St. Vrain Angler News & Muse August 16, 2005

Greetings!

I hope you are doing great today, all things considered. We might just as well decided to thrive in life and encourage others to do the same. If we each decided to do the right thing and those around were inspired to do likewise how much better would circumstances be? I wonder.

This issue is coming to you live and direct from a fishing site that will go without mention. It just so happens this fishing site is near internet access so I'll be able to mail it to you. When the issue is complete I'll be heading to the water to fish for another afternoon with my friend Jack, who's here from Pittsburg via Missoula on his way back to Pittsburg. Somehow we manage to get together for a few days of fishing every summer at some point and enjoy discussing writing, flies, fishing, girls - he has three, too - and music. Jack's a symphonic clarinetist and has passion for music, pipe-making and many other things. The pipes are lovely but I don't think I'll smoke one. Jack has a pull or two each day and that's about it. We enjoy each other's company and have a fine time on the water, hooking a few fish, then gabbing about this and that on the way to and fro.

Last week I wrote a short story and several folks said the link did not work. Here, try it again! Thoughts & Musings, by Dale

We fished for a bit last night - Jack had gone earlier and hooked a few on dries while I took a nap and did some reading, which is what I do during a day when I'm not writing or working in the shop and will do some fishing. Jack did very well, too, hooking several beautiful brown trout on an elk hair caddis. The wing was light and the body brown. The fish took it with gusto.

We fished in water that is broken and has various current types and holding water. When we walked to the edge of the stream to rig I thought I saw a fish rise in front of us. After Jack tied on the caddis - they were fluttering around everywhere and the evening before I'd seen them emerging; more on that later - he made a couple casts and hooked a fish.

While he dried his fly off I cast a Goddard Caddis, which seemed a bit large, upstream and along a seam using a cast I'm going to try to explain in a moment, and a lovely brown came and took it but we didn't get hooked up. Sometimes I think fish swirl at flies but don't take them, and sometimes I think they take it and spit it out quickly. What I think of is how it feels when I get a hair or other foreign object in my mouth with a big bite of something. I immediately know it's there and get it out. I'm pretty sure a fish can tell the bug they just ate didn't crunch just right and had something very hard in it. (As far as I can tell, bugs are not emerging with armor in order to protect themselves from being eaten. How would they fly with all that excess weight? It seems hard enough to be a bug without going into armor building on the side.)

Jack made a few more casts from the bank and hooked another trout, then we waded out to start fishing. It was nearly dark - we were late after our trip to town for an ice cream cone, a double cheeseburger and some groceries, but apparently on time since the fish were feeding.

There have been times recently when the fishing has been tough during the middle of the day. I wondered about fishing in the morning but that question was answered when my friend Chris and I spent Sunday from about 9AM until 3PM on the water. No bugs; no rising fish, other than the ones that took our dry flies. It was cloudy and cool and got cooler as the morning progressed as an upslope condition prevailed. Chris told me it was misty and sprinkling at his house before we met in Drake for breakfast. It was clear and lovely up here and then the clouds backed up the river and it cooled off.

Those conditions usually seem ideal in my mind but that doesn't seem to influence the trout one bit, those bad old trout. Shouldn't they give in to my needs and thoughts? Why can't I manipulate them into doing what I want. Wait a minute; the world doesn't revolve around me or my wants, so why should the fish? I guess I'll have to keep trying to figure out how to hook them on their terms instead of mine.

Chris and I fished hard and very well. I was teaching him some things about line control, line mending and casting and he said he learned lots and had a great time. Still, I think we both hoped to hook a few more fish, which would have been, as Chris said, "A bonus!"

Later on Sunday, Chris Hoppman, who you see in the shop helping from time to time, came up and we fished. He woke me from my afternoon nap - the book was open and on my chest - and we decided the better part of valor was eating a burger before fishing since there would be a good chance the restaurant would be closed by the time we got back in. It's a good thing we did, too. (The ginger hackle at left is a reminder that it's time to learn to tie flies, and to use light hackle for the cream colored caddis that are emerging right now!)

When Chris and I got to the river at about 5:30PM or so - I don't watch a clock, so don't really know what the time was, but that's close enough - we tied on dries and made a few casts. Trout took them; things were looking good, and I wished it had been more like this in the morning for Chris L. Oh well; so it goes. Chris had a caddis of some sort on and I think I'd decided another fly was in order, but I can't remember which one it was. Oh well; so many flies, so little time to cast all of them.

I moved downstream and Chris stayed put. He hooked a few nice fish and had one break him off. I moved a few, then hooked a very nice fish in a short, deep run that just had to have a fish. It got off. Then I fished along a little seam that was behind a rock and the connecting point with very fast water ripping along a bank. The beautiful brown at the left took my dry fly after it sunk just a bit, drifting just under the surface. The fish took it with confidence and was surprised when the meal bit back. We get bad gas; trout get hooked.

Sometimes after hooking a fish like this I feel like I'm done for the day. There was still lots of light, though, and plenty of fishing to be done so I kept moving downstream to the big dead tree. This is a spot I fish on occasion and enjoy. There are some tough drifts due to the currents and the fish have lots of time to inspect the fly and the drift before deciding to eat it. I waded along the edge of the stream and walked slowly and quietly. Approaching from upstream is not my favorite manner of fishing but in this case it is required. I knew I'd frighten a few fish but didn't want to spook the entire spot. Along the way I moved one or two more fish, but didn't hook any of them. Oh well; seeing them look at the fly is pretty cool in my book.

When I got to the dead tree hole there were a couple of fish rising. On the first cast I hooked a small brown, and it escaped. Fine. A few more casts and a few more fish later I thought I'd head back upstream to see how Chris was faring. I hadn't seen him for awhile and wondered if everything was okay with him. As I began wading back upstream I saw a large fish slurping caddis with greed. On the first cast it took my fly and ripped around the pool until I landed it. The brown was beautiful to behold and I decided I probably was about done. How many perfect wild brown trout does one have to catch on a dry fly of an evening?

When I looked up I saw that Chris was on his way down. We met, then moved back into the bigger water. We'd left one section untouched and I wanted Chris to fish it, which we did. Some nice fish got hooked, landed and released along the way. We finished with some wet fly fishing, which was new to Chris. He had a few fish take the fly but lifted the rod, which is a big fat no-no when swinging a fly down and across. I had to show him the way so he could see it worked, but the fishing was half-hearted for me by that time. The last brown had done it.

When we got back to the house, Jack had arrived. We read a story from Patrick McManus for a laugh, then Chris headed home to feed the dogs.                   Back To Top

Last weekend Shan went off for a retreat with some friends. They discussed helping and mentoring kids, which she'll be doing on a weekly basis during the coming school season. With Rachel in San Diego at the flute convention and Brittany in Estes working, that left Jess and I together with Max, the dog, for part of the weekend. She'd scheduled her driver's license test for Saturday morning so after we ate breakfast at Janie's in Longmont and got the classes out for the morning, we headed off for the test. Jess is our last girl that's going to get her license so this was a big day! She passed the test. I'd asked her what she'd like to do after that and she said, "I want to go fly fishing with you, daddy."

Wow! Kazoom! Yippee! We went back to the shop, got her a pair of waders and headed up the canyon. Along the way we had to celebrate with a big waffle cone full of custard, which melted all over my front.

We rigged one rod with a dry fly and went to the stream. We didn't see any fish rising. We stood along the bank and Jess started roll casting to pockets. After a bit and no takes I took the rod and made a couple of casts, then hooked a fish and handed her the rod. The bright, wild little rainbow made her smile. Now that I think of it, that lovely smile never left her face. Now that I think of it, neither did the one on my face!

We hooked and landed another fish. They weren't really coming up that readily and I wanted Jess to hook one on her own. She was tired - kid stuff, you see - and had a party to go to that night, and a day at Elich's the next day so our time was limited. I set the rig up with a larger dry fly and tied on a copper John dropper and had her cast upstream into a current lane. Within a few casts she hooked a fish! It was lying near the bottom and took the nymph. Jess was ecstatic.

She fought the fish and I handed her the net so she could land, revive and release the fish on her own. She did it, too.

Brittany wants to go, too. When she gets back from Ohio, I'm taking her out a few times, and will keep you posted. There's something wonderful about sharing with your kids, and being a parent is a source of great joy in my life. I'm so thankful for my wife and our children and wish them the best in life.

As it got cooler on Sunday morning and Chris and I finished our fishing exploits we walked through some grass and found some terrestrials. I wanted to share a few pictures. The bugs were holding still because they were cold, giving me a good shot at some good shots. Here they are.

The ant's eye view, by Auntie Ant.

Just the other day, as I wondered along on this leaf several interesting things occurred and I'd like to share them with you, my readers. You might be surprised to hear from an ant, but then again how else would you learn about fishing with terrestrials? We ants are busy bodies, rushing about our business at times and enjoying the camaraderie that is the ant's life. It seems we're rarely alone. Sometimes that makes us crazy and we go on raiding parties to get other folks upset at us. Just leave us a trail of food or sugars and we'll be there pestering you.

Anyway, back to my report. From my view on the leaf I could see the river's edge. There were other, distant relatives - not aunts, or uncles - wandering along. Mr. Cricket and Miss Beetle were hopping and meandering along when suddenly Mr. Cricket got caught in a short gust of wind and thrown into the water. He kicked wildly trying to get back to the edge when I heard a slurp and he disappeared into a ring on the water. My great auntie ant had told me about such rings and said to watch my step. I don't know what it is that causes these rings to form around my relatives who are clumsy and fall into the water, but it is a source of conjecture among the lazy uncles who sit around eating the sugars we bring them, philosophizing about rings on the water and so on.

As Miss Beetle bumbled along below my leaf I called out, "What happened to Mr. Cricket?"

"Ah, I guess he took a swim and didn't make it back."

Miss Beetle is not playing with a full deck, being less developed than I am.

Some of the brethren stayed on the ground, trying to find food for the master and doing a fine job, if I don't say so myself. My cousin, Aunt Ant - there are so many of us we all use the same name - looked up at me and announced that the cool temperature was making it difficult for the big hoppers to make their rounds that morning. Instead of causing havoc for the local plant population they were just hanging around waiting to warm up so they could continue the daily grind of being a grasshopper. I think they are nearsighted, too, but never mention this to them. No one wants a grumpy neighbor, after all.

Apparently one of the hopper locals reported that several of their family members were caught up in being grasshoppers and in the process fell into the river. They also disappeared in a swirl, which is how they refer to the ring. They climb up on grass that grows along the bank making plans for their next meal, such as hoppers can plan, that is, and when they make a jump for that spot the wind blows them right off the bank and into the water.

Some of us think that there is something lurking under the water that actually eats us. I can't imagine this, though, and continue to believe what my great aunt antie told me about the ring.

If you'd like more info on ants, beetles and hoppers, please register for a guided trip. Our guides are using hoppers, beetles and ants often and with great success. They love teaching folks how to fish with these bugs, and they're waiting to help you learn more about fly fishing.

Fishing has been very good on our guided trips. Everyone reports a fine time of fishing, learning and enjoying the loveliness of Rocky Mountain National Park.

This is the time to get registered and take a guided trip. The water conditions are fabulous right now - plenty of it and plenty cool, which keeps fish and bugs happy.

I continue to wish that we could do more to help folks enjoy their time on the water. All that we can do is teach fly fishing skills. I hope you will take advantage of us by registering for a class or guided trip soon.

The fall fly fishing season is going to be spectacular if all things remain equal our water levels are great, the fish are healthy and fat and I think the fishing is going to be wonderful through October and well into November.

Please check your schedule and call us to take your guided trip soon and then again. 800-586-2110 will connect you with the Estes Angler where Bob and AJ will be waiting to get you set for a trip. The guides are enthusiastic about this and look forward to spending time on the water with you soon.

Classes continue to entertain and inform. Folks are learning to cast, read the water, tie flies and much more. Casting Classes are still scheduled and have gone great. Our First Adventure in Fly Fishing is full of good info and great fun. Intro To Fly Tying Classes will begin in early September.

Please follow the links and sign up for a class that fits your needs. If you have any questions, stop by the shop in Longmont at 418 Main Street, give us a call at 303-651-6061 or drop me a note at angler@peakpeak.com

Thanks! We're looking forward to spending some wonderful time with you in the class of your choice!

Now, the promised Casting Tip. Casting is about getting the fly to the right spot on the water. When casting, please remember that what you do is bend the rod and form a loop. They happen together. The bend of the rod determines the shape of the loop. For a tighter loop think of casting more from your elbow than your wrist. Too many folks use too much wrist, which causes the rod tip to pivot resulting in an open loop.

When the rod tip travels in a straight line the loop will be tight and offer more control. Tight loops are better for fishing with dry flies, and more open loops are usually better when fishing with a nymph or dry/dropper setup. Whether open or tight, loops must be formed with purpose.

Practice casting on grass. Begin by doing a basic pick up-lay down cast by laying twenty feet of fly line on the grass in front of you. Use a leader of 7-1'2 feet with two feet of 4X tippet and a small ball of yard. The line to leader to tippet to yarn should be in a straight line. Keep the rod tip low and parallel to the ground. Back up a step or two to be certain everything is straight.

Begin to lift with your shoulder, so whole arm moves with the rod, staying in a straight line. The elbow should be slightly bent. The first move is slow, then gradually accelerates. Proper acceleration is critical to the cast.

As the back stroke continues, and in order to keep the rod tip moving in a straight line - which is happening because the rod is starting to bend - begin to bend the elbow, closing it. This motion makes the rod and fly line move faster.

Continuing the stroke, which should be a smooth, continuous motion, the elbow will continue to close as it continues to rise. At the beginning of the cast the elbow was about belt high, and is now moving so the bottom of the upper arm is parallel to the ground. The elbow will be breast high.

The "stop" will occur when the hand is next to the ear, so the elbow will have continued closing. The "stop" is what makes the rod bend. So the basics of the stroke are accelerate, then stop.

On the pickup portion of the cast, think of the yarn as being attached to a piece of Velcro. The slow movement at the beginning of the stroke is to tighten the line and get into contact with the fly. The acceleration is to begin detaching the yard from the Velcro and the stop is what makes it detach. The rod is going to bend during the process. If the proper amount of energy for the length of line is applied the proper loop will form.

A good loop will be closed with the standing line from the tip of rod parallel with the line that traveling back. Gradually the line goes all the way back and becomes straight in the back. It is time for the forward stroke.

Think this through. If the rod hand is next to the ear and the forearm is parallel to the ground, the elbow will be pointed at the spot the yarn was on the ground. Right? The forward stroke will begin by leading with the elbow, moving it back down towards the belt. It begins slowly, once again. As it continues the stroke will accelerate and the elbow will begin to open with the hand moving down and forward slightly. When the elbow arrives back at belt level the hand will be about breast high and the length of the forearm in front of the body.

After the motion "stops" the line will travel to the front and over itself, and then straighten out parallel to the ground. The line and the yard should land on the the ground at the same time.

If the line lands first it is because the loop was open. Use less wrist.

If the yard hits the tip of the rod - this is the result of a tailing loop - it is because too much energy was applied and the stop was too sudden and soon. Use slight less energy or stop the rod a little later.

Casting takes practice. Correct practice is a good thing, and will help when placing the fly on the right spot on the water.

I'm going to continue this discourse each week, and will make a section on this site that will have more info. Please hold my feet to the fire on this one. Casting, and then line control are essential to being able to fish, which comes after both.

That's all for today. Jack is chomping to go fishing and I'm sort of excited about it myself. I'll report in later in the week. I think I'll include a fly tying lesson at that time, too. We'll see how the time is.

I hope you are well. Please plan on fishing soon. We're here to help.

I'm wishing everyone the best. Do the right thing today, and encourage a friend in need.