FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors Inc.

One beautiful morning out our front window!  2″ of fresh powder.

I wanted to lead with this from our buddy Chago.

The sense of freedom is yours. The world is vast and you are no longer confined to four walls.

You have interacted with the Earth’s gravitational pull, shared a moment with wildlife, and tipped your hat to mother nature.

May you never find your way back to the cage of life.

Congratulations! Life is made for living.

You have captured how it feels to be here and all that comes with it.  As far as the “cage” of life I could not have said it any better.  For me the move here has to with exactly that.  And to make that truly happen will take some personal soul searching and commitment.  I promise to really let the “small stuff” go, which is a big step for me.  We spend entirely too much of our lives stressing on things that in the end mean little.  To go along with that, just let the old stuff go, the small hurts and slights that happen to us along the way mean little and it is time to let them go.

I promise to go outside and let it fill me with the joy that lives there.  To treat it and the living things with the respect they deserve and remain humble to my place in it.  I promise to read more, watch less TV, reduce computer time and stay off the “devil” phone.  (It is just plain sad and depressing to see 4 folks at a table in a restaurant all looking at their phones.)  To really let it sink in that almost nothing can’t wait.

But most important:  Stop, shut up, (No small undetaking on my part.)  and just look around and take it in.  In our travels west we always asked folks: Do you ever get tired of the view?  It was driven home as we were fly fishing a small steam outside of Estes Park.  The guide continually said, quit casting and look around at just where you are.  Ok – Done. I promise to never take it for granted.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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A good one.  Sorry it is a little out of focus, but they won’t always do what you want, dang wild animals.

From Darryl.

Awesome and congrads on the purchase of your dream home. Always enjoy the blog. What part of Iowa are you from? I grew up mostly near Lake Mills, just south of Albert Lea, MN.

Appreciate it.  Both the Boss and I grew up 20 miles apart in southeast Iowa in small farming towns.  We met and married in Arkansas.  And funny you should mention you grew up in Minnesota.  It is definitely one of the great fishing destinations in this world and if the fishing season was just a hair longer I could have ended up there.  I was lucky enough to do the Boundry Waters a couple of times and fished in the Brainard area.  Winter actually played a big part in our decision.  The area of Colorado we are in has tons of winter days in the teens then up high 30’s to 40’s like it will be today.  Just the right amount of 4 seasons for us.  Thanks again for reading.

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And from SW Joe,

Doesnt look like that bike in the yard is gonna get used anytime soon !!!!  HAPPY NEW YEAR BUDDY !!!!

It sure won’t, it is hoofing time.  It will be in the low 40’s later and the snowshoes will be on and off I go into the woods.  Haven’t decided on a route yet but it is not without a wealth of choices.  Thanks for being a long-term supporter.  The blog will be a little different from here, but I will be back to fish a couple of months and then back here for ice out and the fly rod.  You would think I was spoiled or something.

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Matt had this to say about South Fork.

Wow, South Fork. We stayed there a few days last year and absolutely loved it. We’ve talking about going back in the summer to explore the wildness and fish the Rio Grande.

I expect you to send some fly fishing reports.

Before we took the plunge, we considered many places around the country.  Our travels in country were always “fishing” expeditions in both senses.  Then as I said before Africa and Yellowstone happened and we were hooked on wildlife.  Once we visited Pagosa Springs we were sold on the area as we spent countless hours driving the mountain roads and taking pictures.  One of my really big life complaints, Texas’s almost total lack of public grounds, for hunting, fishing, and exploring.  Here there are literally untold acres of public lands outside our door, as in millions.

On our snowshoe walk the other day we were surrounded by mountains with not a sound, stunning and we had it all to ourselves.  And this morning as I type this out my back window 25 trukeys are squabbling as they are want to do.  Out my front window, a couple of mule deer with one buck feeding across the street.  Now we have this giant area to explore, and we could not be any happier.  As soon as ice out on the river, March/April give or take the fly fishing reports will start as I explore the multitude of opportunity the area brings.  But it will be back soon to catch the spring Texas fishing.  Sorry for the long answer but I could go on and on, and of course I will!

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Snowshoeing at 9,000 feet.

No matter the weather I will be out daily enjoying the mountains.  Today I headed to the road leading to Big Meadow Lake only to find it was closed when you turned off the highway.  But they plowed a lot and then put up a berm to keep out cars and snowmobiles.  It was plowed a while ago but was perfect for the snowshoes.  I walked 35 minutes uphill and then 25 back down.  It takes a while to adjust to the altitude.  (All the hard work on the treadmill is paying off.)  Not quite like the 600 feet or so that is Victoria.  Other than a few random birds there was not a sound, and not a soul in sight, one of the very things that brought us here.  I turned around before I got to the lake not wanting to overdo it as I continue to acclimate.  Trust me we flatlanders can feel the altitude.

Thanks to these folks for providing opportunities for all on our public lands.

As I headed back down it started to cloud a little, a very light snow and wind chased me down the hill.  Looking back on my life who would have thought I would be hitting 70 y/o this year and hiking at 9,000 in the dead of winter and living to tell about it.  So, the adventure begins and who knows what is around the next corner?  No idea but I will keep chasing.

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It is a plain and simple joy being here.  Mountains out our front windows, forest in the back.  I am living the get up and get out and do something thing.  Movement is the key to life, and as I always say it is in the doing.  While the fishing reports will be a little slim, they will start up big time when I get home in February.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines