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SUMMER 2013 VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 3
FEATURES 16 DRIES ON THE MOVE BY LANDON MAYER 24
SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BY BRIAN LA RUE
DEPARTMENTS 10
FROM THE EDITOR BY FRANK MARTIN
A GUIDE’S LIFE BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
FIT TO BE TIED BY JOEL EVANS
LET’S GO FISHING BY BILL EDRINGTON
HCA GEAR BAG BY FRANK MARTIN
14 19 20 27
COLORADO TU SECTION 28
FROM THE PRESIDENT
30
A PROJECT WITH HEART
BY RICK MATSUMOTO
32
A SEASON UNDER THE DOME
34
NEW STREAM EXPLORERS
36
THE THOMPSON DIVIDE
38
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Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
9
EDITORIAL •
BY FRANK MARTIN
When the World Burns
T
his time last year our family had to evacuate our home when the Waldo Canyon Fire came ravaging through the west side of Colorado Springs. Our home was spared, but hundreds of our neighbors weren’t so lucky. 346 homes were lost and many others had some form of damage. Two people lost their lives. A few weeks ago, another devastating fire began reeking havoc in the Black Forest community, just north of Colorado Springs. That fire did even more damage, destroying more than 509 homes and nearly 15,000 acres of forestland. Two people lost their lives in that fire, as well. As we speak, dozens more fires have been running rampant along the Front Range, from Arizona to Montana, all the way west to California. And firefighters are tirelessly working to contain them, putting their lives on the line in the process. Just this week, nineteen
firefighters from Prescott, Arizona lost their lives fighting a fire near the town of Yarnell. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of these courageous men. Many of these fires are caused by carelessness, but a few have been traced to arson. And I hope that makes you as livid as it does me. All it takes is one moron with a match and before you know it, the whole world is burning. As outdoor enthusiasts, you and I are the ones who use the rivers and forests the most, and that puts us on the front lines of the battle when it comes to prevention. It’s our responsibility to not only police our own actions, but to keep an eye out for anything that seems suspicious. Turns out Smokey the Bear was right. You and I can prevent forest fires. But only if we’re careful—and diligent. So be safe, and keep your eyes open.
REIMAGINE
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 : ( 714) 944- 5676 K andily n M ar t i n, S ales R ep. k andi ly n@ hc am agaz ine.com Cell: ( 719) 432- 8317
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P HOTO G RAP HY
Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Hayden Mellsop, Brian LaRue, Bill Edrington, Joel Evans, David Nickum, Paul Kennedy, Tyler Bowman, Jake Lemon, Aaron Kindle, Cherry Creek Anglers
C O NTR IB U TING WRITE RS
Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Bill Edrington, Hayden Mellsop, Joel Evans, John Nickum, Brian La Rue, Tom Krol, David Nickum, Jake Lemon, Rick Masumoto, Aaron Kindle, Tyler Bowman
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INFO@HALLANDHALL.COM | 406.656.7500 Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
13
A GUIDE’S LIFE
•
BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
Something About Stoneflies
T
here’s something about stoneflies that gets me excited. They have sex appeal, inasmuch as is possible for an ungainly, four-winged, six-legged creature with probing antennae, and I’ll admit to occasionally going to some effort to seek them out. But not just any stonefly. When it comes to this particular predilection, size definitely matters. Of all the stoneflies out there, none are sexier than Pteronarcys, the big, hulking salmon flies. I do need to admit to a shameless duplicity, because ultimately it is not the bugs themselves that I am really after, but the fish who feed on them - rather like making friends with the plain-looking girl in the hope of getting to know her good-looking friend. Just like no one told the bumble bee that it can’t fly, according to the laws of physics as we understand them, so too do salmon flies push the boundaries of aerodynamics. Their ungainly flight and heavy, clumsy water landings make them low-hanging fruit to a trout looking for a serious shot of protein. June is the month they are most active in these parts, and as such their emergence is inexorably associated with summer. After months of nymphing with thread-wrapped hooks along icy banks and braving the elements while tying on size 22 blue wings with frozen, cracked fingertips, and squinting in vain to see your fly against the steel-grey river, it is hard not to feel a certain exhilaration at tying on a bright orange dry fly the size of a hummingbird, and slapping it hard against the water where it meets a cliff face. I find myself going to lengths greater than I would otherwise for the opportunity to fish a salmon fly hatch. On certain rivers, it is often the only time of year the really big fish will deign to feed off the surface. I’ve pulled off Indiana Jones-style climbing maneuvers with my 5wt gripped between my teeth, waded naked and nipple-deep in water so cold I’d blend right in 14
at a eunuch convention, and taken short cuts through groves of poison ivy - all in the name of getting to where the bugs, by rights, should be.
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
And of course, sometimes they’re not. Like all the inhabitants of trout streams anywhere, they move to their own rhythms and cycles that we can theorize,
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but ultimately remain ignorant, about. In this respect, they are no different than may flies or caddis, and many is the angler who has scrutinized, analyzed, and strategized, and still gets it wrong. Yet the memory of timing a salmon fly hatch lingers longer that do blue wings or caddis, and the desire to return to try again the next year is undiminished, if not enhanced, by the experience of coming up empty- handed. And then there is the gentleman’s hours the salmon fly keeps. They fit well with an angler who likes to sit late in camp, overimbibing a little, safe in the knowledge that he or she won’t need to be up at the crack of dawn to catch the hatch. Stoneflies like the feel of the warmth of the sun on their back before lift-off, having crawled from the depths of the river to emerge into their brave new world the night previous. In flight, it’s like no one read them the flight manual, or if so, skipped the chapters about gracefulness, avoiding large objects, and how to land with subtlety. Airborne, they somehow manage to look like they are tethered to an invisible load, fighting a knife-edged battle with gravity. And yet, despite their apparent clumsiness, they have been quite happily doing what they do for thousands of years. I once woke from an afternoon nap beneath the shade of a riverside box elder, a smooth slab of granite my mattress. Upon waking, the trunk and branches of the box elder above me appeared to have fattened, quietly moving and pulsing to a slow, deliberate rhythm. I briefly wondered if I’d woken up in the middle of that Dead concert in ‘89, my supposed life a mere extension of an electric kool aid-induced mind game. Fortunately, my eyes dragged into focus, revealing the entire tree a mass of stoneflies, driven silently from the heat of the day to the same shade that had drawn me, where they quietly and without self-consciousness went about the business of procreation, their single-minded and unobtrusive commitment to the species’ immortality. There’s lots we could learn from their example. Mind your own business. Hot afternoons riverside are for slumber and / or procreation. And make the most of the hand you are dealt, no matter how goofy you might look playing it.
About
The
Author.
Hayden Mellsop is a fishing guide and real estate agent who enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, raising his two daughters to be good stewards of the land, and writing his blog at www.flyfishsalida.com. www.HCAmagazine.com
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15
by Landon Mayer
W
ith warming water and hatches, top water action is back for anglers everywhere. The promise of summer secures the chance of fooling the selective trout as they start to look up for the complex hatches. While watching your dry fly drift down river is the main goal, it can be just as exciting to watch a natural move about the surface until a hungry fish interrupts the motion. Movement is often overlooked when presenting dry flies. The most common term used with presenting dries on the surface is “drag free drift.” While this is useful when you are imitating a dead or crippled imitation, it’s not always what the trout sees. In fact, many of the preferred meals will supply some type of movement that will trigger large trout to take. The following tips are effective ways to present dries on the move while being effective in fooling fish that are wise to dries.
THE STRIP In addition to your fly landing on the surface to get the fish’s attention, stripping your fly can also make most fish look up. If you watch the movement of a hopper for example, when it rides the river’s current, you will see a periodic twitchy, almost like a lastditch effort to escape. This is an ideal scenario for trout, because they know this meal is not going to escape the grasp of their jaws. It is one of the most effective ways to trigger a take with a long three- to four-second pause in between strips. To effectively perform this movement after the presentation, place the rod tip just above the water’s surface while still pointing in the direction of your dry. Then with a straight-line presentation, perform a smooth and short strip of around six inches until you see your hopper twitch an inch or so, and if needed, supply a mend after the strip. This will supply the movement while still allowing you to have control, and set when the trout takes.
THE SWING Swinging dries can be effective, but the one that stands out the most, I think, is when Caddis are dancing and diving on the water’s surface. Trout are used to this movement, and once they have committed to the meals, it is not uncommon for a big fish to follow and track the fly, then smash it when they see it swing out of view. It is always worth a try at the end of almost every drift with dries to see if any fish wants food on the move. 16
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
The best way to imitate this downstream swing is to cast your flies upstream of the pod of trout. Wiggle the rod tip to release some extra line, extending the drift. When the flies begin to swing in the middle of the drift, allow this to happen while moving your rod tip downstream toward the bank. This will sink the flies or move them, often triggering a strike, since the majority of a trout’s diet is subsurface food. Not all food sources are bottom-dwelling insects. In fact, I have had more success allowing my dries to sink at the end of a drift than always obtaining a natural float.
THE WAKE Sometimes exaggerated movement is key. I learned “the wake” from guiding clients to success with mice in Alaska, and it has been an effective way to deliver dries and mice abroad. The constant movement of the fly can trigger some of the largest and most dominant trout to attack—especially in low light conditions from time of day, or weather. The last two hours of the day can be the best when the long summer’s days are coming to an end. www.HCAmagazine.com
To perform “the wake,” cast your flies at a forty-five degree angle up or down stream, depending on where you are positioned on the river. With your rod tip stopping above the water’s surface, lift your rod to a vertical position immediately after the fly lands. This will cause the imitation to wake slide on the water’s surface—leaving a “V” wake as it moves. Once the fly has reached the water’s edge on the bank where you are standing, repeat the same presentation after taking a few steps downstream. This will allow you to systematically cover the run or productive water where you’re fishing. The primary problem anglers face when fishing dries on the move is adjusting to the delicate touch of setting the hook when fishing dries. This is incredibly difficult when using the downstream drift, because you already are at an upstream angle, which can easily pull the flies out of the trout’s mouth. And, you cannot get the upward penetration on the trout’s jaw. To overcome this, you want keep at a horizontal position throughout the drift. Then when the trout takes the fly, sweep your rod downstream and to the right at an upward angle. This will place the fly in corner of the trout’s mouth. If a straight up lift is used, the flies are pulled out of the trout’s mouth. You will know you are performing this properly if the rod does not break the plane of your shoulder at the end of the set. Once you hook the trout, try to get closer to the trout while keeping the fly in place. This hook set is not easy to adapt to, and is best learned after losing a few fish. Trout are most powerful and active during the summer months—making the adjustment to a proper lift more important. Be patient and it will begin to become more natural. Having the knowledge to deliver the mail with movement in addition to a drag free drift will ensure that you cover all of your bases to trigger a take. This will make you more efficient as an angler when you are dealing with wary targets that are selecting a specific meal. In becoming familiar with the movement of summer hatches, you’ll see increased success on the river.
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About the Author.
Landon Mayer is a veteran Colorado guide and author of several books, including Colorado’s Best Fly Fishing, from Stackpole Books. He has co-produced 2 fly fishing DVDs with John Barr, both available from Mad Trout Media. Visit Landon’s website at www.landonmayer.com. www.HCAmagazine.com
Landon’s books & DVDs are available for order on his website!
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FIT TO BE TIED
•
BY JOEL EVANS
Montana Stone Nymph
R
ewind. Rewind. Rewind. Travel back 30 plus years to 1978. A brand new magazine catches your attention. Picking up the first issue of Fly Tyer magazine, you flip its pages and are intrigued that someone has created a publication not about fishing with some fly tying thrown in, but just about tying. Wow, what a great idea! Fast forward to the spring of this year, and I am equally enthused. Attending a Trout Unlimited meeting, I am eager to buy at the silent auction a complete set in excellent condition of the first five years of Fly Tyer. I let no one outbid me, circling like a vulture the table with the bidMontana Stone Nymph, tied by Gale Doudy ding sheet, obsessed with protecting my Hook: #8, 3x soon- to- be treaThread: Black, 3/0 sure. Eager for time Tails: Six raven or crow wing fibers to be called and for Body: Black fuzzy yarn the bid sheet to be Rib: Brown dyed flat nylon mono pulled, I am menGills: White or grey ostrich herl tally exhausted from Hackle: One grizzly and one brown grizzly the self-imposed pressure by the time
the winners are announced. Finally it is mine – Spring 1978, Volume One, Issue One. The front and back cover have color illustrations, but otherwise the entire publication is black and white. No photos. Advertisements of companies that still exist and some that don’t. Some of the contributors are now legends of fly tying. One of several patterns on the cover, but the first to get my attention, is the Montana Stone by Charlie Brooks. Living near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River and having experienced its prolific salmonfly hatch for decades, this is a standard pattern in my nymph box. I tie it because it works. I am excited to have discovered the recipe and description by the designer himself. Charlie writes that “This artificial is a representation of the natural, not an imitation, because when you are imitating an insect of this size, you have a better chance of deceiving the trout if you simulate the salient characteristics rather than imitating them exactly.” I learned to call this pattern the “Brooks Stone” but Charlie called it a “Montana Stone”—being pointed in his narrative to not confuse it with the “Montana Nymph.” This pattern is tied “in the round,” meaning rather than the typical stonefly pattern with a top such as a wing case or a side such as legs, the shape of this pattern is rounded with no significant difference, no matter what angle from which it is viewed by the fish. This rounding means that no matter which way this heavilyweighted nymph is tumbling, the fish see the same triggers. Charlie describes the fly as “organized confusion,” commenting that “if the finished nymph isn’t ugly, then you’ve done it wrong.” The recipe is Charlie’s—all natural. Although tied to represent what I call the orange stonefly, or Pteronarcys californica, this pattern works anywhere large stonefly nymphs are found. Tie it ugly, fish it deep, and fish it often.
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. www.HCAmagazine.com
Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
19
LET’S GO FISHING •
BY BILL EDRINGTON
So Much Water, So Little Time
T
his article started out just fine….a couple of weeks in advance of my deadline on a beautiful June day when I looked out the window of my son’s fly shop and noticed the one thing all of us in the Rockies fear the most… ..a black plume of smoke no more than four miles to the West. Within minutes, we packed up hard drives and evacuated the Royal Gorge Fire, which several hours later turned around 200 yards from our front door when the wind shifted directions. I wore out the knees on a new pair of pants during the next few days praying for the safety of folks
here and in Black Forest. Thanks to all of you who did the same. Mother Nature takes no prisoners, but every now and then she looks the other way. I always struggle with fly fishing choices during the great fishing months of July, August, and September. The early summer reeks of PMDs, Yellow Sallies, and big attractor dries trailing a bead head from Hollywood. August brings the best terrestrial fishing of the year with big fish lazily feeding on hoppers, beetles and ants--the last two of which are vastly underutilized by fly fishers almost everywhere. Then September--which is more early fall in some places than late Summer, and at best a mixture of both--offers up some early BWOs, Mahogany Duns, Tricos, and the remainder of the big attractors and beginning of the smaller attractors. You know, that’s a lot to think about. But as good fly fishers everywhere, we
tend to think more than we actually do, so let’s get a plan together and stick with it as best we can. In my last article, I swore to stay near to home and fish the Arkansas because it is so good. It still is and will be, but I knew I couldn’t do that when I wrote about it. We live in a mecca of fly fishing opportunities, and need to take advantage of all of them we can. So, as I write this on the banks of the Frying Pan, I have already broken my promise. But, the Ark is in runoff and the Pan is fishing great, so there’s my excuse, and at my age, I really don’t need one. So, since I am already here, let’s start with the classic fly fishing river in Colorado, the Frying Pan. I’ve written so many things about this little sweetheart, that I’m almost out of clichés. July and August will bring popcorn machine hatches of PMDs, along with the big Green Drakes that legends are made of.
LARRY’S YELLOW SALLY HOOK: TMC 100 #16 THREAD: 6/0 TAN TAG: ORANGE HOT RABBIT AND ICE DUB 50/50 ABDOMEN: DUBBING MIX: 1/3 EA. YELLOW RABBIT, WHITE RABBIT, HOT YELLOW ICE DUB UNDERWING: UV MINNOW BELLY OR FINE PEARL FLASH OVER WING: WHITE CALF TAIL HACKLE: MED. GINGER
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High Country Angler • Summer 2013
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There nothing like fishing PMD emergers straight up a shallow riffle shoreline, only to have a big splash just across the river send a chill up your spine. Green Drake takes can range from a gentle sip to a crashing blow dealt by a big Rainbow whose dream is to be a kick boxer when he grows up. I’ll probably fish PMDs and Green Drakes on the Frying Pan this summer until they run me off. But, that’s not the only game in town. Back in my backyard, the Arkansas will produce the big Yellow Sallie hatches in the state, coupled with PMDs, Red Quills, and the best hopper/copper/ dropper production there is. Grab a big handful of Chubby Chernobyls and your favorite attractor PMD or Red Quill nymph and give it a shot. Try a float trip during the evening hours for “off the hook” dry fly and streamer action. Of course, in Colorado, you’ve got the Gunny, the Taylor, the Rio and
“The Rabbit” (Conejos), the Colorado, the Eagle, the Poudre, the Yampa, and let’s not forget the South Platte even though most of it is trampled to death and the poor fish are schizophrenic, but if you work it and learn it, or get the services of a great guide like Landon, you can still have a great day. It is simply a result of being a great little river that is too easily accessible to thousands and cared about too little by bureaucrats and developers. With a little help, the South Platte could again be the crown jewel of the state, but the fixes are not easy and
some of them are politically distasteful to many. But alas, this discussion is for another time and another place. I’m going to the Big Horn for over a week during late July and early August with some friends and a car load of good stuff to cook, lots of flies and even a couple of new fly rods. It’s good to look forward to a road trip--especially at my age. I’ve always cherished the memories created on a good fly fishing road trip, and I really need one now. We’ll pull up a drift boat and spend the week fishing PMD nymphs and Sow Bugs,
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LEMON CURD POUND CAKE Make this cake and take room temp to the river for breakfast. It’s heavy, so don’t eat too much, you’ll nap your way through the morning. A great start to a Scottish morning on the river Tay. To make the lemon curd, mix 8 egg yolks, 1 ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup fresh lemon juice. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a double boiler and whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth, add lemon juice and continue to whisk until it thickens and coats a spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 ½ sticks of cubed butter. Put this in the fridge for a few hours before you make the cake. For the pound cake, soften 3 sticks of butter and mix with a mixer into 8 oz of cream cheese, 6 eggs, 1 Tbs. vanilla extract, 3 cups sugar and 3 cups flour. Blend extremely well. Here’s where you make the decision on what to do with the lemon curd. You can blend it into the cake mix or simply cook the cake and serve it on top as a topping. I like it blended into the cake mix. Bake the cake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until a tooth pick pulls out cleanly. Cool before serving. I make mine in a Bundt pan, but some folks prefer it in a sheet cake pan. Either way, I guarantee you’ll make it more than once.
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the TUG is the Drug!
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hopefully with a couple of cloudy days that will give us some stellar dry fly fishing on the big boys of the Horn. Larry has a couple of new flies for the trip and I have a couple of new recipes, so we should be fixed. The other guys will bring the single malts and the money. I’ve included a couple of Larry’s favorite summer patterns in this article.
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High Country Angler • Summer 2013
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White River Property For Sale! 1886 CR 8
(3 Miles East of Meeker, CO)
GREEN CHILI CHICKEN ENCHILADA PIE 1 lb. roasted hot green chilies (Hatch if you got em) 1 roasted chicken (from the store is easier, but use your own if you have the time) 1 large can cream of mushroom soup 2 chopped jalapeños (leave out if you don’t like hot food) 1 chopped white onion 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper 12 med size corn tortillas 1 lb grated sharp cheddar Dice the chilies and mix them with the onion, spices, soup and chopped chicken. Grease a baking dish that is safe to use on hot coals, and place a layer of torn corn tortillas on the bottom. Cover with a layer of chile/chicken mixture and a layer of cheese. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used, and then top with a little extra cheese. Cook at 325 degrees for 1 hr. covered. Let cool for awhile before slicing and enjoy with a cold beer. This recipe is great to take for the first night of camp when you want to fish late and not cook. Just take it in the cooler wrapped in foil and let it heat up on med coals.
One is the a little Red Quill nymph that is an incredible attractor, and the other is his incomparable Yellow Sally adult. I’ve also given you a couple of recipes that I know you’ll like and are easy to make. They are intended for fishing trips or for the house; either way, I hope you will enjoy them. Good fishing for the summer and pray for rain….
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Fish Rifle, Colorado this year! We have some of the finest fishing in the U.S....
Colorado River Roaring Fork River Rifle Gap Reservoir
Author.
Bill Edrington is a retired sociology/criminology professor who has owned Royal Gorge Anglers for over 20 years. He has authored several books and magazine articles. You may follow his fly fishing and cooking adventures on his new blog “Tight Lines and Tasty Spoons” at www.tightlinesand t ast yspoons. blogspot.com.
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Plan your trip at www.riflechamber.com. Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
23
by Brian La Rue
L
ike many of you, I like to take the path less traveled. Whether I’m on a backcountry hike to some high elevation cutthroat, or a less popular alternative next to trophy water, you can be sure to find me and my H2 enjoying elbow room, plenty of willing fish, and a clear mind. That’s why I often pass the busy pullouts along famous waters and end up calling spots like the Middle Fork of South Platte home for the day. What is so special about these little gems? Well, rivers and creeks like the Middle Fork don’t see even a tiny percentage of the pressure of nearby waters like the Dream Stream see. The fish are less educated making it a great place for a beginner to get their feet wet, and yes, there’s always a chance for a nice fish. I love the Middle Fork just after runoff, as green drakes and hoppers fill the air. I’ve rarely seen more than two other cars on a weekday at a spot like Tomahawk. This is the kind of place I like to teach my seven-year-old-- where I know we will get results, I will not need to worry about dangerous wading conditions, and will have a hassle-free day of casting, while enjoying catching dozens of fish on dries every time out. I talked with some very knowledgeable folks about the Middle Fork. Angler’s Covey fishing guide Juan Ramirez (719-4712984) and Kerry Caraghar, Fishing Manager at Cherry Creek Orvis (303-355-4554), both shared their thoughts with me on fishing this fun, less- traveled fishery. “Fish a lightweight 3-5 weight fly rod during the summer on the Middle Fork,” said Ramirez. “This is the perfect water for dry/dropper setups with my favorite foam hopper. Consider a Hopper Juan and a tungsten beadhead pheasant tail nymph tandem to start with. “You can also do well in the coming months with a Furmisky’s fluttering caddis, Puterbaugh’s foam caddis, or a stan24
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
dard elk hair caddis,” added Ramirez. “Parachute Adams work great as well if the water is lower and clearer, and if mayflies have been hatching.” The fish aren’t too picky, and find it hard to pass up any terrestrials, including ants and beetles, and Ramirez says if for some reason the fishing isn’t hot, try sinking any of the bugs. “Don’t count out a stimulator as another awesome pattern that can pass for caddis, stoneflies and hoppers,” added Ramirez. “A little size 14 yellow stimulator is killer too! I try not to nymph on the Middle Fork if at all possible, but there are some deeper holes where nymphing is the best way to get down to the fish. Again, most standard nymphs work well here, but always make sure you have some caddis nymphs, as well as attracter nymphs such as bead head Prince nymphs and copper Johns.” Later in the year, anglers might see a nice brown or two in the Middle Fork as fish leave the reservoirs in preparation for the spawn. Try streamers, but remember to beef up the size of your tippet. Sometimes you get comfortable on a smaller stream or river and forget there might be a monster under a cut that might hit hard. “Wooly buggers in black, brown, and olive, or Sculpzillas in olive and tan are my top choice for the Middle Fork,” suggests Ramirez. “Double streamer rigs are fun to throw here; just make sure you have a rod strong enough to handle two streamers.” The Middle Fork of the South Platte not only offers great fishing on the Tomahawk, crazy dry fly action, and a chance at a big trout, it also offers great upper reaches for unparalleled fishing. Exploring and tackling these less- pressured waters can be not only productive, but the pristine environment will help one forget the hustle and bustle of the city. Grab a topographical map, tell your wife you’re going on an www.HCAmagazine.com
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Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
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adventure, and target areas like KnightImler State Fishing Easement or the equally impressive 63 Ranch State Wildlife Area. The other spot I’d highly recommend is the Badger Basin State Wildlife Area. Again, these areas are perfect for teaching someone the fun sport of fly fishing, or for a simple break from the crowds at the more popular spots. You never know, with deep holes and undercut banks, there could be something special with your name on it out there. Lastly, in and around the Hoosier Pass area, don’t count out backcountry lakes for a hike-in proposition. Try fishing Blue Lakes, Wheeler Lake, Willow Lake and Boulder Lake. Carry midges, gnats, mosquitoes, and a few small streamers to increase your catch rates in these beautiful spots. Here’s a challenge for you! Fish these lakes and the Middle Fork of the Platte. Send us your best photo from these areas and we’ll use it in a future issue of High Country Angler. Until my next fly fishing destination, get out and wet a line of your own! Send your photos to Brian@HCAmagazine.com!
About
The
Author.
High Country Angler contributor Brian La Rue enjoys giving fly fishers ideas of where to go for an adventure. His work can also be seen at his Examiner.com Denver Fly Fishing page. You can contact Brian by writing to brian@HCAmagazine.com. 26
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
720.289.2144 Your access to premier private water in Colorado's front range.
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T
here was a time when sunshades meant little more to me than a way to block out the sun so I didn’t have to squint. As long as they had tinted lenses and looked somewhat fashionable, they’d work fine. Today I expect as much performance from my shades as I do my pickup. Well, not quite. But I do have a fairly critical list of requirements. I need sunshades that are polarized and 100% UV protected. For sight fishing, I prefer brown or copper lenses, with the best possible color and clarity. They need to fit well, and ventilate moisture, so that they don’t fog up on the water. They need to be light but durable, with sturdy frames and impact resistant lenses. And, let’s face it, they need to look good and feel comfortable, because I wear them pretty much all day every day. It’s a lot to expect, but with today’s new technology in lenses and frames, there are tons of options available to fit the bill. Here are just a few of our picks for some of the best fishing shades on the market.
HCA 6
GEAR BAG BY FRANK MARTIN
DOUBLE HAUL FROM COSTA DEL MAR
T
he Costa Del Mar Double Haul Sunglasses offer anglers the ability to transition between the water and the workplace without changing eyewear. Contemporary style meshed with patented technologies delivers unbelievable comfort and stellar performance. Ventilation along the temple of the frames also reduces fogging and decreases perspiration to keep you cool when things heat up. Costa del Mar’s most high-tech lenses are loaded with technology. Costa’s 580 technology blocks yellow light at 580 nanometers, while enhancing reds, blues and greens - offering sharper contrast, better definition and enhanced colors in any environment. They also offer 100% polarization and 100% UV protection. Grey: Maintains color saturation and natural contrast in medium to bright sunlight conditions. This color provides excellent versatility for sports on the water or the land. Amber: Excellent all-around lens color that delivers the brightest field of vision. A great choice for fishing, driving and activities where high contrast is needed.
Features: Hinge Type: Integral Lens Size: 62mm/41mm Temple Length: 125mm Bridge/DBL: 13mm/11mm Base Curve: 8 base Frame Material: Nylon Size: Large RX-ABLE
MSRP: $169
DESCHUTES FROM ORVIS
E
njoy impeccable vision with Orvis Deschutes sunglasses. Tri-Spectrum glass lenses offer enhanced clarity, contrast and peripheral vision for superior vision in any situation.
Features: Distortion-free Tri-Spectrum glass lenses boost yellow, red and green colors for maximum contrast and visual clarity; Polarized to reduce glare; Rubber nose pads; Lightweight nylon frame; 8 Base curvature; UV blocking: 100% UVA,100% UVB; Tri-spectrum glass lenses.
MSRP: $169
BELIZE FROM HABERVISION
R
ecommended for all action sports applications such as skiing, fishing, boating, cycling, water sports and general use. Comes with a micro fiber pouch/cleaning cloth to keep you seeing clearly. The Belize is also available with Habervision’s patented Top Bi-focal lens—the first ever lens made with the Bi-focal located in the upper portion of the lens. This helps fly fisherman attach flies while allowing normal vision for wading through streams. For those preferring traditional Bi-focal lenses with the lens at the bottom of the frame, that option is available as well.
Comes with a micro fiber pouch/cleaning cloth. Terralon Frame (environmentally friendly, unbreakable frame) Fits Medium / Large faces Carbolite™ polarized lens with Anti reflective coating. Frame size is 55 x 20 x 130mm Carbolite™ Polarized lens material
MSRP: $155 BELIZE BI-FOCAL MSRP = $175
POLARIZED HUTCH FROM KAENON
S
MSRP: $179
uitable for a wide variety of face shapes and sizes, Polarized Hutch features a “relaxed” 8 base wrapped design for maximum peripheral coverage from the sun and the elements. Equipped with SR-91 polarized lens, Hutch is a no-brainer when it comes to ultimate glare-reduction and clarity in an easy to wear frame design. Kaenon introduced SR-91 as the answer to all of the shortcomings of existing lens materials. SR-91 was tested in independent labs and confirmed as the only lens offering razor-sharp clarity and impact-resistance all in one ultra-lightweight, durable lens. Kaenon’s high-performance SR-91 lens comes standard in everything we make and is available in polarized SR-91 lens options for complete glare elimination. All polarized SR-91 lenses are available in prescription. Polarized Hutch is also Rx adaptable upon request.
www.HCAmagazine.com
Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
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FROM THE COLO. TU PRESIDENT • RICK MATSUMOTO
President’s Line for ways to be more disciplined about the business of non-profit conservation. We need to look externally for more varied and more consistent sources of funding. And with a more sustainable Colorado TU, we can ensure that our mission will continue to advance for years to come. I’m excited to serve as your President and look forward to meeting as many members as possible. I hope some of that will be on your home waters, where I can learn more about the rivers on which you work and fish; and along the way, you can help me add to that undersized total of days on the water! Thank you for entrusting me with this responsibility, and for all of your support of Trout Unlimited.
A
s the newly elected President of Colorado TU, I’d like to introduce myself and share my vision for the organization. This may surprise you, but I don’t fit the mold of most council presidents. I can count the number of times I fish in a year with just my fingers. I have not served on a chapter board. In fact, I’ve not served on any conservation-related board apart from Colorado TU. I have not worked for a company that is even remotely related to our TU mission. And my three years as Vice President of Colorado TU are just a fraction of most other board members. However, I am a Life Member of Trout Unlimited and a River Stewardship Council supporter of Colorado TU. I led the initiative to move our website to ColoradoTU.org, a huge redesign project that greatly improved the organization’s online image. I revitalized our annual Rendezvous conference into a nationallyrecognized grassroots event. And I persevered through two legislative sessions to help make the Protect Our Rivers license plate a reality. As a member and donor, I’ve been proud of the work Colorado TU has done to advance the conservation of our rivers and look forward to being a continuing part of that success; but to keep our work going for the future, we must also look inward. That is why my vision for the next two years is to focus on the sustainability of Colorado TU as a stronger and more professional conservation organization. The health of our organization is just as important as our work for the health of our rivers. We need to look internally 28
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
About The Author.
Rick Matsumoto is the president of Colorado Trout Unlimited. You can contact him via the CTU website at www.cotrout.org.
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Thank You Colorado TU Auction Donors! CTU thanks the generous donors who made our 2013 auction a success
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Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
29
W
hen the Cherry Creek Anglers began planning for a project to improve angling access for disabled anglers and others with limited mobility, they turned to Paralympic skiing champion Sarah Will, Executive Director of AXS Vail Valley, for insight into what they should try to accomplish. She told them to give her a place she could get her feet wet. And that is just what the chapter has accomplished with the “Hartsel Easy Access River Trail” (HEART).
30
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
While there are quite a number of sites designed for angling access for disabled fishermen and women, most provide a platform above the water from which to fish – often many feet above the water – and usually to a pond or lake, though in some cases access is provided to a portion of a stream. With the HEART project, the Cherry Creek Anglers and their partners wanted to create an opportunity to fish from a trail running along and even into the stream, in a more natural setting, offering the full experience of fishing in a river. The project was first conceived in 2007, when the chapter set a goal to create a new fishing access site that would welcome anglers of all physical abilities to a natural fishing environment. The chapter secured a grant from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife “Fishing is Fun” program, but ran into unexpected challenges with a first proposed site near Trumbull. In 2011, the project was re-energized as they found a new home for it in the Badger Basin State Wildlife Area near Hartsel. The chapter wanted the project to address not only wheelchair access, but to provide easy access that could be enjoyed by anybody with mobility issues from very young children to seniors who may no longer feel up to scrambling up and down steeper river banks. With those goals in mind, Freestone Aquatics completed the design for a system of graded trails and stream access points including a ford where the river could be safely crossed, even by anglers restricted to a wheelchair. Between the Fishing is Fun Grant, design services donated and labor costs discounted by Freestone Aquatics, and additional funding support from the Park County Land and Water Trust, the chapter was ready to start construction in 2012. Once work was completed, Sarah Will attended the dedication for
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Cody/Yellowstone Country’s Premier Fly Shop the site – and got the chance to get her feet wet. At the end of the day, her only complaint was a familiar one for stream anglers: getting flies caught in the willows. Others have also benefited from the site – from a local guide who found there a place where he could fish with his mobility-limited father, to wounded warriors and volunteers with the Project Healing Waters program who have used the HEART trail for fishing trips. “We are proud of the work that was done, and grateful for the support that was provided,” said Chapter President Pat Prichard. “And we’re pleased as punch at what the end result was. We will not tell you where the 20 inch brown trout hide – but there are some in there!” The chapter encourages all anglers to take advantage of this unique site, and for those who wish to support its maintenance and further development through donations of time and money, they are setting up a “Friends of HEART” program within Cherry Creek Anglers. To learn more about how you can take part, contact Val Roberts with Cherry Creek Anglers at friendsofheart@ cherrycreekanglers.org..
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31
A Season Under the Dome
T
he 2013 Legislative session in Colorado was definitely one of the most contentious sessions Colorado’s General Assembly has ever seen. Between civil unions, gun bills, and legalizing marijuana, it may seem surprising that there was any time to debate any other bills. With that said, Colorado TU’s Legislative Liaison Jen Boulton still had a busy session defending the natural resources in Colorado, and had some notable successes in securing a brighter future for our rivers. The top priority bill for Colorado TU was SB224, authorizing the Protect Our Rivers License Plate. This is the second year that Colorado Trout Unlimited (CTU) ran this bill, and thanks to great support from our bipartisan group of sponsors, this time we were able to pass it. The license plate will give Coloradoans the chance to show their pride in our rivers and the value they place on them. Additionally, they will be investing directly back into the health of rivers: Colorado TU will receive a $25 one-time contribution per license plate, proceeds from which will be used towards on-the-ground conservation and youth education efforts. Many thanks to Representatives Hamner and Wright, and Senators Baumgardner and Kerr for sponsoring this legislation and helping get it passed. A second high-priority bill was SB 175, re32
authorizing the Habitat Stamp program within Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The Habitat Stamp has provided important funding from anglers and hunters toward protection of habitat and securing access for sportsmen and women. Colorado TU had suggested amendments that would make funds available for habitat improvements as well, but ultimately such funding for habitat improvement was limited to properties that were acquired through the Habitat Stamp program. The program was reauthorized so that hunters and anglers can continue their investment in habitat and access. The annual Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) appropriation bill SB181 passed during the session. There were two very exciting components of this bill, supported by Colorado TU: (1) providing two million dollars for the Windy Gap bypass that will go toward reconnecting and improving the health of the upper Colorado River, and (2) the bill permits the CWCB to use the money from its construction fund to improve the environment through purchasing in-stream flow water rights. Two other notable water bills addressed conservation and storage: SB19 passed and will protect water rights from being diminished when water is left instream as part of an approved conservation program. SB41 ex-
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
panded the definition of “beneficial use” under Colorado water law to include storage; CTU remained neutral on this bill after securing an amendment clarifying in the legislative declaration that the bill was not to eliminate current limits against water speculation. A final important bill for Colorado TU was SB67, regarding off-highway vehicle (OHV) enforcement. Current law prohibits operation of OHVs except in areas designated for their use and allows state peace officers to help enforce OHV law on public lands. That section of statute was set to expire on June 30 of this year; SB67, signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper in April, makes that section of law permanent. These bills are just highlights of the session. Jen represented the interest of rivers and anglers by watching, opposing, and supporting many other bills that had an impact on our natural resources. Next year is already looking to be another contentious year. CTU is very fortunate to have such a strong presence in the General Assembly every year representing our staff, chapters, members, and volunteers. Thank you, Jen!
If you are interested in being involved in Colorado TU’s legislative program for 2014, please contact Outreach Coordinator Stephanie Scott at sscott@ tu.org. www.HCAmagazine.com
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Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
33
New Stream Explorers Achieve in Thornton By Jake Lemon
34
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
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I
n order to sustain the efforts of our volunteers, it is essential that Colorado TU inspire the next generation to experience the natural world. Experiencing nature is the first step toward becoming a steward of our natural resources. In May, students and volunteers completed an exciting new program that provides youth with the opportunity to have an introductory, yet intensive, experience that will hopefully catapult them towards a life of conservation. To help introduce young people who might otherwise not experience nature, Colorado TU partnered with the Achieve Academy – a part of the Mapleton School District located in Thornton a couple of miles from the South Platte River. At the inaugural Achieve Academy “Stream Explorers” program, all seventh grade science students had the opportunity to interact with living aquatic organisms, learn about their behavior, tie some flies, and go fishing! Stream Explorers is a Colorado TU curriculum that allows students to have handson, science-oriented experiences with living aquatic organisms and to develop basic fishing skills. The curriculum is “inquiry-based” – meaning that the science activities are driven by students’ questions, and allow them to have more ownership of their own learning than with a more traditional “lecture” setting. Through hands-on learning and data collection, students are guided in making their own discoveries about the beauty, complexity, and dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and the fish they support. This program was implemented as a series of sessions where Colorado TU volunteers visited the Achieve Academy once a week over the course of four weeks. The first session, which was supposed to take place on the South Platte, was brought inside due to a winter storm. During this session, we instead brought the river to the classroom, and students learned about aquatic macroinvertebrates, food webs, and life cycles through direct observation of bugs. During the second session, students performed experiments on how aquatic organisms react to various environmental factors including light, temperature, and gravity. The students analyzed the data collected during these experiments, and made inferences on what these behaviors could tell them about natural stream ecosystems and their seasonal and daily changes. The third session was a fly tying workshop where students learned the basic skills necessary to www.HCAmagazine.com
imitate natural aquatic insects. During the fourth session, the students traveled to a local park where they got the chance to sample and observe aquatic macroinvertebrates and go fishing. Over fifty seventh grade students took part in the Stream Explorers program, and began their journey toward greater connection with nature. Providing such environmental education and outdoor recreation opportunities to students – particularly those in urban areas – is not only imperative in fostering a conservation ethic in today’s youth, but also has profound effects on school performance, emotional, and physical health. In this way, Colorado TU’s efforts not only contribute to-
ward creating the next generation of conservationists, but also encouraging the development of the next generation of healthy, well adjusted, and successful adults.
Thanks to all the Colorado TU volunteers who made this program possible! If you are interested in learning more about Stream Explorers or becoming a youth volunteer in your community, please contact Jake at jake.lemon@coloradotu.org or 720-354-2646.
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35
The Thompson Divide: A Sportsman’s Narrative
By Aaron Kindle
I
t’s mid-November and I’m deep in the backcountry of the Thompson Divide on my annual elk hunt. I’m here to feed both my family and my soul. A soft breeze is rustling through leafless aspen trees. It is just before dusk and the sky is beginning its soft glow of evening. I am breathing hard from the ascent but feeling blessed to be here. The sky is cloudless and I begin to see the outline of Huntsman Ridge through the trees—an apt name considering I am hunting as many have done for countless generations before me in the same forest. I am also a mere mile or so from where my son had just a few months earlier screamed with delight as he hauled in his largest of many Colorado River cutthroat trout on a heavenly summer day. I always feel blessed to spend time in wild places, especially with my children, and have made it a mission in life to do so as often as possible. There is something different about this moment, though; a kind of ephemeral feeling seems draped over the landscape. The hidden outlines of energy leases lie right beneath my feet. I know if the work I do (with many others who also care deeply about this piece of country) isn’t successful, this experience might soon become a thing of the past. Western Colorado’s Thompson Divide is a vast, breathtaking, one-of-a-kind landscape rich with wild country 36
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
and abundant fish and wildlife populations. Proposed energy development in the area spurs an ongoing debate in the region about where development should occur on public lands. Wild country like the Thompson Divide is invaluable to recreational public land users and the communities and local economies that depend upon them. The Thompson Divide sprawls for over 220,000 acres, roughly half of which are roadless. Due to its low to mid elevations, these roadless tracts provide refuge for economically and ecologically important wildlife species including large populations of elk and several conservation populations of cutthroat trout. Approximately 100,000 acres of the Thompson Divide were leased for natural gas development in the early 2000’s. I’m not one to condemn energy development. We need natural gas, and until we find a better way to heat our homes, produce electricity and the like, we are all part and parcel to removing once pristine landscapes from the inventory of our desires. My own culpability in forever altering untrammeled landscapes guiltily rides on my conscience as I continue my jaunt. I continue to tell myself that this place is too special – not here. From endless aspen forests and gushwww.HCAmagazine.com
ing streams full of cutthroat trout that drain into Gold Medal waters to green rolling expanses that feed newborn elk and provide refuge to thousands of migratory birds—these have to be reason enough to spare this place, right? It seems simple: produce energy in certain places, hopefully places that do not hold extremely valuable habitat for the critters we so love, and leave some places alone to be what they have always been. That’s it; that should work. The story is, of course, much more complicated. We have a federal mineral trust and the government is obligated to lease some of these lands to produce energy for our never-ending appetite for power. The hang up arises when they choose the wrong places to lease, places that simply aren’t compatible with energy development. But who decides? For many years these leases sat idle, likely due to low potential for recovering economically viable quantities of natural gas. However, with the technological advances made over the past decade, such as improved directional drilling and horizontal fracking technology, energy companies began to believe the deposits could yield considerable quantities of gas. Around 2010, a few of the energy companies began to file Applications for Permit to Drill and to “unitize” their leases. Unitization is the process whereby many leases can be held in perpetuity by developing a few wells. The idea with unitization is to reduce the overall ground disturbance by drilling many directions from a few well locations. As a sportsman, I like to believe that I have an accurate sense of whether a place should be left as it always has been or whether it should be developed for the energy we need. Sometimes it seems obvious – in a place bustling with life that has ample water, troutfilled streams, outstanding views, and permeated with a feeling of vitality and strength—those places simply speak for themselves. The Thompson Divide is one of those places. It is truly a wild gem of middle elevation luster and charm. It’s moist, green and bountiful. It’s mysterious and wonderful to all of the senses. It is the kind of place lovers of the outdoors dream about. I have been all over the great State of Colorado, but had never visited the www.HCAmagazine.com
Thompson Divide until I began working on a protection campaign for Trout Unlimited. Now the place saturates my soul—I fish here, hunt here, bring my family here. Protecting the Thompson Divide is now part of the fabric of my life. While the leases sat undeveloped, few seemed too concerned about the prospect of industrial development in the Thompson Divide, thinking that perhaps the leases would simply expire. But once the companies began to file the necessary documents to begin development, the interest of citizens, sportsmen and environmentalists was piqued. Local citizens understood that the Thompson Divide provided much of their drinking water and was their backcountry playground; sportsmen began to take note because the area is a premier elk hunting destination and part of the source waters for the Roaring Fork and several other great trout rivers in the area, as well as home to native populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout. Environmentalists were concerned due to the exceptional habitat for songbirds, the endangered lynx, and numerous other important species; farmers and ranchers began to worry because the leases lie over their grazing allotments, and the creeks of the Thompson Divide provide much of the water for their agricultural operations. The area’s importance is compounded by the fact that the White River National Forest, in which the Thompson Divide lies, is the most visited forest in the country. Outdoor recreation has sustained the local economies for decades. My feelings towards this place wrestle with my practical mind as I ponder solutions to the quagmire. Walking quietly along the ridges provides the perfect arena to contemplate solutions to the issue—how to protect this place, how to be reasonable and even-minded, how to work with everyone in order to reach satisfactory solutions? My breathing levels as I top the ridge and begin to scan the meadows. Searching for elk is metaphor for what we’re trying to do in the Thompson Divide— we need to be strategic and respectful of our quarry, and it will take patience and perseverance, but ultimately the reward could be unspeakably gratifying. Thankfully, we have an ally in Sena-
tor Michael Bennet. He has introduced the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act, which would withdraw over 180,000 acres from future energy leasing and provide a mechanism for existing leaseholders to sell, exchange, donate or retire their leases. We also continue to have constructive conversations with several energy companies that hold leases in the Thompson Divide and are working with other conservation organizations, citizens, and federal agencies to craft reasonable, science-based solutions. Essentially, we are working hard to find creative solutions and maintain the respect of all stakeholders—fascinating and fulfilling work full of so much hope. Most importantly of all, progress is being made towards keeping the special character of the Thompson Divide healthy and intact. As my eyes sharpen over a distinct rise I notice several elk within 100 yards. My hard work and perseverance has paid off. I have the rare chance to bring home wild meat for my family from a place I love. I take the shot and hit my mark. I deeply hope that my success today is a metaphor for the ultimate success of this campaign. That being honest, sticking to the qualities that make TU such a great place to work for and with, and working with an intensity that parallels this beautiful area, will one day soon mean the Thompson Divide can always remain in its natural state. And, that my children will go there in a decade or two to find a quiet, pristine place where they can run their imaginations and contemplate the profound importance of country that is wild and free. You too can help protect the Thompson Divide. Go to this link to become a citizen cosponsor of the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act: www.bennet.senate.gov/ thompsondivide. Also visit our Facebook page to see updates and stay informed: www.facebook.com/sportsmenforthompsondivide. For additional information please contact me at akindle@tu.org. Summer 2013 • High Country Angler
37
THE LAST CAST
•
JOHN NICKUM
What Makes a River Endangered?
Q
I heard that American Rivers has listed the Colorado River as America’s Most Endangered River. How can the Colorado River be worse than those heavily polluted rivers back East?
A
Yes, it is true that the American Rivers organization has bestowed the dubious honor of “Most Endangered” on the Colorado River. But, the Colorado River is not the only western river called out for special attention. In fact, most of the highly endangered rivers are in the western regions of the United States. This is not to say that river systems in the East and Midwest are in excellent condition; only that the complex threats to western rivers are more severe. Many factors can cause a river to be designated as endangered. Also, remember that the entire river system is considered, not just the water between the banks on the mainstem. Ecologists, conservationists, environmentalists, and resource managers consider rivers as complex, functional systems, not just physical bodies of flowing water. Pollution certainly could endanger a river, rendering it lifeless… a dead ditch full of contaminated water. However, there are many other factors that can destroy the functional status of a river. If the entire system is in danger of malfunction, the river is considered endangered. The problems for western rivers begin with the simple fact that most western rivers originate and flow through arid or semiarid areas. A major advantage that eastern and Midwestern river systems have is that they are found in areas that typically receive much more precipitation. Therefore, they have greater flows and stronger resilience to degradation factors, such as pollution. Another major factor helping rivers in the East and Midwest is that they are seldom used for irrigation, a major depletion factor for most western river systems. Differences in water law are also important. Riparian water laws apply in most of the mid-western and eastern states, while Prior Appropriation laws are standard in the western states. Riparian laws generally restrict consumptive uses that cause serious reductions in flows; while Prior Appropriation laws encourage consumptive uses… Western water rights… “Use them, or lose them.” In the western United States, dewatering destroys more rivers than pollution. Dams—high, low, and in-between—alter the ecological status of nearly every river in the western half of the United States. Perhaps most importantly, laws of prior ap38
High Country Angler • Summer 2013
propriation give owners of water rights the authority to de-water streams and rivers. In some cases the total flow may be removed. A fully functional river must have clean water; at least clean enough to support all life stages of the plants and animals normally found there. Furthermore, the river must be clean enough to support life throughout the year… and every year. Just one short episode of toxic pollution, or organic pollution that reduces dissolved oxygen levels to zero, or even near-zero, can destroy the functional status of a river. However, just being clean is not enough. Physical factors, such as temperature, minimal flow rates, and seasonal flow patterns must be maintained if rivers are to be able to support their normal biological communities. The plants and animals inhabiting a river system have evolved adaptations to typical conditions in these waters over long periods of time. In most western waters, adaptation has been going on for upwards to 10,000 years—ever since climate became relatively stable after the last ice age. Ecological adaptations are slow processes, the result of differential survival and reproduction over hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands of years, and even longer. Fish, such as trout, typically are adapted to relatively small temperature ranges (e.g. 40oF – 70oF). Although maximum and minimum temperatures are critically important to fish, seasonal patterns of temperatures and flows to which they are adapted are also critical to their survival. These patterns determine their times of spawning, the survival of eggs and young fish, and the availability of appropriate food items for each life stage of each species. Hydrologists call these patterns hydrographs. The American Rivers’ managers and scientists who developed the list of endangered rivers cited “outdated water management”
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as the primary consideration for listing the Colorado River system and other western rivers as endangered. The term “outdated water management” generally applies to the various claims and agreements that have been developed under “Prior Appropriation laws.” Recent reports show that more Colorado River water has been allocated to users than is available. Water stored in the huge reservoirs that dot the western landscape allows users to temporarily escape the effects of excessive withdrawals; however, these reservoirs are only a temporary “solution” at best. In the long run, only reduced water demands can solve the problems that led to the endangered status of the Colorado River… and many other western rivers. It is foolish to believe that the arid western region is suddenly going to receive more precipitation; after all, the West has been drying out ever since the end of the last Ice Age. Designating the Colorado River as “most endangered” is simply a warning. If we want to continue to have all the benefits that our western rivers provide, we simply have to change the ways by which we manage them and reduce the consumptive demands that we place on them.
About
The
Author.
John Nickum, is a retired PhD. fishery biologist whose career has included positions as professor at research universities including Iowa State and Cornell University, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s fisheries research facility in Bozeman, MT, and science officer for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie Region. He was inducted into the National Fish Culture Hall of Fame in 2008.
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Cheesman Canyon Fishing Report
Historic Hatch Conditions
Water Flows
Weather Current/Forecast
Rating: GREAT
Early August
105 cfs
60.4 �F
Fishing Conditions: GREAT
Cheesman Canyon Report Archives
Fly Fishing Report Date: Sunday, August 12, 2012
Colorado Stream Update: Recent reports in the canyon have been fair to good. Guides are seeing micro mayflies, midges and the sporadic caddis hatch. Long leaders, light tippet 5x-6x are needed right now. Good luck!
Weather & Water Conditions Weather Temp: 60+ Sky: Clear Wind: None Precip: None
Water Temp: 36 - 39 Flow: 105 Clarity: Crystal Clear Runoff: No
Current Insect Hatches at Cheesman Canyon Insect Type: Mayfly Insect: Red Quill Color: Red Size: 20 Time: All Day
Recommended Flies for Cheesman Canyon Fly: Black Beauty Color: Blackish Brown Size: 20 Time: All Day
Fly: Sprout Mahogany Color: Red Size: 20 Time: All Day
Your one stop site for hatch conditions, hot flies, real time stream flows and weather conditions.
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High Country Angler • Summer 2013
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