FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Day 4

The Rio Grande where I am fishing.  It is 7000 feet, not sure how high I was when I took this but it was up there.

After yesterday I was starting to get a little discouraged with my flyrod skills, so I went to the fly shop for some help.  In my favorite starting hole things were looking like same old same old.  I tried the suggestions and could not buy a bite.  The river is just big enough and deep enough that I could not reach where I was smacking them.  That place is consistent as can be.  The only time I ever caught a bunch in my life on flyrod was there, but the water was way down.  Plus, it just so happened that trip there was a major hatch which was sheer luck.  The lure fishing continues to be really good.  Minnow baits are drawing some big hits, and it was an easy 6 or 8, they just kept biting. But that is not why I am here.

A nice one of the 7 or 8 this morning from my favorite hole.

About 10:00 it was time for a big change, which included putting the spinning rod away and head to a completely new stretch of river.  That stretch is really shallow with big boulders and little slots.  The shop sold me a couple of nymphs and he said to make sure that it was ticking bottom.  So in the water I went for a big wade, and it worked.

Was starting to get a little discouraged when I finally got on them with the flyrod.

They were in shallow water and when I finally got serious it happened.

The last picture this morning as it started to pour so no more pictures, but they continued to bite.

I ended up catching 5 or 6 all on my 3wght with an indicator and the nymph approximately 3 feet below it.  It did take me a while to read the water correctly and then have the fly bumping just right.  But when they stopped it, the fight was on.  The one above was the smallest once I figured it out.  Unfortunately, it started to pour and cool off, and of course I have 2 raincoats at the cabin.   It really cools off here when it rains and once I was sopping wet it was time to call it a day and get in some dry clothes.

After drying off took a ride to Beaver Creek Resorvior to catch a few stockers and check out Beaver Creek, which is really small and isolated.  Having fished Beaver Lake before I new there were always stockers at the ramp (If there are trout and you are on a new lake always fish the ramp, just might be where they dump them in.) so I stopped there and caught 3 or 4 small stocker rainbows, before I got rained on again.  When the Boss and her crowd gets here that is a great  place to get a fish fry.  Just get some salmon eggs, a split shot, and a small wire hook.  They eat it up and is the quickest way to get a fry.  Colorado has a serious stocking program and they are there for the taking.  But it is not brown trout on the fly.

In the morning it will be back on the new to me place.  Today I actually felt like I had a clue.  My casting still leaves something to be desired but that is easly fixable.  I c ame down to listening to the dude at the fly shop.  Fly shops as a rule are totally different from many tackle stores, like they are really helpful.  You just have to listen and apply, and today it worked out.  It sure was fun and I am looking forward to tomorrow.  Might even take a raincoat.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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Just cannot get enough of the views in the high mountains.

A few from today.

I can only describe the Aspens as golden.

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Last South Fork Day

Needed to head over to the next town to get a headlight bulb as one was burnd out so did noot get on the water until later.  I even stopped at a local cafe and had one of those to dang big breakfasts, which was great.  (You know the place, with the big table full of the daily coffee guys.) The plan was not to fish to long today, my old body needs a little rest from wading, which is work.  But slowly but surely, I am getting a clue.  Fly fishing is just a different deal.

Nice one on a nymph.

This netting and picture taking while in the middle of the river is exciting at times.

It really is interesting as you work a stream, trout are finicky and it is not like tossing plastics for other fish.  But that is what I like about it.  I caught 5 today and was happy with the results.  And watching them jumpis a thing of beauty.

Fun on a 3 weight rod and 6X leader.

The Rio Grande has lots of browns and few rainbows, which if you catch one, I have only caught 2 this week, you have to throw them back.  Which is no problem, if you want fish go to any lake and catch them, they all have them.

This week my brother-in-law who is really a novice fisherman will be here.  He has the bug so we will catch them several ways, hopefully get him a few on the fly.  The weather looks wet in th afternoons this week so that should not be too much of a detriment.  And of course cruising the mountains eveyday, so much available so little time.

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Saturday it will be pack up and head to Pagosa Springs.  The Boss’s sister and her husband will be getting there late afternoon so after I check out will hit a couple of lakes on the way over the pass.  No wading tomorrow, I am getting tired, but have learned a lot.  And one thing that is readily apparent, the guys I have met and the fly shop where I stopped are a world apart from bay and bass fishermen.  Unlike those guys, there are no big secrets and folks are happy to help. It seems the love of the outdoors is a big factor with them, how many they caught is no big deal.  Where and how are traded freely and it is just a different fishing world, and it has been fun.  I have really enjoyed my time here and look forward to next week.  Back with you next week and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines