodized finishes. The frame interior also features varying sets of CNC-milled fly patterns, relevant to each size of reel. The large-arbor spool features a precision-balanced, dual-pawl drag engagement design that eliminates the need for a counterweight. The spool’s mechanical incoming click compliments the audible, smooth feel of the outgoing drag. The carbon / stainless multi-disk drag system produces substantial resistance, while providing a wide range of adjustability for delicate tippet.
https://backwaterangler.com/product/underwood-on-the-hunt-slate-gray-vaya-7-8-reel/
https://backwaterangler.com/product/underwood-on-the-hunt-deep-green-vaya-5-6-reel/
The river is running at 61 cfs and the temperature is 41 degrees. Over this last week with the colder temperatures and snow the river has dropped in temperature and has raised in flows. have been fishing a lot of small zebra midge patterns and also some small dry flies such as a sz 20 Griffiths gnat or a very small parachute style fly. although it has not been as productive the past couple of days, streamer fishing has been pretty good as well. Black and olive buggers have been working best with the occasional Maddison sculpin picking up a few fish here and there.
We will be closed Sunday January 9th due to harsh weather conditions
Recently we received three new Scott Centrics this week at Backwater Angler: The 9 foot 4 weight, 9 foot 5 weight, and 10 foot 4 wight, all 4 piece rods. Each rod provides advantages in different situations and are Scott’s top of the line rods.
The 10 foot 4 weight is the most specialized of the three rods. The extra length makes it ideal to use for nymphing, both tight-line and indicator nymphing. The tip section provides enough sensitivity to use for tight-line nymphing, however still has the back-bone to lift heavy nymph rigs and cast them upstream. The biggest advantage of the extra length is the ability to mend over currents to provide yourself with the best drift. Although this rod may be ideal for nymphing, it does cast a dry fly very well. The extra length requires a slower cast to unroll longer casts.
Both the 9 foot 4 and 5 weight rods are going to be the best all-around rod you can find. Both rods will be efficient in streamer, dryfly, and nymph fishing. The 4 weight is going to handle the bigger streamers and nymph rigs slightly worse than a 5 weight, however the extra sensitivity will help you maneuver your flies in smaller water. Both are strong enough to stand up against the bigger water and fish. Whether you need a 4 or a 5 weight rod truly comes down to what water you fish the most, but either option will provide an excellent fishing experience on the water. 
If you are interested in getting one of these rods please stop by the shop or order online and we’ll get it shipped out as soon as possible.
The river is flowing at 138cfs and the temperature is 45 degrees, both dropping quickly with the cold front hitting today. The Gunpowder has been fishing best with streamers and small nymphs. With the cold streamer fishing could slow down, but with the water being higher fish may still be active enough to chase a bigger fly. Some patterns that have been effective have been the slump buster, grey ghost, and wooly buggers.
Nymphing should be the go-to tactic if you want to maximize the amount of fish caught in the winter months. The most effective patterns have been those imitating midges: Zebra midges, WD-40s, etc. We often pair these with a hare’s ear or a euro-style nymph to help get the smaller flies down. It’s best to target the faster runs because there will be more food available so fish will eat more readily.
As always, keep a look out for the redds on the river, especially through the areas with more gravel.