FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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The Bite Was On

I never forget to just look around at just where I am.

After spending the weekend watching sports and letting folks fish in piece it was Monday and time to fish.  I had not even made up my mind where or what when I went to bed.  When getting up it was 45 degrees and dead calm.  I have been meaning to head north of Creede and fish a pond then a lake, plus the road to the lake has produced several moose and even some sheep.  On the road before 8:00 the pond was first but it was a bust.  Used several types of flies without a bite so shortly it was off to the lake.

This one smoked it and jumped a bunch.  A good fish.

While I saw no animals, it is busy right now in the woods, it was calm and warming when getting to the lake.  The dam seemed a logical place to start and ended up finishing the morning there.  First it was a wooley bugger, which actually produced a couple of bites, but they were halfhearted.  During that time I noticed what appeared to be some trout feeding on some kind of hatch.  They were not exactly on top but they were feeding.

Half were this the other half smaller but they were in full bite mode.

I changed over to a smaller dry fly and something unusual happened.  Though I used flotant it wanted to sink super slow.  Just put on a new fluor #6 leader and it was actually pulling the fly under.  So I just started stripping it fairly quick and they started smoking it.  It was maybe 4 or 5″down and they smacked it.  And what made it fun, beside the fact 3 were good ones, is they immediately jumped and fought to beat the band.  On that light leader it was a tussle and the fact that I caught 6 or so without breaking any off was combination of luck/skill.  Fighting fish of any sort is simply a matter of feel.  After catching everything from marlin to bluegill it comes second nature.

And I learned something with this one.  What a pig.

After whipping on them in a pretty small area the bite slowed down.  So I started stripping it slower and caught a little one.  So next cast I just let it sink super slow and one just smacked it and was another good one.  On that one I called it a day.

There were lots of folks fishing today.  It will get busier as the week goes on with the 3 day holiday this weekend.  Think I will get out first thing in the morning for the next couple of days then leave it to them.  In another week things calm down considerably and the Boss and I will be hitting a few lakes further away.  Today was great and I am starting to get the hang of it.

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Smoking

Smoked Bacon Cheeder Meatloaf

Since we got the smoker there has been some cooking.  As I am batching it this week a meatloaf seemed like something I could chew on for a few days.  Trust me this may not last that long.  It is seriously good!

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The River

The plan was to take the boat and hit Beaver Lake.  There are some great weed beds near the creek coming in that sit in about 5′ right now along the creek channel.  It looks like a great place to fly fish and with the kokanee headed up the creek on the fall spawning run you never know.  But that did not happen.

The Rio Grande – 5 minutes from the house.

It rained some yesterday and when I got up it was raining off and on so the boat plan was out the window.  With some many folks fishing I decided to cut to the chase and hit the river.  Even going out before 8:00 there were a couple of folks already fly fishing but they were not a problem.

This is a good one.  Every single one is different.

This guy was long and had a fat little belly. 

Best of the morning.

It is a tough ol’ world out there.  

It has been so nice having the river right down the street.  To be able to go for a few minutes are hours whenever and however I want it is a bonus.  And as soon as the crowds leave I will be spending more time wading but with som many options just deciding which one is often the problem, a good one to have.

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Beaver Lake

The first one from the boat.

It was drizzling when I got up but the radar showed the clearing was coming so off to the lake.  After thinking about fly fishing the creek coming in the lake time to do it.  The lake like the rest of the local waters is still falling and the water temp was 73 degrees but clear.

Another part of the learning curve.

Basically it was just drive until running out of water at the creek mouth and then drifting out until the water depth exceeded 20′ and then do it again.   First up was a jointed fly that looks good, but the few bites were very light and not a one committed, or I missed them.

One of the great things about South Fork, plenty of different fishing opportunities.

So I switched to the old go-to, the wooly bugger.  That finally did the trick though I should have used it earlier as 3 jumped on in 2 drifts then unfortunately the sind came up and that was the end of my morning efforts.  But I learned some and will be back soon, as maybe in the morning depending on the forecast.  No matter what the 3 days of experimenting has taught me quite a bit.  One thing that definitely needs work is my casting but that will continue to improve with practice, oops, I mean fishing.

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The Boss will be gone for a few more days so there is still fishing to come.  The weather is stunning and fall is slowly creeping in.  Next month it will be back to chasing animals as things in the woods calm down.  But until next week folks are enjoying all the area has to offer and I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend.  So keep stopping in and thank for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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