St. Vrain Angler News & Muse December 6, 2005

Greetings!

How's everyone doing this fine, windy, cold day? It is a lovely day for writing, tying flies, reading and pondering life. At this time of year I always remember Pearl Harbor. A moment of silence is demanded in my being as I think about all that came after.

I hope you'll forgive me for continuing to think about warm places and fast fish. I love the flats, Mon, and we're still scheduling several more outings for after the first of the year. I sure hope many of you will join the fun! Who's ready?

I've been working on the web page to add more and more online shopping opportunities. Thanks to all who have taken advantage of them. I hope more of you will. Every day we're receiving more goodies. We'll be watching over your stuff until you can come and pick it up.

Store Hours: December 5-23, 2005

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday 9:30-6:00

Wednesday 9:30-8:00

Saturday 9:00-5:00

Sunday 11:00-2:00

Here's what we have for today's missive! Please enjoy reading.

Special Events

On Saturday, December 10, 2005 Longmont hosts its annual Holiday Parade in downtown Longmont. The festivities begin at 5:00PM and promise to be colorful and full of lovely sounds. Jessica will be marching with her school band. We'll stay open and provide hot beverages and cookies to parade participants. Enjoy! This is good family fun.

We'll see you then.

On Tuesday, December 13, 2005 we'll host a St. Vrain Angler Open House at the shop from 6:00-8:30PM. There will be music, hot cider, cookies, punch and various Shop Specials available. Everyone who attends will receive a free gift, compliments of St. Vrain Angler. This would be a good time to relax and find the special gift that will fulfill your holiday wishes. We look forward to seeing you on December 13, 2005 at 418 Main Street in Longmont. For more information please call 303-651-6061. THANKS!

Fly Swap

Fly Swaps are interesting and fun. They build camaraderie and help tiers become more consistent with their fly tying. Scott tells me there are still openings for our End of 2005 Fly Swap! Here's how it works:

We'll organize the flies into boxes with one of each pattern and distribute them to each tier who participates. The remainder will be donated to the local Trout Unlimited Chapter to auction off.

As a special incentive to participate, the first fourteen people who sign up for the swap will receive a 10% card good for one shopping spree of tying tools, hooks or materials in the shop from now through December 15, 2005!

Sign up soon! You'll be glad you did! This is FUN!

Wish List Registration

It's been a tradition for years, and it works. We keep tabs on your gift selections so your shopper can get you what you want from St. Vrain Angler. Here's how it works:

1. Fill out the form below, or stop in the shop to fill out your wish list card.

2. Your name and the list of goodies you'd like this year will be available to your shopper when they either call or stop by the shop to shop for you.

3. You get what you want, and your shopper shops with confidence, knowing they're getting you the very thing you want.

Our guarantee is simple: you will be satisfied with what you get. Period. We'll exchange, replace or refund for anything to make it right for you!

Sign up now! Give your shopper time to shop with confidence at St. Vrain Angler.

Shopping With St. Vrain Angler

At St. Vrain Angler you can shop with confidence!

We promise we'll be friendly and helpful and that what you buy will work as intended. When anyone buys a gift of any sort we'll guarantee it's the right thing.

If you are not satisfied please let us know so we can exchange the product for the right thing, or refund your money.

Store Hours: December 5-23, 2005

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday 9:30-6:00

Wednesday 9:30-8:00

Saturday 9:00-5:00

Sunday 11:00-2:00

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Online Shopping

I know there are lots of folks who live around here and have family and friends who live elsewhere. Our site has a variety of useful and economical gifts one can give - other than socks, that is - by shopping with St. Vrain Angler online. Here are a few:

Please take advantage of the convenience of shopping online while supporting your local fly shop. Of course we'd prefer to see or hear from you. If this works best, please take advantage of it. Thanks!

I'll be adding more today and every day this week, and I'll probably send you a reminder via email.

When you follow the links above and read the info you'll see we've added Add To Cart buttons so you can register for classes or purchase products and Gift Certificates from the web page. We're using PayPal to consummate the sales and make transactions. It works and is secure.

I'll continue to add online purchasing opportunities. Please remember: we'd prefer to talk with you one-on-one, so when you have any questions please call the shop at 303-651-6061 or 800-651-1770; or drop me a line at angler@peakpeak.com

Our goal is to fulfill your fly fishing dreams!

Tying Attractor Dries

This Thursday, December 8, 2005 at the shop we'll meet to tie Attractor Dry Flies. We usually meet at 5:15 for something to eat - we usually go to O'Shay's - and the class will start at 6:30 and finish at 9:30. We're going to tie Attractor Dry Flies - Stimulator, Wulff and Trude Patterns. We'll add a Humpy as time allows! This will be fun and informative.

Sign up by dropping me a line at angler@peakpeak.com, by calling the shop or online, below. THANKS!

We'll have a fine time; I'm looking forward to seeing you.

Flats Fishing Trips

Here's what we have coming in the near future. Not all of the dates are set, but they will be as soon as you ask about the trips and a few folks commit to a specific date. One of these trips would be a great Holiday Gift, by the way - or the gear required to take it. (The prices I list are approximations for everything from Denver, inclusive. OK?)

Christmas Island: We're going back. The plane situation is fixed. The dates are January 10-17, 2006. It's a good time to go. The trip will be about $3800.00, +/-. A few spots remain. angler@peakpeak.com

Ascension Bay: I talked with the owner and we decided one or two flats fishing schools were in order. I'd like to do one of them in late January, and another in Mid-February. About $3000.00. Who wants to join me? angler@peakpeak.com

A new Mexico Destination! This spot sounds great. The travel will be through Cancun, with a 4+ hour drive on good paved roads to follow. The place looks great, the guides are reputed to be excellent and the food filling and delicious. About $2800.00 for 7 nights and 6 days of flats fishing. Who wants to join me? angler@peakpeak.com

Belize - San Pedro! We're going to try to go back in March, 2006. This is our couples trip, and great for folks who want to share some good time in a relatively developed area that is lovely, friendly and safe. The fishing is good; the eating is good; the resting is good; the diving and snorkeling are both good; and so on is all good. angler@peakpeak.com

Andros Island: This is the trip we usually do in either April or May. We'll have to schedule it in the near future if we plan to go as the place fills fast. angler@peakpeak.com

Fishing Tips

Dress in layers for warmth and protection from the wind. I wrote something about this on the Patagonia page and I'd encourage you to read it. Staying dry and warm is key to staying out fishing. The days are short, so plan to fish for three or four hours, then take a break for warm soup and hot coffee or chocolate. On the day my young friend Robert, at right, and I were fishing 11-Mile Canyon it was about zero at the warmest. We hooked fish on dry flies, too! Robert was wearing a variety of items to stay warm, and did. He's fighting a fish in this shot - one he hooked on his own. Not bad for a fourteen-year-old on his first winter fishing outing!

Basic gear: rod, reel, line, leader (9'5X) and 5-, 6- and 7X tippet; Ice off (we have it in the shop) and a desiccant ( ha, ha, we have that, too!); a box of midge patterns sprinkled with a few scuds, sow bugs and a black leech or two; Bio-Strike; gloves; hat; polarized sunglasses; Kleenex to wipe runny nose; car keys - getting locked out is bad form this time of year. Bring a sense of humor and your patience. Know this: a hooked fish will warm you up for another half hour, max. A landed fish will make your hands cold, but happy for it.

The fish will be bright and beautiful, like this lovely rainbow. See the very small fly in its mouth? They can see the bugs and eat them, so they can see the flies and will take them - as long as they are presented properly. We're always working on that issue, eh?

Where To Go?

Our closest spot is the Big Thompson below Lake Estes. It will stay open all winter. Much of the rest of the river will freeze about now and stay that way through sometime in February or early March, depending on sunlight and temperatures.

There are a couple of spots on the Poudre that stay open, but that seems like along way to drive when in the same time we can get to some of the following areas.

The Blue below Dillon Reservoir at Silverthorne is a good winter fishery. Start fishing about 10 or later, and finish by about 3 or so. It takes about 2 hours to get there from Longmont.

The South Platte system: around Deckers can be very good; 2 hour drive; half hour hike into Cheesman Canyon; easy walk along the river near Deckers. 11-Mile Canyon is 3-1/2 hours of driving, and not a day trip for me - it is for others, though. I've always seen rising fish there during winter. The Dream Stream, which is the stretch between Spinney Mountain and 11-Mile Reservoirs, fishes well or awful during winter. It's usually worth the drive, and 11-Mile Canyon is close enough to bail out, if needed. Waterton Canyon is an hour drive, then a hike to get into to fish. It can be very good in winter.

The Frying Pan is a 4+ hour drive, depending on the road conditions, and should be planned as a two day trip. It fishes well near the dam; temperatures will be very cold up there, but there are usually rising fish to aggravate and inspire anglers. The fish are big, too. The Roaring Fork has sections that fish very well, but beware the ice flows, which can be dangerous!

In Wyoming, we can fish the Miracle Mile and Gray Reef. Up the road a ways and into Montana the Bighorn is back and fishing well. These are multi-day trips for me.

Flies

The midge family should start at size #20 and go down from there. Really, if you had one size, a 20 would be it. Good presentation is everything. If you'd like to tie the flies, please go to The Midge Family and have a peek.

Try our Midge Tying Kit. Each kit has enough materials to tie six flies of one pattern in two sizes. That's a dozen flies per style. Here's what we provide:

OR try our Midge Fishing Kit. Each kit contains the following:

How much? The Midge Tying Kit is $9.95.

The Midge Fishing Kit is $24.95.

Order now! You can also either call 303-651-6061 or drop me a line at angler@peakpeak.com.  We'll call you for credit card info and mail your goodies right out!

Winter Fly Fishing Solutions Booklet

This comprehensive booklet answers lots of questions about fishing during Winter months, including the bugs and their life cycle, the flies that imitate them, how to rig, cast and present flies and much more. There's a full tying section included, as well. Add it to your library by calling the shop at 303-651-6061 or dropping me a note at angler@peakpeak.com.  You can also purchase online by clicking here.

I hope this has been at lease nominally amusing, and that you are well. The snow is falling as I finish. Gently falling flakes and gray skies confirm it is a good day to write, read tie flies and perhaps take a nap. Napping is a good invention, even though most of us resisted when we truly had the freedom to nap, including a willing mommy. I love my mommy, but fear I robbed her of nap time by fighting my own.

Another day has come and I've lost another good friend. Joe Gilmore died the other day back in Ohio. My sister, Diane, has kept track of him through all of these years. There are two things I'll never forget about Joe; actually, three. One, he had the guts to quit a good job to follow his heart and write. Two, on a night out with Jim, his son, and I he was driving us home and ran out of gas. It was a VW Bug, which was way cool in the '60's; some of you remember. I called my mom to tell her we needed some gas. We were having a dandy time, laughing it up after a comical movie and a burger. I said, "This idiot ran out of gas." After the conversation was over, Joe took me aside and whispered to me, "Never call me an idiot. I like you. I like laughing and carrying on, but I'm not an idiot." It was one of the kindest reprimands I'd ever experienced, and remains that to this day. Third, one night Joe picked Jim and I up from Boy Scouts. It was in March of 1968. Our greeting was, "Well boys, all hell is going to break loose now. They just killed Martin Luther King." I got chills, which still occur when I think of that night and that time. All hell did break loose in Akron, Ohio, where we lived. And I still get chills when I think of what we've missed.

There are those who say that time passes too fast. I don't know; seems to me that each day has the same number of minutes and hours, and we choose how we'll spend - or invest - them. I sure wish more of us would take responsibility for what we can do. Perhaps we have the chance to be someone else's Joe. He took the time for Jim and I, and I'm forever grateful.

Goodbye, Joe Gilmore.

I'll talk with all of you again next week, and hope to hear from you or see you at the shop. Please remember the Parade on Main Street this Saturday evening, beginning at 5:00PM. We'll be open for warmth, camaraderie and smiles all around. I hope to have live music from Jessica and her friends - after they march in the Parade, that is. Bring a friend and a kid and enjoy an evening of music, color and light!

Thanks for reading; thanks for being out there each week and for all of the kind responses you write or mention in the shop.

See you again soon.

Dale Darling

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