Its Hot, Real Hot - BWO Hour on the Fork Glenwood’s Clear-Water Bite

If you like honest water and visible eats, this is your week.
Clear flows, low pressure, and a lunchtime BWO trickle are turning careful drifts into confident head shakes.

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Conditions Summary

Midday sun wakes the river and kicks off a thin but reliable BWO window. Work nymphs along soft edges late morning, switch to small dries when you see noses, then probe banks with meat as the shadows stretch.

• Flow: 523 CFS ↓
• Water Temp: cold mornings, warming mid-day
• Air Temp (5-day): low 20s to low 60s, mostly clear
• Clarity: Clear
• Pressure: Low
• Best Times: 11 AM – 3 PM
• Dry Fly Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Nymph Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Streamer Score: ⭐⭐⭐

Hatch Chart (This Month)

• Blue-Winged Olives #18–20 — When: 11 AM–2 PM — How: film-level emergers and soft-hackle swing through the drift line
• October Caddis #14 — When: last light — How: skate or twitch near banks and tailouts

Top Flies (Late Oct / Early Nov)

Dry Flies

• Parachute BWO #18 — Best rig: single on 6X, 10–12 ft leader — How: dead-drift with tiny downstream mends over soft seams
• CDC BWO Emerger #20 — Best rig: dry-dropper with 18–24 in drop — How: let it ride just in/under the film during the cloud bursts
• October Caddis #14 — Best rig: single on 4X at dusk — How: short skate across foam lines near banks

Nymphs

• Flashback Pheasant Tail #18 — Best rig: anchor to a WD-40 with micro split shot — How: tick bottom on inside seams late morning
• WD-40 (Olive) #20–22 — Best rig: trailer 10–12 in behind PT or Two-Bit — How: mid-column through the BWO window
• Two-Bit Hooker #16 — Best rig: lead fly under a small yarn indicator — How: target walking-speed troughs and drop-offs

Streamer

• Brown Woolly Bugger or Sculpzilla #8–10 — Best rig: single on 3X — How: short strips, long pauses tight to structure as shade hits the bank

Tips for Fishing the Roaring Fork (Glenwood)

• Work inside seams first; big current moves hide soft lanes.
• Dry-dropper shines from noon to 2 — don’t over-weight it.
• Keep casts short and accurate; long drifts drag in this flow.
• Use 6X for BWOs, bump to 3X for streamers.
• Last hour is streamer hour — cover water and angle low to the bank.

Access Points

Two Rivers Park (downstream edges); easy entry, classic soft seams near confluences
20th Street Wave (soft lanes); nymph the inside edge, dries when noses show
Veltus Park (deep bends); BWO emerger lane mid-day, streamer banks late
West Bank to New Castle (float or big walks); long soft banks and woody structure for afternoon meat

Local Regulations & Notes

Artificial flies and lures only in many reaches; check regs by segment.
Mind private property — many banks are posted below Glenwood.
Wader safety: clear but pushy current at 523 CFS; pick conservative crossings.

FAQ

Q: What time should I start?
A: Sleep in. Nymph late morning, BWO window 11–2, streamers at last light.

Q: Best all-day rig?
A: PT #18 to WD-40 #20 under a micro yarn indicator, tiny shot 12 in up.

Q: Are caddis still relevant?
A: Briefly at dusk; skate a #14 October Caddis on sunny evenings.

Q: Can I sight-fish?
A: Yes — clarity is excellent. Watch soft edges and tailouts for cruisers.

Q: Indicator or tight-line?
A: Indicators on broader seams; tight-line in near-bank pockets and slots.

Q: What tippet?
A: 6X for BWOs and emergers, 5X for nymphs, 3X for streamers.

Q: Wading or float?
A: Both work. At this flow, wade carefully; floats cover more soft banks for meat.

Q: Wind plan?
A: Drop to nymphs with a slightly bigger indicator and shorten leaders to 9–10 ft.

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