The lower third of the Fryingpan River blew out Monday morning, abruptly changing fishermen's plans and suggesting a temporary name change for the valley downstream.

The Roaring Fork Valley from Basalt to Glenwood Springs could call itself the Red River Valley.

The trouble started when a huge predawn flash flood roared down Seven Castles Creek into the Fryingpan four miles upstream from Basalt.

The torrent reddened the Fryingpan with heavy sediment from the landmark Seven Castles cliffs basin. The flood tore out a bridge leading to private residences and changed the river's course where it enters the Fryingpan.

Brick-red mud blocked the Fryingpan Road, but road crews cleaned that mess up early Monday, restoring motor access to some eight miles of clear currents upstream to Ruedi Dam.

Fishing guides Tuesday described the lower Fryingpan and the lower Roaring Fork downstream from the two rivers' confluence as unfishable and likely to remain so for several days.

"It's pretty ugly," said Art Rowell, manager of Fryingpan Anglers in Basalt. Rowell said a witness told him he had seen a few dead trout.

Tom Trowbridge, of Alpine Angling in Carbondale, said flows emerging from the Fryingpan River have muddied the entire lower course of the Roaring Fork.

"Basically, it's a kind of reddish latte," he said. "The Fork is blown out from the Fryingpan all the way to the Colorado River."

Rick Lofaro, director of the Roaring Fork Conservancy, said the red murk also extends for miles down the Colorado River.

He described the flood as a historical event on the Fryingpan, which has seen many such floods from Seven Castles.

A similar washout happened in July 1998. Some fish died and sediment smothered organisms upon which trout feed. But the Fryingpan cleared up in a few days and gradually healed.

"This is worse because of the severity of the fill that has entered the river and is still there," Lofaro said.

He said a former guide and longtime resident of the Roaring Fork Valley told him the Colorado River was running red all the way to New Castle, something he had never seen before.

"It's hard to predict how long it will take for things to clear up, but just off the cuff I'm saying it may be two or three weeks," Lofaro said.

After that, some significant cleanup efforts probably will be called for. Lofaro said the RFC already has discussed asking the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates Ruedi Dam, to release enough water to flush the Fryingpan clean at some point.

Despite all the red murk in the lower Pan and Fork, the upper reaches of both rivers are unaffected and are fishing normally.

"Fishing has been good in the Fryingpan, where the waters clear above Mile Marker 4," Trowbridge said. "And above Basalt, the fishing in the Roaring Fork has been very good."

Dan McMahon, of the Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt, said the Fryingpan Road is open and trout have been rising to pale morning dun and green drake mayflies from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

He said anglers fishing the Roaring Fork upstream from Basalt have fared well with dry/droppers rigged with caddis patterns and beadhead Prince Nymphs.

To many, the Mississippi-like flow grumbling downstream is mere mild distraction.

dentrye@RockyMountainNews.com