Colorado Fly Fishing Blog - The Flyfisher

Just One More Bird!

The light was getting low and after a day consisting of nothing but miles of walking I had still yet to shoot one last rooster for the season.  As the day came to an end a group of good friends and I were working a large field of milo and seeing pheasants flush sporadically with limited success.  Tired of tromping through heavy cover, I called my dog and headed out into the surrounding grass on my own.  There was only time for just one good walk back to the truck and after being skunked all day and being as  it was my last day of wild bird season for the year I really wanted the opportunity for just one more rooster.  So I walked and watched my dog, a lot of pheasant sign was around but my dog’s nose was not acting like any pheasants were in the immediate area.  Then I heard the riveting sound of a cackling rooster getting ready to go to bed, he was not far away and I thought I had the sound pinpointed.  So up the bluff I went.  As I closed the distance my dog’s nose started up and her speed and intensity quickened.  The opportunity was upon us.   The wind kicked up ever so slightly and my dog’s nose went high as she slammed into a point.  I could see the pressured rooster running away before he took flight.  My shot rang true and one last rooster fell from the sky.

After three solid months of hunting, walking and shooting, bird season on the eastern plains will come to an end this Tuesday.  I think it is time as my boots have worn thin, my dog is cut up and tired and something funny seems to right be going on with my right knee.  It was one heck of a season to remember though, the populations of quail in Kansas seemed to be flourishing as we found coveys on countless walk in hunting properties.  The pheasant numbers seemed to suffer in Kansas but flourished with another record year in eastern Colorado. 

Fortunately for the wing shooter, hunting preserves on the eastern plains will be able to remain open until the end of March.  Preserves are great because they extend the natural hunting season and allow more time to work with the dogs.  Also, preserves are a great place to introduce both new and young people to the sport, in a setting that is a little more controlled and less physically demanding than hunting wild birds on public land.  I for one will be out for the next couple of months, working with my dog and on my shooting for the matter!

For more information on how to extend your bird season don’t hesitate to send me an email.  Also please check out our affiliate and Colorado’s Finest Wing shooting Preserve: The Bluffs.  www.huntthebluffs.com

Tight Lines and Good Shooting,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

 

 

 

Rally to Defend The Colorado River!

The upper Colorado River is in jeopardy of losing even more water from its already heavily diverted and altered stream flow.  In just a matter of weeks the EPA will decide the fate of the river and the various impacts of the Windy Gap Water Diversion Project.  The rally will be held Thursday January 26^th at 12 at EPA offices at 1595 Wynkoop (corner of 16^th and Wynkoop across from Tattered Cover).

The rally will be great opportunity for anyone to gain more information and insight into the project and what is ultimately at stake for the river system. 

For more information check out:  www.DefendTheColorado.org

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

Suncor Refinery: Toxic Chemicals Still Entering South Platte

The South Platte River is the main water source for northeastern Colorado and the Denver area and due to the recent oil spill at Suncor Refinery, recent tests show that benzene levels are at 48 times the limit for drinking water.  Benzene is a chemical found in crude oil that is classified as cancer causing, affecting blood in particular. 

State regulators are working with Suncor to block the toxic levels of benzene from entering the bed of Sand Creek.  Regulation efforts favor construction of underground clay walls at the creek and the refinery to try to block the benzene before it spreads.  In addition cleanup efforts will include vapor-extraction systems to remove benzene from the soil and pumping of contaminated ground water. 

Attempting to identify the cause of the leak, refinery crews are excavating water pipelines and have not found any broken pipes.  The working theory is that permeation of hydrocarbons through plastic pipe instigated the leak. 

Suncor will build an intricate system of clay trenches and walls to protect the waterway.  We will be sure to keep you all posted as the cleanup effort moves forward.

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

Surface Film - Fly Fish Photography

If you enjoy good fly fishing photography be sure and bookmark February 2^nd on your calendar.  The Greenbacks of Trout Unlimited are hosting the2nd annual Surface Film event showcasing top professional fly-fishing photography from across the country at the Anthology Fine Art gallery on Thursday February 2nd, 2012.

Framed prints will be available via silent auction to benefit Trout Unlimited programs.  The event is free and all ages are welcome to attend. 

To RSVP check out this link:  http://surfacefilm2.eventbrite.com/

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

Brynne's angling saga continues...

From the otherside of the riverbank...

Now that I have felt the rush of the catch and the calm of the water, I want to learn the basics to fly fishing. I want to know everything about fly fishing including the history and the reasons why certain techniques and tools work the way that they do. Fly fishing is becoming a passion and a very fun hobby, but since I am a never-ever angler, obtaining this information can be a bit, well embarrassing. I do not usually play sports because I do not like to admit I do not know what I am doing or am not already a master at it (hence why I still do not golf). But I want to know the lingo, gear and tools to be the best angler I can be. Since I have a plethora of resources at my disposal, I went ahead and asked for help and guidance. Over the past month I have asked questions, listened to fish stories and sought out lessons from our Client Services Coordinator and a long time angler, Kelli Johnson. 

Here is what I learned. First, it is called a rod, not a pole. You may think that is obvious but to many newbie anglers it is not so apparent. If I want to “fit in” and be an angler I need to walk the walk AND talk the talk. Second, when rigging your line it is best to loop the fly line in half so that if you drop the line it does not fall all the way back through your guides. The third lesson that Kelli taught me was about sizing in the world of fly fishing. The number associated with a material or tool does not always reflect how you would logically think it would. What I mean is that the larger the size on tippet and flies, the smaller they actually are! Kelli explained that tippet used to be made out of intestines or silkworm gut and each time it was sized smaller, it received a value. Meaning that tippet receiving no modification is 0x. One set of modification is 1x, 2 sets of modification is 2x and so on. Therefore, the higher then number, the thinner the tippet.  My fourth lesson was on watching the water. Now that fall and winter weather conditions are coming into effect, the way the fish are feeding and habituating is changing. I was instructed to really watch the water and look for where the fish are active. If I see a fish but he is not moving and not interested in the hatch, he is most likely not going to be intrigued by my fly.  Look for bug activity and fishing actively moving beneath the surface or coming to the top to feed. Those fish are going to bite.

These are obviously just a few basics that I have learned in my quest to cross over to being a full fledge angler, but I think they are a strong start. These little pieces of information and advice have provided me with the confidence to actually shop at a fly shop and discuss my husbands’ day on the water. Thanks to great co-workers that just happen to be the best guides out there, little by little I am learning the skills and understanding the lingo that will help me to be the most successful angler that I strive to be.  And I am learning all of this from my perspective from the other side of the riverbank…

Best,

Brynne Jensen

Brynne@theflyfisher.com

Fly Fishing Film Tour

Every year I look forward to the Film Tour coming to town!  It always comes at just the right time, when I am really starting to dream about warmer days and high mountain streams.  The Film Tour never disappoints as it features unique angling destinations from around the world.  Fresh and Salt Water it’s all showcased at the tour.

The tour is coming to Denver January 28^th with a showing at both 5 and 8 pm.

The Boulder show is April 12th.

For more information and to preview the videos check out: http://flyfilmtour.com/

For discount tickets check out:

Trout’s Fly Shop in Denver:  http://troutsflyfishing.com/

Rocky Mountain Anglers in Boulder:  http://www.rockymtanglers.com/?refresh=js

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

Brynne's Quest to become a Master Angler!

Brynne Jensen, our most wonderful Administration Coordinator came to us with a great background in outdoor recreation but with little fly fishing experience.  However, she is a quick learner as just this past weekend she was teaching kids to tie flies and cast fly rods at Denver's ISE Show!  Better yet, Brynne has been writing about her road to angling excellence so I thought I'd share her stories and photos...

From the other side of the riverbank…

Think back to your first time fishing – how old were you? 5, 8, 12 years old? Well, imagine 25 quickly closing in on 26. I am 25 years old and just now beginning my adventure to becoming an angler. Better late than never is the saying and I am holding on to that.

I am new to The Flyfisher Group and to the sport of fly fishing in its entirety.  For years my husband has been encouraging me to take up fly fishing. “It’s fun, exciting and challenging” he would say. And it is not that I did not believe him but when it came time to casting a line I was simply preoccupied with another activity to do along the riverbank; reading a good book, walking the dogs or just watching him fish. Those days are always associated with the ability to relax and let loose from the stresses that come with daily life. After a day on the river my husband always comes home feeling relaxed, proud and accomplished. I realize after always watching from a distance that I do not want to just sit on the bank, I want to experience those emotions and feelings as well. So here I am – working with the Flyfisher Group an amazing organization of professionals serving professionals for the betterment of the angling world. And I have found in my short time here that I am going to fit in just fine. I have casted a line, caught a fish and held it in my hands, and felt the soreness of a day on the river well done. This is not a dainty sport.

Throughout the next months you will travel with me as I learn to fly fish, tie flies, learn the gear and grow as an individual. I am going to push myself to discover what it means to be an angler and a fly fishing enthusiast. Most likely you will see me around the shop or on the river casting a line, and if you do say “Hi” and feel free to give me a bit of advice. You may even be on here as the most influential piece of advice I received for the month. My hope is to share my experiences with all of you and maybe help you learning more about fly fishing. All of this from my perspective – the girl from the other side of the riverbank….

Best,

Brynne Jensen

Brynne@theflyfisher.com

 

In The News: South Platte Oil Spill Update

Plans for stream clean up at the confluence of The South Platte and Sand Creek are currently underway as Suncor has been ordered to install an air sparging system by January 6^th in order to insure that the water is up to drinking water standards by January 31^st. 

Air Sparging is a technology in which air is injected through a contaminated aquifer.  The injected air helps to flush the contaminants up into the unsaturated zone where a vapor extraction system removes the contamination.  Added oxygen to groundwater can also enhance the biodegrading of contaminants. 

Long story short, cleanup efforts are underway and with proper execution water should reach safe drinking levels by the end of the month.  Stay tuned for updates.

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com

 

 

The Upper Colorado Debacle

The first time I fished the headwaters of The Colorado River was in my early teens and looking back the experience probably had more to do with my current interest in fly-fishing than I might give it credit for.  I remember fishing the headwaters during a caddis hatch with an experienced dry fly fisherman; the outing was my first real introduction in how to properly and effectively fish dry flies.  For whatever reason I haven’t been back since but I can still remember the stream to a certain degree, good pocket water, riffles and runs teaming with colorful native trout willingly taking flies.

Currently, proposals are on the table to take up to 80% of the Colorado’s water.  But please keep in mind that currently 60% of the water is already permanently removed, diverted and shipped across the Rocky Mountains and Front Range.  The current proposal is to expand The Moffat Tunnel and Windy Gap operations, leaving about 20% of The Colorado to flow downstream.  Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is Denver is the second most populous city in the Mountain West and South West and The Colorado River is the primary river and significant water source of The American South West.  The water has to come from somewhere. 

The problem is that low flows, high water temperatures, algae and sediment are all major problems in the Upper Colorado and Fraser Rivers.  By diverting more water, even lower flows could create for a situation in which water levels and temperatures are lethal to trout and insect populations. 

I believe it is our duty as anglers to act responsibly and realistically in a case such as this.  Ideally, Denver and The Front Range would manage their water supply better and no such diversion would be necessary.  But most people have no idea that watering their lawn in excess or having a water gun fight might be detrimental or devastating to native trout populations.  Education is of the utmost importance, as anglers should be talking conservation not so much with each other but with members of the much more populous non-angling community. 

The other key to helping the streams in jeopardy is stream improvement and habitat enhancement.  Despite low flows, the fish and insects can survive with our help.  Deepening holes and providing streamside vegetation allows the water temperature to remain at temperatures conducive to harboring trout and aquatic insects.  Furthermore, better relationships with landowners must be undertaken to ensure that both agricultural needs are met while allowing the stream to function in natural manner. 

But most importantly I believe it is critically important to be realistic concerning conservation efforts.  Standing in front of the bulldozer solves nothing, but learning why the bulldozer is needed allows us to think more critically and discover solutions to sustain both modern day life and our fisheries.  Denver is not going anywhere and with planning, education and stream/habitat improvement neither will the trout.   

To learn more check out: www.defendthecolorado.org

Also, check out “Defend The Colorado” on Facebook.

Tight Lines,

Tyler Bowman

The Flyfisher Group

tyler@theflyfisher.com