St. Vrain Angler News & Muse March 15, 2005

Greetings!

I hope you are well this fine day. While Spring promises to be around the corner, and is in fact here from time to time, we're back in the deep freeze for a few days. Last Saturday evening, while Rachel was still home on her break from school, Jess played with the Longmont Youth Symphony in Niwot. The conductor and his wife, a ballet teacher, have worked together to create ballets for kids. He composes; she does choreography; the Youth Symphony performs what he composed; he students dance. There's nothing else like it in the country, and perhaps in the entire world. Cool beans, huh? Right here in Longmont, Colorado.

Anyway, when the performance was over we walked out to a driving snow. Wet snow. By the time it was done there was about 8-inches on the ground. It is still there, too. Rachel had to leave Sunday morning for her drive back to Durango, and was a bit miffed at the weather. As it turned out once she was to about Canon City the roads were dry and remained so for the remainder of her trek back to College. A bit over one more month, and she's done.

Welcome to everyone who signed up this week. I'm pleased to welcome two of my first cousins, Roger and Jeff, who live in Ohio. Mom was at their dad's 85th birthday party - that's here big brother - and go to catch up with both Roger and Jeff, and their sister, Kathy. I hope you are all well.

Jay and I spent a couple days in the mountains - Sunday and Monday. We hoped to go fishing, take some pictures and video and so on. Jay went - he's a kid, after all, and I wrote. Each time he returned his hands were frozen. It was cold! He did hook some beautiful fish, though, on nymphs. We talked about how neat it was to have wild fish like that so close to home. We are truly blessed.

We did talk lots about writing, life, fish, flies, Patrick McManus and Jay's book, which I read while up there. In Neck Deep is a fine book, and Jay is proud of his accomplishment. We have copies in the shop for $15.00 and you should get a copy and read it. I'm going to keep encouraging Jay to write, and we'll be posting a few of his works on the web page in the near future. Maybe by tomorrow. Writers need to write. When you see Jay, ask him how it's going, will you?

Here's a quote from Jay's book, In Neck Deep, which we have in the shop. This puts perspective on why some of us love fly fishing - or fishing in general. Tying flies puts us close as we prepare for a trip to the water, and putzing with gear is another close-to-real fishing experience that gets the gears and fluids moving.

It's not that fishing has answered any questions, or resolved any of my problems, but it certainly sets the right size stage to confront them. I don't think about anything while I'm on the water, other than what's pertinent to catching my next fish, but the act itself clears room in my mind for the perplexities nagging to be addressed.

In past missives I've asked why folks fish. That's a good one, huh? Any comments? Write em down and send em on to me. OK?

Thanks.

This week is going to interesting and wonderful! There's so much going on. Please join what you will.

Tonight, I begin another session of our Intermediate Fly Tying Class. I think there is at least one opening if you'd like to join us. We're going to tie some wonderful flies, have a great time, learn some helpful techniques and meet new friends. If you'd like, join us at 5PM at O'Shays for supper. Class begins at 6:30. Tuition is $75.00. Please call the shop to register at 303-651-6061.

Mark has delayed the start of another Introduction to Fly Tying for one week to get a few more folks. This may be the last session of the Winter, so please call to register. 303-651-6061. Tuition is $70.00 and includes all materials used during the class.

The fly pattern above, at right, is my new Dale's Golden Stonefly nymph. I really like this pattern. For tying instructions please go to DalesGoldenStoneNymph and enjoy tying this fly.

Would you like a copy of the pattern? A kit to tie one dozen, six each in two sizes with tying instructions? We'll send them. Please fill in the form stating your interest and we'll do the rest.

On Wednesday evening, that's tomorrow March 16, 2005, I'll be presenting "Spring Fly Fishing" to the Evergreen chapter of Trout Unlimited. Any friends and readers who live in the area should plan to attend - it would be great seeing you. I'll bring a few copies of my Solutions Books to sell and raffle for the club. They meet at Beu Jeaus in Evergreen, south of I-70 and past Blue Quill Angler. Fly tying at 6:00 - I'll be doing that; Dinner at 6:30  - I'll be doing that; Presentation at 7:00 - I'll be doing that, too! I hope to see you there! Thanks. Here are the driving directions I received.

The St. Vrain Angler's TU St. Vrain River Project!

This is one of the best things this club has ever begun, and it is begun. You can participate, too.

As if that's not enough good news, Mark, Jay and I are going to repeat our February offer of Line, Leader, Tippet! program. Friday and Saturday of this week we'll clean your reel, check your knots, tie on a new leader and provide two spools of fresh tippet to help prepare you for Spring Fly Fishing - the title of my presentations. Please follow the link for info; we'll see you this week!

The Big Thompson is mostly open and ice-free. The fish are healthy, beautiful and full of color and life. They don't like being caught, but will eat flies. Kind of like me a chocolate, okay?

It's also time to get little boys and girls out on the water to catch bluegills. See?

Jay didn't see a single bug in the air on Sunday or Monday. It was cold out there. However, the fish ate nymphs fished near the bottom. One of the keys to angling is making adjustments based on the circumstances and conditions at hand.

Remember, the difference between a nymph angler who hooks fish and one who does not is one more piece of split shot. The fly has to be on the bottom of the river. If the flies are not getting hung up once every few drifts, make an adjustment.

We have a set of Copper John nymphs - one dozen for $10.00. That's a good deal. They are the best sinker flies ever developed, and will fool fish.

We also have Spring Mayfly sets of flies. One dozen nymphs or one dozen emerger and adult imitations. Each set has a list of the flies and how they work, and rigging and fishing tips. They are $17.95 each for one doze flies.

To a 7-1/2' 4X leader attach 18" of 5X tippet. Above the knot, attach split shot - enough to get the fly on the bottom of the stream. Tie on a Copper John. To the bend of the hook tie on 12-18" of 5X tippet and tie on a Spring Mayfly nymph.

This rig will fool trout.

When they are rising, do a similar rig without weight, of course. The first fly should be a dry adult or emerger pattern, and the dropper can be a Small Mayfly Nymph or another emerger pattern.

When fishing the water with nymphs, get into position below or next to a riffle that empties into a run. Cast the fly or flies into the riffle and allow them to drift back into the run, bouncing along the bottom. When the bouncing stops it means there's a fish on or the flies are hung up on the bottom. We'll hope for the first scenario more often than not.

When fish begin rising and taking emerging or adult mayflies, remove the split shot and change flies. Be sure the leader and tippet material are not nicked!

Get into the position that makes it easiest to see and to cast and find the current or seam the fish is feeding in. Put the fly or flies in that seam above the position where the fish is rising, allowing the current to naturally carry the fly to the fish.

Keep trying. Never give up.

Be refreshed and rejuvenated: go fishing soon!

Always remember the importance of good, polarized sunglasses, too. See the brown trout in the picture at right? I took this shot on the Roaring Fork last summer, Even though the water is very shallow, and fish is sitting still reviving after being released, it is difficult to see. And we know it is there,

A Very Special Fishing Offer

Last week I made a very special offer. It involves fishing on a private lake that has very large fish and includes food, lodging, fishing access and instruction from Mark and I. (That's a 24" rainbow that was caught on this lake.)

We're going to make Thursday, March 17 the cut-off date on this trip.

Here's the scoop:

1. Private water fishing on a great lake full of big trout near Walsenburg, Colorado - about a 3-hour drive from Longmont.

2. $450.00 includes two full days of fishing, lunch on both days, dinner on Sunday and breakfast on Monday. It also includes lodging on Sunday night and instruction in casting, fighting large fish, lake fishing and fly tying from Mark and Dale.

3. We'll leave Longmont early on Sunday morning, March 20, 2005 and carpool to the lake. Upon arrival, we'll get rigged up and go fishing. That evening we'll have a 2-hour fly tying session at the lodge. After a hearty breakfast on Monday morning we'll do some extra casting instruction and go try out our new fly patterns.

To receive more information or to sign up, please call the shop at 303-651-6061 or drop me a line at angler@peakpeak.com

Well, there's lots to do, including finishing the tying instructions for Dale's Golden Stone and the Spring Fly Fishing program, which seems to be very good.

I hope to see you this week, and so do Mark and Jay. All of us are enthusiastic for this fishing season, the classes and guided trips we offer, and helping you know where to go, what to use and how to use it.

Please write. I'll always answer. angler@peakpeak.com If I don't answer, I did not get your email, or when I did the email gnomes took the message before it got to you. Write again.

I hope this finds you well. It is sunny and cold in Longmont, Colorado, but we know spring is on her way. I think we're all hoping for more snow that will melt quickly and add water to streams and reservoirs.

Talk with you again next week!