5/10/2026: Clear Creek

Current Conditions:

Flows on Clear Creek were holding around 95 cfs today. The water was slightly elevated and carried a bit of color following a few passing storms that rolled through the area last night.

While we caught a glimpse of the fabeled Mother’s Day Caddis hatch - with quite a few adult Caddis buzzing about on the surface - the fish seemed rather uninspired. Despite the elevated bug activity, we made no contact on Caddis in any stage of their hatch cycle. 

A quick look under the rocks confirmed that the food sources are still diverse; we found a healthy population of mayfly nymphs and some robust stoneflies holding steady.

The fishing was undeniably tough, with the crew throeing everything we had at them. Most started with some kind of dry dopper rig, ultimately opting for a plof and drop oros approach towards the end of the session. In the end, it was a "scratch" kind of day, with everyone working hard to grind out a few fish by the time we packed it in.

Interestingly, while the oxygenated riffles looked like the logical place for active fish given the rising temps and the active hatch, they were surprisingly quiet. The slower, deeper runs still proved to be the money maker, housing the few opportunistic fish willing to commit to a well-drifted nymph.

Flies of the Day:

sz16 Hare's Ear

sz20 Black RS-2

Overall:

A challenging day on Clear Creek that required a lot of grit. Even with a major hatch in the air, the fish remained stubborn, rewarding those who slowed down and focused on the deep, soft stuff rather than the faster pocket water or walking-speed riffles.