4-18-2013 An Old Friend Revisited

I headed up to Mary Jane for the annual end of year party with my department from Eldora. I had already planned on leaving early (around 1:00) well in advance of the party. I prefer to sneak out and go fishing. I did this last year, and it worked out like a charm (see 'My Blue Heaven' post).

This year, the weather was horrible. It was 6 degrees all day in the parking lot at the Jane, and by 11:00 a.m., I already had a great beer buzz going. Knowing that there was trout in store, I quit drinking. By 1:00 p.m., on the dot might I say, I was sober enough to leave. Don't freak out; I had 4 beers over the course of 5 hours. I was fine!!

I drove towards the original destination: the mighty Colorado. I feared it would be too cold all day and by the time I got to Granby, my senses got the best of me and I turned around. Coming down Berthoud, I wished that there was less snow as there is some good fishing around Empire. But not the case today. So I turned off US 40 and onto the big 7-0 East. With the time moving along faster than I like. I shot straight for the obvious "save my day, I just want to catch a fish spot". Clear Creek.

Good ole' Clear Creek. You all remember. The one that leads to the really gross beer plant...the one that we keep spilling fuel and oil into...the one that alot of us (myself included) have abandoned. Yep. That Clear Creek. Well it had been probably 3 years since I (personally) fished Clear Creek (I recall) and that is a shame. I have always liked this river. Not once has it ever been too busy for my personal preference, never a long drive, there is always a great chance at a Grand Slam, and the fishing is always (usually) pretty good.

But yes, I too, have abandoned it. There was a truck fuel spill a few years (2 years?) back and it was right at my spot, so I was bummed and didn't go back. Still haven't gone to that spot but might now. I fished way low in the canyon. Take 1 more turn and your on Hwy. 93 to Golden.  Just trying to be consciouse of water temp plus I figure these trout will take better (to harsh environment) so I thought it would be a good indicator of the quality of the fishery.

Well, I must say, I was impressed. I only fished for an hour or so and managed to fool a handful even though I lost a few before I landed em'. The ones I did catch...great fish. Real typical of what I have seen in here in the past. Clean, healthy, proportionate.

Good News. Happy Angler... Sometimes, it pays to see old friends.
Fished with an olive tail for the entire time. It worked. Try it.
Here's some pics:



Note-The sun came out by the time I got over the divide and into the canyon. Beautiful day.

Tight Lines-

4-12-13 Lessons Learned and Re-Learned, but I feel great!

Sometimes you just never know.

You never know when you are going to get the opportunity to go fly fishing that is. Such was the case yesterday when I got off work early, around 2:30 or so.

Problem was, I knew that I did not have (most) of my gear. Most notably, flies and waders. But I knew that I had a rod and reel that was still tied up with a beadhead prince nymph and a really beat up olive colored pheasant tail from my last outing. And quite frankly, if you have a rod and a reel, and two flies, what else do you need to be successful?

Well, to begin with it really does help if you have waders. If not, you can't really fish everywhere you need to, or in the manner you need to, either. And just because you have flies, it doesn't mean you have the right ones. I felt pretty good about my selection that was tied on but I knew the pheasant was awfully beat up and actually coming apart.

So as I pondered all this during my drive down the canyon, to my hole, I realized that I may have a few flies stuck to my spare tire cover that sits behind the rear seat. Every time I get done with a trip, guided or not, I cut my flies off and stick them there. I knew there wouldn't be much as I usually clear it in the fall/winter and let it repopulate the next summer. However, come mid July or early August, it looks like a small fly shop back there.

I arrive at my hole and start looking at my spare tire. Not much for sure. A purple poison tung, two black beauties, a san juan worm, and one more bead head prince. But then it happened. At first I can only see the bright reflection of the sun gleaming off the tiny, simulated, emerging wing loop.  And then suddenly it appeared as if it were sent from the heavens...a Callibaetis colored sparkle wing RS-2. I knew that was the ticket with the BWO's that had been coming off lately so I tied it on below the prince.

I try to locate some nippers...check. Locate some forceps...no check. Need some forceps. I dig through the gear bag that I do have and realize that I don't have any forceps either. Great! I make do with a pair of Gerber multi-tools. Check.

I set out, without waders, to one of my favorite first beats. As I cast I realize that I have no indicator. So wanting to learn more about indicator free fishing I cast-on. I gave it about 5 more casts and said "not today". Maybe if I had flies and waders. But I wasn't in the learning mood today. I was more in the catching mood.

I head back to the truck and look for an indicator. I find one tiny orange thingamabobber in my gear bag. I prefer the palsa, which I why I switched in the first place; but I learned with a thingamabobber so I didn't care, and felt confident. I tied it on and went back.

First cast...nothing. Second cast...same story. Third cast...fish on! Nice little brown. (No picture, remember I don't have all my gear). It was the RS-2 of course.  I continued for another 15 minutes, catching one more fish, until I snagged my fly trying to squeeze it into a run. I tried to forward cast it out, but couldn't. I ended up snapping off (I think perhaps it would have helped if I had waders, think?). Satisfied at my MacGyverness, I called it a day.

Lesson 1: Rs-2 flies catch a ton of trout. If you don't have any, you are weird.

Lesson 2: I felt real good about my success with limited gear. I was a real MacGruber out there. However I did want to fish longer. Don't we all? So it did rub me a little that I did not have my gear. I usually keep it out this time of year, for freezing and theft purposes especially, but I should have my gear. I thought about bringing it that morning (because you just never know), but didn't because my waders were still hanging up, my fly box was on my tying desk, my chest pack wasn't in my wader bag like usual, and so on. So I didn't. And while it did cost me time on the water, it didn't cost me success because,

Lesson 3: You should always have ALL YOUR GEAR, because you just never know; but in case you don't you better have a rod and reel,  forceps or a leatherman, nippers and a couple killer ass flies in your truck. I did, and it saved my life today.

So I'm feeling alright...

Tight Lines!

MacGyver

4-10-13 Lost pics from last October's Sylvan Dale trip

Not much to say. Never been? Need to go!

The ranch!

A pic of a section I hadn't fished yet. Loved it.

I love this pic.

Tight Lines!

4-6-13 / 4-8-13 Upper & Lower Boulder Creek report

Here is a quick report on the last few days out:
4-8-13
Monday, right before the snow storm, the fish were starving! I fished a sz. 16-18 BH Prince and a sz. 18-20 olive Pheasant Tail all day and the fishing was incredible. I fished right at Sugarloaf turn-off (pretty high in the canyon right now but the lead guide had a client going lower in the canyon, so being the gentleman...), and then headed downstream towards Dome Rock. Definitely better the lower you stayed but still fishing well up high. Saw a ton of BWO's coming off at about 4:00 down low. The water temp was 42 up high and about 46 down low. Fishing great though. Here is a pic of one of my favorite friends of the day:



 The bite was great though. Look for those fisher in the deeper ponds still but they are willing to venture out a little with warmer temps in the afternoon.

4-6-13

On Saturday, I had a break at work and headed right down the hill for some late afternoon fishing. Got to my spot and I remembered my license expired. Being in a worry over wasting my one fish break ever at work, I got pretty bummed out. But then I remembered it like it was old news...Ace is the Place! Cruised into Ned and got my license, always a great feeling to have nothing but 365 days (er 359 this time) stopping you from fishing all the time. I love it. It's still always an experience for me. And this no exception. Call me crazy. I just love this stuff too much.

Anyhoo-fished upper Middle Boulder Creek and it was slow. Not telling you my spot but I will say that the water temp was 38 degrees, mostly ice free with some scattered ice nuggets, and the daytime temp was a high of 62 in that spot. Elevation is about 8,600' or so.

Fished extremely slow for the hour I was there. The usual suspects-midges in sz. 20 or so, Saint John's worms in purple, and I might have even thrown a poison tung or gummy midge. Slow fishing. Not quite time yet. But it's been 4 days already and it's completely ice free as of this afternoon.

Here is a look at what it looked like a few days ago-



Almost time!



Tight Lines-

3-31-13 Work sucks, fishing doesn't

As some of you may know, I work at Eldora ski resort. It's a good gig. However, when you guide fishing trips for a living in the summer you really start getting tired of seeing snow every single day at work. Snow here, snow there, snow everywhere. 

Such is the case for me recently. So in an attempt to side step the winter blues I came into work on Sunday in the worst (planned) mood ever. Knowing that the mountain would be slow and my boss would get tired of my attitude, I just griped and moaned all day in hopes of being sent home. It's that time of year where none of us want to be here and my boss knows the best way to get me to shut up is to send me fishing.

So did it work? Well look where I was at 2:00 in the afternoon on a Sunday:



Great plan. Good thing too because with this weather, I would have cried if I didn't get to fish that day. It was 67 degrees when I hopped in the river and the water was 48 degrees. Fish on!!

I started out with a BH Prince and BH Tung Zebra (red sz. 20) and it was producing right off the bat. Most came off the prince but some were hitting the midge as well. After about an hour or so, the water became complete chocolate milk for about a half hour or so. Not sure if there was a push in the canyon or down four mile but it cleared up pretty quick. I think it brought warmer water as well because right after it cleared, BWO's were everywhere. I saw a few risers, but it looked like they were mostly chasing emergers. RS-2 time for sure. I really like that Callibaetis dub and sure enough they did too. I ended up catching about 10 total in 2 hours or so and then headed off home. I was very satisfied. And very happy to not be at work.

What a great plan; played to perfection sir!

Tight Lines!

3-28-13 BC report and Fly Film Tour

Not much going on. Just a short update on BC. Went up to Boulder Flycasters hole and down from there. Nice stretch. Never been there before.  It went alright it was a little slow. Red zebra midge was the ticket. I assume the fishing got better after I left as the wind died down and the sun came out. Argh! But I still caught one in my short time out. Better than none. Here is a pic of where I was:

Returned to the fly shop and got ready for the barbecue before the Fly Film tour. Cooked for everybody. Had a good time. If you missed the flick, too late. Sorry. It was alright. Not great. We sat at the bar for most of the night. Better seats!! Better drink access too. In all, a great day of Fly life.

Tight Lines