St. Vrain Angler News & Muse March 28, 2006!

Greetings!

It is 65 degrees as I write this in Longmont, Colorado. There is not a cloud up there in the blue sky and the mountains gleam with fresh, white snow. Welcome to Colorado Spring. Tomorrow it may snow again, then warm, then rain, the nice and so on until we're done with this. In the meantime buds begin to pop as Spring gets sprung. Allergies are kicking in if you suffer from them; sad day.

All of this can be enjoyed on a trout stream with more life and vigor than anywhere else I know.

What would a day on the stream look like? That's what I'll write about today. Please enjoy the read.

I hope you'll check out the links on the email for special offers, guided trips, classes and Solution Books. I'll be adding info all the time, so please stay tuned.

It's a who, what, where, when and why proposition, eh? So, that's what we'll discuss. Oh yeah; I'm glad you reminded me: how!

Who? If you are reading this, ambulatory and suffering from basic cabin fever, meanness, grumpiness and so on, it is you! This will even cure bad breath. Know why? Because no one will be able to smell it!

What? We're going fishing. Fly fishing, actually.

Where? In a trout stream. Local if we're investing a couple of hours into our sanity and memory bank account; far-flung if we're going for a day or two. Options? Poudre, Big Thompson, St. Vrain, Boulder Creek, South Platte near Deckers, in Cheesman or 11-Mile Canyon, or below Spinney Reservoir, the Arkansas below Pueblo Reservoir, near Canyon City and on upstream through Salida, the Blue below Lake Dillon near Silverthorne, the Eagle from Vail downstream, the Colorado near Hot Sulphur, Glenwood and so on, the Roaring Fork from it's confluence with the Colorado upstream to near Aspen, the Frying Pan from Basalt to Reudi Reservoir, the Yampa around Steamboat, the Gunnison, Uncompahgre, Delores, San Miguel over that way to the west, the Animas, San Juan in SW Colorado and so on and so forth. There's the San Juan in New Mexico, Green in Utah, North Platte at Saratoga, Miracle Mile or Grey Reef and the Bighorn in Montana. Want to go farther afield? Let me know. I'll help if I can.

When? As soon as possible, and then again. This year, 2006, we're going fishing with more frequency. We promised to do so last year, but last year is gone, fishing trips were attended or not and it is time to begin fresh, like so many buds blooming leaves on trees. Look at your calendar now. Now, throw it away and go fishing today. If today won't work, then go the next day or the next. Don't let things get out of hand here, folks. Go fishing soon and often. You are allowed, regardless the circumstances. The circumstances will remain while fishing opportunities are missed. I don't think anyone I know is going to throw everything out the window, shirking all responsibility and so on. The opposite is true, and living is being thrown out the window. Living and experiencing life. Where better than a trout stream? When better than now? It's up to you. You have my permission to go fishing. There. Live it up.

We'll just do it, that's how. Nothing replaces time on the water.

Gear. Take what you have, of course. Rod, reel, matching fly line. leader that fits conditions at hand, tippet material, waders, boots, sunglasses and something to hold your flies, lunch and water bottle.

The rod might be made of graphite or bamboo; maybe you even have a fiberglass rod. More power to you if that's the case. It will be 9' long or shorter, and may be from a 2- to 5-weight, unless you are going to Wyoming; then it might be a six to fight the wind and the fish.

You should be able to cast this fly rod. Practice. Take a class.

The reel will, at the least, hold fly line that works on the rod. The reel might also have a silky smooth drag system that will protect light tippet material.

Leaders will be from 7-1/2' to 9' in length and taper to either 4- or 5X. Tippet spools of 4-, 5-, and 6X should be carried; they should be new. Divide the fly size by 3 and use the answer for the tippet size.

Waders should be comfortable and mostly leak free. The water is going to be cold; live it up. Boots might just as well fit so you can stay out as long as you want to.

Sunglasses are polarized and required. Done.

Vest? Fanny pack? Chest pack? What works. Wear an old shirt with big pockets, or carry an old creel with all your stuff inside. Whatever floats your boat is fine; just get out and row, row...You get it.

Flies. They are the connecting point with the trout. Some of the flies should imitate active bugs such as midges and small mayflies. It's possible certain areas will have early brown stoneflies and small caddis emerging, too. The key is small and dark right now, in a size and shape that's about like the bug. Take a minute to watch the bugs; see what works. Here's a basic list of flies you should take along. You may select the proper size.

There are many others; these are imitative flies that will fool fish.

Attractor patterns such as:

Caddis adults will work in certain spots. Larva patterns should work everywhere.

There are golden stones and dark stones in the water all the time. Most of the streams listed above support stoneflies through the year. Carry a few nymph patterns from size 8-18!

A few streamers are a good idea. I like Zonkers and feather-wing patterns like Gray Ghost and Platte River Specials. Of course the Woolly Bugger is an all time favorite for anglers.

Rainbow trout will begin to spawn. There are folks who insist on fishing with Heuvos, and that's fine. Add a few San Juan worms to the mix and you start the road to perdition.

Most of the streams have sow bugs, but few anglers fish them beyond the Bighorn. Scuds in orange, olive, gray and tan work well on the Platte and other stream system.

Rigging. Once the fly selection is complete - at least for this outing - we have to tie them on. Tippet to leader knot is either a Triple Surgeon's Knot or a blood knot. Tie the fly on with a Duncan Loop or Improved Clinch Knot. There are several options.

Fishing. We're either going to fish the water, or fish to fish we see. There are days when we can do both.

Fishing the water means searching with a fly pattern for fish that will eat. Sometimes I think fish are curious and will take a fly just to see if it tastes like food. Aren't they in for a surprise? I think so. At other times an attractor pattern just looks like something to eat and they take it out of hunger.

To fish to fish we see usually means we observe feeding fish. They're the best because they are already eating and we don't have to feed them some sort of hunger stimulant - that's a joke, okay? When we see feeding fish it is important to pick one feeding fish. After all, flies are small and usually only hook one fish at a time. If fish number one does not eat, move on to fish number two. Keep trying.

Putting a fly in the right spot is best. This means getting the fly to drift into the fish's mouth. The closer to that position the better the chance of hooking up. If the fish moves a bit from side to side or up and down we'll have more leeway on where we put the fly, but a fly in the right spot is better than the perfect fly in the wrong spot.

What's the right spot?

It's you, in a river, with a fly tied to your line, casting to a rising fish and putting the fly in the current lane that's carrying food to the fish. When the fish rises, takes your fly and you gently lift the rod to set up, then feel the tug from the other end, everything and everyone is in the right spot.

Except the fish.

They'd rather you'd stay at home.

Go fishing soon.

Then, go again!

Thanks for reading.