11 Mile Canyon and Big Thompson

Took our first trip up to 11 Mile Canyon this weekend. The river was extremely crowded and we ended up fishing the lower half. Started off nymphing with a braided ginger quill on top and a black beauty on the bottom. Doing a a down stream drift and pulling back every 4 or so seconds I came out with a nice 8" rainbow. Went down to a second pool and caught a good 12" one.





Sunday went up to the Big Thompson. I was not having a good day despite nabbing a small brown right off the bat. Moved up the hill a ways and came across a spot that had several fish feeding, unfortunately it was taken so went up near a bridge and made some casts, got a great big hit on a black green half back flashback. Unfortunately my hook got bent and lost the fish. went down to the pool after and found it to be open, mark and another gentleman were fishing the hole. Apperently he had been fishing here before and was not concerned with us and held the hole for us while I was upstream. I pulled two out of here on dries and mark must have had three or four with alot of top water misses by both us and the fish. We decided despite the fun we wanted a bit more sport and went downstream aways and found a a nice stretch. I had no luck but mark got a couple of hits and even managed to land one.

Over all a good weekend fishing new water. Next time we will be more familiar with the terrain and hopefully not have the wind that has plagued us most of the month.

Clear Creek once a week

So there is this spot on Clear Creek just outside Idaho Springs that seems to guarantee a few catches every time I go there.  I went the past two Friday's by myself and had what are to date, my best two days of fishing, as far as number of fish caught goes. 

The first Friday I get out about noon and head up to the spot.  As before I could see fish in the river and feeding on the surface, which is always a good sign.  I start out with a BWO and not ten casts in I get a bite, my first fish of the day.  It's just a little 7" Brown, but a fish is a fish, and I release it and get back to it.  By now the BWO I am using has no wings and is basically just a green body with an indicator, but that didn't matter because I ended up catching six more with it.  My biggest fish of the day was number three, a 12" Rainbow that was fat, with the other five ranging from 8" to 11" Brown's.  All seven fish were caught in about two and half hours and then couldn't get another fish the rest of the day.

Friday number two I get out about 9:00am and head up to the spot.  After two days of rain the sky has broken open to a glorious day with almost no wind.  Of coarse after two days of rain the water was high and the creek flowing much faster.  As I walked up I couldn't see any fish or any activity in the water, not a good sign for dry flies.  I start the day off with the same BWO as before, but this time with no luck.  After an hour or so and trying a few different spots with no luck I decided to try a diffeerent spot down stream in the canyon.

I try a spot by tunnel 6 where the creek goes away from the road.  By this time it's 10:00am and warming up but I still don't see any activity in the water.  There are a bunch of nice pools along this stretch that should be holding fish but I don't see anything feeding on the surface.  I spend about an hour along this stretch with no luck but am enjoying being in the mountains and fishing, I mean casting, and decided to head back to the spot.

Walking up I can see fish feeding and am ready to go.  By this time I am throwing a Pale Morning Dun and can see a few fish in the water to cast to.  Second cast in and I hook a fish, but as I am bringing it to the shallows it snaps the tippet and the fish is gone with my fly.  I tie on another PMD and same thing as before.  Third fish hooked and it doesn't break my tippet but does manage to wiggle off the hook right as I try to net it.

The fish are still feeding and I finally get my system for netting them down so I stop losing fish.  Over the next two hours I catch seven fish, with the biggest being a 11" Brown.  The bugs stop flying around and the activity on the surface stops and the fish are not taking the PMD anymore, so I try a few other flies.  With no luck to be had I decide to call it a day with seven in the book. Another fun day on Clear Creek!

I just got a new point and shoot camera that lets me take underwater video.  These are my first attempts:

Return of the Fly...

Bear Creek (61cfs)--Poudre (390 cfs)---Dream Stream (61cfs)

What a great 2 1/2 days of Fishing. 18 total for Derron and I. Luckily I tied a few flies (and put him in my fishing hole) so that Derron could catch a fish on Sunday, otherwise it was gonna be a long ride home! The theme of the weekend was Wild Kingdom (fish, Cows, Buffalos, Horses, Beavers/Rats, Egrets, Turkey Vulchers, Antelope, Geese and Deer.)



Flies of the weekend



Started with Bear Creek on Friday evening landing a few small ones in tight lies with Dries, Moved on to the Poudre on sunday, where nymphing was the technique of the day and onto Dream Stream for more nymphing and a good fish on with a Hopper.

He's in there somewhere...

Derrons final catch of the weekend was a Beautiful 16"Trout. After filming it and walking over to get a few more pics, we realized that the fish had my fly still in him from an earlier break off. Always good to see a fish continuing to feed after I hooked him 1st.

By taking him fishing...

What a great 6 weeks of fishing. Deckers, Poudre, Bear Creek, Grey Reef and Clear Creek have provided many pictures and great days on the river. Looking forward to more incredible weekends all summer long! We have a great group of friends that join Derron and I. The conversations have been great and the time remarkable. I would like to thank everyone that has gone along with us and hope that we can keep up this tradition.

Here Cutty Cutty...

I think im being watched!

Derron had a great idea of finding a river or creek to fish that we would have to mountain bike into for an hour or so then spend the day fishing and ride back out at Dusk. Enjoy the photos because I sure enjoyed the trips.

Yeah Kid, thats right, kicked ass that day!

Trout still feeding, watch your nuts!!

Three days in the Frying Pan

Derron and myself went to Glenwood Springs for a long weekend to hang with friends and do a little fishing in the area. Because of the warm weather, runoff was muddying the Roaring Fork and Crystal Rivers but because of the dam the Frying Pan was still alright. The weekend was hot but very windy for most part and you would think with a name like the Frying Pan the water would not be so f*^#ing cold.

We started Friday by fishing just down from the dam by the bridge. As we walked up we could see fish feeding and took this as a good sign. After fishing for a couple of hours with no luck, Derron finally catches a little Rainbow and the ice is broken. We fish for a couple of more hours with no luck and decided to move downstream. After a couple of different spots we settle on this area by some trees and pools. I start casting to a fish I can see feeding in this little pool. After a couple of near misses I finally hook a 14" Rainbow and go from totally frustrated to super excited in a second. Next I move to an area by some submerged trees and land a 11" Rainbow, to make two for the day, both in the last hour of the day. Both fish were caught on a bwo.

The next day we start in the area we finished the day before to try our luck. After about an hour with no luck and not seeing any fish feeding we decide to move to another area up stream. As we walk up we notice a bunch of fish feeding on the surface and feel pretty good about the spot. I am still throwing a bwo, but at this point it has lost all of it's wings. With a few near misses in the book I finally get my hook set and land a 13" Brown and could not be happier. I take a little break and get back out in the river with the fish still feeding. Twenty or so more casts and I hook another 11" Rainbow to officially make this a great day. Derron plugs away and finally gets a 12" Raindow to keep him from getting skunked. We call it a day at 3:30 and meet some friends for some beers.

Sunday ended up being super windy and with no luck we decided to call it a day after a couple of hours and headed home. Overall a great trip and my biggest fish so far!

My Best Day So Far

Went up to Clear Creek with Derron for a half day of fishing. We decided to go to the spot in Idaho Springs to start things off. As before you could see fish in the water as we walked up and knew once again we had chosen wisely.

I start fishing the good spot and Derron heads a little farther down. I begin fishing with a Light Cahill but end up getting it snagged and losing it. Pale Morning Dun size 16 and a Light Cahill size 20 are my next choices for flies(same setup I had the previous time). Not five casts into it I see the fish come up and grab the Pale Morning Dun. I set the hook and catch my first fish of the day, a little 7" brookie. With the fish released I start casting again and same thing, fish on. That made two fish in about a half hour of fishing.

I go see how Derron is doing downstream, only to find out he has had no luck. I take a little break and watch Derron fish, still no luck. Derron decides to move up to where I was, while I try a few spots down stream. I end up having no luck either and move back up stream to find out Derron has caught 2 fish, so the story goes?

I start fishing in the same area as before and not to long after, catch my third fish of the day. All have been Brook Trout and 8" or smaller, but still as many fish in one day as I have had. The Pale Morning Dun is killing it!

We decide to go to the first tunnel and give it a go for the last hour of the day. As we walk up we see a couple of fisherman who said the fish are active but not taking what they had. We fish the first calm section and work our way up. After about 20 minutes and a few misses I finally get a fish on. Once again its a small 8" Brook Trout, but it has officially made this my best day fishing so far! I move a little farther up stream and catch one more, you guessed it a 8" Brook Trout. Number five for the day and catching fish in three different spots, so pleased with myself.

I Fish for another 10 minutes with no luck and go see how Derron is doing. He has had no luck and we are both ready to call it quits for the day.

Did I mention, I CAUGHT FIVE FISH!!!!!