For fly fisherman close to Denver, the Blue river offers the angler a quick escape from city life and a chance at trophy sized brown & rainbow trout.
Most anglers have a love hate relationship with the Blue, due to the technical skill needed to sight fish gin clear water. But the rewards can be great!
Tight Lines,
The Flyfisher Group
So after traveling to the Bahamas, all that we can think about is sight casting to tailing fish!
Back in Colorado, bonefish are not too prolific, but what we do have are an abundance of warm water ponds, lakes and rivers filled with carp or the rocky mountain bonefish.
Hopefully you will enjoy this video shot by Joey Macomber of Lateral Line Media featuring one of our latest excursions on Denver’s dirty South Platte.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
Well our buddies in the OP (The Olympic Peninsula) have had a pretty decent winter steelhead season. It really does sound nice to be standing in a big western river swinging a fly…
Flyfisher Pro-Staff Guide, Spencer Williams caught this pig of a fish in 2011. The trip starts from Seattle where each angler hops on a short commuter flight to Port Angeles WA. Once in Port Angeles we are
picked up by the guides at Brazda’s Fly Fishing. After an hour long ride through lush green Olympic National Forests you arrive at the lodge, located on the banks of the Bogachiel River, just outside of Forks, WA. For information on joining our group on the Olympic Peninsula in 2014
please call or email at your convenience.
Tight Lines,
The Flyfisher Group
Send us an email: tyler@theflyfisher.com
The Flyfisher Group recently went on an expedition to the Bahamas, in search of sand flats and big bonefish. As far as we’re concerned the Bahamas are the place to be…everyone calls you “Mon”, the Daiquiris flow like wine, and beaches and breathtaking are a nice perk as well…
I wish I could say that we hooked up with every big Bone we saw, but that just wouldn’t be true. The
Bahamas are home to some of the largest bonefish in the world, with Bones routinely caught in excess of twelve pounds.
Bone fishing is really what it’s all about. Too many fly fishermen are just gear heads. The flats of the salt water will most certainly teach you that nothing really matters except your ability to present
a fly in front of the fish, quietly and carefully I might add, it might also be a little windy…
The rod your throwing doesn’t matter and most of the time the Bones could care less about your fly.
It’s all up to you. And hence is my love for salt water fly fishing, it’s just you verse the fish. And of course a good “Bonefish Mon” Bahamian guide with eyes like an eagle might help give you the edge…
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
Spring is not too far away but we still have a little ways to go as we anticipate warmer temperatures and flowing streams.
Fortunately for the Colorado sportsman The Flyfisher Guide Service has some great winter options for both fly fishing and wing shooting.
Now is a great time of year to pull off a cast and blast and the warmer weather we have been experiencing is making for some very pleasant days on the water and in the field. Fly fishing on Williams Ranch has been very productive the last few months and into the New Year. Hatches of midges and micro blue winged olives keep the dry fly fishing alive and nymph and streamer fishing has been producing some trophy rainbows and browns.
If wing shooting is more your style during the winter months let us create an Upland bird Hunting Package to suit your needs and experience level. Hunting has been great this year and many of our favorite hunters have had some great days afield. Recent snowfalls have made for some great hunting conditions so be sure and call to book the trip of a lifetime today.
Tight Lines and Good Shooting,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
720.253.2494
Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley offers some of the best fly fishing waters in the state.
The Roaring Fork starts as a small stream above Aspen and is a lot of fun hopping pockets for colorful rainbows and browns. The lower sections of the Roaring Fork may be the best freestone stream in Colorado with dynamic water, prolific insect hatches and an abundance of wild trout. Float or wade fishing on the Fork is always worth the trip and ample public access allows this river to be enjoyed by all anglers. The Fork fishes well year round and is world famous for hatches of Green Drakes, Blue Winged Olives, Pale Morning Duns and Midges.
Experienced anglers know that something is almost always hatching on the Frying Pan. Few rivers
have as much diverse insect life as the Pan. Below Ruedi Reservoir the trout grow large but expect extremely heavy angling pressure. The lower sections of the Pan have lots of public access and are full of wild trout. Most of the fish tend to be a little smaller but trophy fish can be found on all sections of this gold metal tail water.
Winter is a great time to visit the Roaring Fork Valley as the region usually stays warm and good fishing can be found on both the Pan and the Fork.
For the most up to date Colorado Fly Fishing Reports and conditions, stream flows and hatch charts check out the latest Frying Pan Fly Fishing Report.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
Most anglers have a love hate relationship with Colorado’s Blue River and rightly so, this beautiful mountain stream can be very technical and challenging to fish. Originating just outside of Breckenridge, The Blue can be extremely fun to fish through town and its gin clear almost “blue” water makes for some fun dry fly fishing. Summers on the upper Blue mean lots of terrestrials and some phenomenal hopper fishing. The Blue then flows through Dillon Reservoir, outside of the reservoir the stream is a technical tail water, requiring anglers to fish small 5x-7x tippets and micro sized tail water midges and mayflies. The Colorado Division of Wildlife introduced Mysis shrimp to Dillon Reservoir as a food source for Kokanee Salmon and inadvertently the shrimp washed down and have become a preferred food source of Blue River trout. The Mysis are rich in protein content and trout grow big and large chowing down on the shrimp.
Fly fishing behind the factory or outlet mall in Silverthorne may not be the most picturesque setting but some of the largest trout in Colorado can be found swimming in this most technical and rewarding section of water. If you can brave the elements you might just find yourself holding the largest trout of your life.
Check out the latest Colorado Fly Fishing Reports on the Blue River and other productive winter tail waters!
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
It has been about a week since I chased redfish on the flats of New Orleans, Louisiana and I can’t stop thinking about the day! Fly fishing for redfish is just pure fun and for a guy that likes to hunt and fish there is just no better combination than scanning salt water flats for your prey with a fly rod in hand.
The season for big redfish in and NOW is the time to go! Trust me if a trip for you is at all possible right now you want to get yourself down to the Bayou! You won’t regret it!
I cannot say enough about my guide, Rocky Thickstun he put me on lots of fish and has a ton of personality to boot.
Don’t miss out this winter, why be bored when you can catch salt water fish in excess of 20 pounds?
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
Louisiana is home to perhaps the best sight fishing for Redfish in the world.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to take to the flats of New Orleans with Captain Rocky Thickstun. The adventure began before dark when Rocky picked me up at our hotel on Bourbon Street. After saying our hellos, I told Rocky that I was a trout guide back in Colorado…
“Are you a good angler?”
Rocky inquired just hoping that he had a halfway decent stick in the skiff today. It was a less than perfect day for fishing; intermittent cloud cover and high winds were set to plague the flats.
“I can see fish, I’m certainly no great fisherman, but I’m persistent.” I replied hoping that I wouldn’t make too much of a fool of myself today.
“Don’t trout set these Redfish!” he said. “I fish a lot of trout guides and most of them blow their day by doing a trout set and pulling the fly away from the Redfish.”
“I’ve salt water fly fished before.” I quickly replied trying to convince Rocky that I wasn’t a complete hack at this game.
“I’ve seen that trout set shit go on all day!” Rocky snapped back at me. “If you trout set you won’t just miss some of the fish, you will miss ALL of the fish!”
So off we went on a cruise through the flats, flying through the marshes of Southern Louisiana.
The dolphins and waterfowl add to the mystique and beauty of this utterly unique environment. I knew it was going to be a day to remember when we saw a Red Tail Hawk grab a duck from the water for a little morning snack.
“It’s a hunter’s day.” Rocky whispered before he shut the motor off.
I climbed to the bow with a nine weight and fly in hand as Rocky polled the flats and we scanned the water for our prey.
There is a reason they call this fish the Redfish, a big fish looks like a giant red log swimming across the flat. My first cast was in the money…
“Strip, strip, strip, strip!” Rocky yelled from his platform as I trout set the fish, pulling the fly from his mouth and watching the fish vanish forever. Rocky then proceeded to curse me for not listening and reminding me that if I did not strip set these fish I would go home empty handed…
The next opportunity came and my cast was terrible, well behind the fish. I made another cast and missed. And then another, third times a charm and the Redfish inhaled the fly and the fight was on!
There might not be a better made fish for fly fishing than the Redfish.
These salt water creatures were simply crafted for the sport, cruising in shallow water and eating flies with reckless abandonment.
And so we polled on, through the clouds and the winds making for one tough, challenging but rewarding day of flats fishing. A hunter’s day indeed…
For more information on sight fishing for Redfish with Louisiana’s best, Captain Rocky Thickstun please call or email me.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
720.253.2494
No visit to Colorado would be complete without a trip to the Taylor.
Below Taylor Reservoir might be some of the biggest trout in the state. The Colorado Division of Wildlife introduced Mysis shrimp to Taylor Reservoir as a food source for Kokanee Salmon and inadvertently the shrimp washed down and have become a preferred food source of the Taylor river trout. The Mysis are rich in protein content and trout grow big and large chowing down on the shrimp. This section of water known as the “Catch and Release” area or “Hog Trough” is extremely slow and technical. Sight fishing is the name of the game and anglers can expect to see some of the biggest trout of their lives. Hooking them is another matter. These fish require small 5x to 7x tippet and are famous for sipping tiny (#20-28) midge and mayfly patterns. Below the famous “Hog Trough” the Taylor is a fast a furious river filled with pocket water and a good mix of brown and rainbow trout. The lower Taylor is world famous for prolific summer hatches of Green Drakes. The Taylor is classic Western trout fishing at its very best.
Our Colorado Fly Fishing Reports are updated in real time by Colorado Trout Fisher, Denver and Boulders Premiere Fly Fishing Outfitter. For the latest fly fishing conditions on the Taylor check out our lates Taylor River Fly Fishing Report.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
OK, so the St. Vrain may not be as famous as Colorado’s South Platte but there must be good reason that noted fly fishing author chose to situate his home on the banks of the St. Vrain River near Lyons,
Colorado. On one of our favorite Front Range tail waters, the St. Vrain below Button Rock Reservoir allows anglers to catch a mixed bag of brown and rainbow trout and the occasional brook trout and
cut throat, allowing the fly angler to catch a grand slam close to home. The fish may not grow to epic proportions like some of Colorado’s tail waters but there are still plenty of trout and the
Vrain is a great place to learn how to fly fish. All that one needs to be successful in the creek is a three weight fly rod, a box of dry flies and a variety of bead head nymphs.
The St. Vrain may be some of the best places to learn the art and science of fly fishing. This
local creek is close to home (just a short drive from Denver or Boulder) and full of brown and rainbow trout that are opportunistic and willing to eat a wide variety of flies. Dry dropper fishing with attractor dry flies like Stimulators and Elk Hair Caddis and bead head droppers like a bead head pheasant tail is effective almost year round. In the spring and fall, the creek sees good hatches of blue winged olives and midges making for some fun and challenging dry fly fishing.
Smaller weight fly rods are the most fun for these smaller sized creeks. You can learn most anything about trout fishing from our Front Range streams and we are most fortunate to have such an incredible resource close to home.
Good public access can be found around Lyons. The dirt pull offs on National Forest land are unmistakable and there is even some good fly fishing through town.
For a recent Colorado Fly Fishing Report on our Williams Ranch, located on the St. Vrain just outside of Lyons, Colorado, please click here: Williams Ranch - St.Vrain Fly Fishing Report.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
Below Stagecoach Reservoir, the Yampa may be the finest tail water in Colorado. Fish populations are amazing and the average sized rainbow trout is between 14” and 20” as well as many larger fish. The fish feed predominately on a variety of small midges and mayflies and conventional tail water nymph fishing tactics will hook the majority of fish. Sight fishing is the key to success, crowds can be dense on the Stagecoach Tail water but there are more than enough fish to go around.
This little stretch is reminiscent of fly fishing in Alaska with ample populations of colorful and healthy rainbow trout and the occasional big brown trout. The trout in this tail water tend to feed more readily than other pressured tail waters in Colorado. The Yampa can be fished year round but the Colorado Division of Wildlife closes the road after the first of year, so the only access is by cross country skis, snowshoes or snowmobile. But the trek is most definitely worth it…nothing beats a sunny day in February when you have one of Colorado’s most amazing fisheries all to yourself!
For the latest news on the Yampa and fly fishing in Colorado this winter stay tuned in to our updated dailey and real time Colorado Fly Fishing Reports.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
As the name suggests, Colorado’s Dream Stream or Spinney Mountain Ranch just outside of Fairplay, Colorado gives Denver anglers the opportunity to hook and land true trophy trout. Some of the biggest and most beautiful browns, rainbows and cuts show up in this famed stretch…my college GPA would have probably been a lot better during the spring and fall had this not been the case. In the spring and fall, huge migrations of lake run rainbows, browns, and cut bows enter the stream to spawn and lay their eggs. Sight fishing and quality polarized lenses are the name of the game for hooking these monstrous trout. However, the legendary lake runs are no secret and crowds can be heavy if not shoulder to shoulder during the fish migration. Nymph and streamer fishing is
a guide favorite for hooking the lake run fish. However, the dream stream is certainly not for the faint of heart as cold temperatures and high winds are the standard on this section of gold metal
water.
In addition to large lake run fish, anglers can expect to find Kokanee Salmon entering the river during the fall months. These fish range anywhere from one to five pounds and are a ton of fun on fly tackle! The Dream Stream supports a healthy population of resident browns, rainbows and cut throats. Long slick runs and riffles make for some challenging fly fishing.
The Dream Stream sees prolific hatches of midges, tricos, pale morning duns, blue winged olives and a wide variety of caddis and smaller stoneflies. Be ready to battle the wind and cold on this historically desolate area but the rewards are worth it!
Winter has always been one of the best times to fish Spinney Mountain Ranch, the crowds decrease significantly and on warm and sunny days, fishing in the valley can be quite pleasant. Lots of winter insect life in the form of small midges and mayflies, makes for one of our most productive and sought after winter tail water fisheries.
For current stream flows, fly fishing conditions, fly fishing tips and useful fly patterns on the Dream Stream check out our updated daily Colorado Fly Fishing Reports.
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
It is winter time in Colorado, but that is no excuse to put the fly rod and waders away!
We are fortunate to have a wide array of tail water fisheries that remain open and productive throughout the winter months. Over the course of this winter we at The Flyfisher plan to keep you up to date and informed on our favorite winter tail waters. For daily updated fly fishing reports, water conditions, helpful tips and recommended fly patterns be sure and book mark Colorado Fly Fishing Reports. Our reports come from our Flyfisher Pro Staff Guides (Colorado fishing bums) and are updated on a daily basis. When planning your next trip be sure and stop by for the most up to date fly fishing conditions in Colorado.
This week we will start off featuring one of our favorite tail waters, Colorado’s famed Cheesman Canyon. Perhaps one of the most famous and iconic rivers of the west, Colorado’s South Platte will educate, challenge and humble both new and experienced anglers alike. As the saying goes, “If you can catch trout in Colorado’s Cheesman Canyon, you can catch them anywhere in the world.” Heavy fishing pressure, gin clear water and diverse bug life makes the South Platte one of the most technical fisheries in the world.
Cheesman Canyon is the most sought after and routinely visited section of Colorado’s South Platte.
This is one of the most technical tail water fisheries in the state, demanding that anglers sight fish with small tail water flies and fine tippet. The Canyon is accessed from the Gil Trail, requiring a short hike to get on the water.
Fish are seldom seen rising in Cheesman but good dry fly fishing can
still be had, especially during hopper season where the canyon’s rainbows and browns just can’t resist a foam hopper bounced off a canyon wall.
Plus hatches of small stoneflies and caddis make for some great summer surface action but as a general rule of thumb a good nymph fisherman will catch most of the fish. Ideal flows for Cheesman are when the water is up, around 200-400 CFS. When the flows are high the fish in Cheesman go crazy for worms and scuds and nymph fishing with a variety of San Juan Worms and scud patterns makes for some outstanding fly fishing. Winter is one of our favorite times to hike into the canyon as the crowds are light and winter time hatches of midges and blue winged olives make for some exciting days on the water. Catching a fish in Cheesman is always a reward no matter what your level of skill!
For the most recent information on fly fishing Cheesman Canyon, http://www.coloradoflyfishingreports.com/reports/?reportid=2356
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
Winter is here and many of our Colorado streams and still water lakes have frozen over for the season.
Fortunately, we still have many winter fly fishing opportunities on our winter fly fishing preserves. On warm and sunny days our fly fishing guides are reporting good insect hatches, primarily midges and
blue winged olives making for some great late season dry fly fishing.
Even if you are new to the sport, winter is a great time to give fly fishing a try. Let one of our
professional fly fishing guides help you learn the basics of casting and presentation. Or, if the weather is too cold for you, winter is a great time to learn new skills like fly tying or rod building through Angling University or take one of our online classes about fly casting or insect
identification.
One of the many beauties of fly fishing is the ability to stay connected with the sport year round.
However you decide to spend your angling time this winter season, let us help facilitate your entire fly fishing needs.
Tight Lines,
The Flyfisher Group
We are nearing the end of our 2012 Colorado Fly Fishing Season on our home waters of South Boulder Creek. Winter is just around the corner, but right now we are being blessed with warm weather and sunshine in Denver and Boulder and the end of the year fly fishing is better than ever! Lots of the local public waters have received a season of heavy pressure and the fly fishing is very difficult. Right now our private fly fishing preserves offer the angler the opportunity to pursue both trophy browns and rainbows close to Denver without the crowds. Treat yourself to an end of the season adventure with one of our professional fly fishing guides; the experience is one you won’t soon forget…
Tight Lines,
The Flyfisher Guide Service
It is still fall in Denver, Colorado and the weather has been great for carp fishing on the fly with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Most of the local reservoirs, lakes and ponds have cooled off and the carp are rarely seen in the shallows but Denver’s South Platte is still a great option for fly fisherman looking to feel the tug of a big fish! Carp fishing is relatively simple in practice, but hooking these fish on the fly can be extremely challenging as carp require precise and accurate fly casting and are also eagerly spooked. Follow these tips for more success fly fishing for carp:
Use the buddy system – a good buddy will always help you catch and land more carp. Sometimes it is helpful to get a spotter from a bridge to help the angler cast over fish that have been spotted. Also, netting a big carp alone can be difficult; it is much easier to have a net man around.
Invest in a quality pair of polarized sunglasses – a good pair of glass is invaluable when looking for carp in low light and dirty water.
Bring the right rod and a quality reel – a good 5-7 weight will land carp but you must have a reel with a good drag system to stop the fish when they run. Carp are very strong and make fast runs like bonefish!
Use trout tactics – on Denver’s South Platte carp will behave very similar to trout, stacking up in riffles and deeper runs while they sip bugs from the current. Nymph fishing with indicators is a very productive way to get hook ups once fish are spotted. Classic trout flies like San Juan Worms and Rubber Legged Hare’s Ears will do the job.
Hopefully these tips will help you land your next Rocky Mountain Bonefish!
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
Today was a beautiful day in downtown Denver! Fellow Flyfisher Guide Service guides, Ethan Emery and Randy Pruitt and I joined up with Lateral Line Media in an attempt to find some tailing carp. The water was a little higher and more off color than we expected but sure enough right out of the gates we saw some nice fish moving across the sand flats of Denver’s South Platte.
I have done quite a bit of carp fishing in lakes and ponds, looking for tailing and mudding fish but I am new to carp fishing rivers. In the past I have always done well with smaller leech imitations and flies that mimic classic Bonefish patterns tied in drab colors. However, the carp we encountered on the Platte were behaving more like trout, grouping up into large pods of fish and feeding in the middle of the bigger runs and longer riffles. So at the suggestion of Ethan and Randy we rigged up some nymph rigs consisting of leeches, mayflies and of course San Juan Worms and after targeting where the fish were sitting we started getting some nice hook ups! Joey of Lateral Line Media was on hand to document the day, so be sure and stay tuned for some awesome Colorado carp fly fishing footage!
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The Flyfisher Group
I thought it would be fun to share my personal top 10 favorite rivers and creeks in Colorado.
Of course this is my own opinion so I do not mean to offend you if I don’t mention your favorite fishing spot…
I have compiled what I believe to be the most dynamic and interesting streams, and of course there is a lot of stuff I have yet to fish and places I have yet to be, so if you think you might know of a better stream feel free to chime in…
The Boulder Creek Watershed – OK so this one may come to a shock to many but the entire
Boulder Creek watershed is one of my very favorite places to fish in Colorado and I’ll be happy to tell you why. Middle Boulder Canyon is just plain fun to fish with aggressive little brown trout seemingly hiding behind every rock! The North Fork of the Creek running through Dream Canyon makes me feel like I am in the Black Canyon, with colorful Brook trout rising to my hopper creations! And South Boulder Creek fishes awesome for the occasional 16” plus brown in the meandering meadow sections around Boulder. Then the bug life on the creek both below and above Gross makes for some awesome dry fly fishing!
The Roaring Fork – I love float fishing the Roaring Fork. This river is a streamer junkie’s best
friend. I can’t think of a better way to spend the day than floating the Fork with good friends and a cooler full of ice cold drinks…
Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge – Does it get any better than hiking down into the steepest, deepest and most narrow canyon in North America to find Salmon Flies crawling all over the river? I don’t think so.
Taylor River – No I’m not talking about fishing the “Hog Trough” but I simply love the lower sections of the Taylor. This river gets one hell of a Green Drake hatch in the summer and wade fishing the Taylor with its fast current and slippery rocks always makes for an
adventure. Camping along this river and its main tributary Spring Creek is a great way to experience the wilds of Gunnison.
Tributaries of the North Platte in Walden – The various feeder streams of the North
Platte are some of my favorite excursions for Brown Trout. Fish of all sizes live in these streams and the fishing can be challenging, technical and overall difficult but the rewards
can be amazing.
Frying Pan – You can learn a lot about trout and fly fishing for them on this infamous stream. Sight Fishing is almost always possible and a plethora of insect hatches will keep even the most
seasoned of anglers guessing.
Cheesman Canyon – Ok so Cheesman is definitely not my very favorite stream but anytime I land a trout in the Canyon I feel grateful…for it certainly never happens too often! The canyon is a technical fishery and it simply takes hard work and persistence and thorough understanding
of Nymph fishing to fool these trout.
Eagle –I haven’t explored this river as much as I would like but my limited experience on the Eagle has been good. Lots of fish, bugs and interesting water makes for a dynamic and year round fishery.
Rocky Mountain National Park – A lifetime of fishing is available within the lines of the park and most of it remains untouched. Native Greenback Cutt Throat call these streams their home and they are easily fooled with small fly rods and dry flies. Fishing in the park is just plain fun and after all isn’t that what it’s all about?
So there is my Top 10.
What’s yours?
Tight Lines,
Tyler Bowman
The weather has been very kind to us along the Front Range this fall. Our total snow fall has been measured in inches instead of feet and the average day time temperatures have been above 50 degrees. But, the 10 day forecast appears to have South Boulder Creek's final fishing days numbered. Multiple storms are lined up to the hit the Colorado and the snow accumulations do not seem near as intimidating as the cold temperatures. So try to get out on the water this week to catch the tail end of the brown trout spawn and also the tail end of the 2010 fishing season.
I recommend getting on the water within the next few days to chase some of the large browns in their post spawn feed. I have heard of, and personally caught multiple browns over the 18 inch mark that typically are not seen during daylight hours. The spawn is usually the only time of year these browns come out during the day. Being a nocturnal feeder they hide in holes and deep pockets until the sun goes down.
Flies that have been the most productive:
Please contact me with any questions or comments at cody@lincolnhillsflyfishing.com
Cody DeGuelle
I'm sure many noticed that the water clarity on South Boulder Creek during the second half of September was not great. A private land owner above Gross Reservoir was conducting over a mile of Stream Improvements. I'll bet many of you were upset when greeted by off-color water when trying to spend some time fishing SBC. But, believe me it is all for the greater good. After seeing all the work that was completed first hand, they certainly did not skimp on anything from spawning and insect habitat to great wintering pockets. What this translates into for the public water above and below is an even greater increase in fish and insect populations. As the numbers and health of insects on SBC have improved I have also noticed more and larger healthy trout, and also the occasional trophy sucker.
The amount of small trout (4 inches and less) appears to have gone through the roof over the past 3 years and all clues lead back to the sections of South Boulder Creek that have been restored to a more natural state. Not only was spawning habitat a limiting factor in fish populations and growth, but also any kind of habitat that has the ability to shelter and grow fish larger enough to reproduce. Now with adequate habitat present on SBC there has been a noticeable difference in small trout that help the population continue to grow, but also act as an additional food source for larger fish. I am certain that these land owners are significantly improving the aquatic ecosystem on the South Boulder Creek drainage and hopefully everyone that fishes the public water regularly will see the results and appreciate this excellent fly fishing opportunity.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns at cody@lincolnhillsflyfishing.com.
Cody DeGuelle
As the water level drops on Colorado's rivers and streams, trout re-appear from their hideouts and start eating everything in sight. Many agree that some of the best fishing of the year happens after the water has dropped and reached steady flows. I have personally caught most of my largest fish after run-off and had many of my greatest days.
Most all disciplines of fly fishing can catch fish this time of year, but one specific technique attracts all of my attention. Swinging soft hackle patterns is one of my favorite methods to take fish in the summer fishing season. I have dubbed this time of year the "Swing Season" which falls between the end of run-off (usually the end of June or beginning of July) and the beginning of the big Drake hatches (usually mid to late July) .
There are no particular patterns that seem to work better than others, however, color and size will make all the difference throughout the day. I usually fish sizes #12 - #18 in chartreuse, olive, tan, and brown. I try and match the size and color to caddis larvae and mayfly nymphs that are present in the water. An exact match is not necessary as the flies are moving quickly through the water when strikes are triggered.The key is having the feathery skirt there to pulsate as the fly swims and swings across the channel.
The actual technique is started by making a standard nymph style cast and drift, but at the end of the drift allowing your rig to swing to a resting position directly downstream stream of the angler. If facing the opposite stream bank, the area of swing would be about 45 degrees downstream to directly down stream. This method is intended to imitate insects that are emerging off the bottom to the surface to hatch.This is very similar to swinging a streamer across the river, but with much smaller flies that imitate aquatic insects.
I would recommend fishing a little heavier tippet as the strikes are typically very aggressive. I try to concentrate on slow rolling riffles, steady paced pools/glides, and the front sides of rocks/boulders (pillows). Keep on your toes swinging soft hackles attracts strikes at the most unexpected times. Feel free to contact me with any questions at cody@lincolnhillsflyfishing.com.
Cody DeGuelle
As many of the rivers in Colorado continue to flow hard and heavy, South Boulder has been at a very fishable flow the past week and a half. The water has been very clear and fish can be easily spotted in slower moving water and riffle heads. They have been eating a lot of midsized caddis, baetis, and some stonefly nymphs. The dry fly action has picked up with elk hair caddis and hoppers producing the most fish. I have personally had my best luck with the Morrish Hopper #12-14 which has the exact silhouette of the real deal and floats all day without using any floatant.
Morrish Hopper
Current Conditions:
Weather - mid to low 70s
Flow - lately between 280 and 320 cfs
Water temps. - mid to low 40s
Hatches - Baetis #14 - 18 (Brownish Olive), Caddis #12-18 (Tan and Olive)
Flies - Juju Baetis #16 (Brownish Red), Barr's Graphic Caddis #14-16 (Olive), Elk Hair Caddis #14-16 (Tan and Olive Dun), Morrish Hopper #12-14 (Tan Under Belly)
Cody
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
The South Platte river drainage is at about 95% and the Colorado river drainage is at about 105% of normal snow pack as of today. That is good news for the fly anglers on the Front Range. Here we are at the beginning of February and it looks like we have the water for another epic fishing season. Normal flows from run off and consistent draws from the western slope should keep our Front Range waters in peak condition this season. Both the bugs and the fish prosper in the predictable flows of a normal season and since the 2007 season produced some of the best hatches we had seen in the past 5 or 6 years, we are really looking forward to how nature will follow that up.
Look for South Boulder Creek and the South Fork of the St. Vrain to be buzzing by April and if our snow pack holds out they should continue to swarm well into October; Royal Wulff anyone?
The southern part of our state including the Arkansas, San Juan, Rio Grande and Gunnison are all well above average. Which is good news for Mother's Day Caddis hatch on the Arkansas, the flushing flows for the quality water below Navajo Dam on the San Juan and the Salmon Fly hatch in the Gunnison Gorge.
