Colorado Fly Fishing by The Flyfisher

Teaching Kids To Fish

    There are many things in this life that can test your patience; traffic, downloads, the DMV, but teaching your kids to fish should not be one of them. Here are a few things to keep in mind when trying to educate kids to fish that will benefit all parties involved.

1. Keep it fun! If the kids aren't having fun then it is not worth doing. The whole point of passing along your angling knowledge is to teach appreciation of the outdoors, conservation, and sportsmanship. If the kid is bored out of his or her mind they will instead learn to resent the sport that you love.
2. Keep it simple. You can't cram years of fishing experience all into one day on the water, it is unproductive and violates rule number one. Instead, pick a couple of things that you want to teach them focus only on that. Maybe it is casting or fighting a fish...you can and should do everything else for them.
3. Keep it productive - catch some fish! This is a hard thing to arrange sometimes, but if you can, make sure that you and your kiddo(s) can be successful on the water. Nothing will create a more positive lasting impression than catching a fish or two, no matter the species - many a bluegill have been caught by first time anglers. 
4. Document the experience - take pictures! Even if all you catch is a minnow, play it up. Blow up the picture and put it on the wall. 
5. Lastly, quit while you're ahead. Don't continue to fish if the fishing is slow or slowing down. When the fishing takes a turn, or you start to see a lack of interest in your young pupil don't forget rule number one. Skip some rocks, have a stick race down the stream, chase some butterflies, or have a snack, and keep the whole thing to a few hours tops.

Follow these rules to enjoy a fun and productive fishing experience with your little ones.

Seem too complicated?...check out our kids fishing camps. We'll facilitate a fun, hands on learning experience that will create lasting memories for years to come.

Ethan Emery
Angling University Director

Guides Fishing New Water

Earlier this week a group of pro staff guides from the Flyfisher Guide Service decided it was time to fish some new water. To identify the body of water was not easy to say the least. We looked at stream flows from the Colorado Department of Wildlife to help whittle down possibilities and decided upon South Boulder Creek above Gross Reservoir in Pinecliffe, Colo.

 

 

Ethan Emery and I had never fished this section and were ready to deploy the research methods of kitchen sink fishing - ready to toss a variety of flies until our lines were tight. We were surprised with the showing of Dave Verser and Dustin Mastro, both of the Flyfisher Guide Service, who have local knowledge of this public section. This made our day easier and relied upon their knowledge in finding fishing holes.

 

 

To fish new waters for guides is much like the cliché of taking a kid to a candy store. There are some tricks to fishing new waters. We could have fished some of our favorite locations such as Cheesman Canyon, Deckers, North Fork of the South Platte, St. Vrain or the Poudre, but we needed a change of scenery.

 

Here are a few tips to help you in fishing new water.

 

1. Use the internet for reviewing stream flows and finding fishing reports.
2. Use Google Earth to help you find your way there and identify access points.
3. Bring a wide selection of flies.
4. Walk the river, find prime locations where fish should be holding and look for fish.
5. Look for bugs hatching and birds circling.
6. Make sure to have a stomach pump and use it on your first fish to help identify what the fish are eating.
7. Contact the Flyfisher Guide Service as one of our guides may have fished your area recently.

Our day was successful even if the water levels were up above prime fishing conditions. We were able to high stick nymphs through some deep slots to land some larger rainbows. Right now the fish are keying in on large stone flies on South Boulder Creek.

 

 

 

 

This scouting trip was a success and will be one area where I will be found fishing in again in the near future. The canyon of South Boulder Creek is first rate. Don’t let new water scare you away as it can be rewarding.

 

  

 

Anthony Bartkowski

Pro Staff Guide

Hatch Outdoors Pro Staff Member

 

Antero Reservoir | Colorado Stillwater at its Finest

Most of the fly anglers I meet are self proclaimed river anglers and I too much prefer moving water to stillwater. There is something necessary about the movement and rhythm created when you are hunting for fish in moving water that satisfies the restless yearnings of a soft stickers. So asking us to sit still in a boat or on the bank of a stillwater fishery can be tourer to our soul.

It is the fast action of Antero Reservoir and the size of the fish that make it a worthy stop on any anglers springtime circuit. Well know as Colorado finest and most productive stillwater fishery it has earned its reputation and continues to produce good numbers and sizes of fish for all types of anglers.

As you can see by the shape of this 19" Cutthroat, there is plenty of food for growing trout. The fish seem to take full advantage. While the numbers of fish over 20" may have declined since the latest re-opening of Antero, I assure you there are many fish poised to take over their positions. As summer approaches the fish will go deep and find refuge and plenty of grub in the weed beds that have already begun to form. Fall will be our next best chance to take advantage of the fish who are know to grow 2-3 inches a month in these rich waters. Even for a restless fly guy like me, sometimes its nice to kick back, drink a beer and hook up! mattieb

For more information about Antero read Charlie Meyer's column Splashes of Color at Antero.

Battle of the guide boots; Simms vs. Korkers

    This winter, I Blogged about my recent issues with the older Simms Guide Boots - I literally split the sole of the boot lengthwise on a hike into Cheeseman Canyon, opening the boot up to sand, rocks, etc. It was an uncomfortable day on the water to say the least. Since then I have invested into two pair of boots the newer Simms Guide Boot with the Vibram Sole and a pair of Korkers Guide Model boots that came very highly recommended from two other guides and bloggers: Matthew and Matt Nery.    
    I was initially convinced that the Simms were going to be the better pair and began wearing them immediately after getting them. They were comfy, slid on and off easily due to the new neoprene liner, and had good traction, but holy crap were they heavy. I guess being bulletproof comes at a price!
    It wasn't long until I began wearing the Korkers a lot. Mostly because they were so much lighter. To make it even better, I also got the "Kling-on"sole with spikes. They have excellent traction on the trail and in the water. They were quickly becoming my favorite boot of all time...that is until the sole kept popping out.
    I always put a lot of stress on my left shoes - it's a long story that involves a football injury, two surgeries, and a slight limp. Anyhow, I suspected that the Korker's sole would eventually begin to break down, I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
    After about 5 days on the water, I have developed a part of the sole that will not stay put. I can put it back in but to no avail, it comes right back out. It's only a small part of the sole but it bothers me that the very thing that is supposed to keep me stable and on the ground is loose. I am suddenly unimpressed.
    Tomorrow I will fish in the Simms once again. Stay tuned...

Ethan Emery
Angling University Director

Rocky Mountain National Park

Summer is here and the fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park is heating up. There are many fishing opportunities to be had in the park.

The Big Thompson and Cub Creek are good choices. Right now the flow is high but fishable so focus on the back eddies and slower water. Stoneflies, Caddis and Pale Morning Duns are currently hatching. PMD dries in 14-16, Stimulators in sizes 14-16 and Elk Hair Caddis in 16-18 should be just the ticket.

Glacier Creek: The fishing will improve as the water warms up from mid day on. Expect hatches of Pale Morning Duns, Caddis and Stoneflies. PMD dries in 16-18, Stimulators in sizes 14-16 and 16-18 Elk Hairs are a good choice for Glacier. Roaring River: The flow is high and the Greenback Cutthroats are in the middle of the spawn. Give them a break for another two weeks to be safe. I have included a picture of Greenbacks paired up in spawning colors. They are simply beautiful! If you do fish for them please make sure to not stand on any redds. High Mountain: The high mountain lakes in the park offer some excellent fishing. Hikes as short as 45 minutes will put you at beautiful locations with plenty of trout. An added bonus is you may not see another angler.

Currently Loch Vale, Dream and Ouzel are open. Look for Mills, Jewel and Black Lake to be opening up shortly. Flies for the high mountain lakes will need to ne small. Adult Midges, Stuck in the Shucks and Parachute Adams in the 20-22 size range would be a good choice.Do take the necessary precautions when entering the back country. This is not your typical park and the back country needs to be respected when traveling in it.Get out and enjoy the park and the fishing opportunities it has to offer.

Scott McCaslin

 

Colorado Bass on the Fly

As temperatures begin to warm and the temperamental days of spring start to pass, it’s time focus on warm water species. For me that means chasing largemouth bass. The number one sport fish in the nation, the largemouth bass is overlooked by the majority of fly anglers, especially in Colorado. There could be many reasons why, but I think most people just don’t know enough about bass to pursue them. Well, I hope to cover that issue in the following so that more fly anglers can see why bass are one of my favorite species to pursue.

Largemouth Bass

Fish Identification: Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are distinguishable by a horizontal strip along the middle of their body. They range from olive to dark green in color. Due to a shorten feeding season, most largemouth bass in Colorado rarely exceed eight pounds, though I have seen fish topping out over ten.  As water temperatures near 60 degrees, largemouth begin to seek the shallows to spawn. Optimal feeding temperatures are between 60-75 degrees, temperatures outside these ranges cause the fish to retreat to deeper water.

Locations: Bass are structure oriented. They ambush most of their prey, so they need areas that provide both cover and food. This could be submerged weed beds and rock beds and boat docks, drop-offs, and flooded wetlands. Most of their prey feed on smaller invertebrates, so find areas where the insect life is abundant. Also, on sunny days, bass will seek the shady areas of boat docks and tree lines to protect them from the sunlight.

What They Eat: Bass can easily feed on prey up to 40% of their body length and as they get larger, they prefer larger meals. Crayfish, shad, smaller pan fish, leeches, amphibians and small mammals make up the diet of larger bass. They will also gorge on smaller insects, even midges, if they are available in abundance.

The Fight: Bass are great fighters. They won’t run you into your backing, but they will easily shake you lose after multiple jumps. Watch out for logs, rocks, and anything else that they can use to break you off; as soon as they’re hooked they will be looking for them. Always maintain pressure, especially as they leap, and use the backbone of your rod to control these fish.

Local Favorites: Chatfield Reservoir, Quincy Reservoir, and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

Techniques

Top-water: Fishing divers and poppers is one of my favorite ways to fish. Like fishing dries for trout, I’ll use a floating line with a longer leader (7-9ft). Cast in and around submerged weed beds, cattails, and logs. Allow the fly to settle, making sure the ripples on the water have dispersed. Use short, quick strips to create a disturbance, followed by a pause. If the fish are feeding aggressively, then pauses should be short. Conversely, if they are sipping the fly, long pauses and stripping less between pauses (often just once) will lead to more fish being moved. Use weed guards on all your flies so that you can cast into tight places without losing them.

Flies include: Bass Poppers, Dahlberg’s Diver, and Todd’s Wiggle Minnow.

Shallow Water (1-6ft): Fishing weighted flies on a floating line is a very productive way to fish for bass that are not looking up. Make your leaders slightly longer then the depth you wish to fish (mostly on the bottom or just above submerged structure) and use a strip-pause retrieval. This creates a nice jigging motion. Retrieve the fly slowly, but use short, quick strips to give it action. Use this technique over larger weed beds, rock beds, and drop-offs.

Flies include: Clouser Minnow, Meat Whistles, and Near Nuff Crayfish.

Deep Water (7+ft): Fishing deep is not the most explosive way to fish, but it’s necessary as the fish move down. Use a sink-tip or full sinking line with shorter leaders (3-6ft). Fish directly of the bottom or just above any structure; a SLOW methodical retrieve is most often used. Locating structure that may not be visible is crucial to finding fish. Start at points and drop-offs if you are not familiar with the body of water. The use of topography maps can greatly aid you in locating structure.

Flies include: Bunny Leeches, Clouser Minnows, and Meat Whistles.

The above is just an introduction to largemouth bass on a fly, though it should provide you with enough knowledge to go out and catch these fish. Largemouth bass are a great sport fish that should not be overlooked. The fight is much different than trout and the takes are more ferocious. Get out there, get hooked-up and see why largemouth bass are the number one sport fish in the nation.

Matt Nery

 

Bass Are on the Feed

    With all of the recent rain and hail one would think that water temps in Metro area ponds and lakes would not be warming...but they would be wrong. The water temps are just about right for Bass to begin patrolling the shallows and looking at top water prey. Frogs, leeches, crayfish, and bait-fish are all on the menu for large mouth bass and the bass know it. I was out on my neighborhood lake in Denver earlier today and saw a number of bass cruising the shallows in a post spawn mood - a bit sluggish, still paired up, but active enough to eat a few bass bugs.
    At first I was able to spot some fish and get them to move and eat a popper, but that success was short lived. After about 10 minutes of no-love on the popper, I switched to a meat-whistle and walked the banks looking for my next target. Minutes later I came across a small group of fish holding just off of some rocks. A cast or two later, I was tied into a nice 2lb large mouth bass. I didn't get to try for anymore...it was time to walk home for dinner.   

    My home lake is like many other in the Denver area; filled with bass that are ripe for the pickin'. Try your hand at top water flies: poppers, divers, frogs, etc. in the early hours of the day. As the light moves more overhead, look for fish to move toward the bottom and adjust your approach and fly selection to match. Meat-whistles, bouface streamers, slump busters, and clouser minnows are always good choices. Be sure you have your eyes trained...depending on clarity, bass can be tough to spot, but once you find them you should be able to get them to eat - remember they are predators, so give them something to HUNT!

Have fun,

Ethan Emery
Angling University Director

Cheesman Canyon Fishing Report | The Caddis Report

When standing at the Family Pool and admiring the massive amount of water that is coming down the river, 850 CFS to be exact I can not help but think back to the low flow days of the drought years and the fire which for many years created a new high water mark well below the more than bank full gush I see. The sand has started to clear and the river in its own dramatic way continues to emerge from those sad years with a strength and grace reserved only for nature.

The deep pools are back and the runs much like I remember from my youth. The caddis that continue to bounce off my cheek are as good a reminder as any that Cheesman Canyon has begun its long journey back from the effects of the Hayman Fire, the largest most devistating wildfire in Colorado history.

The fish are fat and healthy and continue to earn their reputation as some of the most technically pursued trout in the Rocky Mountain West. The caddis hatch was amazing and it looks like it will continue throughout the month of June. There is no need to be intimidated by the high water. The fish are still feeding and are just where they are supposed to be during high water, tucked on the edges. Here is the link to a detailed fishing report from our day in the Canyon.
mattieb

Spring means high water...AND good fishing!

    For the longest time, I was like most fly anglers in Colorado; I would consider fishing in high water a waste of time...Oh how wrong I was! I have since come to one conclusion about fishing in high water - it can be just as good if not better than other times of year, it just looks a bit different.    
    In the last 5 days I have fished two different rivers that were at or near their peaks in terms of runoff; the South Platte in Cheeseman Canyon, and the Cache La Poudre River. Thankfully both rivers were relatively clear...this helped a lot, but both rivers were running extremely high. Despite the high water though, fishing was GREAT - most fish in the rivers were still access able because they got pushed toward the banks. This happens because they are still looking for the same stream features as always: good depth, appropriate current, and some structure. Success comes down to reading the water, the rest is fishing as usual with a few small twists.

( Scott McCaslin, a Flyfisher guide with a nice bow taken on the Platte at over 800 cfs.)

    As far as rigging goes, plan on adding a little extra weight and maybe fishing longer leader to allow your flies enough time to sink in the slightly faster water. When it comes to fly choice don't forget the big stuff. Be sure to throw some worms, stoneflies, and cranefly larvae as these imitate food items that are often dislodged and or in the drift during high water.
    Look for fish along the edges, in seams, and in the back eddies, same as always. The difference is that the fish are enjoying a virtual smorgasbord of bugs that is always a result of high water.

Get out and fish!

Ethan Emery
Director, Angling University 

Benefits of Stream Improvements Are Seen Far Beyond Property Boundaries

Over fifty years ago Denver Water “channelized” a lot of South Boulder Creek (SBC) by building high banks to reduce water evaporation in flood plains and also by removing any large structures (boulder piles, log jams, etc.). These actions allow water to flow rapidly and freely to Gross Reservoir which is designed to store water for use by the Front Range. In short, it reduced the population of native fish and also reduced the average size. But don’t get me wrong, Denver Water has actually turned what was naturally a small creek into a fairly stable flowing river that has an annual average of approximately 250 cfs when the Moffat Tunnel was built.  

Over the past three years, sections of SBC have reversed the “channelization” process and focused a lot of effort on “stream improvements”. When re-structuring a section of river the main focus is to make drastic improvements to a specific stretch of water, but what actually happens is an improvement of an entire fishery, in this case, South Boulder Creek. The benefits of improvements can be seen far past the borders of private property. Improved streams will increase the fecundity rate of both aquatic insects and fish, create more suitable spawning habitat for native fish, and most importantly the development of deep winter lies which can sustain more and larger fish which will produce a healthier population.

Example:

A two mile section of river has recently been completely in a river system that naturally produced a mediocre fishery. The newly improved stretch is complete with adequate spawning habitat, proper runs and riffles for aquatic insect habitat along with an abundance of stream side vegetation for terrestrials, and good winter lies that will support countless fish of any size no matter the conditions.  

 

The improved spawning habitat will attract fish for miles downstream which gives them something to look forward to during spawning time and it will also greatly improve the amount of age-0 fish which will disperse both upstream and downstream. The amount of insects in the river will increase with the improved habitat and not only in numbers, but also in size. And we all know what happens when fish have an endless buffet of large insects floating by them all day. Finally, the most important result from improvements is winter lies/pools. These deep slow runs allow fish to gather from miles away to lay low and lazy through the winter months which is the only way large fish can conserve energy and remain healthy. As the population begins to grow, fish become more nomadic and the two miles of improved habitat actually turns a ten mile stretch of water that can produce an abundance of larger than average fish on a regular basis.

The Best Fishing Jacket Ever | Simms Softshell Hoody

I have worn many fishing and not so fishing jackets in my 30+ years on the water. Nothing compares to Simms new Softshell Hoody, in fact nothing even comes close. The fact that I wear it around the city says something about its versatility and styling but the hood is the best part of this jacket. Angler who have worn Simms have appreciated windstopper for many years and the softshell addition a couple years back brought a level of water repelance needed for Colorado snaw squals and could bursts. Well the hood on this jacket moves with you when you turn your head and maintains your perifial vision at all times. You never feel like you need to pull the hood out of the way so that you can see. It does this without compromising coverage and warmth. The fit, at least on my head, is so good I have not even adjusted the hood pulls. I will be reviewing this jacket this season so stay tuned as the number of days pile up and the honeymoon ends.