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North Platte River Casper, Wyoming Photo by Trent Tatum
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Amazing Colorado Adventures
Hundreds of miles of scenic waterways and thousands of new fish released each year make Gunnison-Crested Butte a true mecca for anglers. The Gunnison, Taylor and East rivers offer some of the best fishing in the world for Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat and Kokanee salmon. Blue Mesa Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir, and Pac Man Pond offer bountiful catch too. Cast your line in a place where state records are made – and bring home the story of a lifetime! www.HCAmagazine.com
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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, Ad S ales k andi ly n@ hc am agaz ine.com Cell: ( 719) 432- 8317 Ty ler B ef us, Ad S ales t y ler @ hc am agaz ine.co m Cell: ( 651) 323- 3028
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Copyright 2014, 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.
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HCA EZINE CONTENTS WINTER 2015 VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 1
CALIFORNIA GRAND SLAM BY JEREMY WALLIMAN
28
THE PUEBLO TAILWATER… THEN AND NOW BY ALEX ZIPP
31
FEATURES 12 Q&A WITH LANDON MAYER BY JAY NICHOLS 22
26
GIANTS, DRIES AND THE MIGHTY MO’ BY BRIAN LA RUE
SHADES REVIEWS BY FRANK MARTIN
34
WINTER TAILWATER FISHING BY SHAWN ASH
36
FAITH, HOPE, & CLARITY BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
DEPARTMENTS 18 LET’S GO FISHING
BY BILL EDRINGTON
HCA GEAR BAG BY BRIAN LA RUE
30
COLORADO TU SECTION 40
43
GOLDEN DAYS ON THE ARKANSAS BY JEFF FLORENCE
SETTLEMENT PROTECTS CUTTHROATS ATOP ROAN PLATEAU
44
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
46
INTO THE WILD
48
50
BY RACHEL KOHLER BY RANDY SCHOLFIELD
REBUILDING A FISHERY AT THE STAGECOACH TAILWATER BY BRIAN HODGE
YAMPA VALLEY TU HELPS CREATE NEW PLANT NURSERY
DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE! Have High Country Angler delivered right to your mailbox.
Subscribe online: www.HCAmagazine.com COVER PHOTO: by Angus Drummond
Find High Country Angler Magazine on
TOC PHOTO: Mike Ashcraft. Photo by Justin Edge
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Q&A W
e recently had a chance to sit down with Landon Mayer and discuss his latest book, “101 Trout Tips: A Guide’s Secrets, Tactics, and Techniques” (Stackpole -Headwater Books) available in stores and online January 1, 2015. Here is what he had to say about his newest creation:
Q
What is the most common problem you see on the water, and does the book address it?
A
The most common problem anglers have on the water is not reaching the breaking point when setting the hook. Yes, the book does address this issue through text, step-by-step photos, and illustrations, but most importantly, the solutions in the fighting trout chapter teach how to apply maximum pressure on quality fish in body positions that still allow you to adjust to the power supplied by the trout. Your arm and body will then become an extension of the rod.
Q
I see there are step-by-step tying instructions at the back of the book. As a working guide, how do you decide what to buy and what to tie?
A
Great question! I am a production tier as well as a full time teacher on the water. I prefer to tie flies for the next day’s trip that worked the day before. With that in mind, I will usually stay away from tying flies that have too many steps and ensure I have plenty for the next day. As for flies that consume a lot of time, I stock up on those during the off-season so they are still available in my box year round.
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
Additionally, I also think of the time of year when certain flies are notorious for disappearing during a trip due to lost fish, getting snagged, or meeting the jaw of numerous trout. The best examples of this are Trico spinners in a size #20-22 fished on 6-7x tippet, where breaking off is common.
Q
You mostly guide for trout—is that what you fish for in your spare time? Any other species? Is any of that covered in the book?
A
Absolutely, I love mixing things up during year. The book also includes tips for Pike, Carp, and Salmon, or trout tips that developed from other species like Tarpon, Roosterfish, and Bones. I quickly realized how fishing for species beyond trout can make you a better angler on your home waters. A prime example of this is the accuracy conditions demand for fresh water carp or tarpon in the salt. The trick is not laser tight loops at seventy feet with numerous false casts. A majority of your good shots are 20 to 50 feet away. Speed is the key, or being able to load the rod with one back cast and landed in a small zone in front of a moving target, you are intercepting the fish. Many of the sequence casting photos in the book display technique that makes these quick releases possible in the windiest conditions.
Q
The first thing fly fishers want to do is cast 100 feet. yet most trout fishing is done much closer than that. How important is distance casting in your opinion?
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Look for a video preview of Landon’s new book on his YouTube channel. Just go to YouTube.com and search for “Landon Mayer Fly Fishing.”
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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A
Successful anglers need to understand the long and short game. Distance teaches you patience to feel the rod load, while the short game teaches you speed to get the flies in the feeding zone. I cannot tell you how many times experienced anglers on a trip will start the day with great cast at a long distance, then when asked to cast with one foot of fly line out of the rod tip the performance of the cast disappears. In tight, short quarters manipulating movements of your arm and body load the rod. In long vast waterways the pause between smooth casting strokes allows the weight of the fly line to flex and load the rod.
Q
In “Preparing for the Day” you reveal that you learn more daily on the water when guiding compared to fishing. How did you come to that realization?
A
When you are guiding you see the angler, rod, line, water, and trout. When you are fishing you see the line, water, and the trout. Many anglers are visual learners, including myself, making it easier to see the whole picture and adjust if needed. A guide might see an angler break their wrist on the back cast when presenting to FULL the trout, causing the line to collapse in
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
Landon’s books & DVDs are available for order on his website!
w w w. l a n d o n m a y e r. c o m WWW.LANDONMAYER.COM www.HCAmagazine.com
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front of their client. An angler in the heat of the moment can miss this simple fix making the entire day frustrating.
Q
I enjoyed the chapter dedicated to still waters. How important are they? Why?
A
A sometimes overlooked water supply in fly-fishing, still waters are home to some of the world’s largest trout. I love fishing and guiding still waters because it is often a new frontier for anglers to explore. It can be the breath of fresh air an angler needs to keep them motivated to learn, and break the daily scene on there home waters. Most importantly the worlds largest trout can be found in still waters. While fish do migrate to many waterways worldwide, I believe the largest of the species will reach the age when the journey is not made to moving water. The chapter “Still Water Success” was geared to help take the intimidation factor out of fishing productive still water, and knowing where and when to fish it.
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I wanted to share some the unique and out of the box techniques that I am exposed to as a full time guide. This project came together thanks to the many great people I am fortunate to spend numerous days with on the water. A guide trip is not just the guide advising; the teacher daily can become the student. I always keep an open mind on the river knowing you can learn so much from well-traveled anglers. Passing that knowledge on is the foundation of how our great sport grows.
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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.
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
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LET’S GO FISHING •
BY BILL EDRINGTON
If You Need to Stay Warm, Go!
T
he longer I write, the more I have to check to see if I have already written about a certain topic, so I don’t totally bore the readers. Writing about winter fishing becomes increasingly difficult as I get older. I can find all kinds of articles I’ve written about winter fishing gear, staying warm and taking advantage of fewer people while catching big fish. I have done all of that and then some, but right now, I’m not very happy about winter showing up. I’m just finishing up a stellar Rocky Mountain spring, summer and fall. I’ve fished lots of different water, worn flip flops, drank cold beer, and spent time with good friends. Now the leaves are gone, the sky is grey, and the chill has definitely taken the shine off the past few months. I’m trying to deal with it like a grown up, but perhaps I’m becoming more like a child as I get older. I feel like throwing a fit. So, instead of being mad all winter, I’m thinking of a winter fishing strategy that may give me a chance to stay warmer and enjoy a few hours on the water more often than usual. All you young guns out there can still brave the elements and fish the Taylor, Frying Pan, Big Horn at 10 degrees wearing all your fleece and Gore-Tex. I’m afraid that has passed me by for the most part. Fortunately for the fly fishing industry, there are many more of you than there is of me, and I have great 18
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
memories of winter fishing days, but now I have to stay warmer than before and yes….it is my age, darn it. The truth of the matter is, however, that there are numerous places that even an old, cold man like me can fish in the winter. Let me start with the one closest to my home…. the Arkansas below Pueblo Reservoir. First things first, there are lots of days during winter, probably more than not, that the high temperature in Pueblo is around 40 degrees. With that bright Colorado sun in the southern sky, a 40 degree day can turn into shirtsleeves by noon. That means no ice on your guides and no frosty fingers when tying on that #22 Midge Larva. This is actually not typical tail water in
winter; it is better than most in that it produces good hatches of midges and small Baetis and fish will actually feed on the surface. Nymph-
DESERT STORM MIDGE HOOK: TMC 2488 H 20/22/24 THREAD: ORANGE 8/0 HEAD: BLACK GLASS BEAD BODY: ORANGE THREAD RIB: PEARL MYLAR
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ing is easy in the winter months by dredging the deeper runs and pools with a red San Juan Worm trailing a #22 RS2 or a #22/24 Desert Storm or Rojo Midge. Last year, fish started to get a little picky towards early spring because of fishing pressure (this stretch of water is no longer a secret to thousands of Front Range fly fishers). Our guides went to 10 ft. 3 wt. rods and 15 ft. leaders to solve the problem. Takes can be light, so the long rods and delicate
leaders sometimes using 7X tippet can solve the problem. Nonetheless, this water is tons of fun and you can enjoy some of the fabulous Mexican food that Pueblo offers. My favorite day here will begin around 9:30 AM and end at 2PM with a trip to Jorge’s Sombrero for Cadillac Margaritas and green chili. Not a bad call for a January day. If I want to hit a few nice days in a row, the San Juan in Northern New Mexico seldom disappoints me during winter months. Just watch
the weather and try to avoid the Pacific storms that can attach the San Juan Mountains with a vengeance. I have been snowed in on the Juan more than once in my life, and actually that’s not a bad thing. As snow squalls move across, fish can respond to Midge and Baetis hatches with a vengeance before the wind and cold runs you off. I used to hang in there on cold days on the San Juan just because the fishing could be so good on those days. Fish would rise to a #22 Griffith’s Gnat and snatch a
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TRADITIONAL EMPANADAS WITH CHIMICHURRI Any good pie dough recipe will suffice but I just buy Pillsbury pie crusts that come two in a box. You can get 8 empanadas out of a box. Use a 4 to 4 ½ inch diameter cutter or cut around a small saucer. Filling: 1 lb. ground beef cooked with ½ chopped onion, 5 cloves chopped garlic, salt and pepper, ½ tbls. cumin, and ½ tbls. chili powder. When cooked completely, blend with a finely chopped boiled egg and thinly sliced green olives. Layer mixture in middle of each dough circle. Do not overfill. Run a wet brush or your finger around the inner perimeter so the dough will stick together. Fold over the dough and crimp edges with your fingers. Traditional Argentine empanadas have 13 crimps, but who’s counting. Place completed empanadas on a buttered cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until brown or about 40 minutes. Cool and serve room temperature. Chimichurri is the preferred sauce for this dish. It is made by putting 1 bunch of chopped parsley, 6 cloves of garlic, ¼ chopped onion, salt and pepper in a food processor and finely blending. Finish by adding extra virgin olive oil until a paste consistency is achieved. This is a great streamside lunch or halftime snack.
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Midge larva drifted in a knee deep riffle. Now I like to rise to a plate of enchiladas and a cold beer at Chris’s restaurant at Fishheads on the San Juan. If you really want to drive a little further, Lees Ferry on the Colorado in Northern Arizona can be a great trip. I have seen some really fabulous days there during cold months that would make you wonder if it was really cold everywhere else. This is Midge fishing at its finest and Terry and Wendy Gunn at Lee’s Ferry Anglers will make you feel like family. Try this one if you have not. If I get lucky enough, my favorite fishing trip of anywhere, anytime is to spend a week in January at my good friend, Roberto Pandolfi’s Rio Manso Lodge on the Rio Manso River in Patagonia, Argentina. This magnificent lodge is just a couple of hours SW of Baroloche, and provides the finest streamer and large dry fly fishing for Browns, Rainbows and huge Brook Trout of any-
Located in historic downtown Idaho Springs directly across from Beau Jo’s Pizza
Full Service Fly Shop PO Box 291 Idaho Springs, CO 80452
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COWBOY BEANS AND BACON 1 lb pinto beans cooked in crock pot for 8 hrs with: 1 chopped white onion 6 chopped cloves garlic 2 tbls. red chili powder ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tbls cumin Salt to taste and 1 tablespoon black pepper ½ pound of cubed thick slice bacon Cook until tender and stir every 15 min. during the last hour to thicken Serve with pieces of fried bacon on top rip.
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
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simple small nymphs and his flies simply work. For the record, no one pays me to mention the lodges and restaurants that I do in these articles. These are places I frequent often and think you would enjoy. Believe me, I’ve left out plenty and I understand that‌.some good and some not.
KINGREY’S LOW-RIDER MIDGE HOOK: TMC 100 SIZE 20/22/24 THREAD: BLACK 8/0 BODY: MICRO THIN FOAM WING: U V MINNOW BELLY HACKLE: GRIZZLY ROOSTER RIB: WHITE THREAD
where in the world. Yea I know it may sound out of reach for some readers, but I’ve been fortunate enough to go there, and I can tell you that it is worth the several thousand dollars you will just blow doing something else (like buying a new car or bigger house) and have no memories to show for it. Fishing trips are better money spent than most things. I can only sit in one chair and sleep in one bed and I don’t want them too far apart. I’ve spent money frivolously on stuff too many times and sometimes you just have to get older to realize that places like this are doable, and worth it. If you can’t do it now, put it on the bucket list and go at least once before it’s too late. The fishing, the people, the landscape, the food, and the Malbec wine make this trip the best of the best. By the way, I’ve included Rio Manso’s recipe for empanadas and chimichurri as well as an old school cowboy beans and bacon. Both of which will surely get you through the winter in good shape. Winter flies are generally midges, and I’ve included a couple of my favorites: Kingrey’s Low rider Midge for a dry fly and the never fail Desert Storm Midge larva from Johnny Gomez on the San Juan. He’s a master of www.HCAmagazine.com
About
The
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 can follow his fly fishing and cooking adventures on his Facebook page at: Bill Edrington/ Tight Lines and Tasty Spoons.
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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Giants, Dries & the Mighty Mo’
Photo courtesy of Cross Currents Fly Shop
“L
and of giants,” “dry fly nirvana,” and other quotes like “don’t bring your teens here who are aspiring to be doctors or lawyers”-- they all describe the action you’ll find on the mighty Missouri, one of the finest rivers in North America. This Montana fishery offers huge fish, technical dry fly fishing and more opportunities than I can mention in a opening paragraph, so yes, the Mo’ should be on your fishing calendar this season. Why is the Missouri so good? Well, for starters it is formed by three great rivers in themselves-- the Madison, Gallatin and Jefferson. All flow into each other at Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks. From there the river travels past four dams/reservoirs on its way north-northeast to Great Falls and beyond. “When most anglers speak about fly fishing the Missouri, it is usually the Blue Ribbon stretch of water below Holter Dam down to the town of Cascade,” said Chris Strainer, Owner/Manager/ Outfitter at Cross Current Fly Shops in Helena and Craig. “It’s about 36 amazing miles of trout-laden water. The trout towns of Wolf Creek and Craig are about a half hour drive northwest of Helena and serve as the main jumping-off points for anglers fishing the Missouri.” Anglers will find that the Missouri below Holter is one of the most accessible trout streams in Montana. The Missouri River 22
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
by Brian La Rue Recreation Road parallels the river from the dam all the way to the town of Cascade for about 30 miles. In some stretches, you can enjoy road access from both sides of the river. Between the dam and Cascade, there are thirteen state fishing access sites, one federal access site, eleven boat ramps, ten public RV and tentcamping areas and five private RV parks. On top of all that, there are a few dozen walk-in access areas thanks to cooperative ranch owners. “Missouri has pretty steady flows all year long,” added Strainer. “Runoff does have a small impact on the river, but mostly from the standpoint of wade angling. Drift boats and rafts will still enjoy good fishing even at some pretty stout flows. The usual time for these higher flows is in June, which is a little later than most of the freestone rivers in the area. Regardless of volume, the flows from Holter Dam are usually clear. A normal runoff year will see a 2- or 3-week period in late May to the middle of June, with flows ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 cfs. Typical flows for most of the rest of the year range from 4,000 to 6,000 cfs. The Missouri is wadeable at flows less than 7,500 cfs. Above that volume, it’s only safe to fish from a boat or from shore. So those are the basics, but what about bugs and fish? Let’s get down to business! Most flies are small in the #16-#22 range on the Missouri, but what they lack in size, they make up for in quantity. www.HCAmagazine.com
“The hatches on the Mo’ can be so thick you’ll swear you’re seeing a blizzard in July,” says Strainer. “Midges hatch all year long and even the big fish like these tiny bugs. The best season for dry midge action is late autumn through spring. “Adding to the fray, BWOs show up in spring and again in the fall,” says Strainer. “They like the crummy weather, so if you don’t mind fishing in the rain or snow, you’ll love BWOs. The next-best mayfly hatch is the PMDs. They show up in June and go through July. The most prolific mayfly hatch though, lasting from July through September, is the Minute Trico. With a big one being a #20, they are a challenge just to tie on your tippet, let alone hook and land a big trout. The Missouri also sees some March browns, brown Drakes, and a few other mayfly species—but these don’t last long and are not as predominant as the big three: BWOs, PMDs and Tricos.” The caddis hatch begins in May and goes through October. Most are tan/ brown and size 14-18. However, late September and October bring out the big size 8 orange October caddis, maybe try a Mercer’s or Morrish’s pattern. Trout feed aggressively on the entire lifecycle of these bugs, so having a box with larva, pupa, emergers, adults, diving egg layers, and spent caddis will do you well most of the season on the Missouri.
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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“Everyone loves dry fly fishing and when noses poke through the surface its some of the best dry fly fishing in the country,” boasts Strainer. “However, as we all know, trout only do that about 10% of the time, so when fish aren’t rising, the Mo’ is absolutely amazing with nymphs. Rig a pair of nymphs below a strike indicator to rack up a large count of feisty, wild trout. For the chuck-and-duck crowd, the Mo’ is a perfect place to target big fish on big streamers. We have some anglers that come out to the Mo’ and only fish streamers. Sounds crazy, I know, but those are the guys that post the photos of the 24-plus-inch trout.” What about the giants? Don’t get me wrong, 24-plus-inch fish are fantastic, but when I hear the term giants, I think about my favorite football team or 27- to 30-inch trout. Where should you go on the Mo’ to get them? “The primary section where we find big fish on the Missouri is the Gates of the Mountains area otherwise known as the Land of the Giants,” adds Jamie Benedickt of Wild West Fly Fishing. “This section is only accessible by jet boat or foot, making it less crowded than some of the traditional sections of the Missouri. Our style of fishing has opened up unpressured water for our guests and has put us in places that very large trout live. From the monster trout of Land of the Giants to the unpressured dry fly fishing on the extreme lower sections for large rainbows and browns, the fish can reach great sizes. 30 inches is not uncommon. Our jet boats are comfortable, set up to row and fly fish, and are a dang fun ride to boot.” “Our spring season starts out primarily fishing pre-spawn rainbows with small midge patterns like zebra nymphs and small sow bug patterns like the tailwater sushi,” says Benedickt. “As the spring progresses, we start switching to midge, sqawlla dry flies and worm and egg patterns. On the Land of the Giants section, this action goes well into June. That’s the baetis season and the
start of the rest of the summer dry fly season which includes caddis, PMDs, tricos, and awesome terrestrial fishing through September. October then brings on the start of the monster fall brown trout run that continues into November. During this time we are primarily fishing streamer patterns, like McNight’s home invader from Umpqua and egg patterns.” Benedickt suggests a stout 9-foot, 6-weight for nymphing and a pair of 3- or 4-weights for dry fly fishing. Some anglers enjoy utilizing spey rods in the fall for streamer fishing as well. Speaking of the river’s resident fish, anglers will find primarily rainbows and browns, along with whitefish and even carp if you fish the upper reaches from Three Forks to Canyon Ferry where the warm tends to be a little warmer. As for you number crunchers and statistical-oriented guys, Mo’ anglers enjoy a staggering 8,000-fish-per-mile, with the average fish running 15 to 17 inches. Fish over 20 inches add to the fun, with many 23- to 26-inch browns showing every year. Don’t forget the Giants too! As for regulations, the Missouri is open year-round, with winter being the season when the locals typically get the rivers to themselves. From Great Falls to Helena, it is about 90 miles, perfect for three to four days of fishing! If this destination article and attention-grabbing photos weren’t enough to get you planning a trip with our friends with Cross Current, jet boat trip with Wild West Fly Fishing, or simply booking a stay at the Helena Great Northern Hotel and tackling the river yourself, you can also learn more about the river by watching the DVD “Sipping Dry,” by Sharp Tail Media (Orvis.com).
Photo courtesy of Jamie Benedickt
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. 24
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
www.HCAmagazine.com
FULL COLOR
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Step-by-step fly pattern tutorials develop your tying skills one pattern at a time. After completing all seven patterns you will have the skills to tie most of the flies you will ever need. Available from your favorite retailer or give us a call.
1-888-511-1530 www.nononsenseguides.com
Montana’s Missouri River Jet Boat
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Wild West Flyfishing 3785 Woodridge Trail Helena Montana 59602
406-580-2426 Jamie@wildwestflyfishing.com www.wildwestflyfishing.com www.HCAmagazine.com
Montana Outfitter #8871 • Jet Boat Flyfishing trips into Montana’s famous “Land of the Giants” • Experience some of the largest trout on the planet. • Highest fish count per mile of river in the state of Montana. • Accesible only by foot and jet boat, meaning “NO CROWDs” • Comfortable and Safe Row able Jet Sleds • Gourmet “Cook Out” Lunches • True Chance for a Trophy Trout of a Lifetime • Now Booking for 2014 Fall Monster Brown Trout Fishing • Taking Reservations for Spring/Summer 2015 Trophy Rainbows Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
25
California
Grand Slam
S
ome of my favorite things about fall are crisp mountain mornings, kypes, and baseball. A grand slam is an amazing feat in baseball. The same can be said for a grand slam in fly-fishing. To those who have yet to hear about the Grand Slam, it’s a challenge in the fly-fishing community that also serves as a personal milestone. In order to achieve the Grand Slam, one must catch any five trout species. The five that make up the most common list are as follows: Rainbow, Brook, Brown, Cutthroat, and Golden. For some, it can take years to mark off the required species to complete the challenge. Our goal was to do it in a day. After hearing stories of fellow anglers who have conquered the grand slam, I knew I had to take on the challenge. On October 3rd, 2014, I set out to accomplish a grand slam of my own. My friend, Matt, and I left the quaint town of Oakdale, at four in the morning, to make our trek over to the Eastern Sierras. Equipped with freshly tied flies from the night before, we knew our skills and patience would be put to the test. We planned the best we could, but we still didn’t know what we were getting into. Our scouting consisted of past fishing trips, online maps, and government data. We formulated a plan to fish spots that only contained one species. Even though it increases the time spent driving, it reduced the time spent catching repeat species. A high alpine lake containing only goldens, was the first target of the day. Highly revered for their coloration, their finicky eating habits can leave even the most experienced angler, dumbfounded. After hearing stories of people trying for hours to catch just one, our plan was to catch our goldens before the sun hit the water. After taking a forty minute drive on a rough dirt road, we grabbed our gear and set out on the trail with our headlamps illuminating the way. Upon arrival, we quickly split up and casted to cruising fish. Ten minutes in, Matt hooked into a nine inch Golden on a size 18 Parachute Adams. After we took pictures and release his fish, I felt the pressure mounting. It took an exhausting twenty minutes of fishing and ten minutes of cursing 26
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
before a seven inch Golden crushed my size 20 Rusty Spinner. As we were hiking out, I heard something hit the rocks behind me. It was Matt’s three weight that he bought a month before. The top snapped off and was dangling off the tippet by the rod handle. Not knowing what to say, I reassured him that he could use my three weight if he needed to. The second lake was a thirty minute drive away from the trailhead. We switched our three weights for fives with sink tips and set out to catch the Rainbow and Brook. After three grueling hours of fishing, I managed to catch a Brook while Matt brought none to hand. It was noon. Sensing that the original plan was going to be an uphill struggle, we decided to strategize a new plan. When finding an area to do the Grand Slam, it is invaluable to know all fishing opportunities in that area. Matt knew of a stream that we could fish along the way that had Rainbows. We slung the rods on the truck hood and made our way to a small stream that offered Cutthroat. After some small navigation issues and an hour and a half of driving, we arrived. It felt like time was breathing down our necks and that every cast was met with a wind knot or branch. The pressure being felt from the time crunch made me reminisce about my college days on Sacramento State’s bass fishing team. It is essential for a person to keep their composure, or the probability of a stroke is certain. This stream, being about three feet wide and eight inches deep, was packed with small cutthroats. We were quick to learn that they were stacked up in the slow moving flat sections, rather than in the turbid waters of the stream’s riffle sections. It was time to put the stalk on. Matt caught one seven minutes in with a size 16 Adams. Ten minutes later, I set the hook and marked another fish off my list. He took a size 16 Griffith’s Gnat, a pattern that I have grown to love. This part of the trip was special, because we had never fished this water before and there was a unique sense of accomplishment for visually stalking, casting to, and catching a fish. We found ourselves back in the truck at two www.HCAmagazine.com
by Jeremy Walliman o’clock and off to the next spot. Beavers are a fly fisherman’s best friend. Their dams make great ponds for fishing. Matt’s spot to catch Rainbow trout turned out to be this beaver pond that was loaded with trout. The best part, they were already sipping dries. Eight fish and twenty minutes later, we get back in the truck to make the one hour drive to our last and final spot. The last spot featured a small creek that meandered through groves of aspens and large expanses of marshland. This spot supported both Brown and Brook trout populations. Matt needed to catch both species, while I only had to catch a Brown. It was four o’clock, and we had about three hours of sunlight left. Matt caught a couple of Browns in the first hour. After that, things got slow. After working a few sections of the creek, we only saw one Brook trout, which spooked. The rest of the fish were Browns. As the sun was dwindling in the sierra sky, we decided to split up and play to our strengths. I chose to target the beaver ponds in the marsh, while Matt took to the aspens. Just as the sun dropped behind the mountain peak, I arrived on the edge of a beaver pond. After seeing a handful of rising fish, I grabbed my three weight and cast out. An eleven inch brown came up and sipped my size 18 Parachute Emerger pattern. I set the hook and pulled the fly right out of the fish’s mouth. My mind immediately turned into a state of panic. Did I just lose my one chance at fulfilling the Grand Slam? I was able to keep my composure and retarget the fish while on my quasi hook set/back cast. As I set the fly down, within two seconds, he came back and this time it was “game on.” My heart was racing! I was mentally talking myself through the entire fight. The moment he slipped into the net, I was a complete mess. Some of the thoughts going through my head were relief, exhaustion, and accomplishment. The celebration was short lived. I had to find Matt and see how he was doing. I got back to the truck and found him walkwww.HCAmagazine.com
ing back along the road. He was still in need of a Brook trout. So we decided to go upstream to a new section and fish until dark. Power fishing became the concept as we searched for a willing Brook trout. As the light faded, we admitted defeat. It was a very bittersweet moment for me. I completed the grand slam, but as a team, we did not. The drive home was made that much longer because of it. It was still an amazing trip. We found success fishing new waters and the journey we went on will be a lasting memory. As for the grand slam, we will make another run at it next year. Some of the lessons learned from this journey are to keep your composure, make your casts count, and fish the areas before attempting the challenge. There are great places to fish in California’s eastern sierras and doing the grand slam challenge can help you explore new areas. It takes hours of internet browsing and research. It became my obsession for the better part of a year. It’s the hours that one puts into it that makes completing the challenge worth it. My reasoning for not divulging the locations of where I caught my fish are to keep the grand slam as a prestigious achievement in the fly-fishing community and not some activity that people do on a whim. Half of the fun is doing your research. It makes the accomplishment that much more rewarding.
About The Author.
Growing up in California’s Sierra Nevada Region, Jeremy Walliman became obsessed with fishing at an early age. After competing on the BASS and FLW collegiate bass fishing circuit, Jeremy today spends most of his time blue lining with a fly rod in hand. Jeremy can be reached via email at wallimannj@yahoo.com or on instagram at wallimannj.
Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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The Pueblo Tailwater… Then & Now by Alex Zipp I
t’s been nearly ten years since completion of the Arkansas River Legacy Project breathed new life into a fishery that was all but unknown to most anglers across the state, much less across the country. I remember clearly my first outing on the Arkansas River below Lake Pueblo dam. It was November of 2006, and I had just moved from Denver to Pueblo with my wife, a Pueblo native, and our one year old daughter. After the dust settled from selling one home, buying another and transitioning into a new job, I decided it was time to start scouting out the local water. After a trip to the neighborhood fly shop, I waded out into river not really knowing what to expect but glad to be on the water. As luck would have it, there was an impressive blue-winged olive hatch in progress with more than a few trout sipping these tiny morsels off the surface. I tied on a parachute adams, with small emerger of my own creation trailing a foot off the back, and proceeded to catch my fill of stocker-sized rainbows. Since that time, I have been fortunate to watch this fishery grow in popularity and in the quality of fish. I started working at the ArkAnglers fly shop in 2008 which put me in regular contact with plenty of other anglers eager to explore this “new” fishery. By 2009, folks were commonly catching rainbows and browns in the 18 - 20” range, and from 2010 through 2012, the ease in which you could break the 20” mark was
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
downright silly! I think a lot of people on the river had to pinch themselves to make sure it was really happening. It just seemed surreal. At the same time, there was a nagging question lingering in the back of my mind. How much longer can this kind of growth last? Meanwhile, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) was working on an ambitious plan for a second phase of habitat improvements that would fine tune the existing rock weirs while adding a slew of new habitat. Funding for the project came by way of grants through CPW’s Fishing is Fun, Great Outdoors Colorado and the Packard Foundation, in addition to contributions from the Southern Greenback and Cheyenne Mountain Trout Unlimited Chapters. Fin-Up Habitat Consultants was awarded the contract and work was completed in two stages, the first in January and February of 2012, and the second in January and February of 2013. While the initial Arkansas River Legacy Project was much bigger the breadth of work as well as the budget, the second phase delivered a big bang for the buck. One of the main objectives was to modify existing weirs to improve fish habitat and structure resiliency during peak flows. In addition, dozens of new J-hooks and boulder clusters were added. The use of woody structure, consisting of dead cottonwood trees gathered from the adjoining landscape, was also utilized by anchoring massive trunks along the banks and incorporating sizable branches www.HCAmagazine.com
within J-hooks. And then there was drought! 2012 was one of the hottest and driest years in the past four decades, but it came on the heels of one of Colorado’s best water years. Lake Pueblo was nearly at storage capacity in spring of 2012 and a distinct thermocline formed in the reservoir and held through the summer months. This resulted in cooler than normal water from the dam and unusually good fishing, despite very low flows. 2013 proved to be another year of severe drought--and ending with severe flooding. By August, flows from the dam were a meager 90 cfs and unlike the preceding year, water temperatures were approaching the high 60’s from the dam and much higher downstream. As each day passed, it seemed a catastrophe was bound to happen. I watched as water temperatures on the lowest reaches of the tailwater spiked into the high 70’s every day for 4 weeks. But the dreaded fish kill never materialized. By the time the “September Monsoon” hit, it appeared the fishery had weathered the worst of the drought and now only had to contend with flooding that paled in comparison to what Colorado’s Northern Front Range was enduring. When the river finally cleared in late November, we saw strong hatches of midge and blue-winged olives and lots of healthy fish on the feed. There was an audible sigh of relief from the angling community and it appeared we were in for another outstanding season of winter fishing. And on most accounts that is exactly what we experienced. It seemed everyone was catching good numbers of fish, with most nonstockers running in the mid to upper teens. There was only one problem. Where were all the “big” fish? At the risk of sounding pretentious, whiny and just plain spoiled, I had come to expect catching trout over 20”, and doing so on a regular basis. And I was far from alone in that way of thinking. It’s just what anglers got used to during the preceding
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years (that’s my justification and I’m sticking to it!). As winter turned into spring, and I had ample time to compare notes with my guides and customers, it became more and more apparent that something had happened to the largest class of trout. Sure, there were a few bruisers landed that year, but not with the frequency we had grown accustomed to. I’m never one to end things on a bad note (even if it means staying out on the water an extra hour or two to avoid the dreaded smell of skunk) and this article will be no different. A year has passed, a year of plentiful water to be sure, and as the old saying goes “time heals all wounds.” Fisheries are cyclical by nature, and sometimes by man, and the Pueblo Tailwater is not immune to those fluctuations. The fall fishing so far has shown definite signs of improvement. There have been a few bona fide hogs landed (unfortunately not by my hands) and the number of fish, approaching or exceeding the 20” mark, are notably higher than last fall. Another encouraging fact is the plentiful number of fingerling rainbows that are ever so eager to grab your fly. I point this out because CPW has only stocked catchable rainbows in this stretch of the Arkansas since 2011. So not only are these fish destined to be future “memory makers”, they are also wild! Who knows… maybe one day they will be the back bone of a self-sustaining fishery. Not too shabby for an urban trout stream, even by Colorado standards.
About The Author.
Alex Zipp operates The Drift Fly Shop in Pueblo, CO and recently started a four-year term on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission as a representative of sports persons.
Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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HCA
GEAR BAG BY BRIAN LA RUE AND FRANK MARTIN
GOAL ZERO: NEVER MISS A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY AGAIN
answer with a variety of lightweight, solar options to power you no matter where you go. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Guide 10 Plus Recharger. I spend numerous days camping throughout Yellowstone, and instead of joining the zombies in the lodge attached to the outlets nursing their lattes, I simply put the solar powering system to use on hikes, at picnics, and on the dash of my truck. The unit allows for charging a variety of options, including AAs, AAAs, USB ports, and of course your phone, GPS or perk up your tablet in a pinch. You still might be able to get a WIFI signal, but you’ll have plenty of battery power to capture a photo of a trophy fish, scenery, or next shot for our table of contents! Who still carries a gas lantern? My old propane lantern died a few seasons ago, so now my family and I rely on a couple Petzel headlamps. Whether I’m slinging Mouserat for browns in the middle of the night or setting up a tent after dark, I know my headlamps will have the power to light me way thanks to a short time
feeding off the Guide 10. Yes, I also mentioned the backcountry! The Guide 10 kit weighs in at 1.2 pounds, making it easy to pack in your backpack, or simply add to your outdoor arsenal. Though I leave my laptop at home when on the road, and try to avoid e-mail if it all possible, some can’t quite unplug from the world and need to stay connected. So instead of finding an outlet every where you go, Goal Zero makes numerous products to power all kinds of technology. Check out the Sherpa and Yeti lineup for quiet, generator-type power that Goal Zero provides. The company’s innovative products can power everything you may need to power including backup power for the home. Prices for charging kits run from about $120 for something like I tested, up to $1,800 for the ultimate package that can power household appliances. Check out the lineup of products including the very affordable and camping/fishing friendly Guide 10 kit at www.goalzero. com. Tell them you heard about the products here in High Country Angler!
- BRIAN LA RUE
Flyfisher’s Guide to™
COLORADO’S
INCL
UDI
NG
LOST LAKES AND SECRET PLACES By Mike kephart
A
s fly fishing videos and photos become more popular with social media on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, technology is evolving. Technology is a good thing, as now you can more easily record your catches, color, size and measurements, so you can possibly have a reproduction made or back up a tall tale. Guides and writers like myself can quickly upload a photo to enhance a story or attract more clients at the drop of a hat. But what if you push record on your video camera, or you grab your cell phone and realize you’ve been in roaming mode, or you simply forgot to power up the battery? Maybe you’re like me and go into the backcountry often, and after two days you have no power. Well, our friends at Goal Zero have the 30
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
In the Flyfisher's Guide to Colorado's Lost Lakes and Secret Places, veteran angler Mike Kephart gives you the scoop on which Colorado mountain and wilderness lakes and creeks fish well, how to get there, the difficulty of access, and what you can expect to catch. Mike covers over 80 lakes along with a detailed map for each lake, that includes GPS coordinates for trailheads, lakes, and more. Over 400 pages! This is Wilderness Adventure Press’ newest book, and it will be available early January. The author will be signing books at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver on January 9-11, at the Angling Book Store booth. Stop, say hi and get your own copy, hot off the press!
http://store.wildadvpress.com 866-400-2012
Softcover 6 x 9 inches 50+B&W/Color photos ISBN: 978-1-940239-04-0 Retail Price: $29.95
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GUIDE S FROM REVO
T TECH SPECS
››Revo High-contrast Polarized Serilium™ lenses ››Elastomeric Nosepad prevents slippage during action ››Authentic Revo prescription lens-ready ››8-base lens technology
MSRP $189.00
he downside to having an unusually large head is that it’s always hard to find shades that fit. So when the guys from Revo said they were sending out the Guide S model, I assumed I’d have to find someone else to test them for me. But I was pleasantly surprised. They actually fit better than most oversized shades. That was a nice surprise, since they’re quickly becoming my go-to pair, whether fishing or just driving around town. I think it’s the frame design that makes this model adaptable to so many types and sizes of faces. The arms are wide and slightly curved in order to help them “grab” your temples, keeping them from shifting or falling off. And they have small vents cut into them in order to improve ventilation—which is a very useful feature on a hot day on the river. The lenses are polarized and impact resistant. And the frames are as comfortable and durable as any on the market. And you can order them as prescription shades if you need. Best of all, they are priced right at just $189.00. To learn more about the Guide S, go to www.revo.com.
- FRANK MARTIN
SEVEN POOLS WOMEN’S SUNGLASSES - FROM MAUI JIM FEATURES:
››Light, versatile frame perfect for everyday use. ››Ideal sunglass for versatile wear and full, lightweight coverage. ››Modified rectangle that compliments round, oval and heart/triangle shaped faces ››Maui Jim case and cleaning cloth included ››Grilamid frame is ultra-thin and lightweight for superior, long-wearing comfort and flexibility while maintaining frame strength and integrity ››Gloss Finish ››Traditional pin hinge ››Rabalon nose pads prevent slippage and are adjustable for a secure, custom fit ››Maui Rose®: For everyday variable conditions, from full sun to overcast. The highest contrast available - excellent for fast moving sports. Provides a subtle rose tint.
MSRP $229.00
M
ore women than ever are discovering the sport of fly-fishing, and most women demand fashion as well as function. Maui Jim seems to understand this truth, and have answered the call with their new Seven Pools model of polarized shades. My wife fell in love with this pair the first time she tried them on. Not only do they look great, but are built as comfortable as they are durable. They are lightweight, high performance sunglasses that are scratch and impact resistant, and ready for any activity, whether it’s fishing, jogging, or driving around town. The lenses are polarized and provide extraordinary color enhancement. With its modified rectangle shape, Seven Pools best compliments round, oval and heart shaped faces. “We realize that people look for comfort, protection and style in whatever they wear and do,” says Mr. Rahumarhullah, Managing Director of Maui Jim, India. “Seven Pools is a highly stylish and comfortable design that is set to appeal to a wide variety of audience. It is sleek and elegant; at the same time it offers wonderful comfort and flexibility in undertaking a wide range of activities.” Seven Pools is available in Neutral Grey, HCL Bronze, Maui HT™, Maui Rose lens hues. The waterproof and oleophobic coating sheds water and snow and repels grease and smudge. Like all other Maui Jim sunglasses, Seven Pools comes with the patented PolarizedPlus2® color-infused lens technology that wipes out 99.9% of glare, 100% of harmful UV and boosts color via specially designed lens treatments. So your view is clearer, with crisper contrast and amazing brilliance. Prescription models are also available. To learn more, go to www.mauijim.com.
- FRANK MARTIN
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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TWIN FALLS FROM MAUI JIM FEATURES ››Eliminates glare and UV rays, and it boosts color thanks to the specially designed lens treatment. ››Flexible, lightweight frame with a glossy finish to make it shine. ››Adjustable Rabalon nose pads prevent slippage. ››Made to complement round, oval, and triangular shaped faces. ››PolarizedPlus 2 lenses ››Grilamid frame with gloss finish ››Modified rectangle ››6 base curvature ››Rabalon nose pads, temple pads ››Maui Jim case and cleaning cloth included MSRP $229
W
hen looking for a good pair of fishing shades, it’s hard to beat Maui Jim. They have consistently raised the bar when it comes to marrying style, fit, and function. In all of these areas, the Twin Falls model does not disappoint. Maui Jim paired their lightest frames with MauiPure™ lenses in the Twin Falls Polarized Sunglasses for unobtrusive wear. The Grilamid® frames have traditional pin hinges and bridge with slip-resistant rabalon nose pads for all-day comfort. Frame coating sheds water and repels grease. Rubber temple inserts provide extra grip. PolarizedPlus®2 lenses eliminate 99.9% of glare and 100% of UV rays. MauiPure lens construction is an injection molding process that creates high-definition optics that are scratch- and impact-resistant. The lightweight frames make this model a joy to wear, and the lenses have exceptional color and clarity. And they are priced right at $229. Also available in prescription models. You can find more at www.mauijim.com.
- FRANK MARTIN
HAMLIN FROM COSTA DEL MAR FEATURES ››Comfortable extra-large fit. ››Integral hinge. ››Heavy-duty TR 90 nylon frame. ››Includes hard case. ››100% UV light blockage for max protection. ››100% polarization kills reflected glare and reduces eye strain. ››Built by hand and backed for life. Every pair of Costas include a lifetime warranty. ››Plastic lenses are lightweight, impact- and scratch-resistant. ››Glass lenses have the greatest clarity and are scratch resistant. MSRP $229.00 - $249.00
I
’ve always wondered why Costa is so eager to send out test models when writers are putting together shades reviews, and now I think I know. They’re so confident that their shades will stand up to any test you can throw at them that they welcome the chance for comparison. They’re not afraid to put their sunglasses up against any model on the market. That confidence is well founded, because time and again, Costa shades stand out as some of the best on the market. For this review, they sent out their new Hamlin 580P model, and once again, I’m thoroughly impressed. You can tell a well-designed pair of sunglasses as soon as you slip them on. Not only are they comfortable, but the world suddenly becomes sharp and clear, and colors begin to pop! This is a standard experience with the Costa 580P lenses, which makes them one of my favorites for any activity. Sometimes poor quality lenses will become distorted at the edges, which affects your peripheral vision, but that’s never the case with Costas. They give a clear, Panavision affect, making sight fishing much more productive and easy on the eyes. The fit is also exceptional, especially for big-brained people like me. The frames are wide, and the arms flexible and tight enough on the temple to keep them in place. That’s a nice feature when you’ve lost as many shades in the water as I have. If you’ve never owned a pair of Costas, you owe it to yourself to try a pair on. Look for them at www.costadelmar.com.
- FRANK MARTIN
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
www.HCAmagazine.com
ZEISS POLYCARBONATE DESCHUTES SHADES FROM ORVIS FEATURES ››Ri-pel Coating Technology: Smoother surface, providing antistatic, anti-fog, and water-repellent technology. ››99% Polarization efficiency. ››Three-Layer Blue-Violet AR (anti-reflective) Coating: No headaches or tired eyes from squinting. ››100% UVA and UVB protection: A special coating reflects all UVA and UVB rays to protect your eyes from damage. ››Anti-scratch and impact resistance. MSRP $169.00
O
rvis partnered with Carl Zeiss Vision, the leading manufacturer in high-performance lens technology to develop a polycarbonate lens with the ultimate acuity, allowing serious anglers a better view beneath the water. These shades are 33% lighter than average glass lenses, for ultimate comfort. They provide great image definition and contrast enhancement in varying light conditions. They’re also extremely durable and comfortable. The Deschutes is the most cost effective model we tested, yet it easily compares with more expensive shades. Orvis has long been known for quality products at the best possible price, and with these shades, they definitely lived up to that reputation. The lenses come in two colors: amber or rose, although amber is the only color available for prescription lenses. The lightweight frames make these shades extremely comfortable, and the lenses are crystal clear as well as stylish. To learn more, look for the Deschutes at www.orvis.com.
- FRANK MARTIN
DOCKSIDE FROM SMITH OPTICS
T
here’s a reason Smith Optics has been a leader in the world of fly fishing sunglasses for as long as most of us can remember. They not only carry some of the most stylish frames around, but their lens performance and technology is second to none. No matter which model you buy, they never seem to disappoint. This year, Smith introduced the new Dockside sunglasses with ChromaPop™ polarized lenses. Once again. Smith succeeded in raising the bar in fishing-spe-
FEATURES ››Frame Fit: Large ››Coverage: Large ››Frame Measurements: 56-17-125 ››Lens Curve: Base 8 ››-Includes Soft Carrying Case ››-Backed by Smith’s Limited Lifetime Warranty ChromaPop Lenses: The most visually stimulating lenses in the world. A proprietary blend of patented polarization and color management technology creates incredible clarity. ChromaPop lenses maximize color and contrast by improving the speed of visual processing, so you see truer color, faster. The lenses also provide edge-to-edge clear viewing with 99.8% polarization efficiency and 100% UVA/B/C protection, and even include a hydroleophobic coating that repels water, dirt, and grease.
LENS COLORS: Grey Green Chromapop: Ideal for medium-to-bright conditions, the Grey Green lenses produce a precise optical clarity complimented by a rich, vivid color experience. Suited for all-day fishng, the Grey Green lenses feature an anti-reflective mirror coating that eliminates back glare. Bronze Mirror Chromapop: Ideal for medium-to-bright conditions, the bronz mirror lenses provide are a true color brown lens with a multi-layer bronze mirror excels at absorbing stray “blue light” and sharpens visual acuity while reducing reflected glare. MSRP $209.00
- FRANK MARTIN www.HCAmagazine.com
cific shades. The Dockside is a large fitting frame that provides superior coverage from sun reflection on and off the water. Crafted in Italy, the 8-base wrap design eliminates side glare while retaining a wide field of view. The frames are complemented with Smith’s award-winning ChromaPop lenses that are engineered to optimize color and increase visual clarity by blocking light wave intersections that create color confusion for the brain, ultimately enabling you to recognize true color, faster. The result is increased depth and detail of objects, while reducing eye fatigue. Constructed of Trivex material – a premium lens offering in the optical market – ChromaPop lenses provide the durability, impact resistance and lightweight properties of polycarbonate and the optical clarity of glass. ChromaPop is available in 6 proprietary lens tints: the new Polar Blue Mirror, the new Polar Bronze Mirror, Polarchromic Ignitor, Polar Brown, Polar Gray Green and Polar Platinum offerings for unmatched visual clarity on the water in any conditions. Ideal for medium to bright light conditions, the new Bronze Mirror lens create a color enhanced visual experience through intensified reds, blues, and greens for almost 3D-like visuals. Designed for the serious offshore waterman seeking to cut glare in bright light conditions and maximize fish spotting opportunities in open water environments, the new Blue Mirror lens produces enhanced visuals amplifying colors in their natural state. To quote a good friend and fly-fishing guide, “Once you put on a pair of Smith’s, you’ll never go back!” He may just be right. Find out for yourself by checking out the Dockside, along with numerous other models from Smith Optics, at www.smithoptics.com. Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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A
s avid fly anglers and guides, it is funny when the first of the winter hits, the weather starts getting in the single digits and all we can think about is getting out and fishing. I personally have so many incredible winter fly fishing memories, and the more I think about it, it’s not the stereotypical nice beautiful days of summer that are my favorite, but rather the most brutally cold miserable days when the fishing was incredible that I remember most. While many trade in the rod for the ski poles, I want nothing more than to go fishing in the snow. It was just a couple days ago when the temperature got below freezing that I had an undeniable urge to go fishing. I always laugh at myself when I get that feeling and want nothing other then to stand in water in below freezing air temperatures, dipping my hands in the water to release fish, all to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and solitude of fly fishing. Thanks to the incredible West and its amazing tailwaters, I have the ability to fulfill these urges and fish some of the most beautiful waters all winter long. Tailwaters refers to any waters located immediately downstream from a hydraulic structure such as a dam. These structures release water from the bottom of lakes or reservoirs, where the water is warmer than at the surface. On almost all tailwaters you can find at least a couple miles of open water to fish. Everything about this open water and winter fishing that would not be otherwise possible, I love. The silence in itself is unbeatable, no leaves on the trees to blow in the wind, snow blanketing the landscape, and nothing but the sound of running water beneath you. I can just picture it now, with a glob of Vaseline on the underside of the brim of my hat to keep the ice off my guides and my frozen breath hovering around me, nothing but the fish and me. It’s these times, when you are taking a break on the bank to warm up, that just a thermos of hot coffee or tea is somehow the best thing in the world. So with all this talk of how much we enjoy and crave winter fly 34
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
fishing, where can you go and what do you need? Well for some of the southern states within the Mountain States, such as Arizona, snow may be hard to come by, however for the more northern states such as Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, there are a plethora of areas to hit in the winter months. If you are not close to one of these areas, make a trip this winter to enjoy the incredible experience of winter flyfishing. Each of our Mountain states are blessed with at least one tailwater. Below are just a few worth checking out. Utah’s most famous tailwater has to be The Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam in the northeastern part of the state. World-renowned for its incredible fly-fishing, this is a great destination for the traveling angler. Many of the locals however, prefer the lower Provo River, Middle Provo River and Weber River, which are all tailwaters and provide excellent winter fishing opportunities. Idaho has The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, with the most productive stretch of tailwater from Ashton Dam to Chester Dam. This roughly six and a half mile stretch is known for terrific dry fly fishing from late winter into early July. The fishing on this tailwater is often better in the winter months than during the warm season. Montana’s top two tailwaters would be the Missouri River below Holter Dam and the Bighorn below Yellowtail Dam. Another great tailwater would have to be the Madison River below Hedgen Dam to Quake Lake, a nice twomile stretch. Wyoming’s most popular winter tailwater fishery is known as the “Miracle Mile”. Located on the North Platte River between Seminole Reservoir and Pathfinder Reservoir. This seven-mile stretch is recognized as a Blue Ribbon trout stream, with some of the biggest and highest number of trout in the lower 48. Along with the Miracle Mile is the section known simple as Grey Reef on the North Platte River. Located below Grey Reef Dam, this tailwater fishery is known for its huge trout. www.HCAmagazine.com
Winter Tailwater Fishing by Shawn Ash
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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Right below the dam is a few hundred yards of public water, with private water just below that. Many of the other public waters have no road access however, so floating is usually the way to go. Here in Colorado we are spoiled with the multitude of incredible tailwaters. Some of our favorites include; The Arkansas River, below Pueblo Dam, The Blue River below Dillion Reservoir and below Green Mountain Reservoir. The Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir, the Frying Pan below Reudi Dam, and the Williams Fork River below Williams Fork Reservoir. Just on the South Platte River alone, there are a number of tailwaters including the Dream Stream, Elevenmile Canyon, Cheeseman Canyon, Deckers, and Waterton Canyon. Last but not least, Arizona, with the Lees Ferry of the Colorado River. As always, respect local laws and regulations and never trespass. Make sure to double check the area you will be fishing and ask if unsure. If winter fly fishing is not something you have done before but want to get started, here are a couple things you will want to know first. The most important of which is safety. Just a little slip or getting wet can spell disaster when fishing at cold temperatures. It’s always a good idea to bring a friend or at minimum, let someone know where you are going And if its really cold out, we highly suggest only going if you have a friend to bring. So besides dressing warm with extra socks, thermal underwear and a number of layers, here are a few items that you may not think of. A couple of hand warmers can make all the difference when trying to warm up, especially if the fishing is slamming. Also a small towel, like a golf towel to dry your hands off can make a huge difference. That way you can release your fish, dry your hands off and quickly warm them up in your pockets. Always bring food, as your body burns a lot more calories staying warm than you normally do. A few cliff bars and a thermos of coffee make for a very enjoyable day at any temperature. Vaseline or any kind of Ice Off Paste is great for keeping ice from freezing up on your guides. I use Vaseline as it is usually a household item and very inexpensive. Most anglers always have a net, but make sure to have a rubber basket net to land fish with. It makes for a difficult and wet task trying to land a fish without a net, and at cold temperatures, it can make you not want to catch another one. Tailwaters can be crowded in the winter as they are usually the only open waters to fish. However to avoid this, we simply dress for the temperatures and go on the worst weather conditions. It may sound crazy, but when you dress for it, fishing in the single digits can be really enjoyable and you almost always have the entire river to yourself--unless there are 36
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
other diehards out there with you. Here are a couple mistakes I have made while winter fly-fishing. Learn it now and avoid making these couple mistakes. One thing that has almost ruined my day besides falling in the water, is breaking the tip section of my rod when trying to clean ice off my guides. Ice on your guides is inevitably going to happen, so always take the extra time to walk to the bank and set your reel on the ground and start to break off the ice with your fingers. I broke a rod last winter when I was sight fishing to an over 5 pound trout, trying to rush to get the guides clear of ice between casts, and ended up snapping my rod. Thankfully I had a couple extras in the car, and ended up landing the lunker. Also, never set your reel in the water. It seems obvious and many anglers would never dip their reel in the water even on a nice day, but I use my equipment hard and have a bit of a habit of doing this. In the winter however, this is not an option. You will be frozen solid and fixed line fishing if it happens to you (if it does, go to the car and put your reel up by the defrosters until dry). While safety is the biggest concern, here are some tips on the actual fishing end of things to get you into more fish on the water. First, always do a little research and check the conditions. In the winter, many tailwaters can fluctuate their flows for unseen reasons, whether they are getting ready for a large snowmelt, or flows are low because they are trying to store water. Be sure to check the flows and the weather conditions. We prefer the very cold days when we can get out there and not see anyone else on the river, however this may not be your preference. Make sure the weather forecast works for you. Target where the fish are. This seems so obvious it may seem pointless to mention, however many times fish in the winter will be in different areas than in the warmer months. In colder water temperatures, sluggish fish tend to hold in faster shallow riffles, and may drop back into the slower water. The water is often low and clear, making sight fishing easier. Where you see one fish, there are probably half a dozen in the same area that you are not seeing. Target the water where you see these fish, and cast directly to them. Along with the sluggish behavior and sticking to the slower water, trout may not be as apt to move distances to grab your fly. Drift flies right to them, and at the right depth. Often times in the winter the fish will tend to stay very close to the bottom. Make sure to use plenty of weight to get your flies down to them. Lastly fish at the appropriate times. With cold days and even colder nights, it is smart to hit the water around 10:00 or 11:00 am when the day has started to warm up. The fishing usually starts to die off around 4:00 pm. Get out there and get after it.
The best fly selection is dependent on each particular fishery, however there are always the go-to flies that will work in almost any river. In most cases the majority of winter fishing will take place below the surface, proving nymph fishing to be the most productive method. Not to say that streamers or dries will not work, as I have had banner days fishing Griffith’s Gnats at negative 18 F. Here are a couple go-to flies and a good idea to have plenty in your arsenal. Pat’s Rubber Legs, Prince Nymph, Pheasant Tail, Copper Johns, San Juan Worm, Zebra Midge, Griffith’s Gnats, Black Beauties, and Mysis Shrimps—all are excellent winter patterns to have in a variety of colors and smaller sizes (14 and smaller). I will usually go smaller throughout the wintertime to mimic a trout’s natural diet at this time. Don’t be afraid to throw a couple bigger flies however, as sometimes a large fish can’t pass up on a big meal. Mysis shrimp patterns can be incredible, particularly on tailwaters where the lake or reservoir hold these guys. Do some research and see if the tailwater you will be fishing has Mysis shrimp in the system. Winter fly-fishing is our favorite time to get out and hit the rivers. Keep your skills sharp all winter and if the ski lines are long, leave the slopes and hit a tailwater. Take these suggestions and tips with you to increase your success and enjoy the beautiful outdoors and solitude winter fly-fishing has to offer. You never know: you could be catching your biggest fish of the year this winter.
About The Author.
Shawn Ash has been fly fishing since he was 14 years old. He grew up in Pennsylvania, fly fishing the limestone trout streams, as well as fishing for warm water species such as bass, pan fish, and pike. In 2008 he moved to Montana in pursuit of more trout waters and an education in biology. After graduating with a degree in Biology Field Ecology and getting familiar with big fish and big water, Shawn’s passion for angling inspired him to pursue a career as a professional fly fishing guide. He moved to Colorado in 2013 where he found his place in the industry. As Fisheries Manager and Pro-Staff Guide, for the Flyfisher Group, Shawn can be found at any one of their properties ensuring that the streams are properly managed and maintained to create unforgettable angling experiences. Shawn’s easy going personality, fun and informative approach to angling makes him the perfect guide for anglers of all ages and experience levels. You can contact Shawn via their website at www.theflyfishergroup.com.
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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A GUIDE’S LIFE
•
BY HAYDEN MELLSOP
Faith, Hope, and Clarity
I
round a bend in the river. Upstream of me, a diagonal ledge spans its width, running away from me at a forty-five degree angle to the far side. A large tree, probably a fir, lays downstream along the far bank, bleached white and grey by the seasons, bare limbs straining the water. Against the tree a deep trench runs at a slight dog-leg. Fish City on any other day, but this one my confidence is running low. I work my way up the trench in increments, drifting my dry fly along seams and edges real and imagined, riding high and jaunty on choppy foam lines, all with no result. I glance up at the sun, past its zenith, then wade back to dry land, sit on a rock and take stock. I’m two and a half days into a Montana fishing trip, and to date my tally stands at four fish landed - a whitey and a small brown on the Yellowstone on a day when the wind blew so hard even the birds were walking, and emptying my bladder became a dangerous game no matter which way I faced, and another when, fishing this same high country stream, I’d bookended a rainbow out of the first run and a cutt out of the last, and nothing in between. Except for when I first picked up a fly rod, I’ve never been much of a fish counter. Like most anglers, and guides especially, I am aware of the vast abyss of existential angst that lurks between the numbers zero and one. Once past that hurdle, one fish tends to blend into the next. Today, however, self-doubt creeps in, nurtured by unfamiliar water - a river that flows contrary to the arc of the sun as I am used to it. Added to which, “Caveman” has been picking up fish with steady regularity, a couple out of runs I’d walked right past, deeming them poor holding water. I reason there must be a fish holding in that trench. If Mohammed won’t come to the mountain, I’ll move it to his doorstep. I break out my tippet, tying on a couple of feet of 5X and a heavy soft hackle nymph, and recast into the trench. As I work my way toward the head, the dry fly dives and I set gently into a nice rainbow that runs for the safety of the tangle of branches underwater. My three weight bends with the strain and I work it 38
back to my side of the trench and down to the wide fan of the tail before kneeling in the shallow water and slipping the barbless hook of the nymph from its mouth. It darts off across the cobbles into the deep, stirring up small particles of silt and leafy debris in the wash of its tail. I’m glad to finally have the whiff of the skunk removed from my day, but a little abashed to have resorted to using a nymph to do so. I cut it off, and resolve to stick with a dry fly only for what remains of the day. I’ll keep faith in the process, ignore the results. There follows several more hours of wading bouldery shore bank, crotch-deep stream crossings, squinting into the constant metallic glare of sun on water, working pockets, side-arming under overhanging vegetation, with nothing to show for it save aching hips and back, knotted shoulders, several epithets launched to the heavens when I miss an occasional strike and a thirst that can be quenched only by equal parts beer and margaritas. The sun has already dipped below the nearest ridge top when I round a bend and decide, come what may, this will be the day’s last run. Ahead an island splits the river’s flow which comes together at its tail in a confusion of ledges and riffles before settling down into a broad run flowing clear and uniform like liquid glass across the cobbled bed. Toward the head, against the far bank firs grow out at angles over the water like crooked teeth. Here the pool is at its deepest, tinged green with the reflection of the overhanging trees and the darkening forest beyond. A faint chill rises off the water, as do several gossamer mayflies hovering in the perfectly still air as if, free of their watery womb, they are unsure what to do next. A watchful hush has fallen over the landscape, and I imagine the pool as a stage, set and awaiting an actor, or perhaps a jester. I cast long onto the tail end of the bubble line running the length of the pool against the far bank, taking pleasure in the graceful loop and straighten of the line. During the course of a dozen drifts, two fish rise, neither near my fly. On goes a small mayfly behind the attractor, and I cast again. There are no further rises as I work my way up toward the top of the pool, where the water is deepest and the foam line most concentrated. Standing to observe, a particular piece of water catches my eye, a subtle back eddy, overhung with firs, beyond the main flow against the far bank. A burst of silver, like a flashbulb underwater,
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
flares briefly below the surface, a fish taking an emerger. I marvel at how, in water so clear, it can move so quickly, yet remain hidden, even to eyes that know it is there. I cast across into the eddy, mending hard upstream to milk a few seconds drift, the fly landing clumsily. I hope I haven’t spooked the fish, but it feeds again after the current has dragged my fly out into the main flow. Three more casts, and I hook it, a flash of silver and a hesitation in the lead fly tell me the fish has taken the mayfly. It is bigger than the flash implied, perhaps fourteen inches, and I walk it downstream to play it in the tail of the pool where the water fans wider and slower. It is a lovely rainbow, gasping in my hand as I gently work the hook free. I stand and stretch, breathing in a deep lungful of fragrant mountain air, the weight of the fruitless afternoon lifted from my shoulders. Working my way upstream and around the far side of the island I land three more fish, including one fatter and bigger than the first. I reconnect with Caveman at the top of the island and we look upstream to another perfect run, the mayfly hatch in full swing as day turns to evening. “You done?” he asks. Gazing upstream, I nod. The hike back to the truck seems less onerous with the memory of the last pool fresh in my mind. I don’t even mind when a couple of Fish and Wildlife guys stop to check our licenses, but don’t offer a ride. Back at the truck I crack my first beer, squeezing in some lime to keep scurvy at bay. The glow of a single success shines brighter the darker the backdrop of frustration and failure. A moose saunters across the road in front of us, stopping to stare, missing half a rack, drooling hard. He eyes us with mild disinterest and continues through the brush and across the river, apparently content too in the quiet of evening’s mantle.
About The Author.
A native of New Zealand, Hayden has fished and guided both Down Under and in Colorado for over twenty years. He currently resides in the mountain town of Salida, CO, where he still guides, works in recreational real estate, volunteers in local land and water protection, and is in the throes of writing his first book. www.HCAmagazine.com
Protect Ou r Rivers, Colorado! When you hit the road for you r next fishing trip, show you r su pport for Colorado’s rivers by displaying this ultra-cool license plate on you r vehicle.
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Donate just $25 to Colorado TU, and you are eligible for a “Protect Our Rivers” license plate (plus standard state specialty license plate fee and registration). Proceeds support on-the-ground river conservation and education programs through Colorado TU – your dollars go directly back to helping the rivers you love. Get your plate by visiting www.protectourrivers.net.
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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Golden Days on the ArkansasBy Jeff Florence
Photo courtesy of Kyle Perkins
E
very year, anglers flock to Colorado to fish some of the state’s 322 total miles of Gold Medal fisheries, which include some of the best fishing spots in the entire country. The latest addition to the state’s long list of Gold Medal waters came in January 2014, when the state designated 102 miles of the Arkansas River as a Gold Medal fishery. The Ark has come a long, long way to achieve this honor. The Gold Medal water of the Arkansas River stretch from Lake Fork confluence near Leadville and continue down to Parkdale at the Highway 50 Bridge crossing above the Royal Gorge. The new addition increases the Gold Medal waters in Colorado by about 50 percent. In order to achieve Gold Medal status, a river must support a minimum of 60 pounds per acre of fish biomass. The river also must support an average of 12 quality trout per acre. A quality trout is defined as larger than 14 inches according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. In 1859, placer gold was found near Leadville and thousands of miners came to the area in search of gold. Since then, Leadville has been a miner’s paradise. The area produced more than 3 million troy ounces of gold, and 240 million troy ounces of silver in addition to 987 million tons of lead, 712 million tons of zinc, and 48 million tons of copper (all heavy metals). Heavy metal mining in the area created mining waste that remained on land surface and eventually migrated its way through streams into the Arkansas River. Mining pollution left the river uninhabitable for trout worthy of Gold Medal status. In the mid1980s the United State Environmental Protection (EPA) began investigating the area for environmental damage and launched 40
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
efforts to restore the area. For Gold Medal Status, the Colorado Wildlife Commission designates only those waters that have the highest water habitat quality in the state. Therefore along with the EPA investigation, efforts were made to clean the water quality and improve the habitat for all species that rely on the waters. For the last 20 years, the river has gone through some major habitat transformation with some restoration and habitat help from many different private and public agencies, including the Collegiate Peaks Anglers (CPA) chapter of Colorado Trout Unlimited. “CPA played an important role in publicizing the importance of the river and, along with Colorado TU, participated in the creation of the flow program and the management plan,” said Tom Palka, CPA board member in an article published in The Mountain Mail. The flow program, which was implemented on the Ark by the Bureau of Reclamation in partnership with basin water districts, increases summer deliveries of reservoir water from the Upper Arkansas River Valley and the Western Slope downstream to Pueblo Reservoir in order to maintain better boating flows. The higher flows, although great for rafting purposes, negatively affect the brown trout’s ability to feed and gain weight. Therefore, TU helped negotiate changes in the Voluntary Flow Management Program so that it now augments natural flows between mid-May and mid-August, while keeping the remainder of the year at stable lower flows to help fish and other aquatic species. Colorado TU and its chapters are also working on other projwww.HCAmagazine.com
ects with the Arkansas River, including efforts to help clean up pollution created by abandoned mines. Chapters have completed in-stream habitat projects on the Arkansas main-stem and on key tributaries like Cottonwood Creek. The Collegiate Peaks and Cheyenne Mountain chapters also help monitor the water quality through the RiverWatch program. Prior to the conservation efforts done in the Ark, the fish in some areas wouldn’t be able to grow past three years old due to heavy metal pollution in the waters. Since the conservation efforts, the Arkansas River has steadily improved and the trout populations have thrived. In some stretches, trout line to be over 10 years old due to improved water quality. “The upper Arkansas River fishery is the best it has been in over a century thanks to the efforts and hard work of many agencies and individuals that have recognized its great potential,” said Greg Policky, CPW Aquatic Biologist in a Colorado Parks and Wildlife release. “The river quality has been steadily improving, and it has allowed a great ecosystem to evolve. Due to the improved water quality, the aquatic insects are thriving, and we’re seeing insects that haven’t been seen for decades,” said Palka. “Fish counts and sizes keep growing, and with a lot of public access more anglers keep discovering the Arkansas” In 2012, an angler survey stated that the Arkansas River was the favorite fishing location for Colorado fishermen. In 2012, an estimated 100,000 anglers fished the area between Leadville and Parkdale according to the CPW.
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Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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One of the most popular stretches of the Arkansas River runs through Browns Canyon, which is in the range of the Gold Medal stretch. Along with fishing, the area is a prime location for white water rafters and kayakers. Currently, Sen. Mark Udall is trying to get Browns Canyon and 22,000 surrounding acres designated as a National Monument. With a National Monument status, the Arkansas River and the Gold Medal fishery status within the canyon will be protected forever. Included in the bill would be protection against mining claims that have already been staked on the river. These and any other future mining activities could jeopardize the Gold Medal fishery in Browns Canyon. As part of its mission to help conserve and protect Colorado’s cold water fisheries, Colorado TU is sponsoring a campaign called Sportsmen for Browns Canyon. Through this campaign, Colorado TU members and other sportsmen can help protect the Arkansas River through Browns and help keep the Gold Medal status. Go to www.sportsmenforbrowns.com to learn more. The Arkansas River joins the Animas, Blue, Colorado, Fryingpan, Gore Creek, Roaring Fork, Gunnison, the North and South Platte and the Rio Grande rivers as Gold Medal fisheries, along with Spinney Mountain Reservoir and North Delaney Butte Lake The Arkansas River brought thousands to its waters in search of gold in 1859. Over 150 years later, after many years of restoration, people are still flocking to the Arkansas, but this time it isn’t gold but Gold Medal waters that draw many thousands of anglers in search of brown and rainbow trout.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Perkins
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High Country Angler • Winter 2015
Photo courtesy of Joshua Duplechian
To Learn More.
To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit, www.coloradotu.org.
Offer Expires 3/31/2015
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BREAKING NEWS: Settlement Protects Cutthroats Atop Roan Plateau
A
fter a lengthy legal battle stretching back more than six years – and advocacy and conservation efforts that stretch back more than a decade beyond that – Colorado TU and a group of other conservation interests reached a settlement in November that lays a “win-win” path forward to protect the Roan Plateau’s most valued fish and wildlife habitats while also allowing for responsible energy development. The Roan Plateau supports remarkable natural values including habitat for native cutthroat trout, scenic canyons and waterfalls, and outstanding big game habitat and hunting opportunities. TU’s Grand Valley Anglers chapter has for nearly two decades worked on projects to benefit Trapper Creek and the unique cutthroats it supports – Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists found they are adapted to withstand warmer water temperatures than most cutthroats. The settlement resolves litigation challenging Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oil and gas leasing plans for the Roan in which Colorado Trout Unlimited, the National Wildlife Federation and eight other conservation groups were represented by Earthjustice. Under the settlement, the BLM will cancel 17 of 19 leases held by Bill Barrett Corp (BBC) and refund BBC the money that was paid for those leases. These leases cover 90% of the acreage atop the Roan including all of the native trout watersheds. Responsible development could proceed on the other two BBC leases as well as on leases along the base of the Plateau.
Photo courtesy of Joshua Duplechian
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Look for more on TU’s work to protect the Roan in a future issue of High Country Angler and at www.coloradotu.org.
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(307)733-1044 www.GRBTO.com
Green River & Bridger Teton Outfitters is a permittee of the BridgerTeton National Forest and is an equal opportunity employer Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
43
The Ripple Effect By Rachel Kohler
experience can fill gaps in their knowledge base and advance their craft to the next level. This variation among campers is essential to a significant change that counselors witness every year – through the course of the week, the campers shift from competition to cooperation. I had the privilege of talking with two exceptional young people from the camp’s first year in 2006 and learning how they took the experience and multiplied the good in their own unique ways. Spending a week with no cell phones is
T
ime invested in our youth is an investment in our future, but outside of our own children we rarely have a full view of the ripple effect - how our efforts multiply and spread. The Colorado Trout Unlimited River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp is at the junction of investing in the future of our youth and ensuring the next generation of conservationists. It has proven to be an exceptional program that produces a ripple effect even the founders of the camp may not have foreseen. This story is for the countless volunteers and untold hours spent in the interest of our youth, with one very special message: Keep going, it’s working!
For more information on the 2015 camp, to be held June 14 -19
arguably something we all should try. Campers come to know themselves better, and form lifelong connections with new friends; and they do this on a river, forever imprinting the importance of protecting these places. Does the camp attract kids who are already drawn to fly-fishing? Probably, but after learning the stories of Elyssa and Nick it is obvious that the program’s conservation message and hands-on learning provide essential tools for them to take out into the world. No matter where they forge their future, they carry those tools with them.
(719) 543-3900
943 W. Hwy 50 Pueblo, CO 81008
Now Open Every Day at 8:00 a.m.
Stop by THE DRIFT and experience what the locals have known for years...
Mike Nicholson: 303-987-8425 For more information on all Youth Programs offered through CTU Garrett Hanks, Colorado TU Youth Education Coordinator: ghanks@tu.org | 720-354-2646 www.coloradotu.org
The camp, celebrating its 10th year in 2015, provides a unique summer experience for teenagers: a fly-fishing camp with a focus on conservation. The entire undertaking is impressive when you consider that volunteers handle all of the planning and logistics, and serve as the educators and camp counselors. Each June, campers between the ages of 14 and 18 spend a week gaining hands-on experience in watershed science, entomology, restoration efforts, and more. They participate in water quality and flow testing, fish identification, insect collection and classification, and of course, they get to fish too. Knowing how to fly fish is not a prerequisite to attend the camp, because the basics of casting, rigging, and fly selection are also taught. Campers who do come to camp with fly fishing 44
High Country Angler • Winter 2015
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Elyssa’s Story
E
lyssa Ridinger will have taken her MCAT exams by the time this article hits print. You may wonder what that has to do with attending Youth Camp, but according to Elyssa the camp opened doors she never could have imagined. When Elyssa arrived at camp she had some experience fishing with her uncle, but “didn’t know much about bugs or conservation.” After camp she returned home to Boulder and armed with new knowledge and hands-on experience, she headed up a project to monitor water quality on Boulder Creek. The “Ecology Stream Team” gathered data that was turned over to the City of Boulder for use in mitigating eurasian watermilfoil, an aggressive aquatic invasive species. When she went on to college at Oregon State University, she landed a job in their Aquatic Insect Lab. “I got the job because of my camp experience” she said. Now Elyssa works in perhaps a more important type of lab – a cancer lab at MD Anderson Cancer Hospital.
Bamboo Rod Making Classes Create Your Own Classic
Nick’s Story
N
ick Rzyska-Filipek was interested in fly-fishing from the age of 10, but camp provided his first formal casting lesson and introduced him to fly-tying. He returned to camp for two years to help as an assistant counselor. Sharing fly-fishing techniques and watching others successfully land a fish turned out to be something Nick enjoyed, and he went on to guide for six years on the Gunnison River. Guiding helped pay for college at Western State University where Nick majored in Ecology. When I caught up with Nick for an interview, he was driving back home to the front-range after a summer of working on a native fish study in Wyoming. “I’m looking forward to fishing my home waters again, it has been seven years since I’ve lived in the Denver area and I want to see how the recent floods affected some of our rivers. I also hope to further my career in fisheries biology with a position in the Rocky Mountain range.”
Frank Drummond 303-810-4538 frank@brushcreekcane.com
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Into the Wild:
A half-century of wilderness protection—and more to come
By Randy Scholfield Photos Courtesy of Randy Scholfield
“A
wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” – 1964 Wilderness Act Trappers Lake, a blue jewel nestled in the peaks of the Flat Tops backcountry in western Colorado, is today considered the cradle of the wilderness idea—one of America’s greatest contributions to the world. It was here, in 1919, that a young Forest Service staffer named Arthur Carhart had a flash of insight that changed the course of conservation history. He had been sent to survey the banks of Trappers Lake for a proposed road and more than 100 summer cabins. But the more he fished the pristine lake, and walked its banks, the more his doubts grew. And later, he delivered his report with a strong recommendation that the area remain undeveloped. “There are a number of places with scenic values of such great worth that they are rightfully the property of all people,” he concluded. “They should be preserved for all time for the people of the Nation and the world. Trappers Lake is unquestionably a candidate for that classification.” In a surprising move, the Forest Service agreed with Carhart, instructing that Trappers Lake should remain roadless and undeveloped—the first known instance of the wilderness concept in action. Inspired by Carhart, his 46
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colleague Aldo Leopold in New Mexico pushed for creation of the Gila Wilderness Reserve, which was designated in 1924. These administrative protections were limited, however, and the nation’s leaders eventually decided that wilderness areas needed more lasting protection. This year, the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the landmark conservation law passed by Congress and signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The Act has protected more than 109 million acres of wild landscapes in 44 states across the nation—including the Flat Tops Wilderness surrounding Trappers Lake, which was designated in 1975. The Act has its critics, who complain about the designations “locking up” areas and resources. But the Wilderness Act does have some flexibility to grandfather in some existing uses (such as grazing, mining and water use) that don’t significantly impact the majority of the
protected wilderness. And far from locking out people, wilderness areas invite a wide range of outdoor recreation, from angling and hunting to skiing, rafting, hiking, and horseback riding—only mechanized and motorized uses are not allowed. What’s key to the wilderness idea is that some places that are too special to develop or damage. Today, Trappers Lake remains a place of quiet grandeur, beauty and wildness, a place of pilgrimage for anglers, hunters, hikers, campers and others who want to experience a “community of life” where humans don’t dominate. For sportsmen, protecting these backcountry areas for hunting and angling is a high priority. And there is still important work to be done. Here are some other wilderness areas that Trout Unlimited and other sportsmen’s groups are working hard to preserve:
Hermosa Creek
Browns Canyon
The Hermosa Creek watershed, just minutes outside of Durango, Colorado, in the San Juan National Forest, serves as a vast community playground for anglers, hunters, bikers, hikers, horseback riders and other recreationists. The Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act— a bipartisan bill crafted by diverse local stakeholders—would protect more than 100,00 acres of the watershed, including a 37,000-acre wilderness. At the heart of the watershed, the popular Hermosa Creek Trail offers access to outstanding fishing for native cutthroat trout.
Browns Canyon, between Salida and Buena Vista, Colorado, on the Arkansas River, is a place of soaring hoodoo spires and thrilling whitewater runs. Colorado recently designated more than 100 miles of the Arkansas, including the section through Browns, as a Gold Medal fishery. Browns’ rugged backcountry area draws hikers and horseback riders as well as hunters in search of trophy elk and bighorn sheep. A bill that would designate some 22,000 acres of Browns Canyon as a national monument, including about 10,500 acres of wilderness, is now before Congress.
Uintas and Green River, Utah Columbine-Hondo Even by the high standards of northern New Mexico, the Columbine-Hondo backcountry, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Taos, is a special place. The Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Protection Act would protect 46,000 acres of lush, forested backcountry in the Carson National Forest, including prime deer and elk habitat and headwater streams that host important populations of native Rio Grande cutthroat trout.
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In Utah, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, and local stakeholders recently brokered a compromise deal that protects 100,000 acres of backcountry in the Uintas Mountains—including 80,000 acres of wilderness—and also designates Wild and Scenic status for a popular stretch of the Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Sportsmen groups, including Trout Unlimited, helped broker the model deal, which will protect the Green’s world-class wild fishery as well as native cutthroat streams in the Uintas. The wilderness measure will be included in Rep. Bishop’s public lands bill, to be introduced in early 2015.
To Learn More.
To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit, www.coloradotu.org. Winter 2015 • High Country Angler
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Rebuilding a Fishery at the Stagecoach Tailwater A pre-restoration photo of the Stagecoach Tailwater (Source: B. Atkinson).
By Brian Hodge
population of rainbow trout—a population that could serve as a brood source for introduction into other waters threatened by whirling disease. Project partners reworked a 1200-foot segment of the Yampa River, constructing spawning beds, deep and
T
he Yampa River below Stagecoach Reservoir supports one of Colorado’s most productive and popular tailwater fisheries. The river is dense with rainbow trout, and smattered with brown trout and brook trout. ApAquatic Biologist Bill Atkinson holds up a rainproximately 30,000-40,000 people visit the area bow trout from the Stagecoach Tailwater downstream of the reservoir each year. (Source: B. Atkinson). The outlook has not always been good for the Stagecoach tailwater. A decade ago whirling disease resulted in a collapse of the rainbow fishery. 38339 US Hwy 50 Meanwhile, a steady flow of visitor traffic was negatively impactGunnison, CO 81230 ing instream and riparian habitat. 970.641.1442 By 2010, the fishery had responded positively to stocking of whirling disease-resistant rainbow trout. However, the Yampa River below Stagecoach was wide, • Walking distance to the gold-medal shallow, and lacking riparian waters of the Gunnison River vegetation. The simplification of habitat resulted in significant de• Near Blue Mesa Reservoir clines in both fish biomass and density of large fish. • Vintage charm and ambiance In fall of 2013, Trout Unlim• Great outdoor space ited, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and others initiated the • Multiple room layouts Stagecoach Tailwater Restoration • Fully stocked kitchens Project. The primary goals of the project were to reestablish healthy • Spacious boat parking, including instream and riparian/wetland free long-term for multiple stays habitat, and to foster a productive and self-sustaining fishery. The broader-reaching goal was to foster a whirling disease-resistant
Island Acres
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complex pools, floodplains, and juvenile rearing channels. Partners also constructed a user trail with access points to the river. In fall of 2014, volunteers from the Yampa Valley Fly Fishers Chapter of TU and several local families began to put the finishing touches on the project. Over the course of three days, 29 volunteers planted approximately 500 trees (alders, willows, choke cherries), all of which were grown and potted locally by the Chapter and CPW. The trees will increase bank stability, shade, and availability of terrestrial insects (i.e., fish food). A temporary fence is being constructed to protect the trees while they gain a foothold. The habitat improvements should benefit the fishery, with the new channel favoring multiple life history stages and size classes of fish. That means the fishery can replenish itself through onsite spawning and rearing, and also produce larger fish because of increased invertebrate production and availability of choice feeding positions. The Tailwater Restoration Project was accomplished through partnerships. The project was funded by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Sport Fish Restoration Program via CPW’s Fishing is Fun Program, and by the Yampa Valley Land Trust. Additional contributors included the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District, Rob Bringuel, and Riverkeeper Bill Chace. The project was designed by Stantec and constructed by Nordic Excavating. We thank all of our partners for helping to rebuild the fishery.
A post-restoration photo of the Stagecoach Tailwater (Source: B. Hodge)
To Learn More.
To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit, www.coloradotu.org.
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Yampa Valley TU Helps Create New Plant Nursery
T
he Yampa Valley Fly Fishers Chapter of TU (YVFF) provided hundreds of volunteer hours to bring a portion of the tailwater renovation project to a close for the Winter of 2014/2015. Completing riparian/floodplain revegetation efforts required some real foresight and effort, long before it was time to actually do plantings. Anglers are all familiar with the idea of raising and stocking fish – but what about raising and stocking riparian plants? YVFF worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and their contributors to construct a nursery at the edge of the Yampa River, on State property just outside of Steamboat Springs. Its purpose is to allow the growth of selected plants in a protected and controlled environment, with the goal to have mature vegetation ready for specific projects in and around the Yampa Valley. The 1000 square foot nursery was designed, funded and constructed by a joint collaboration between CPW and YVFF. Construction began in the Summer of 2013. The ground was prepared for proper drainage by the use and placement of special fabrics and a specific size and depth bed of crushed rock. A vinyl coated chain link fence was erected to protect the plants and trees from hungry beavers, deer, etc. Construction was completed in the Spring of 2014 with the addition of a sunscreen and manual irrigation system. The first seedlings were delivered shortly thereafter and potted by a large volunteer group. In October, those now mature potted plants were ready for transplanting and were moved to the tailwater project. With a couple truckloads of soil amendments, digging tools, food, and beverage, more than 30 volunteers spent the weekend placing nearly 1000 new willow and alder trees along this newly renovated stretch of the Yampa River. YVFF anticipates repeating these potting and transplanting endeavors for many years to come.
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To Learn More.
To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit, www.coloradotu.org. www.HCAmagazine.com
DON’T MISS THE LARGEST SHOW IN COLORADO!
Free Parking!
DENVER JANUARY 9, 10 & 11, 2015 DENVER MART BACK AGAIN: The International Fly Fishing Film Festival. One night only, Friday, January 9 at 6:30. Tickets are $15 at the door or $10 in advance or with a paid Fly Fishing Show admission for that day. See www.flyfishingshow.com for more details.
Fly Fishing is NOT part of the show
IT IS THE SHOW!
flyfishingshow.com
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There must be som so m e tth ing h in in t h e w a t e r
We can help you find it. www.ColoradoFlyFishingReports.com 52
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