Fishin' Missions

Snowy Rainbows of the San Juan

2012-02-24T15:40:00.002-08:00

2/19/2012

After waking up early to find the excited troops already stirring, I was pumped. Greg, Timmy and I were off fairly quickly, and out the door of the cabin by 7am. Google maps told us it would take a little over 2.5 hours, so I must have been excited since we pulled up to Abe's Fly Shop around 9:05 (after pulling over to pull out a minivan from a snowdrift). We got the licenses and were off, back up the road toward the tailwater.

For my first time there, I was incredibly surprised by the size of the river. I expected a large river, but did not expect to see one this large and relatively slow moving. We pulled up to the top pullout, closest to the spillway to become the 7th car in the lot. Greg and I rigged up quickly, and made out way down the zigzagging ice luge and then through the thick willows. Timmy was moving like a snail, so we left him behind and told him to meet us on the river.

First San Juan Rainbow into the net

Once we made it to the river, we could see Timmy still up at the truck. Full of excitement, we trudged into the river hoping that we would have some in the net by the time Timmy made it on the river. Not able to identify any particular seam or deep section, Greg and I made our way out into the middle of the river directly after it came back together from two braids around an island. The water had an off-green color, that did not really allow you to know the depth. I set up about 20 yards ahead of Greg, and began aimlessly casting upstream and to my sides as I watched intently for any signs of where the fish were hiding. I knew my chances were good to hook up with the blind casting technique, since there are over 10,000 fish per mile in these sections. Thankfully, I noticed a small bump in my small white indicator within five minutes, and pulled in a nice rainbow. At about the same time, a small, I mean tiny, midge hatch started and the fish were paying attention to the adults floating on top.

Beautiful colors and spots!

Healthy San Juan Rainbow

Since I did not have a robust arsenal of dries (after they all were stolen from my truck back in December), I tried various emergers paired with midge larva. Within the first hour, I had nearly 10 hookups, with 5-6 to the net on various flies. The day was looking great when things really shut off. I switched between many #22-24 midge larva patterns in red, orange, green black and grey, trying to see what the ticket was. I also tried various patterns with some flash, whether it was a flash wing, a bead, or a flashy body, but nothing seemed to be getting more love than the other. The number of bent rods throughout the river was decreasing as well, making me feel slightly (only barely) better, that I too, was struggling to get any action.

San Juan Rainbow

As the action slowed down and the wind really picked up, I tried swinging streamers with no love whatsoever, and finally tried some of the dries that I had in my one remaining box of dries. Thankfully I did have small flies, down to #22, but I still thought those would be seen as enormous compared to the tiny #26's floating by. To add to the dilema, I did not have any midges, so I tried tying on a #22 spent trico after clipping the tails. I also tied on a tiny black attractor with an olive green tail that I also trimmed down. I could not help myself from targeting the risers that were coming up in all directions, sporadically, sometimes within 15' of me. To my surprise, they did take notice, although the love came in more refusals than hook ups. I was able to land 2 on the dries, and lose another 4 that I hooked into. Regardless, it was more fun to go down in flames trying than to have no love with the nymphs.

The midge/larva box with flies from 20-24

The cold temps and heavy wind was slowly taking its toll on the fisherman. We were trying our hardest to hang in there and not become a casualty for the day, as the river was slowly clearing out. Thankfully, Greg packed a backpack full of beer that we drank in between our jumping jacks and jogging sessions on the shore to try and regain feeling in our lower extremities. It appeared to work as we were in great spirits once the wind died down. Just as the wind died, small dimples were appearing across the river, a nice gesture from the fishing gods to remind us why we brave the cold. The three of us split up again, over about 150' to try our luck. Together, we were able to hook into some fish on the dries, but could not get any to the net. The wind started up again, this time from another direction, and did not seem to have any breaks in it like it did earlier. I tied back on the nymphs in a final hail mary attempt, and was able to coax one nice rainbow to the net. When the snowflakes were coming in sideways, and the size of quarters, we decided to hit the road back to the cabin.

Now that I have experienced this river, I am excited to come back with an arsenal of small flies, and more layers to brave the cold and find the elusive San Juan Monster. Hasta Pronto San Juan...

Elevenmile means many more winter fish!

2012-02-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

Driving out of Elevenmile Canyon

I finally made the trek down to the famous Elevenmile Canyon this past Sunday, 2/12/12, which turned out to be a great decision. After talking with Dave and Greg over at Charlie's Fly Box for some advice, as well as pouring over as many (nearly) up to date fishing reports from various shops, guide services, and online forums, I thought I had it all dialed in for some success.

Rigging up next to the river

The weather was also going to be great, hovering in the mid-30's with occasional snow showers throughout the day. The best part, wind was supposed to stay below 8-9 mph, making it ideal for sight fishing for these picky trout. After the nice drive down there in the new truck, I drove into the canyon around 10am to find only one other car at the pullout closest to the spillway. I stopped and talked to the gentleman as he was rigging up, and gathered a little more intel before I drove down to the next bridge and rigged up.

First fish! Nice bow on a red midge larva

Using all of the info I was able to hear/read, I knew nymphing was going to be key early on, but if the sun opened up, there would be great chances with some dry adult midges. I started using a small, size 20 beadhead pheasant tail, trailed by a size 24 red midge larva with a black head. Within 5 minutes I missed one take, and landed one nice 14" rainbow on the midge larva. I was in heaven, thinking to myself the day was going to be amazing, losing count of fish since I was off to a great start. Rookie mistake. Just as it seems to be bad luck when you hook into a fish at the boat launch, this little spur of action turned out to be just that, a little, random spike in activity. For about an hour, I moved stealthily through the flats, attempting to send splash-less casts to the visible trout. I continued to get attention, but the refusals were adding up so I continued to change my tactics.

Another nice bow

As I slowly moved upstream, I continued to change my flies and change the depth of my strike indicator (I was using the smallest white thingamabobber). Finally I found some actively feeding fish which also enjoyed my flies. Using a black/gray jujubee midge #22, with a small cream/tan colored midge larva with a clear glass bead, I was finally back on the fish. Even though some adult midges were beginning to show us as the sun was coming over the canyon wall, the fish was actively feeding on the emerging insects and they were clearly interested in these flies.

Fishing the flat section

I was quickly reminded just how fun a tricky tail water can be when you finally figure out the right combo. I meticulously worked my way up the run, casting in front of feeding fish. The combo of their comfort with anglers in close proximity, as well as their current feeding frenzy, I was having a blast high-sticking to them merely 10 feet away from me. It was difficult not to lose focus, and try casting further upstream as I was witnessing many fish zigzagging back and forth as they were gorging. I needed to remind myself that I needed to pick the fish from the back first, and slowly work upstream, or I risk spooking all of the fish and losing out entirely.

Eager Cuttie

The highlight came when a nice 16" cutthroat moved out from the deep section, about 8 feet in front of me and was chasing food like crazy. I watched him for a minute or two, to determine how exact my drift needed to be. I cast about 5 feet ahead of him, and the single split dropped the flies right in front of him and started to take them about a foot to his side. Right when I thought they had drifted past him, he turned abruptly and I saw the classic wink, his mouth open and shut. Without feeling any tension, I set the hook and he bolted upstream. Awesome!

This frenzy lasted for about an hour and a half, and slowly tapered off. By this point, the sun had disappeared, and my feet were frozen so I walked back to the truck to eat some snacks and warm up a bit. Once I made it back on the water, I saw some nice sections of water, but could not see through the glare. For the first time of the day, I tried blind casting into some nice looking runs, just as they spilled out from some larger boulders in the middle of the stream. Second cast, I thought I hooked into a monster, as the indicator stopped in its tracks. I set hard, only to find that I did hook a monster, a nice ~40lb boulder. Snap went the 6x flouro, and I figured I would completely change up some flies. I tied on a fly I had picked up last year at Cutthroat Anglers, a somewhat combination of a short/stout hares ear with a flashwing prince. This thing is pretty heavy, so I removed the split shot and tied on a red sparkly midge larva. First cast with the rig, the indicator stopped again, and I had hooked into a nice energetic rainbow. For the next 40 or so minutes, I continued up the section, blind casting into the glare, and hooking into many fish between 13-16".

Overall a great day on the water! I am now a big fan of Elevenmile Canyon and recommend you get out there if you can! Visitors to the net included many rainbows, a few cutties, and one fat brown.

Fatty brown... Probably a larger circumference than length

Flies and Setups to Use: SMALL! Size 22-24 midge larva, especially in grey, black, tan and cream tied onto 6x flouro. Combos of those colors also worked really well! When the adults were flying, and there were sporadic risers, I made sure my nymphs had small wing cases which worked out well. In the late afternoon, the fish really liked the slightly more flashy beadhead options, size 18-20.

Leader, Strike Indicator and Split Shot: I had about 6' to the strike indicator, which was consistently above water as I high-sticked. For my leader, I used a very long leader, which I typically do while fishing heavily pressured tail waters. I tied on a 9' 5x leader, and attached about 4' of 6x flouro. From there I tied my first fly, and trailed the second about 20" behind the first. Water was not rushing, and the fish were in the slower water, so a beadhead was sufficient to get the nymphs down. When I used two small midges, I pinched on a small splitshot about 16-20" above the lead fly.

Cure for the Common Virus

2012-01-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Fly Fishing Virus

Jimmy Moore

There is a new virus -- code name is "work." If you receive "work" from your colleagues, your boss, via e-mail or any one else, do not touch "work" under any circumstances. This virus wipes out your private life completely. If you should happen to come in contact with this virus follow these steps:

1. Put on your fly fishing vest and take a good friend and go straight to the nearest stream.

2. About the 5th cast you will find that "work" has been completely deleted from your brain.

3. After leaving the stream, stop by your favorite fly shop and talk fly fishing. This will further erase "work" from your mind.

4. Go to your favorite pub/bar and imbibe a little, while talking fly fishing. Work" will now be completely gone from your mind.

5. Tomorrow, instead of going to "work" go fishing. Your boss will understand. The hell he/she will !

6. If you get fired, you might have to fish to put food on the table.

So . . . . . it's off to "work" we go until retirement. "working" ain't fun, but it's necessary.

From the Ground Up - Photo Journal of the Cabin Construction

2011-12-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Throughout my life I have only hoped to have a cabin on or near some primo fishing and hunting. Over the course of the last few years, my dad purchased two lots of land, equaling nearly ten acres, along the Conejos River with hopes of constructing a hunting/fishing headquarters for the family. Last spring we had the well drilled, road constructed and archway built while toying with the idea of cabins, meanwhile I did not think it would be a reality for some time.

Drill rig after installing the well - December 2010

End of the road at the end of the property... Future site of the cabin

Wapeti Archway courtesy of Jimmy Duran

Right after I got back to Eagle from PA this past spring, my dad calls and informs me he set up a meeting with an Amish cabin builder named Ivan Miller. I was shocked that my dad was going forward with it so quickly, but was very excited none the less. In a little over a couple weeks, we had a contract signed and blueprints drawn.

Finding the right logs

Construction began at Ivan's home by constructing the first floor of the cabin, Lincoln Log style. While this was taking place, my dad and some close friends in Mogote chose the location for the cabin on one of the lots. Once the foundation was set and the pieces of the first floor were labeled, they were packed up and moved to the property in late July.

As my season continued to keep me wrapped up in Eagle, my pops took care of overseeing the construction. Since the cabin and property are in my sister's and my name, I had to make sure to stay up to date with deadlines for permits and contractors for all aspects of the final product. By the end of September, I was the point person for the electrician, plumber, stone worker and cabin builder. I was excited to get down to the property in early October to be there and help out first hand as the "final touches" were being made.

Dad and Gabe checking out the progress

Before there were walls

Looking out to the river!!!

In one bedroom, looking to the other room, bathroom and loft

This is when all of the chaos with my dad's health took place, so I found myself trying to stay informed with the construction while I was with family down in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. During my dad's last couple of weeks, he stressed how important this project was to him and insisted that I take the reigns to ensure all of the work completed exceeded all expectations.

Spray-Foam insulation - Going to stay ROASTY in the winter!

La Estufita de la Casa - Source of the heat

Seeing the tongue-n-groove come together

Some of the first snow, cabin is nearly fully sealed up!

Beginnings of the kitchen counter

View of upstairs from loft

Soon after my dad's passing, I found that I would be the busiest I had been yet, making sure all of the t's were crossed and i's dotted with the final touches. The biggest pain has been dealing with Xcel Energy who dragged their feet with setting up power on the property. Basically a month and a half behind, we should have power on the property by this weekend.

Floors are in! Progress early December

Kass and I moved some furniture in. One step closer to it being completed!

With a couple more weeks before we plan to head up for the first official fiesta, I hope everything goes smoothly and all inspections are passed.

Loft view from bedroom

Finished product for stairway

I am excited to see the finished product very soon. I look forward to having this amazing cabin to use as a home base for many more hunting and fishing adventures. Thank you dad, for making your dream come true and in turn, helping your family share the love you had with the great outdoors.

The Most Beautiful Crappy Day

2011-12-01T14:30:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday morning I woke up knowing I was going to head out to one of my favorite places, Cheesman Canyon. The weather forecast could not have been better, low 60's and little to no wind. I made it to the Gill Trailhead only to find three more cars. Things were looking great and I was excited to throw my gear on and head out. I was on the river by 10:45 and enjoying the weather and being back in the canyon.

With the nice weather, I wish I could say there were small midges coming off, but instead there were TINY midges coming off. The fish weren't coming to the surface, but I could see them moving around pretty actively in the deeper seams and pools behind the rocks. I finally got some attention by using a size #22 Palamino Midge trailed by a #24 black RS2. Had a few takers on the RS2, and continued to switch out the lead fly in the nymph rig. The golden ticket came when I put on a #20 pheasant tail with the RS2 behind and I was able to pick up fish on each.

The fish were stacked up on one another in the deep pools, just on the edges of the main channel. I picked up some decent fish, all on the nymph rig. Throughout the day there would be the sporadic riser, but nothing to get excited about. It was clear the fish were feeding on the larva or emergers.

I couldn't help but enjoy the day spent outside in a short sleeved shirt, standing in the river, catching fish under the sun. Unfortunately things were about to change as I as wrapping up the day. I hiked out and made it back to the truck. As I was walking up to it, and noticed the back window was pushed out, and not locked like I had left it. Immediately I swelled with anger and fear as I opened up the back. My plastic tub with my flies and reels was gone.

When I moved back to Denver, I consolidated all of my reels and flies into that tub and did not think about it being a risk. In all of my years I have never heard of gear being targeted or stolen, and did not think twice about throwing the whole thing in the truck for the day.

This whole experience leaves an extremely bitter taste in my mouth. I can only help to think that this one instance is a wake up call that we can never become too comfortable. I have fallen guilty to overlooking risks that we should all be aware of. Even if you park in a 'fishing parking lot,' be conscious that there are the same risks as parking outside your house and only bring those things that you will need for the day. Never again will I have my entire arsenal of gear, even if it is only my reels, with me at one place.

I am now working with the insurance company (renter's insurance), trying to sort out everything I lost and how to prove it. As I am sure most fisherman do, I accumulated much of my gear little by little, over a period of years. Since it has been so long, I don't have receipts for those goods, but hopefully the pictures I have with the reels in action will suffice. If anyone has any advice, please feel free to respond.

In the meantime, maybe take a minute next time you are cleaning your gear out and snap a pic or two of it all, or even better, keep a detailed log with receipts of your items as well. If something ever happens with your cherished fishing gear, maybe that will help out.

A day to reflect, a day to enjoy

2011-11-17T15:21:00.001-08:00

Only a few weeks since my dad's passing, I found myself incredibly busy with the tasks that come with death of a loved one. Between moving into my new place in Denver along with taking care of some things in Santa Fe, I realized I had not been on the water since mid October. I think Kassie also noticed my change in attitude with everything going on, so as she walked out the door yesterday, she told me, "Whatever you do, get outside today. Even if you don't go fishing, get out there." I knew that was what I needed, and knew my dad would be happy to see me out there again.

I waited until Charlies Flybox opened, and stopped in to chat with Greg Garcia about the current hatches on S. Boulder Creek. As I expected, small midges, beatis and possibly some BWO's would come off if it warmed up enough. Regardless, it was nice to be back in the fly shop and talking the talk with fellow fisherman. I headed out toward Walkers Ranch Loop, and was at the trail head around 11am and on the water with the first colorful rainbow tugging not more than 25 minutes and 10 casts later. Water temps were chilly, registering at 42 degrees, but the sun was trying its hardest to stay above the canyon's rim.

About to drop down to the river

Spotted some deer on the side of the trail

I got on the water a little upstream from where the trail meets the river, instead of hiking downstream like I typically do. Even with the water temps low, the fish I was spotting were set up in the shallow water, both in the shade and sun, and seemed to be feeding actively even though I had not seen a bug. I tried a few different setups, but quickly found that they were interested in the flashy beadheads and small egg patterns. Olive micromays, beadhead pheasants and poison tungs size 18-22 were getting more love than the natural baetis and midge patterns I was using. I also grabbed a couple of fish on some a rainbow warrior.

I tried a few dries with no luck. Some fish rose from the depths to appear interested, but would only take the dropper. The double dropper nymph rig outperformed the dry dropper, so I chose to stick with that.

Enjoying a cold one celebrating the first one in the net

Colorful rainbow in deep holding water

Awesome patterned brownie from shallow fast water

The largest fish I coaxed to the net came in around 13", but they were all brilliantly colored and full of fight. I was very surprised to see how active they were considering how cold the water and air temps were. As I worked my way up the canyon, I had to bust the ice out of the eyelets on my rod about every 10 minutes. I only came across two other anglers, so as long as you can brave a little bit of cold, the fish are very willing to tug on your line with little to no pressure from other fisherman.

A day on the river was exactly what I needed to reflect on all that my dad provided me through the years. Growing up fishing with him, I can't help but think of all of the good times we shared stomping around Questa and Red River, NM, chasing browns, rainbows and cutties. Dad, thank you for everything, I truly appreciate it and will miss you more than you can imagine.

I can't wait to get back out there and grab some more fish. I will be heading down to the family cabin early next week to check the progress of the building and will hopefully wet some line. I suggest you all should do the same!

Nice pocket water with hungry fish waiting in every likely place!

More to come next week...

2011-11-10T06:53:00.001-08:00

I apologize for the lack of postings. The last month has been rough as I spent a lot of it in the hospital with my dad. He passed on October 23rd. I can only think back to my love of fly fishing being what it is due to my dad. He will be dearly missed and will always be there with me when I have that rod in my hand.

The Valley River Medley

2011-10-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Over the last week I fished the Colorado, Eagle, Roaring Fork as well as Troublesome Creek. Great days were had on each and here is what was working:

Colorado: Throwing nymph rigs with larger bugs like princes and pats was turning on once again. They were also taking smaller grey RS2's and BWO emergers. One of the more fun days was introducing a beginner angler to throwing streamers from the boat the whole day. He caught some very nice fish, all browns, and is now hooked.

Eagle: Using small RS2's, Beatis emergers and BWO emergers has been working the best. Closer to the evenings, Red Quills have been coming off like crazy so I have been using a red quill adult behind a high vis Parachute adams, allowing you to fish until dark. Streamers have also started working a little better, which will only get better as fall progresses.

Roaring Fork: I floated the upper stuff with some experienced anglers and had a blast! This section was moving fast in the small channels, so accurate casting was a must. Once we found the right recipe, the fishing was non-stop. Using a beadhead pheasant tail to bring it down, trailed with a mercury RS2, fish were constantly coming to the boat. Since the water was fast, I used a larger bead head to make sure it dropped fairly quickly. We landed some nice Rainbows, Browns, as well as one nice Whitey.

Troublesome: This private venue we offer may not be included on our menu of fishing options much longer. Due to the complexity of fishing this small stream, many clients believe they spend too much time in the trees than in the water. I was blessed to have taken a good friend, Topper there this week and really get after it. We caught countless fish, with many coming in between the 17"-21" mark. Using a large attractor with a small micro may did the job just right.

I am now gearing up for some elk hunting in Southern CO, where I will be spending substantial time exploring the Conejos River. I will keep you posted!

Fishing Update - Client Photos

2011-09-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

The season has been a great one and is still producing some amazing days on the water. Between spending time on the water guiding, hunting for Chanterelle and Bolete mushrooms, and chasing grouse in the mountains, I have neglected to post a fishing update in a few weeks. Here is where I have been fishing lately and a little bit about each place.

Lately I have been wade fishing the Eagle, Yampa Tailwater and Piney and I have also been floating the Colorado. There have been some big fish on dries, streamers and nymphs but the most fun has been the attention to the hoppers and larger attractor dries. Nothing beats seeing a large mouth come up to a dry! As the weather continues to change into fall, the fishing will continue to get better as the browns get ready to spawn. Even though the majority of the hatches are smaller bugs, the fish are eating plenty of them!

Bugs:

Tricos: On the Yampa, Colorado and the Eagle, Tricos have been showing up pretty regularly. The Yampa especially! Around 9:30-10:00am the fish begin to notice the tricos and begin feeding heavily on the emerging insects as well as the spinners. Fishing to trout eating the tricos can be difficult and sometimes frustrating due to the small size of the flies. Fishing a size 22-24 is common so you will have to fish it behind something larger to identify your strike. If the trout seem to be feeding all around your flies, try thinning your tippet size as well as using smaller flies. You can also try slightly sinking a spinner pattern under a dry fly you can see with great success.

Beatis: These small mayflies are along the Eagle in great numbers. Use small RS2's in Grey, Olive, Brown and Black to match the hatch. Size 20-24. My favorites are small soft hackle nymphs that you can swing at the end of the drift. Get ready for some tugs when your line is tight!

Blue Wing Olives: These guys have been showing up more and more on the Colorado and Eagle. I still go use various Adam's patterns and BWO emerger patterns to fool trout for this hatch. Some of my favorites include Barr's Emergers and RS2's.

Red Quills: They have been seen along the Eagle and the Colorado. I have tricked a few using Red Quill dries.

HOPPERS: Tis the season for the hopper. Any place where you have fields with some grass nearby, the hoppers are landing in the water and the trout are noticing them. I use various hopper and attractor dry fly patterns as my lead fly for this time of year.

Sharing Our Backyard

2011-09-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

This little blurb was inspired by an above average season of bear sightings for me. After only seeing a handful of black bears on my hiking, fishing and hunting excursions in years past, I have seen more than average this year. Between hiking, fishing and driving, I have come across nine different bears. After a few of the encounters got me within 20 feet of the bear, I felt I needed to brush up on my knowledge and tactics for when I see a bear. Here are the key things to remember:

Black bear I encountered on one of our private venues along the Eagle River

Use common sense! Don’t feed them and don’t give them a reason to get near you.
If traveling into bear country, expect to encounter a bear.
Create noise while walking to alert the bears in the area of your presence.
If you see a bear, speak calmly so the bear can identify you as a human. Back away from the bear slowly, maintaining sight on the bear.
Never back a bear into a corner. Some signals that you are too close:

The bear making popping noises with its jaw
The bear swatting the ground

Do not make direct eye contact, rather just keep the bear in your indirect sight.
DO NOT RUN. The bear will outrun you anyways, so don’t try.
If a bear stands up, this is not a sign he is about to attack. He is simply trying to get a better smell or view.
Back away slowly, creating more distance between you and the bear.

If the bear charges you:

Most likely the charge will be a bluff charge. This is meant to intimidate you and give you a chance to get out of there.
Continue to back away slowly.

If the bear makes contact:

Fight back with anything you can get your hands on. Binoculars, sticks, rocks, etc. At this point fighting back is the last resort.

Same black bear sniffing the air

Remember, having a black bear actually attack you is incredibly rare! Here are a few more stats:

A person is 180 times more likely to be killed by bees and160,000 times more likely to die in a car accident.
Bears eat mostly berries, nuts, grasses, carrion and insect larva.
Can swim, run and climb incredibly well.
Can run up to 35mph.
Range from 125 – 600 pounds, on average.
Give birth to 2-3 cubs every other year.
Can live to be 25 years old (18 year old average).
Are typically shy and will run away from any human.

Happy Clients!

2011-08-22T17:16:00.000-07:00

Phil with a nice 'bow

Another nice bow Phil!

John helping Baker bring in the lunkers!

Jack and Sarah - Great catching/netting team

Jack doing his thing

Steve with the fish of the trip

Adam enjoying the Eagle floating

Eating Dries!

Andrew with his wild brown on the Piney

Scott with a nice bow we fooled on the dry

Hiking to Dry Fly Paradise

2011-08-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

Taking the time to get out and explore can offer some incredible rewards. Recently I spent a couple of days checking out a couple nice hikes in the area and came across two new places to find some great fishing. While some friends were visiting, we camped just outside of Sylvan Lake State Park and hiked along the Iron Edge Trail from the Peter Estin Hut to Lake Charles. We wrapped up the hike at the trailhead for Fulford Cave. The second excursion brought me to a nice stream around the Flattops Wilderness area where I hiked solo a couple of miles to the river. Both experiences require your hiking boots and plenty of water.

Once we got to Lake Charles, we set up on some nice rocks for lunch. It did not take long until the urge to fish took control as the 8-14" brookies and cutthroats were rising all over the cove in the lake. While shoving some bites of sandwich into my mouth, I rigged up the three weight with a dry-dropper rig. It did not take long for the opportunistic guys to notice the Royal PMX floating on the surface and crush it with impressive acrobatics. After landing (and missing) plenty of fish, I took off near the outflow and focused my attention to the stream sections and small plunge pools cut into the HUGE rocks. Almost immediately I was able to land some of the most brilliantly colored cutthroats I have ever seen.

After my dad left town, I had an afternoon to go explore. I chose to go to a creek which will remain unnamed near the flattops wilderness area. I had heard about this mythical place through a couple of friends and chose to risk hiking down the wrong unmarked trail toward the river. Thankfully I managed to park at the right location and after a brief two mile hike I found myself in a small backpacking camping spot next to the river. I wanted to hike further downstream but figured I would test the waters immediately. WHAM, on the first cast a small cuttroat inhaled my attractor dry and I knew it was on! I finished fishing the one hole with a few more fish and headed about a mile down stream.

Once I got a little lower, I found some nice water and plenty of brookies and cutts to keep me busy. I slowly worked my way up the river with my dry fly leading the way. I received a strike in EVERY imaginable spot you would think could hold trout. Fly fishing heaven! The entire time I fished under the bright blue skies without seeing one other person.

Get out there and explore on your own. You will be blown away by the amount of water that gets little to no attention by anglers. The rewards for your efforts will come in the form of numerous trout, most of which will be the most beautiful fish you have ever caught, rising to your dry fly with impressive gusto.

Things to keep in mind:

Tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back
Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and bug spray
Pack a light rain jacket for the inevitable Colorado afternoon storm
Have a backup bottle of dry fly shake (after releasing that many fish you will need it)
Only tell your most trusted fishing buddies about your new spots. Make them earn it on their own too!

It's come a long way...

2011-08-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Looking back to the days where I simply tied on a worm or salmon egg seems like an eternity ago. I then transitioned to casting a fly behind a bubble and slowly reeling it in. When things really heated up, I was casting two flies behind the bubble.

Then, it happened. My dad and I hired a guide in Taos, NM to bring us up to the Valle Vidal one day. Being in 6th grade, I am sure I was a tough student to teach but I was in love. I spent the whole day casting a single grasshopper to eager trout in the high alpine meadow. From that time on, I spent countless hours trying to fine tune my skills as a fly fisherman. Even when my family and friends were catching more than I was using spinners and bait, I stuck with it. I even started practicing Catch and Release, something all anglers should support.

The last few days I had the pleasure to host my Dad and our great friend Gabe over a couple of days here in the Vail Valley. I was totally excited to now have the chance to show them things and secret places that they had never been to, just as they did for me around Northern NM growing up. I was able to bring them to a private stretch of water our shop has access to as well as on a float trip along the Colorado. I also showed them around the area to other water where I now guide.

It was great having them around and I am very happy to have had the opportunity to show them how much I have learned since the early fishing days. I am thankful for everything they showed me while growing up and love to see them now casting a fly rod and releasing their fish too!

Fishing Update - 7/26

2011-07-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well, after a long period of waiting, the Eagle river is ON! I have been running trips along the eagle for the last week with great results. The flows have been dropping daily, and the clarity has remained nice. The ticket at the moment is a dry-dropper rig. On the upper stretches, a caddis dry with a small beadhead dropper is the ticket, while lower on the river a caddis or stimmy dry with a yellow sally nymph has been great. Here are some pictures from trips along the Eagle lately showing it is in great shape!

Here are some pictures from other trips at some of our private property venues:

Pat's Rubber Legs

2011-07-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

AKA Crane Fly Larva, Cat Poop, Girdle Bug, The Pickle and what I have personally nicknamed called the Fish Catching Machine.

This fly has been quickly emerging as my favorite fly to fish on any river over the last couple of years. The color variations, sizes, weight, and methods of fishing match up well with the myriad of nicknames this fly has.

How to Fish It: I normally fish this as a lead fly in a double nymph rig and will try different techniques which all have lead to strikes. After a nice long drift, I let the flies swing behind me and make note when fish strike on the swing. If the hookups are consistent enough on the swing, I change the method a bit by removing my strike indicator and keeping a tight line with the fly through the drift, pulling it slightly faster than the current. I have also used Pat’s as a trailer fly for double streamer rigs with some good success.

Favorite Colors/Sizes: My favorite colors are the very basic black with gold or orange legs, the brown version with gold legs and both the tan/brown variegated and black/brown variegated versions. These seem to match up well for many different stoneflies throughout their different stages and color schemes.

For sizes, I typically have a good assortment ranging from size 6-12, with some smaller versions as well.

Materials to Tie: This fly is incredibly easy to tie and should become one you are able to whip out quickly. This way you can toy with color combos, amount of weight and sizes. Try changing the color of the chenille, legs, and the size/weight and keep track of what is effective on your local rivers. Here is a link to a great tying tutorial as well as the list of materials:

Pat's Rubber Leg Recipe

· Tiemco Hooks 5262

· Lead Wire

· Black or Brown 8/0 thread

· Super Floss or Flexi Floss – Legs/Antennae

· Medium Chenille – Color of choice

The Running of the Eagle

2011-07-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

So the year of insane runoff continues...

We continue to monitor the current CFS readings and watch for indicators that the water may be coming down, only to wake up the following morning to realize it is yet another day of high water. Thankfully our shop has ample access to some private ranches with some spring ponds which are loaded with fish to keep our clients happy. It is not the most glamorous fishing, but while others are sitting on the shore scratching their heads as they look into the frothy chocolate milk that is the Eagle, Roaring Fork, Colorado or Gore, we are thankful. I have also been taking some of our members to the tailwater section we have below Lake Catamount in Steamboat. Here, the Yampa is still big, but at least it is running clear. The bug diversity here is always outstanding, and the fish are still very ready to take our flies.

If you are not able to head out on a guided trip at this time to some private water, there are still plenty of fishing opportunities including tailwaters like the Yampa below Stagecoach, Fryingpan below Reudi, the Taylor, as well as high alpine lakes and streams. I made it up last weekend to the Eagle Lake, above Sylvan Lake and found many nice wild brookies to entertain. I encourage you to strap on the hiking boots and find a nice high alpine lake while we all wait for the water to come down.

Here are a few pictures of some of the areas mentioned above:

Eagle River - Rodeo Rapid

Eagle River - Trestle Bridge

Bow on the Frying Pan

Steve with a nice Yampa River Bow

Luke with the Lunker of the trip!

RED HOT Frying Pan - 6/14/11

2011-06-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

Flows - ~550 cfs

I left Eagle early knowing that with the crazy amount of runoff the state is experiencing, The Pan would be busy. Even upon arriving around 8am, I was definitely not the first and was greeted by about 10-12 cars and about double the amount of people. I still rigged up quickly, fighting the “shakes” as I was tying on my flies. I didn’t know if I was shaking from the above average intake of coffee, the possibility for some large, mysis fed trout, or the combo of it all.

Once I made it down on the water, the weather was perfect, hovering around 60 degrees with no wind. I made my way out to the middle of the riffle section just below what is known as the “toilet bowl,” or the giant frothy plunge pool spilling from the bottom of Ruedi Reservoir. I was fishing about a 14 foot leader tapered down to 6X with the smallest white thing-a-ma-bobber strike indicator. I set my depth to about 6 feet to my lead fly, a small mysis shrimp pattern, followed by a small red-thread midge larva. Within five minutes I had a nice rainbow take the mysis and I knew the day was going to be amazing.

I continued to work the riffles, sight fishing where I could, and landed about 5 more while missing a few strikes in the process. In the process, I also had something that has never happened to me before. I experienced my own personal double up! While I had a nice 15” rainbow in the net, I released the flies back into the current below me. As they drifted down, I was looking at the nice colors of the fish in the net. In the corner of my eye, I notice my fly line moving out into the current instead of straight down and I quickly lifted the tip to find another eager fish on the end of it. I stood there for a quick moment laughing to myself before I let the first fish out of the net and brought in the next. I wish I had a friend there with me to document the event as it was a first for me.

After working the riffles for about an hour and a half, I moved up to the right side of the toilet bowl. I adjusted my tactics and lengthened my depth to about 10-12 feet and added some weight to try and get those flies down in the swift current. Once again, almost immediately, I was into fish, and big fish at that. I was told by my manager that many times with the higher than normal flows coming out of the dam, the fish go crazy and will eat more than normal with reckless abandon. In the next five hours, I managed to hook into and land many very nice powerful fish and land a good number of 20”+ fish. I did indeed hook into and play a wise old timer who tore downstream, through the rapids and into the riffles before the pool. I tried my best to keep up with him, thinking of the 6X tippet in the process. He simply teased me by jumping three times while gaining line on me before shaking the #24 midge larva free. They are always bigger when they get away, but he had to have been 26”.

I will be back when I manage a day off here in the near future to try and fool some large trout once again. The flows have since gone up over the last few days to about 850 cfs. I am not sure if this means more mysis action or simply more water.

Vail Valley anglers still finding fish | VailDaily.com

2011-06-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

During high water, there are still options!

Vail Valley anglers still finding fish | VailDaily.com

Cali Roadtrip!

2011-06-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Kassie and I finally made a plan for a nice getaway that fit right into our schedules. She was wrapping up her graduate school program with University of Colorado, Denver to become a teacher, and I was entering the interim period between my time guiding in PA and the season here in CO. We planned to roadtrip out to California with the intent on visiting the Redwood forests, Big Sur, Sequoia and Yosemite. We also sprinkled in a few days to wet the line in famous Cali rivers such as the McCloud and Truckee Rivers.

Hat Creek 5/17/11

After visiting The Fly Shop in Redding, not only we were informed that runoff had made its appearance on these waters as well, but were given information to where we could still catch some fish. We left the great fly shop with some local flies, maps and directions to the hotspots along Hat Creek. The first hole we tried was the Upper Power Station Hole, if I remember right. The river cascaded down through a very nice riffle and pocket water section into a VERY long meadow section. Rumor has it that the resident giants live down in the meadow section and that sight fishing is the rule. As seems to be part of my fishing routine this spring, we were blessed with plenty of rain throughout the day, not allowing any sight fishing to the giants downstream. Instead we focused out attention on the lower riffle section, directly before the water entered the long, meadow pools.

Others had the same idea as two guided trips soon set up shop on the other side of the riffle from Kassie and I. Almost immediately after our arrival on the water, the swallows were buzzing, and the fish were popping on the surface to some blue winged olives. I tied on a dry/dropper combination of a #16 parachute adams and a #18 BWO soft hackle and started getting some interest. The majority of the fish came to the dropper just under the surface, but I still managed to find a few looking at the dry. The fish averaged 12-14”, but were some of the most beautiful rainbows I had ever hooked. Nice black spots covered their bright red stripes and sides and tails.

Kass lost interest as the rain was coming down hard, and I stayed in this section until lunchtime, when I headed to the truck to dry out. We ate some lunch and decided to try one of the other spots a bit further downstream. The water was beautiful downstream, but moving just a bit too fast to entice any takes. Nevertheless, it was fun to explore a new river and area.

Merced River 5/23 and 5/24/11

Flowing from Yosemite, the Merced River was PUMPING with runoff! After around a week with no fishing, there was no stopping me from trying my luck wading into this powerful river. I was shocked to find just how deep this river was, but was going to try to find some hungry fish.

The first evening I got on the river just outside of the park along highway 140, below the Foresta Rd. Bridge right before dark. I found one section that looked very fishy, but was still moving very fast! I managed to get out about 20 feet into the river after maneuvering on rocks to get away from the overhanging trees and get in position to make some nice drifts. I had tied on a large dark brown Pat’s Rubberleg, with a Formerly Known As, below a couple of BB split shots. After a few minutes, I finally saw my indicator hesitate and I set the hook. There was a brief second of no movement, followed directly after by a nice 14” rainbow leaping into the air. Somehow he cooperated with me and stayed upstream until he made it into my net.

The following morning I was able to get one more small brown into the net on a rainbow warrior. He was sitting in some calmer water as a small creek dumped into the Merced.

Truckee River 5/29/11

Ahh, the famous Truckee River. We arrived in Truckee CA and the river looked like the flows were not outrageous. I went into the Mountain Hardware store in town, which is the towns only “fly shop.” I was hesitant but quickly changed my mind as I entered. There was a great selection of equipment and flies, as well as a very nice gentleman who helped me learn a thing or two about the area. He told me of his two best fishing options for the current flows, pointed me in the right direction for flies, and also gave me some advice as a first time Truckee River fisherman.

The first location was up the Little Truckee, between the Stampede and Boca Reservoirs. There the flow should be good, and being a tailwater, the fish should be large and healthy. Also being a tailwater, the fish would be very well educated to the common flies and techniques, so I would have to rely on my practice from Cheesman Canyon.

I arrived up there to find the water ripping, and only minimal holding water that was accessible by wading. I still tried all of the tricks in the book, with only three hookups and no landed fish. I decided to head downstream to the main branch of the Truckee to the other ‘secret spot’ my new friend from the fly shop directed me toward. All I can say is that it is within 20 minutes drive downstream from I-80. I arrived to a very large and deep section of the river, but with a very nice long pool, two large eddies, and a swift pocket water section.

I arrived again as the weather was changing and beginning to snow a bit. I tried a few different depths with my blue winged emerger setup, as well as tried a few various attractor nymphs. I was able to get one nice 14” rainbow at the head of the eddy with one of my favorites, the drowned Parachute Adams.

With nothing else tugging, I headed downstream to the long, deep and relatively slow moving pool and switched flies to the largest coffee colored Pat’s Rubber Leg I could find, and a smaller stonefly pattern. In order to get it deep, I had about 9’ from my indicator to the pats, as well as a couple of split shots. After a few attempts at double hauling the heavy rig, I changed my approach to a massive tension cast. This actually worked very well, and I was getting a very nice long drift. I managed to put it right on the edge of a seam, and after about 10 seconds of the drift, the indicator stopped in its tracks. I set the hook, anticipating a snag, when it tore downstream. Unsure of the size of the fish, I moved downstream with him and adjusted my drag. Once he was out of the current, I realized this was a BIG fish. After a brief resting period, he once again gained some energy and burst to the surface. I was caught off guard to see the very large rainbow on the other end of my line. I made sure to play him just hard enough to keep him out of the main current, while keeping in mind the 5X tippet I was using. Within a few minutes, I had him to my side and into the net! The opening of my net is 20” and his tail went about 4” down toward the end of the handle when I held him flat!

After I was able to get a few pictures for proof, the snow began to fall. I tried more drifts in all of the likely locations with only two more tugs. I switched the bottom fly to a small pheasant tail and decided to work the heads of the eddies before I would pack up. The snow was coming down hard, and the hands were beginning to numb. I landed one more fish to cap off my Truckee River adventure… a 15” whitey. Pretty comical way to end one of the most satisfying days in my fishing career!

Spring Run Steelhead - Erie, PA

2011-06-02T07:02:00.001-07:00

April 27, 2011

(More pictures once I receive them from Joe McMullen)

After shifting some of my guiding schedule around, I was able to accept Joe McMullen’s (a well known PA fishing expert) offer to head up to Northwestern Pennsylvania to try my luck for some spring run steelhead. I was informed not to expect much, as the primary run takes place during the fall, but I was still excited. With the massive rainfall we had experienced, the water may be high and off color, but might just allow more fish to enter the river. I rushed home after my trip on the Tuesday afternoon to get my stuff ready and headed back down to the clubhouse, battling torrential rain and wind in the process. Once I was back at the clubhouse, I was told that a very large pine tree had fallen right at the front and was crossing some power lines. I was able to reach Joe at home and let him know to call me once he was on his way, so I would know he would be ~20 minutes away. Meanwhile I chatted with other staff about how they intended on getting home that night, but all the while I was really thinking about all of the stories about the monster steelhead, snatching flies with incredible force. The phone finally rang and before I knew it I was running the brief minute down the driveway with all of my gear wrapped in trash bags to keep dry.

Joe and I chatted through the intense rain bouncing off the windshield for the three and a half hour drive before we arrived to his favorite lodging, a truck stop-esque dive hotel in Erie. He had been going there for years and the staff all knew and greeted him, even though we arrived shortly after midnight. We both crashed out and I woke up a little after 6:00am to see Joe tying away at his vise. Once I was up and he cranked out nearly two dozen flies, we were off for a quick breakfast before heading out to meet up with another guide and get on the water.

Upon arrival at Twenty Mile Creek, we tried our best to spot some fish in the slightly murky water, and tried drifting some nymphs by them. After about an hour, we switched to a small olive streamer with nice green and white barbell eyes. After a few swings right in front of a couple of fish, one finally turned and I was telling myself, “WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,” as I saw the fish charge the fly. WHAM!!! The fish smashed the fly and I finally hooked into my first steelhead. The line was whizzing off of the reel, and I was just trying to keep up with him as he heading downstream a bit. Once he got into some calmer water, I played him for a few minutes until I finally had him on shore. We snapped some photos and I was instantly back in the water, swinging more flies to the fish I could spot. I did this for some time, moving back upstream, then downstream, chasing the few fish we could locate in the deep pool and run. I managed to hook into about five more, but only land 4 total for the day. They varied from being very fresh from Lake Erie, to being very dark and “old” by Joe McMullen’s standards.

I am now hooked on steelheading, and will try my hardest to find more opportunities to catch these powerful fish. If you have never fished for steelhead, I highly recommend it. Change your schedule around, make that extra trip, and show some patience. Once the first fish crushes your fly, you, too, will be hooked for life!

Runoff is here!

2011-06-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

Just got back in the swing of things here in Colorado. High temps are bringing HIGH flows. I will update with some information in the coming days. Stay tuned.

Grannom Caddis - The Year of Rain Continues

2011-05-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

In the year that the rain seems to continue to fall, the Grannom hatch has come and dwindled last week. The fluctuations of temperatures from the 70’s to 30’s has caused a bit of confusion for the fish and fisherman alike. The trout cannot seem to key in on the adults when the wind dies enough and the skies are not dropping rain. It does not help that the river flows have been fluctuating greatly going up and down in feet in a matter of hours. The temperature swings in water temperature have been just as wild, dipping into the low 40’s and getting up to mid 50’s.

Luckily, a fellow guide and I did happen to get an overcast afternoon where some fish were taking dries. We had a great time floating and anchoring up next to risers until we got them to the net. This all ended once the rain started again and put down all of the rising fish.

Thankfully, on Easter Sunday, I was graced with some nice weather, a day off, and the perfect Grannom hatch. From what I understand, this was far from the “usual” occasion of Grannoms floating on the surface, but the fish did not mind. I was able to fool fish after fish to take my #16 black caddis pattern. In a stretch of river where it is normal to only catch small, wild browns in the 10-12” range, I was able to entice a fair number of larger eaters, including this nice, rare rainbow. As the sun was going down I could only cast into the eddies and seams and try my hardest to see my flies through the bright glare. I would set the hook any time a fish surfaced where I thought my flies were, normally with luck.

The following days I witnessed the freight trains of caddis flying up the river valley to deposit their eggs upstream, with only little attention from the fish. When they did decide to rise and time allowed, I would get out with my already rigged rod, a double dry fly setup, and fool a few before I had to meet clients and get back to work.

As the rivers continue to stay high with the next five days calling for rain, I am thankful I was able to get a small tasted of what dry fly fishing out here can be like. Under even slightly better circumstances, this area offers supreme dry fly opportunities.

Are the Grannoms here yet?

2011-04-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks into my time here the talk has been all about when the Grannoms will finally arrive. Being a fly fishing club, there is one notorious story around here. A few years back, a very nice woman who handles finances kept being asked when the Grannoms would arrive. She would answer both guides and other members that they have not been seen around yet. She did this for some time until she finally questioned “who are these Grannoms who everyone is asking about and why are they so important?” Little did she know that the Grannoms are only a type of caddis fly (known as the Mother’s Day Caddis back in Colorado) that this region is well known for. This made me laugh a bit but I, too, have been anxiously waiting for their arrival.

I thought I blew it this past weekend when I left for Connecticut for a wedding just as the rain seemed to be subsiding and leaves beginning to bud. Grannoms were indeed spotted the day after I left and I was very bummed I was set to miss the biggest hatch event that would take place during my time here in PA. Thankfully just as soon as Mother Nature decided to bless us with the first couple days of sun, she turned that switch right off again and opened the skies for more rain. When I arrived back on the rivers yesterday, some caddis were fluttering on the surface but the trout seemed to be uninterested still, as not one rise was spotted. Having an excellent flow, I coaxed another Colorado guide out onto the raft with me yesterday afternoon in hopes we could pick up a few munching on the surface. This did not happen but we remembered just how fun and exciting it can be when the water is high, visibility is a little off, and the fish are hungry. A big streamer cast tight up on the bank can surely wake them up. After the brief four mile float and about 8 fish in the net, countless others lost to missed hook sets and what had to be the fishes lack of aim for my streamers, we were back and content about the outing.

I sit here today under the shelter of the barn, repairing a raft and listening to the deafening paddle of the rain coming down thinking that the Grannoms will have to wait for a few more days before they arrive. Streamer fishing it is until the epic Pennsylvanian Grannom hatch can find a few nice days.

***If you find yourself itching for some exciting fishing and the water is blowing past you, tie on a stout leader and a streamer or two. Below you can see my favorite setup. I tie on a straight six foot section of 0X tippet to a big streamer. If the water is really off color, try a bright yellow or orange one and think big, like size 2 or 4 hook. From the bend of that hook, tie on another section of leader around 12-20’ behind it. I tie on slightly lighter leader for when I cast right into a tree. I use about 2X so I hopefully only lose one fly instead of both when I have to break it off. On this end I tie on a black or olive cone head bugger about size 6-8. Something about having a small streamer chasing the larger one really gets the fish intrigued.

If you are floating, cast right up on the bank and strip it back out about 5-10 feet. Recast and continue until you have caught too many fish or your arm falls off due to the heavy casting. Expect explosive takes right when the streamers hit the water or soon after. Also remember to “slip-set” your hooks rather than lifting your rod tip up. This will ensure a nice hookup.

Road Trip to PA - Learning new tricks of the trade

2011-04-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

After a roughly 29 hour drive east, I am now here in Central Pennsylvania in the town of Spruce Creek where I will be for April and the beginning of May. I am guiding here on many of our company's sections of rivers (or 'Cricks') including Spruce, Penns, Fishing, Yellow and the Little Juniata. I am excited to be here and hoping this weather will change for the better so more people are ready to go fishing. All of the water I have seen so far here is amazing and very different than what I have grown accustomed to fishing. While in CO, I rarely fish private stretches of water, outside of guiding, while here it seems public access points are much more scarce. I now know I have taken the abundance of river access for granted in CO where one can easily find great public fishing water nearby.

Here the water laws are a bit of a hybrid from what I have found in Colorado and in Montana. In MT, you can drop into ANY river or stream at a public crossing, usually a bridge, and fish as far as your feet can carry you, so long as you stay below the high water mark. In CO, landowners actually own the riverbed, so as long as you can float through the property and stay off rocks, debris, etc, you are using a public resource. Here in PA, the river must have been deemed commercially navigable in a court ruling for it to become a public river. This is achieved usually by proving it was once used to transport logs or other goods for sale at one point in history. Once it is designated public, the same rules as in Montana apply, stay below the high water mark. I am learning which rivers are private, public, or mixed as I get settled here.

With the myriad of new rules to absorb, I am also spending much time at the vise tying up patterns to get me through the spring and summer. I am ready for the cold, rainy-snow to pass and turn on the epic hatches of Grannoms (the great caddis flies here in PA), Olive and Black Caddis as well as some black stone flies.

Here are a few pictures of some of my first fish while here in PA:

The first PA brown I fooled on the Little Juniata - BWO Emerger nymph

Some of the 'residents' of Yellow Creek

Crazy Colors!

Good looking brown

Report - 3/23/11

2011-04-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Description - Great day on the fork with Joe Croteau and Diane
River - Lower Roaring Fork
Flow - ~575cfs
Weather - Mid 40's - 50's, some sun and clouds
Big fish - 20" Bow
Techniques - Running nymphs deep was still the plan. We had some Blue Winged olives coming off and a few risers, but the consistency was in the nymph rig.
Effective Flies - Small BWO wet flies and emergers. We still picked some up on different color copper johns and Pat's Rubber legs.
Fish story - After the majority of the float, we pulled over to wade for a bit. We noticed a few good size fish sipping the trapped bwo's in the foam in a recirculating pool. We had one rig with two dries, a medium sized stimmulator (as the indicator) and a small #22 bwo. The second cast into the foam, I noticed the stimmy move just slightly so I barely lifted when I knew it was a fish. I set and was able to land this nice bow. He was the only one that we got on the dry, but we still managed to pull a few out of the same hole with the wet flies.