After taking so many trips to the same place, you need to change it up. And after 100 other people take a trip to the same place that is the same place as your same place, you really need to change it up. So today I decided to take a client up to Wild Basin and check out the north fork of the St. Vrain.
This is an area that I haven't spent a ton of time in for one reason or another. I have however had decent success when I have fished the area. Last year I took a couple clients up one day and there was yellow bugs (PMD and Sallies) everywhere. All day, we just kept tying up yellow and catching.
But access points are part of the problem for sure. I sometimes forget that on the rivers that I have memorized hole for hole, that it took a while to get to that point. And I like to be to that point on any river I fish. Simply exploring an unknown river is sometimes the best solution for not only finding the best fishing that day, but finding future gems.
So today I decided early that we would do just that; a little exploring. My client was on day 2 of a doubleheader with us, taking a trip with another guide yesterday. They went up to Glacier Creek and Moraine Park yesterday and I knew he wanted different water today; so setting out like Lewis and Clark was on the agenda for sure.
A few weeks ago I spent a morning with clients in the lower stretch of the North Vrain in the Park and although it was too high that day, I could see some good fishing opportunities waiting so I headed to the same spot. It was still running slightly high, but really cold. It was a frosty 39 degrees surface temperature (ST) when we got there at 9 a.m. and although I didn't feel great, I felt confident. Long story short, it blew. Hardly any bugs out, barely (if any) fish visible moving around, and still somewhat tough wading.
So about 11:00 or so I told my client we were heading to the T and we started making our way back to the truck. Well having being up river so far as to where we started we found ourselves in some completely different territory. We searched around, heading in the general direction of the river and road. At one point I could hear the creek and as I looked west to spot it, all I could see was lake holy trout rising. Everywhere. There was a huge beaver pond and a ton of trout rising in it. This thing was large, and just magnificent.
We set up shop there for another hour or so, catching only two, but getting over 15 bites. We were throwing everything from Purple Haze, to Para Adams, beetles to RS-2's. We also had a little luck with micro-may's. It was a nice salvation to the morning and although I (personally) would have stayed there for a few more hours (don't leave trout to look for trout-guide rule no. 42.c), the client wanted to eat. We broke around lunchtime and headed to the park. (See post 'Big T up high 6/18/14')
Although the fishing wasn't great, or good, I am excited to head back to the Vrain in this area soon. It will be a real treat getting clients into some less fished waters. And it will be a delight introducing myself to some new trouts.
Side note-I cut out of the river on the south bank at one point to tcb and I found a lone Columbine flower in a small meadow standing all by itself. I don't see them all that much and being a Colorado boy, it is always exciting.(Columbine-Colorado state flower-check it) (Didn't I do a horrible job of taking my camera with me? When will I learn?)
Tight Lines
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