SUMMER SUMMER 20 20
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Fishing Missoula by Brian LaRue
Soft Hackle Success by Landon Mayer
DROUGHT THREATENS COLORADO FISHERIES
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75 years of hard work, d e t e r m i n at i o n , a n d e v o l u t i o n
DOUBLE HEART RANCH
HOGUE RANCH
CENTENNIAL RANCH
GUNNISON, COLORADO
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO
MONTROSE, COLORADO
Major mountian ranch just east of Gunnison running on 56,300± acres. Includes a lodge, three executive quality homes, five± miles of trout fishing, 800 AUs, meadows, riparian, open grazing and timbered uplands.
Located only five miles from Steamboat Springs, the historic 1,114± deeded acre Hogue Ranch features 1.5± mile of outstanding private trout fishing on the Yampa River, senior water rights and multiple income sources.
Centennial Ranch is the classic gentleman’s ranch. Ideally located between Montrose, it’s commercial and private jet centers and the legendary town of Telluride. Extraordinary improvements, river fishing and highway access.
$29,000,000
$19,500,000
$6,750,000
ROAN CREEK RANCH
LITTLE LOST RIVER VALLEY RANCH
WEST BOULDER RESERVE - LOT 14
DE BEQUE, COLORADO
CLYDE, IDAHO
MCLEOD, MONTANA
Controlling nine miles of one of Colorado’s only spring creek fisheries located in a spectacular canyon setting, this 3,167± acre holding provides excellent hunting, modest cabins and 9,267± acres of leased BLM lands.
4,743± acres surrounded by federal lands and featuring a custom-built 600± sq. ft. cabin, three miles of a trout-filled spring creek, and huge mountain views. Year-round access two hours from Sun Valley and Idaho Falls.
Rare offering of an unimproved lot in the West Boulder Reserve, a shared ranch community located approximately 20 miles southeast of Livingston on 2.5 miles of the West Boulder River. 14.623 acre lot fronts the river.
$5,750,000
$3,750,000
$1,250,000
SALES
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SUMMER 2021 VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 3
MAGAZINE CONTENTS 08
SOFT HACKLE SUCCESS
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COLORADO RIVERS FUND
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48
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BY LANDON MAYER BY GREG HARDY
MISSOULA—ONE GREAT FISHING TOWN! BY BRIAN LARUE
A GOOD PAIR OF EYES BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
5 FLY FISHING RULES OF THE ROAD BY PETER STITCHER
DROUGHT THREATENS WESTERN COLORADO FISHERIES BY KEN NEUBECKER
FIT TO BE TIED
BY JOEL EVANS
HIDDEN TREASURE IN THE SOUTH PLATTE HEADWATERS BY JIM KLUG
TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM RELEASES BY GEOFF ELLIOT
UPSLOPE BREWING COMPANY Q&A BY DAVID NICKUM
SHORTAGE ON THE COLORADO BY SARA PORTERFIELD
High Country Angler • Summer 2021
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HCA Staff P U B LISHER S
J ac k Tallo n & Frank M ar tin
C O NTENT C ONSU LTANT L ando n M ayer
EDITO R IAL
Frank M ar t i n, M anagi ng Editor f rank@ hc am agaz ine.co m Landon Mayer, Editorial Consultant Ruthie Mar tin, Editor
ADV ER TISING
B r i an L a R ue, S ales & M a r keting b r ian@ hc am agaz i ne.co m D i rec t : ( 303) 502- 4019 M ar k Shulm an, Ad S ales Cell: ( 303) 668- 2591 m ar k@ hc am agaz i ne.co m
DESIG N
David M ar tin, Creative Direc tor & Graphic D esigner aisthetadesign.com
P HOTO G RAP HY
Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Brian LaRue, Angus Drummond
STAF F WRITER S
Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Brian LaRue, Joel Evans, David Nickum, John Nickum, Peter Stitcher
Copyright 2017, High Country Angler, a division of High Country Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinting of any content or photos without expressed written consent of publisher is prohibited. Published four (4) times per year. To add your shop or business to our distribution list, contact Frank Martin at frank@hcamagazine.com. D i str i buted by H i gh Countr y Publi cati ons, L LC 730 Popes Valley D r i ve Colorad o Spr i ngs, Colorad o 809 1 9 FA X 719-593-0040
ON THE COVER:
Published in cooperation with Colorado Trout Unlimited 1536 Wynkoop Street, Suite 320 Denver, CO 80202 www.coloradotu.org
Logan Clark, Photo by Landon Mayer
Logan first appeared on the Cover of HCA 15 years ago, at the age of 14. Now 29, he is still at it, showing off this beauty of a Cutthroat that he caught on a trip with Landon. Way to go, Logan!
TOC PHOTO: by Brian La Rue www.HCAezine.com
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Soft Hackle Success
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by L an don M aye r
s insects begin to move, trout are willing to travel several feet to consume a meal. While you want your fly to mimic the profile of the natural insect, anglers can have problems keeping the trout’s attention. In addition to the movement of the fly, drag-free drifts can be difficult for anglers who are looking for a feeding-frenzy. Soft-hackle flies with materials that give an undulating movement will drive fish crazy during heavy hatches of active insects. The best example of this is egglaying caddis. When the adult caddis dive to the river bottom to lay their eggs, they not only leave a bubble trail below the water’s surface, but the diving movement becomes the visual cue many trout are looking for. Flies that pulsate while they drift will mimic the natural insect behavior while the line is drifting drag-free. These flies should be used with swinging or tension drifts that pass through a trout’s viewing lane at a 45-degree angle and then disappear to the side. This will often cause the fish to commit. The trout does not want to miss the meal that caught their eye. I have begun tying many classic imitations with a partridge collar, tail, or legs. You can take a simplified pattern and add materials that breathe and move to send trout into a feeding frenzy. Soft hackle can complement both dry flies and flies that ride just below the surface. Adding a soft-hackle dropper to common emergers will transform them into a real-looking insect emerging out of its nymphal shuck. This is a great way to make a cripple imitation move and get a selective trout to take.
To 3 Flies
other way to maximize movement of the trailing or dropping fly is to attach it with a non-slip loop knot. The most common question I am asked in late May This will increase movement in the swaying motion or early June as we all wait for the flowers to bloom is, of the hackle. “What are your top three soft hackle flies?” My rule is the “old school, becoming the new school,” with traditional patterns like the Barr’s Graphic Caddis, tan/ Count to Three green #14-18, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail with a tungsten bead hidden behind the partridge collar, and the In the guide world, this can be referred to as the Guide’s Choice Hares Ear with a gold bead in front of “no look” take from a trout before making another the partridge collar. cast, or while your flies are skating near the surface The Graphic Caddis and Soft Hackle PT are my go- of the water as you move up to the top of the run to to nymph, or single flies swung with or without an try another bucket. I have learned over the years that indicator. I will tie on the PT with the tungsten bead the best way to swing flies during the start of summer as the lead fly and trail the unweighted Graphic Cad- when caddis are coming to life, is to count to three at dis below so I can nymph deep in the first half of the the end of a drift while your flies are swinging back drift, allowing the flies to rise in the water column on towards the bank you are standing on. This will althe swing or twitch. low the soft hackle to lift in the water column, causThe GC Hares Ear is a must have for a dry dropper ing a strike. I will also add a twitch into the mix in combo. Drifting the attracting nymph with a shiny case a fish is following but not yet ready to commit. bead is a perfect match to a Hopper, drifting and skat- The darting motion of the fly can trigger a fish to take, ing near the banks of the river. When the trout see even when they are not heavy on the feed. both meals near the surface it is hard to say no. AnWith so much aggression as the trout takes the fly,
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you need to think about line control and how to set without breaking the fish off. In fact, I encourage anglers to not set the hook when fish are running fast and furious. Simply hold the cork handle of the fly rod and wait for the fish to set itself. Then let the reel
on a direct line. If you are positioned above the water you want to swing through, and remain out of view, they will never see you coming. It is a great way to complete many summer adventures by fishing “Soft Hackle Success.” I wish you all encounters with happy trout and warm days.
About The Author
do its job, and release line when the target runs. After the fish stops, bring the rod back to a vertical position to gain line. This will prevent reaching the breaking point or pulling the hook out of the trout’s mouth before it has a chance to consume its meal. The beauty of swinging flies is that it is a forgiving technique. You are presenting to a large swath of water, and you don’t always have to be delivering the flies
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Landon Mayer is a veteran Colorado guide and author of several books. His newest books, The Hunt for Giant Trout, and Sight Fishing for Trout (Second Edition) can be purchased on his website, at www.landonmayerflyfishing.com. His newest video, Master the Short Game, by Headwater Media, can be purchased at www.mastertheshortgame.com. You can follow Landon on Instagram at @ landonmayerflyfishing.
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BY GREG HARDY • CTU VICE PRESIDENT
Colorado Rivers Fund – Your Donations Put to Work
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he genesis of the Colorado Rivers Fund began in a CTU Finance Committee meeting last year, when the Treasurer was reporting on unexpectedly strong donations from our members. The “Year of Covid” had resulted in an outpouring of grassroots contributions to CTU. A discussion ensued as to where the extra cash should go: rainy day fund or investment in conservation projects? That led to a proposal of establishing a conservation fund. The following week, the Executive Committee approved the establishment of the “Colorado Rivers Fund.” An announcement was sent throughout Colorado TU calling for grant applications to the new Fund of up to $20,000. The application process included a written proposal and a short pitch presentation – called the “Trout Tank” – to the decision board. The review board was selected and included the five CTU Regional Vice Presidents, two Past CTU Presidents, CTU Executive Director, and the CTU Vice President. The Decision Board was tasked with determining which of the applications were worthy of being considered “gamechanger” projects and receive CTU support from the Colorado Rivers Fund. Projects were evaluated on the following items: significance of project impact; were CTU funds being utilized as multipliers to secure additional funding sources; were outside partnerships leveraged; was there a specific project management plan that would ensure project completion; and were new and innovative ideas incorporated in the project. CTU approved the following projects to receive support from the Colorado Rivers Fund:
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Taylor and Gunnison River 2021 Recreation Assessment ($5,000) The Gunnison and Taylor rivers have experienced a significant increase in the commercial and public use of the rivers. This collaborative project involving Colorado Parks Wildlife and the Gunnison Angling Society Chapter will consist of creel/boater surveys. The surveys will focus on data relating to angling and boating use, quality of experience, and user impacts. The data will provide decision-makers with information that can assist in prioritizing river access points, special fishing regulations, and permitting of commercial operations. Funding from the Colorado Rivers Fund, CPW, Gunnison Angling Society chapter, and the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District will support the use surveys. The project started June 1 and last through the end of September. Both rivers are at or near Gold Medal quality, and the data will provide addition information for better fisheries management decisions.
Upper Arkansas Watershed Resiliency Plan ($5,000) This project involves the Collegiate Peaks Chapter partnering with the local Conservation District to establish community engagement, analysis and planning for watershed resiliency along the Arkansas River in Chaffee County. The project will assemble existing studies and plans on ecosystem health, hydrology, geomorphology, wetland/riparian health, water use, and identify strategies for increased protection and enhancement. The effort will also promote multi-benefit partnerships with area agricultural producers and water users. In addition, the project will also be used to inform floodplain protection requirements being revisited by Chaffee County. The Colorado Rivers Fund contribution of $5K is helping leverage more than $200K in other partner support including a $99K Colorado Water Conservation Board grant. www.HCAezine.com
improvement. The assessment and design work will set the stage for a second phase of the project, to implement the recommendations and provide bank stabilization and improve riparian habitat and water quality. The project will ultimately enhance aquatic habitat, support wildlife diversity, identify opportunities for floodplain and wetland connection, and protect an important fishery resource. Funding from the Colorado Rivers Fund provided Arkansas River Pueblo Tailwater the required matching funds for a Water Supply and Erosion Project ($20,000) Reserve Fund proposal through the local Arkansas River Basin Roundtable and the Colorado Water The goal of this project is to address areas of Conservation Board. The project is being managed significant erosion that are currently limiting the by the Southern Colorado Greenbacks chapter of TU. effectiveness of in-stream structures as well sedimentation of critical spawning and benthic habitat. The project will analyze both hydrologic and geomorphologic processes and develop options for the mitigation of erosion in the upper tailwater section of the river. One location of particular concern is just upstream of the Valco bridge between the heavy erosion, downstream sedimentation, and potential impact to private property and water storage infrastructure. Funding will support hydraulic river modeling to identify primary influences of erosion at priority areas and generate options for bank stabilization and habitat www.HCAezine.com
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Blue River Integrated Water Management Plan. ($20,000) This is a continuation of a multi-year study that is addressing the decline of the fishery below Dillon Dam and investigating the Blue River Watershed basin (from headwaters to the confluence with the Colorado River). Over the past two years, TU and partners have collected and analyzed important data related to stream temperature, water quality, periphyton, macroinvertebrates, flow regimes, and a rapid riparian/stream health assessment. During 2021 the data collection will continue with the addition of a study (PHABSIM) on flow/habitat relationships on the upper and middle reaches of the Blue River. Pebble count data will also be collected at 10 sites below the Dillon Dam by the Gore Range Anglers TU chapter. The project had an extreme funding shortfall ($100,000) when two previous foundations did not contribute to the project for 2021 (due to Covid related issues). The Colorado Rivers Fund grant of $20K has assisted in leveraging funds through a broad group of project partners, including a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant, with value in excess of $220K. In summary, due to the tremendous generosity from Trout Unlimited members, CTU was able to establish the Colorado Rivers Fund. The Fund illustrates how your dollars are being leveraged to provide key funds to essential conservation projects. The Fund also showcases the collaborative work of TU Chapters members, CTU staff, and TU National staff in working together to provide leadership, technical guidance, and volunteer manpower to these projects. With your continued support, next year’s Fund will be expanded and provide even more success in accomplishing our conservation mission.
To Learn More. To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit coloradotu.org.
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High Country Angler • Summer 2021
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Missoula One Great Fishing Town!
W
henever you break out a map and think about a home base, whether you are establishing roots or looking for a place to hang your hat, for serious fly fishermen such as us, Missoula is probably high on the wish list. Given that it lies in Montana’s “Banana Belt” region, meaning its warmer on average than most other Montana locations, and the fact that it is home to major fish producers—Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Rock Creek, the Blackfoot and Missouri—it’s no wonder it’s a popular pick! This issue, I will highlight the Clark Fork. The Clark Fork flows roughly 360 miles from
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by Brian La Rue
around the Montana/Idaho border, winding up in an Oregon lake. But to make this amazingly simple, I will talk about access and fishing for about 10 miles up and downriver from Missoula. My favorite spot is from Kelly Island to the 93. This is not only the area where the Bitterroot joins the party, but the Clark itself is very channeled as it flows, offering numerous side streams and channels for someone who likes to discover new haunts—which is why I have no problem telling you about my favorite access point. Upriver from Highway 93, the river flows by Missoula, offering many city park access points and fishing right in front of the many shops, hotels, and city life. You will have no problem accessing the river here, as it is no secret. Tons of fish and they are always willing. On a side note, one of my favorite memories from fishing this water was going back to the hotel when I was in town for the Orvis spring meeting. I was with a few buddies planning an evening outing when Tom Rosenbauer made his way into the lobby in full waders and boots. He walked up to say hello to us and to see what we were planning. Unknown to him, we looked at his trail of gravel and mud across the lobby floor and we all had a little chuckle. He was as surprised as we were, and we all kind of blended into the crowd after that. Back on the water, further upriver, the river joins Interstate 90 www.HCAezine.com
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for much of its length as you parallel the river like a when that gets rolling. salmon swimming upstream, and soon you pass the As things cool back down in the fall, the Clark Blackfoot and Rock Creek additions. During the sum- Fork becomes simply amazing again. The Clark is mer, the river sees lots of activity, particularly in this known for massive feeding pods that will impress any stretch in and above town, so when tubers, swimmers angler. The bug selection gets a bit trickier as the Blue and bridge jumpers start hatching, proceed with cau- Winged Olives and Mahoganies begin to take precetion! dence. Wade anglers may be more prone to spooking Go upriver more to get away from the summer these feeders, so most locals like to fish these trout via fun crowd and simply pick a spot with quick glances off I-90. There are numerous braided sections and Helping You Keep Your quite a few places where you can Eyes on the Big Ones get a little away from the interstate and enjoy some quick and more quiet action. Full Service But what is going to work on the Fly Fishing Pro Shop Clark Fork? In my experience early & Guide Service season fishing just before runoff is Schedule a good on many of the same midges, Trip Today! worms and smaller nymphs, like 970-944-2526 pheasant tails and prince nymphs Lake City, Colorado that work in Colorado’s more technical waters. But Skwalas are also The Sportsman Outdoors & Fly Shop www.lakecitysportsman.com 970-944-2526 on the menu. Once the water clears, change gears to big bugs like golden stoneflies and salmonflies. As the water tapers down, the river becomes your typical Montana fishery—big dries, terrestrials etc. The biggest challenges the river faces in this area is the hot summers. Water temperatures have made this area an early morning and late evening fishery for much of the summer. Some years, if the winter was mild or the snowpack bleak, the Clark might even see closures. The Lower Clark remains fishable most of the time, as it is home to a ton more water. Some folks will fish at night to beat the limited fishing options mid-summer. There is a night stone that--you guessed it: hatches at night--so that is a popular hatch. Ask a local shop about it and enjoy tossing size 2-4 bugs 22
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FULL COLOR
a drift boat. One of my best outings on the Clark came when the dry fly bite tapered off in the extra innings in the fall. Streamers took over with yellow, white and black patterns working best. This is also the time nymphing turns back on, but you came all the way to Montana! Throw the big streamers and hope for a bruiser. Overall, the Clark Fork is simply another amazing Montana fly fishing destination. If you make it to Montana this summer, stop by and visit with the folks at any of the local shops to get that up-to-date fly report. You will be glad you did. Next issue I will be writing about a little warmwater action, about a place I have not fished in 22 years. It involves a plan ride west, a reservation and a few friends in low places. Stay tuned!
About The Author High Country Angler contributor Brian La Rue enjoys giving fly fishers ideas of where to go for an adventure. Feel free to reach out to Brian at Brian@hcamagazine.com if you want your lodge or guide service featured in an upcoming promotional marketing plan.
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Share your water with families, veterans and responsible land stewards looking to fly fish. support@rarewaters.org We practice catch and release fishing only and provide our landowner partners with www.HCAezine.com Summer 2021 • High Country Angler 25 handsome rod fees and $2M in free insurance coverage.
A GUIDE’S LIFE
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BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
A Good Pair of Eyes
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e hunkered down at the edge of the clearing, clutching our hats close while the helicopter lifted off, peppering us in a shower of grit and leaves. Standing as it banked downstream and disappeared over the ridge line, we were left to the murmur of the river. I handed Bill his rod case. “Rig this up and join me upstream. I’m going to move up to the next pool and see if I can spot a fish.” Few things clear my mind from the residue of the noise and metallic confines of a helicopter better than standing quietly, centering my breathing and staring into moving water. Before beginning the process of spotting a trout, I stood for a couple of minutes with eyes closed, breathing deep and slow. The sun quartered across my right shoulder, burning off what remained of morning’s cool. Cicadas rasped their song from the surrounding manuka and beech, and somewhere nearby a tui cackled from its perch. I opened my eyes. The pool in question was shaped like an elongated teardrop, narrow and turbulent at its head where the water spilled into it from the small rapid above. As the water’s velocity slowed it fanned wider and shallower until where I stood at its tail it flowed clear as gin and smooth as glass over cobbles of red, ochre and grey. Here in the Kiwi backcountry, a good pair of eyes are just as important to angling success as a good cast. Second is patience, a virtue essential to any attempt to detect a quarry whose
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very survival depends on not being seen, on blending into its surroundings like a dream into ether. Keeping to the bushes that lined the bank, I stared into the shallow end of the pool, looking not at the water but through it, my attention on the detail of the bed over which it flowed. I hoped there would not be a fish resting here. A mere shadow cast by a line in the air over the water would be sufficient to spook it up into the deeper water of the head of the pool, putting down any fish that may be holding there along the way. Mentally, I laid a grid out over the water, methodically searching each square for the hint of a fish - a torpedo shape lying among the donuts, the wisp of a shadow playing on the cobbled bed, but nothing appeared out of place. After a few minutes I felt Bill’s presence at my shoulder. “Take a look. Let me know if you see anything while I tie on a fly.” I took the rod from Bill and retreated deeper into the bushes before selecting and tying on a big dry. We moved on up the bank, ten feet at a time, pausing to repeat the process - grid, scan, grid, scan - until we were halfway up to the pool’s head. Here the water deepened, taking on a greenish hue. Only the larger rocks of the bed were now visible, the rest an indeterminate, mottled blur. The current pulsed and swirled, slow moving boils throwing shadows that took on the guise of an undulating fish before vanishing as quickly as they appeared.
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An ebb in the current would sometimes By the way it moved toward the surface, I’m create a smooth window of water, a clear sure it’s looking up. Let’s stick with the dry portal into the depths of the river that would fly only.” drift downstream, morphing and twisting. Finally, an hour after the chopper had I’d follow these intently, the brief lifting of lifted off, we were in business. the veil to reveal the world below. It was “You drop down to the water’s edge and with the assistance of one of these that I first get a clear casting lane. I’ll stay high here saw it, a shadow that rose up the water col- and call the drift.” umn toward the surface, then with a flick of Bill nodded then picked his way down to its tail descended again. the river. I’d played my part. Now, it was his Bingo. I turned to Bill. turn. “Did you see it?” About The Author He shook his head. Hayden Mellsop is an expat New Zealander living in the “It’s about mountain town of Salida, Colorado, on the banks of the four feet below Arkansas River. As well as being a semi-retired fly fishing the surface, a rod length out guide, he juggles helping his wife raise two teenage from that little daughters, along with a career in real estate. point up ahead.
Hayden Mellsop Fly fishing guide. Real Estate guide.
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The 5 Fly Fishing Rules of the Road How Do We Share the Water
by Pete r S t i tche r
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s the sport of fly fishing explodes in popularity and tens of thousands of new anglers look to wet a line, the question that the fly fishing community needs to answer is “How do we equitably, and sustainably share the water?” Back in March I asked the Ascent Fly Fishing community of more than 60k anglers to join us in forming a New Anglers’ Ethic, outlining how best to share the water and keep the peace as so these anglers have begun to join us on the water. Whether you’ve been fishing for decades or are just getting your feet wet for the first time this spring, you have either felt the frustration of encroaching anglers crowding you on the water or the sting of scorn from other anglers directed at you due to some some unspoken offence. Just as the spring runoff yearly changes the contours of the river and how we fish, so too must the rising flow of anglers to
our local waters change the way we fish and share the river. When asked to be a part of the solution and to help us form an angler ethic that we can all embrace, and commit to sharing with the new generation of anglers, the response and feedback of the community was overwhelming! After reading scores of emails, facebook and Instagram messages, and posing this question to countless anglers in the shop, the consensus of the community was uncannily aligned! While we are not looking to carve in stone a rigid 10 Commandments of Fishing Ethics, I believe that these simple Five Fly Fishing Rules of the Road are ones that we can all stand behind and will allow us each to enjoy the river and the sport of fly fishing while maintaining peace within ourselves and with each other.
STONEFLY NETS Reclaiming a Tradition
Fly anglers respect tradition. Elk Hair Caddis, Wooly Bugger, Adams – flies found in most every fly box. The names of high quality rod makers are known by all who call fly fishing a passion. STONEFLY NETS is proud to reclaim the tradition of handcrafted custom wood landing nets. Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Ethan Inglehart brings his skills as a custom wood worker of many years to his love of fly fishing. From an idea sparked by a 3 weight bamboo rod owned by his great – grandmother, Ethan builds wood nets that combine function with heirloom quality. Select from one of our design Series or contact us to discuss a custom net meeting your exact specifications. We are also proud to offer a unique rod and net collaboration with the legendary Tom Morgan Rodsmiths of Bozeman, Montana. The Catch and Release Package details are explained on our website. A STONEFLY NET is a handcrafted tool you will be proud to own. Please visit us at STONEFLYNETS.COM
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1. Signal Before You Merge The universal consensus of the community was that anglers need to speak to each other on the water in a give-and-take exchange to determine how we are going to share the water. Just like when someone is looking to merge into a crowded highway, it is appreciated and space more graciously given when someone uses their blinker, makes eye contact, and signals their intent instead of just squeezing in front of you and forcing those around them to slam on their brakes and make room. We’ve all been there and hate thoughtless drivers like that! When you encounter other anglers on the water cordially engage them. Ask them which way they are heading, if and where it would be ok for you to merge onto the water, and wish them luck! Not only will this keep the anglers on the water from having to slam the breaks on their fishing, it will enable you to help keep the peace on the river and maybe even gain a little intel on which flies are working well or possibly even gain a new fishing buddy!
2. Maintain a Minimum Space Nothing will raise our communal blood pressure as fast as someone riding your bumper or having someone cut you off on the road! When other anglers crowd us on the river (which typically only happens if the first Fly Fishing Rule of the Road isn’t folwww.HCAezine.com
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lowed) tempers flare, people get defensive, and no one has a good time on the water so let’s agree to keep a minimum distance when fishing. On crowded waters close to the city, 30 yards is a reasonable minimum distance that will keep people from tangling lines while allowing you some space to breath. If you’ve made the effort to get out of town to more secluded waters, moving upstream a quarter of a mile from an established angler or out of sight around the next bend will help to maintain the peace and seclusion that you both were looking for by getting off the beaten path. If there isn’t enough room on a specific stretch of water to keep this minimum distance between yourself and other anglers, take a walk upstream, chat with the anglers you meet along the way, and merge back onto the stream where there is space.
their rods in the dark, and are drifting a particular run have the right to fish that water and not be encroached upon or rushed. But, if you speak with them and discuss which way you are both heading and where you would like to fish, not only will you both share a good day on the water, you might even get invited to join them for a bit!
4. Be Mindful Where You Cross
Often times we need to wade across the river to get to a particularly sweet looking piece of water, but when doing so we need to be respectful of the other anglers on the water. Whenever possible try to maintain the 30 yards of minimum distance between yourself and others when crossing the river. When maintaining the minimum distance isn’t an option, speak with the 3. First in Time = First in Line other anglers on the water and ask them which direction they are fishing and where they would be ok Just line like when merging into traffic on the high- with you crossing. While they will most likely ask you way, the vehicles merging from the on-ramp need to to cross downstream of them, be extending them the yield to the cars already on the road. The same is true simple courtesy of asking them where they would like on the river. The anglers who got up and early, rigged you to cross it will help to ensure that you don’t splash 32
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through their next fishing hole as well as safeguard a few in the past and it’s always bummer.” Or “I didn’t your vehicle from having an obscenity keyed onto its see it initially when I got here this morning, but if you hood back in the parking lot! see that bright patch in the gravel right there with the big rainbow trout on it, that is actually a spawning trout on a redd so I’m giving her some space.” 5. Assume the Best By practicing these Five Fly Fishing Rules of the Road we should be able to not only weather the growWe don’t know whether the person approaching us ing community of fly fishers on the water, but be an on the water has been fly fishing for decades or days, if active part of guiding and encouraging the new genthey have been fishing this river their whole life or are eration of anglers as we share and enjoy the river tovisiting from out of state, or if they are on the water to gether! The team at Ascent Fly Fishing wishes you cap off a great week or to forget particularly hard one. many tight lines and we hope to see you. A safe assumption is that they are seeking escape, excitement, connection (with nature, themselves and possibly others), and that they share your love of fly About The Author fishing! What it is not beneficial is to assume that they are intentionally using the river in a way that is harmPeter Stitcher is an Aquatic Biologist and ful or inconsiderate. When we see these behaviors, owner of Ascent Fly Fishing. Originator of this is our opportunity to engage in conversation and the Biologist Crafted Fly Selection, Peter and kindly let them know which way we are planning on his team build their clients’ fly selections fishing or to ask them if they open to a shared insight. specific to the bugs in the waters they If welcomed, it helps to couch advise with humor and fish, when they fish them. You can contact Peter or restock your fly box at: www. humility. ascentflyfishing.com. “Hey, mind if I give you a quick tip? Wet your hands before handling a fish. Unfortunately, I killed
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DROUGHT THREATENS WESTERN COLORADO FISHERIES by Ken Neubecker
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n Tuesday, June 1, the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife closed down the Yampa River tailwater fishery below Stagecoach Reservoir south of Steamboat Springs. The reason? Lack of water and to prevent overfishing of the diminished stream. This has happened before due to drought, but never this early. It’s a harbinger of conditions yet to come this summer on the Western Slope. The Front Range and East Slope have pulled out of the current drought, thanks to abundant snow and rain during the Spring. But much of the Western Slope, including the Colorado and Yampa River headwaters, are still deep in the grips of Exceptional Drought, the worst drought rating that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has. The
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rest of the Western Slope is slightly better off, but not by much. The Yampa below Stagecoach as of this writing is running at 20.7 cubic feet per second (CFS). Not its lowest, which was 11 CFS in 1989, but very low. The upper Colorado at Kremmling, below all of the major East Slope diversions, and above one of the State’s best Gold Medal fisheries, is running a scant 426 CFS. The lowest tally here as of this date was 278 CFS in 2002. The median flow at Kremmling for this time of year is 1840 CFS. The Kremmling gage is also below the confluence, with the Blue River with Green Mountain Reservoir and Muddy Creek with Wolford Mountain Reservoir. Both are major suppliers of Western Slope water downstream to the Grand Valley. People floating from Pumphouse to State Bridge are seeing rocks
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ter is too warm to fish responsibly. A good thermometer should be a required piece of gear in your kit this summer. When the fish become stressed they are subject to disease and fungus. They also have a much harder time recovering, especially after a long “fight” with an excited angler. Land the fish as quickly as possible and skip the picture. High temperatures on some river reaches, like the Eagle below Edwards, have historically been the cause of massive trout die offs. That’s the bad news for this summer. If it seems like we’ve had a string of hot, dry and trout-stressful summers lately, it’s because we have. We are still in the grips of the long Millennial Drought, which began in 2000. There have been a couple good years, near or even above average for snowpack and runoff, but a couple good years scattered in a string of dry years doesn’t “break” the drought. Even the current wetness on the Eastern Slope may not last. Only a short while ago the entire state was considered out of drought. That didn’t last long. We have entered a new period of western water and climate, driven by anthropocentric climate they have never seen exposed this early. And these are the flows we’re seeing as we move into the height of runoff. This bodes ill for Colorado anglers in the coming months. Not only are rivers low, but so are the reservoirs, and this year’s minimal runoff will not even begin to refill them. Even the Fryingpan could be suffering from low flows by the end of the summer. But low flows are only the beginning of adverse impacts to our Western Slope cold water fisheries. Low flows, especially this early, portend higher temperatures and potential closures to fishing. High temperatures means lower levels of dissolved oxygen. Between 65 and 68 degrees the fish begin to stress. Above 68 the wa36
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change. It has become a true climate crisis, especially for the Colorado River basin. We have entered what Brad Udall at Colorado State University termed the “New Abnormal.” The old ideas of “normal” are no longer valid. In 2008, Science Magazine published a short article claiming that the concept of “stationarity” in water management was dead. Stationarity is the “idea that natural systems fluctuate within an unchanging envelope of variability.” Stationarity has long been a fundamental concept in the practice of water management and planning. Stationarity is no longer a valid foundation for water supply management. But this is a difficult principal to let go. It loosens the moorings of decades of water supply thinking and seasonal fishing experience. We are facing significant impacts from climate change here in Colorado and the West. Climate change and increasing aridity may hit Colorado agriculture the hardest, but our recreation-based economy, whitewater boating and river-based fishing will be hit hard as well. Earlier this year, the Center for Colorado River
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Studies at Utah State University released a new white survive--not just through this summer but into the paper, Alternative Management Paradigms for the fu- future. ture of the Colorado and Green Rivers (White Paper #6). This study takes a clear eyed look at the future of o Learn More. water supplies and rivers in the Colorado Basin, using science as opposed to the fantasies of aspirational politics. To learn more about this story The study, authored by several long time water and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit managers and scientists, begins with the statement, coloradotu.org. “Our ability to sustainably manage the Colorado River is clearly in doubt”. The paper points out that river flows during the ongoing Millennial Drought have decreased by 18% from the 20th century average. The paper suggests that we need to start making some significant changes, bold changes, in how we manage rivers and water supplies. So far most of the problems caused by drought and climate have been delt with piecemeal, on an incremental basis. This may no longer be an option. Many of the great trout fisheries in Colorado are tailwaters, below reservoirs, such as the Yampa below Stagecoach and the upper Colorado below its network for reservoirs. How these reservoirs are managed in the future will affect the health of these fisheries. How climate, increasing temperatures and precipitation evolve also will affect our freestone rivers and small stream fisheries. How we regard the difficult environment facing the trout will as well. Don’t fight your fish to exhaustion, especially with temperatures above 65 degrees. Much above that, don’t fish at all. And remember, even if the water is cooler in the morning the fish are still recovering from the heat stresses from the day before. We all need to be more aware and responsible if Colorado’s fabled fisheries are to
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FIT TO BE TIED
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BY JOEL EVANS
Sometimes Bigger is Better
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arge, helicopter, prehistoric profile, crawly, scratchy, brown or black or orange or yellow – what kind of insect could be so important to fly tying? The opposite of the delicate attributes we assign to mayflies, I’m speaking of stoneflies. Among the several general groups of aquatic insects we imitate for trout, stoneflies are generally the largest. Streamers are typically much larger, but those don’t imitate an insect. While there are small stoneflies such as a yellow sally or a black winter stone, for this time I am focused
on the giant end of the spectrum, the Orange Stonefly. Now call it what you want, and admittedly more common names are used such as Salmonfly, Willowfly, and Pteronarcys (part of its scientific name), I prefer to call it by its color as they do have a distinct orange cast to it, particularly the dry with a large orange band on its neck, compared to the mostly drab nymph. A similar but smaller stonefly is the golden stone, so since it goes by its color name, just seems appropriate to call the orange one by its color. Besides, this fly has nothing to do with traditional salmon flies, so
The orange stonefly hatch of summer is short lived but explosive. On the left is an orange stone as tied by Bob Jacklin. On the right is my version as inspired by Bob’s. Typically fished dry, if the dry is ignored, then intentionally let it get soaked so that it sinks some, and let it dead drift under the surface film. My best takes and largest fish often come when using an upstream drift with a twitch or short strip while it is underwater, somewhat like a streamer.
About The Author Joel Evans is a fly fishing writer, photographer, and long-time member of Trout Unlimited from Montrose, CO. You can contact him via the HCA editor at frank@hcamagazine.com. 40
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ORANGE STONEFLY AS INSPIRED BY BOB JACKLIN
HOOK: DRY 6-4X LONG THREAD: ORANGE 3/0 TAIL: (FEMALE EGG SACK) BLACK ELK HAIR BODY: ORANGE POLY YARN WITH PALMERED BROWN SADDLE HACKLE WING: LIGHT ELK HAIR LEGS: BLACK ELK HAIR COLLAR HEAD: ORANGE THREAD
that name is odd to me. Call it what you want, but if you fish the Rocky Mountain West, do call it. It will answer back with some of the most aggressive and splashiest dry fly strikes you will experience. In a previous column, I featured my tie of the nymph, called an Evie Fly. (Evie being the resident Siamese cat that supplies the dubbing). For this time, I will focus on the dry version. I have used multiple versions of the dry from commercial ties to variants of my own, but frankly, after decades of testing (yes decades), the best and most consistently effective version is that of fishing and tying legend Bob Jacklin. His pattern was of course developed thru his own decades of experience. It works. Many years ago I attended a personal fly tying class with Bob as the instructor, and have been tying his version ever since. I have in my collection several of his personal ties, some loose in a box and some in a framed print. Even his verwww.HCAezine.com
sion has some variations, particularly the presence or absence of rubber legs. My ties are very similar, but use some different materials, and so they come out slightly different, but still, it is his pattern.
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HIDDEN TREASURE IN THE SOUTH PLATTE HEADWATERS by Jim Klug, Cutthroat Chapter Trout Unlimited
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n a sunny weekend in late August a hearty group of sixteen Cutthroat Chapter TU conservation volunteers in collaboration with the Town of Alma, The Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) completed the decommissioning of the abandoned Hidden Treasure gold mine on USFS property in Buckskin Gulch above the town of Alma, Colorado. The purpose of the work at this mine at an elevation of 11,000 feet was twofold. First, the site had significant erosion issues exacerbated by being illegally dug with heavy equipment.
Runoff and seepage from the mine flows over tailings, picks up heavy metals and goes subterranean before entering Buckskin Creek, which drains into the Middle Fork of the Upper South Platte. The initial work performed by the City of Alma sealed the mine entrance and created a diversion to curtail water moving over the tailings. Our volunteers then decommissioned the area by moving large boulders and dead trees into the area to prevent future access to the mine. A rock retaining wall was constructed and local willow shoots were harvested and planted to prevent erosion of the diversion system.
HIDDEN TREASURE MINE SITE
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SEALING THE MINE ENTRANCE
SEALED AND DECOMMISSIONED MINE ENTRANCE
ROCK RETAINING WALL AROUND WATER DIVERSION SYSTEM Since this mine was easily assessable, the second part of the project focused on mitigating access by off road vehicles to prevent additional damage to the area. The ¼ mile “attractive nuisance” road leading to the mine was reworked to include water diversions and strategically placed large boulders. The entire site was raked and planted with a high altitude native perennial seeds donated by CUSP.
Mineral Park Ponds The Cutthroat Chapter is continuing its history of supporting mine reclamation efforts in the South Platte headwaters of Park County with the upcoming Mineral Park Ponds project. TU’s partners at Anglers All generously offered a $5000 matching grant toward remediation of this mine site to reduce metals, notably lead, from mobilizing into Dolly Varden Gulch and then into the Middle Fork South Platte. A number of year-end individual donors contributed to the matching challenge, and the Cutthroat Chapter filled in the remaining funding gap to generate a full $10,000 toward the restoration project. Look for more updates as work on this site is completed over summer 2021.
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ELIMINATING THE “ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE” ROAD These efforts will combine to improve the water quality and the fish habitat of the Middle Fork of the South Platte River and enhance the regeneration of this alpine area. A special thanks to the agencies and volunteers that made this unique project a success and thanks to the Alma Foundation and Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative who provided lunch for our volunteers.
HAPPY VOLUNTEERS READY TO HAVE LUNCH AND GO FISH THE MIDDLE FORK! 45 www.HCAezine.com Summer 2021 • High Country Angler
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THANK YOU TO OUR 2021 AUCTION DONORS! COLORADO FLY SHOPS & OUTFITTERS ArkAnglers Black Canyon Anglers Blue Quill Angler Conejos River Anglers Confluence Casting Cutthroat Anglers Duranglers Eleven Experience FlyFish Colorado Golden River Sports Mountain Angler North Fork Ranch Guide Service St. Peter's Fly Shop The Adventure Company The Colorado Angler Tumbling Trout Fly Shop Willowfly Anglers at Three Rivers Resort Yampa Valley Anglers FISHING GEAR AND OUTDOOR PRODUCTS CamelBak Clear Creek Casting Dr. Slick Elkhorn Fly Rod and Reel Fishpond Mayfly Outdoors Orvis Outward Hound Rep Your Water Simms Fishing Tenkara USA Troutmap
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Trout in the Classroom Releases by Geoff Elliot, Colorado TU Youth Education Coordinator
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rout in the Classroom (TIC) is one of Colorado Trout Unlimited’s flagship Stream of Engagement programs. As the primary school-based engagement opportunity within the Headwaters Youth Program, TIC provides an opportunity for school-aged youth to engage with trout, aquatic ecosystems, and watershed science in an accessible classroom environment. Through TIC, students raise trout from eggs to fingerlings in a classroom tank. Over the course of the year, students participate in hands-on learning focused on trout biology, water quality, and ecosystem science. At the end of the year, students release trout into local watersheds in partnership and coordination with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The 2020-21 school year proved to be very dynamic with schools bouncing between virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning environments. Amongst the ever-changing classroom landscape, a number of schools were still able to host the Trout in the Classroom program. This spring, several TIC sites were able to release trout into local watersheds. Releasing TIC populations offers a very exciting opportunity for students to connect with the “real-world” applications of their inschool education. Arvada West High School took full advantage of their TIC release by coordinating a full-day of activities for students at Doghead Rail Bridge Trailhead along Clear Creek outside of Idaho Springs. The day began with a fish population survey by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Local Aquatic Biologists Paul Winkle and Tyler Swarr demonstrated how CPW conducts population surveys by electrofishing waters to sample the fish population in an area. Paul and Tyler shocked a number of fish and collected data on the species, weight, and length of each individual before safely returning the fish to Clear Creek. From there, CPW guided Arvada West High www.HCAezine.com
School students through the release by first measuring the water temperature in Clear Creek and comparing to the water temperature in the coolers and buckets holding the TIC fish. It is important the water temperature is with 2-3 degrees of each other to reduce the stress on the trout upon release. Too extreme of a temperature variance can significantly impact trout survivability. After tempering the water within the coolers and buckets by slowly adding river water, students assembled into small teams and released the TIC populations into Clear Creek being sure to find slower, protected areas. Over 200 trout were release from Arvada West and Academy High School in Thornton, who were unable to conduct their own release due to COVID restrictions. After the trout release was completed, students cycled through various educational activities including stream flow measurements with River Watch, career panels with water resource management professionals, macroinvertebrate survey with Denver Water, college exploration with Red Rocks Community College, and fly casting with Colorado Trout Unlimited volunteers from local TU chapters. Check out the story featured on 9News: This teacher kept 2 things alive this year: His students' love of science and the class trout! Just days later, Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School conducted their own TIC release along Cheyenne Creek in Colorado Springs. Their release was featured in the Cheyenne Edition!
For more information. To learn more about Trout in the Classroom, visit coloradotu.org/trout-in-the-classroom!
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ARVADA WEST HS STUDENTS PRACTICE CASTING WITH TU VOLUNTEERS
CAREER PANEL WITH CPW BIOLOGISTS
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TU VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE CASTING INSTRUCTION
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ACADEMY HS TIC TROUT LOADED FOR Summer 2021 • High Country Angler TRANSPORT TO RELEASE LOCATION
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Upslope Brewing Company Q&A With Co-Founder Henry Wood by David Nickum
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pslope Brewing Company has been a valued supporter and Colorado TU business partner for more than a decade. We are thrilled to highlight that longstanding collaboration with a Q and A featuring Upslope Co-Founder Henry Wood and Colorado TU Executive Director David Nickum. After all, what goes better together than fishing and beer?!
Henry, please tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into fly fishing? What led you into brewing, and the founding of Upslope? I began fly fishing in my mid to late twenties when I was working for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). I was teaching backpacking and mountaineering in the Wind River Range. We usually carried fly rods on course so I started to pick it up in the evenings at camp. Turns out, the Winds in the late 90’s was a hotspot for amazing fishing. I thought the sport was really easy. Boy, was I spoiled from the get go! My wife and I moved to Boulder in 2005. She is a teacher and I wanted to leave outdoor education and get involved with a start up company. In 2008, I met Matt Cutter and Dany Page. They were looking for someone to run sales and marketing for their new brewery so I joined up. Henry, how did your “1% for Rivers” partnership with Colorado TU come to be? I met Tom Reed, Northwest Regional Director for TU’s Angling Conservation Project, in the late 90’s while working at NOLS and we’ve been close friends ever since. Tom brought Sinjin Eberle, past Colorado TU Board President, into the brewery in 2010 to discuss partnering with TU in some way. Upslope
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was preparing to release Craft Lager, our fourth yearround beer, and donating a percentage of sales of that high volume beer seemed like a natural fit. It is highly session-able and perfect for a long day on the river.
orado headwaters is a great example. By sticking with our efforts to conserve and restore the Colorado and Fraser rivers over many years, we’ve been able to negotiate stronger protections for the river and help secure partnerships for major restoration efforts that are now David, how has Upslope’s “1% for Rivers” served as bearing fruit – whether from habitat improvements in a model for creating mutually beneficial partnerships areas like the Fraser Flats or upcoming collaboration with other businesses? on restoring a mile of the Colorado River’s channel to reconnect it around the current Windy Gap dam. Our partnership with Upslope really led us to Knowing we have long-term committed partners like thinking more broadly about the potential for cor- Upslope lets us think bigger and tackle issues that porate partnerships. Area fly shops and outfitters need multi-year effort to address. have always been great partners and supporters, but Upslope really pioneered collaboration with other Henry, apart from your generous financial contribubusinesses who also care about healthy rivers. It was tions, how else has Upslope brought an ethic of stewardimportant for us to start thinking more broadly – that ship into your operations? clean, healthy streams not only support better fishing but brew better beer, make stronger communities, Upslope became a B-Corp in 2018. We wanted to and enhance all the things we love about Colorado. bring a 360-degree approach to our sustainability efforts. It is an all encompassing program that scrutinizDavid, since its first gift of $186 back in 2010, es our environmental footprint, company governance, Upslope has contributed nearly $90,000 to CTU and where we source our raw ingredients, employee suscoldwater conservation over the years. What are some tainability, etc. I am very proud that Upslope has of the key projects/campaigns that this generosity has earned this status. made possible? Looking forward, what do you think the most pressUpslope has been incredibly generous in provid- ing issues surrounding healthy rivers and wild trout ing unrestricted funds that can be used where they are are? How can Upslope and Colorado TU combine forces most needed, which has allowed us to tackle some im- to tackle these issues? portant long-term campaigns that couldn’t be ‘solved’ in just a single year’s grant cycle. TU’s work in the ColHenry - These days there are so many threats to www.HCAezine.com
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healthy rivers. I think that resource extraction is probably one of my greatest concern. We helped TU fight to protect the Smith River in Montana from the copper mine that is proposed to happen at the river’s headwaters. If we are logging and mining at the source of these rivers they don’t have a chance. We’ve got a lot of examples in CO where mining has damaged or threatens to damage rivers- like the Animas River for example. I’d like to see more clean up happen from the mining in CO.
practices, Upslope is helping us broaden the community of support for conservation. It is only by working together that we can secure our rivers and trout for future generations. Henry, since most folks won’t tell us their favorite fishing spot, how about your second favorite spot?
Ha! My wife and I are raising three kids and we both work…a lot! These days I am just happy to on the water. So I’m not that picky. BUT if pushed, I love David - Our fisheries are facing two huge cross- fishing in the Great Yellowstone Ecosystem. That’s cutting challenges – Colorado’s growing population where it all started for me! putting more and more pressure on our rivers, and a changing climate that is increasing threats from David, those of us who’ve been a part of the Colorado drought, wildfire, and elevated water temperatures. TU family for a while know that Upslope has generously The challenges are daunting, but the good news is that donated untold cases of craft beer for various special some of the most important work we can do to coun- events around the state (too many to count!). If you had ter them is the very thing TU has done very well for to choose, what’s your favorite Upslope beverage to take years: working to improve stream and riparian habitat with you for a day on Colorado’s beautiful rivers? to create more resilient rivers that can hold up in the face of these pressures. Business partners like Upslope I’m of course partial to Craft Lager – not only is provide important financial support for those habitat it a refreshing cold beer to enjoy through our warm conservation efforts, but just as important they help Colorado summer, but Upslope gives 1% of sales to promote a culture that values our natural resources river conservation. But when I want to mix things up, and sustainability. Speaking out for rivers and lead- I also really like their newer Spiked Snow Melt seltzers ing by example with their own sustainable business – the juniper & lime is excellent!
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SHORTAGE ON THE COLORADO THE LAW OF THE RIVER IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
by Sara Porterfield, Water Policy Associate – Trout Unlimited
INTRODUCTION
THE COLORADO RIVER COMPACT & HISTORICAL CONTEXT
If you look at the U.S. Drought Monitor map you can see a bullseye of extreme drought over the Colorado River Basin, the The seven states of the Colorado River headwaters of which drain from Colorado’s Basin—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—negotiated the Colorado River Compact in November of 1922. The states of the Upper Colorado River Basin – Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming - were concerned that fast-growing California would lay claim to the majority of the river’s water before the smaller population of the Upper Basin states would develop a demand for the water. Negotiated during a particularly wet period of time on the Colorado River, and ignoring evidence that the average annual flow was less than negotiators agreed upon, the Colorado River Compact requires the Western Slope. Drought, high wildfire risk, Upper Basin to deliver 7.5 million acre-feet and the potential for a shortage declaration of water annually on a ten-year running avin the Lower Colorado River Basin have erage to the Lower Basin, as well as half of all been making headlines lately. What is the 1.5 million acre-foot obligation to Mexa shortage declaration, exactly, and what ico. The understanding at the time was that does the likelihood of a shortage declaration the Upper Basin states would have available mean for Colorado and the Colorado River an approximately equal share of 7.5 million Basin? acre-feet annually. History has proven that this understanding was overly optimistic. The years since the signing of the Colo56
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INTERIM GUIDELINES & THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN
rado Compact have been significantly drier than the years preceding the compact. Since the year 2000, the Colorado River Basin has been in severe drought, resulting in a precipitous decline in the amount of water stored in the Colorado’s two big reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Climate scientists are urging water managers and residents in the West to start thinking about the drier conditions as aridification—a long-term condition—rather than a shorter-lived drought.
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The Compact is the foundational document governing Colorado River Basin water use and development, but in the nearly century since its negotiation, a body of laws, agreements, and Supreme Court decisions has developed, known as the Law of the River and providing further governance over the Colorado River. Some of the most recent additions to the Law of the River are the 2007 Interim Guidelines and the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The frighteningly dry hydrology prompted the seven Basin states to develop what are known as the Interim Guidelines: a set of criteria to determine how Lake Mead and Lake Powell would be managed based on the volume of water stored in the two reservoirs. Water users in the Basin quickly realized, as the dry years continued, that the Interim Guidelines provided a foundation for ad-
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dressing water scarcity concerns but that the guidelines needed to go further to bolster reservoir storage and water supply. In 2019, the states signed a series of agreements collectively known as the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The Lower Basin DCP agreement increased the amount of water states are required to conserve from the Interim Guidelines’ baseline and bumped up the elevation of Lake Mead at which those delivery reductions would begin. The Upper Basin DCP agreements created a storage “account” of 500,000 acre-feet in Lake Powell to which states could con-
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tribute water for the sole purpose of maintaining the storage volume in Lake Powell at a sufficient level such that the Upper Basin could satisfy its water delivery obligations to the Lower Basin under the Compact.
THE APRIL 24-MONTH PROJECTION & SHORTAGE PROJECTION The Bureau of Reclamation produces 24-month forecasts throughout the year, and Colorado River reservoir operations are based on the August forecast. The August 24-month projections determine Lower Basin reservoir operations based on the elevation of Lake Mead on January 1st as projected by the August forecast.
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The 24-month study released in April of this year is newsworthy because it forecasts that, for the first time, Lake Mead’s elevation will be below 1075 feet in elevation on January 1st, the trigger point for a Tier 1 shortage declaration per the Interim Guidelines and DCP. The declaration requires Arizona and Nevada to take cuts in their Colorado River water supply, while California does not take a shortage until Lake Mead hits elevation 1045’. For Arizona and Nevada, these cuts are “planned pain,” as an Arizona water manager recently described it; the Lower Basin has been preparing for shortage declarations for years and has “mitigation water” available to fill the gaps created by the decrease in Colorado River supply. For the Upper Basin, a shortage declaration in the Lower Basin doesn’t have any practical effect and doesn’t cut water use in Colorado or any of the other Upper Basin states. It is, however, a sign of the difficult hydrological conditions the Colorado River Basin and the West more broadly are facing. If dry conditions continue into future years, and the Upper Basin states fail to deliver 7.5 million acre-feet of water per year to the lower basin on a ten-year running average, the lower basin could place a compact “call.” A compact call would result in forced curtailment of water uses, according to priority date, in the Upper Basin. Farms, ranches, cities, and industries that depend on Colorado River water could be forced to go without. The disruption to Colorado’s economy and quality of life is difficult to imagine. In an effort to stave off a compact call, the four Upper Basin states are considering the development of a Colorado River “demand management” program. Demand management would be a program under which water users are compensated to temporarily and voluntarily cease water use. TU supports this concept because we see it as a step towards balancing water supply and water demand on the Colorado River system, and such a program also has potential to produce stream flow benefits. We also support www.HCAezine.com
the notion of allowing water users increased flexibility in how they use their water, including the option of using less or even no water on a temporary basis. Over the past several years, TU has participated in policy discussions around the feasibility of demand management. We have also worked with water users to develop on-the-ground demand management demonstration projects. In these projects, we have raised funds to compensate farmers and ranchers for temporarily foregoing water use, and we use the projects to conduct research on the impacts of demand management on crops and stream flows. Through both our policy work and our on-the-ground projects, we believe that a program that compensates water users for foregoing water diversions on a temporary and voluntary basis has potential to help address the supply and demand imbalance and to improve flow conditions in the Colorado River basin. These collaborative efforts offer real potential for both basin-level and localized benefits as we face the challenges of a warmer, drier future.
To Learn More. To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit coloradotu.org.
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Have you considered a planned gift to Colorado TU? A legacy gift to Colorado TU helps to secure our future and enables us to continue our work preserving and restoring Colorado’s watersheds for years to come. It allows us to improve wild trout habitat in your homewaters, to restore native cutthroats, and to offer our River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp to more of Colorado’s youth. By making Colorado TU a beneficiary of your estate, you are making one of the most sincere and lasting commitments to our conservation mission and supporting cold, clean, fishable waters in Colorado. We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss planned giving options with you further. contact Kindle2021 at (303) 440-2937 or skindle@tu.org to learn more. High CountryShannon Angler • Summer www.HCAezine.com 60Please
