`FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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It is Tuesday night and we just had a good rain passing by and it has cooled off enough I have a sweatshirt on.  It came down pretty good for an hour but starting to lookslike it is out of here.  The plan was to do a long drive in another area from where everybody and their brother is hunting, which sure keeps roadside sightings down.  I don’t blame the animals, don’t hunt anymore but on the other hand they sure are tasty.  But once it rained time to put it off until tomorrow morning, and it won’t hurt to give the brown trout a break.  Of the last 4 trips I have been here twice the water has been perfect, and it is close to that.  So besides giving the fish a break it will allow the water to absorb the rain and the color has a chance to be perfect in 48 hours.

I know I have said it before but it is such a pleasant change from the coastal fishing scene, every one has been so helpful.  The guy who moved in next to me comes here a couple of times a year and was telling me about a couple of other places.  The guy in the tackle store turned me on to a good lake.  Along with what a couple of other folks have told me I am idiot for not marking my map, guess I will get with that.  It really has been interesting.  Everyone I have come in contact with has been great.  Not sure what the difference is, but there sure is one.  So help a brother out, it will be the best thing you do all day.

So have the map out and just looking at some new places.  The dude at the tackle store, dreads and all, turned me on to another lake which I intend to hit, so that may be the plan.  Or who knows, might just go glass for sheep.  Great thing about no plan and no hurry, very rarely are we are in a position to make that kind of choice for which I am so grateful.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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I decided to go ahead and do both.  First back to Table Top to see if anything was moving about, then Seepage Lake for some fishing.  Out before daylight and off to way up in the mountains on one beautiful morning.  It was a nippy 27 degrees at the top of the world. And not only to see stuff, but to do a little listening for Bull Elk.  Don’t think they are rutting yet but went to the end of the line and just listened.  The woods are not quiet if you listen, and then I heard a gunshot, which probably meant elk down.

Table Top.  The views go on and on.

But what has been the norm, nothing early.  Not sure if that is a function of the weather combined with, or because of, the ongoing elk season.  There are not nearly as many Mule deer in this area as over the mountain at Pagosa.  But still enjoy the ride and around 10:00 I headed to above the town of Creed to try out Seepage Lake.  It is a trophy lake and the guy at the store told me they get fish 20″+, which is a good fish for here.  And another thing it is in a sheep area.

The road was rough but ran along a couple of miles of high mountains, great sheep country.

Seepage  Lake

Fishing was a complete bust, the lake looked like it was down several feet.  By counting a spoon down it was not all that deep.  Then tossing all the old standbys did not even produce a bite.  I even resorted to a cast a bubble and fly, but no go.  As the bank was soft where the water had gone down there were a bunch of tracks, my favorite, a big cat track.  And where the lake is I assume some of the hoof tracks were sheep.  I was surprised by what looked like a muskrat when it swam in his hole right at my feet. And then an eagle flew over me, the highlight of the morning.  And not a person in sight.

At this point no animals, no bites, time to get something to eat.  After getting out of the real rough stuff, that road is a bugger, it happened.  My timing could not be any better if I tried.  I stopped, shut off the truck, staying calm I eased out, and here they came down the hill to the creek.

It was just to perfect, they were coming down a ridge to water in the heat of the day.  And apparently there is a patch of some grass they really like on the creek bank because they watered and fed.  Trust me they were not all that happy I was there and the old mama kept a sharp eye on me.  Once they got to the river they settled down and started feeding.  Score!

I have sure learned one thing, if you want to see sheep you have to go where they are, and then take the time to really look for them.  Have not seen a ram this trip, but if the girls are there the boys are not that far away.  As I spend more time looking the encounters are increasing.  Still have not found any glassing in Colorado like at Yellowstone but that could change tomorrow.

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I would not use the term frustrated, but the more I fly fish the more I realize that I have no clue.  I have missed some really nice fish, messed up a bunch of leaders, lost some flies, and not been able to generate anything not in a deep hole, a usual state of affairs for a new techniques in an unfamiliar places.  The fish are everywhere/somewhere on that river, but once the sun comes out it gets tough.  My shallow game is sorely lacking. One of the great guys I met who has been here 20 years told me that if we get the temperature drop and a cloud or two it will improve rapidly.  Fish is a fish is a fish.  So no complaint but a renewed appreciation of how technical fly fishing can become.  It takes me out of my comfort zone, fishing is a diverse sport done in different ways and places, and getting  to experience so much of it has been a blessing.

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Tomorrow it will be up early and chasing the brown trout with a fly.  Following that will head to Big Meadows Reservoir.  I caught fish there 2 days ago so know that is good, plus there is 2 more small lakes way above it that I have not seen.  Spoke with a guy last trip that says the one way up is one of the places he sees moose.  So if life is good it should be another great day.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines