St. Vrain Angler News & Muse April 10, 2006!

Greetings!

I suppose this is the musing aspect of today's missive. Please read and enjoy as you will.

It's Easter week. The Christian world celebrates Palm Sunday, the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believe it or not. At the least it is history.

I continually ask the question, "What will I believe? How will I live?"

Fair enough questions, and ones that need asked now and again.

Every time I mention this sort of stuff folks write and say it is not appropriate for this missive. If not here, where? If not now, when? I suppose taking offense to things is one way of facing them. So is accepting them. I'm not sure either is correct. I am sure we should continue to ask questions. I hope we do not fear the answers.

Which usually involve more questions.

Pain attends growth. Growth of all types has pain as the accompanist. Interesting.

My back is killing me right now as I write this. Interesting. I've had it since 1970 - not my back, but the pain in my back. It was a car wreck; we were kids; an old man pulled out in front of us in a perfect, mint, purple and white '57 Chevy. We should have nailed him; it would have killed he and his elderly wife. Instead we opted for hitting telephone pole and rolling the car. Oh well. After, the lady came up to me and said, "Don't you think you boys could have avoided all of this?" She was about 4'7" or so, and very opinionated at that moment.

Now I love old ladies; always have; always will. And I respect my elders; always have, and always will. (I don't know if my mother-in-law thinks that all the time, of course, but I do. Love you MEP)

I stood in front of the lady - all 6'5" of me and my raging 150 pounds. I bent over - in pain - and said, in a not unkind voice (remember your double negatives), "Lady, you're lucky you aren't dead!"

Bad back and all, I still love old ladies.

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Early last Friday morning we left in a light rain, drove to Greeley to pick up Brittany - she had some kind of science test that was very tough; she did well on it - and left to head south west to Durango. We drove through driving rain, snow, sleet, mixed stuff and so on, arriving in Shawnee to visit with John and Cindy. After lunch the weather cleared - it was still very cold. The drive through South Park and the San Luis Valley, along the Rio Grande and over Wolf Creek Pass - they're still working up there; expect delays, but the road is great! - and then along the San Juan to Pagosa Springs and on to Durango was dandy and lovely. There's lots of snow up in them there mountains, cuz; it is looking good. Some of it is coming off - the San Juan, Piedra and so on were all a bit murky; so was the Animas, which rose each day. Still, I'd have fished it.

Rachel had her last Band Concert at Ft. Lewis College on Friday night. We all enjoyed it. The next day the girls did lots of shopping and so on; we went to a movie that night - Ice Age 2; very funny stuff in there - and on Sunday night Rachel performed her Senior Recital. She is so good.

Aaron, her future husband, shown above, played his bass trombone with her - flute and bass trombone; what a combination. The wedding is fast approaching. I wondered if this might be the last family thing we do before claiming Aaron off the waiver wires as my first son, even if he is only an in-law. (I suppose it's better than if he were an outlaw, right?)

We played with Max, the chowderhead golden retriever. It was fun. I'm afraid we've lost our dog to Rachel and Aaron. Jessica is not happy about it, either.

After the recital, and after cleaning up the little reception we hosted for Rachel and her friends, we packed the car and headed back. Brittany and Jessica slept in the back. I drove all night, getting Brittany back to UNC - to find out how she did in the 8am class test Friday, and Jess to Longmont for school - safe and sound. It was a find drive. Lots of elk and deer along the road, which is a good place for them. On the hood of my car is a bad place for them, you see.

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Fishing Updates

Warm Water: The wiper are hitting at Union Reservoir in Longmont. That means they are hitting in other areas, as well. All you need is a 5- or 6-weight rod; a floating fly line; a leader that tapers to 2- or 3X some 2- and 3X tippet material and gray/white or chartreuse/white Clouser Minnows. Cast and strip - the line, that is; cast and strip; cast and strip. The fish hit hard!

Anyone want to do a wiper class? Let me know and we'll do it! Casting, rigging, hooking, fighting and landing fish. It is fun. angler@peakpeak.com

Bass are taking flies, but slowly; they are still pretty cold. I've heard rumors of smallmouth bass; go and find them. Use crawdad imitations and fish them very slowly.

Crappie: lots of them in certain lakes; lots of them taking flies in those lakes. A good place to take a kid!

Bluegill: see above.

Perch: you guessed; same places and taking flies.

Carp: okay, Andrew is on the hunt and there are a few carp tailing. We're getting very close to doing individual or two-person carp classes. Let me know if you are interested in this one! They are loads of fun. angler@peakpeak.com - I Want Carp!

If you have any questions about warm water angling opportunities, just drop me a line and I'll help. Don't forget the Solutions Fly Boxes - your choice. All you have to say is Carp! or Bluegill and panfish! or Bass, and I'll fix you right up.

Cold Water:

What can I say? Here's list:

Arkansas: Caddis - fish above, in or below the bugs as they emerge. Upstream, that is, or downstream. If you want to fish nymphs/wets go above the bugs; if you want to fish more dries go below the bugs.

Just GO!

South Platte: There are some large fish moving into the Dream Stream; good spot; good fishing BWO's and small nymphs; big streamers and - yuk - egg flies. 11-Mile should be very good; Cheesman Canyon has produced some real big fish on small nymphs and the occasional dry - if you'll fish with them.

Clear Creek: fish are eating small nymphs and emergers; go ahead and try it.

Boulder Creek: I've heard that folks are hooking fish up there; I used to really enjoy fishing there....

St. Vrain - depends on elevations. Higher is still winter; lower is good, but probably tough as the water is still low and the fish are wily old wild brown trout. Try it; you'll like it.

Big T: good; BWO's, some midges; fish are eating flies.

RMNP: starting to thaw and come out of winter. If you want to explore and do some early season bushwacking - in the snow - do it now!

Poudre: I haven't heard; suppose it is good.

Flies: Small dark stonefly adults; excellent; parachute Adams; small caddis adults; BWO imitations - all of them! - and so on. Need more detail? Let me know at angler@peakpeak.com

that's it for now, because I've got to leave to teach a casting class, then go to Shawnee to guide on Boxwood and Longmeadow for the next few days.

Happy Easter to all; happy Spring to all.

Happy fishing to all.

Thrive in life.

Dale