I was very happy to hook this brown trout this weekend in Estes Park. This was not a fishing weekend and I had less than an hour to fish early sunday morning. I chose to change flies over moving and covering water. I was down to my final few casts and I tied the old standby: the BH Wooly Bugger (black, size #6).
Landing this nice fish reminded me of a few things: I love brown trout, I love streamers, and I love catching a fish on my last cast.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Georgia
My family and I were in Georgia this past week visiting friends. I took this opportunity to get back to my roots fishing for bass and bream. Dad came down from North Carolina and we made a trip to Callaway Gardens. The bream fishing was outstanding. I dialed in some quality action with my fly rod using poppers and dropper flies. Dad was fishing a spinning rod and went through his entire tackle box before finding the right beetle spin to take bream. Once Dad made the adjustments he was matching my action and life was good.
Unfortunately, the bass fishing at Callaway was a bit disappointing. The boat house is only open from 7:00 am to 6:30PM – this eliminates the sunrise and sunset bite so critical to mid-summer bass fishing. Once we went solely for bream we were able to truly enjoy the experience and pick up some quality lessons. Dad’s beetle spin was a great adjustment, and one of the guides at the fly shop turned me onto a fly known as a Rubber Legged Dragon which helped me catch the larger bream more consistently. Overall, our experience at Callaway was made well worth it with some great action and great accommodations.
Bass action came as we moved up to Tyrone, GA and fished the sunset with my son at a small public lake in town. The popper bite was great. In two casts I got quality largemouth that devoured my fly before burrowing in the weeds. My 1X leader was put to good use winching these bass out of the salad. On our last day in Georgia I returned to try the morning bite at the same spot. A dark popper was the ticket to yet another bass fix.
This trip was a great opportunity to continue my pursuit for quality warm water fly fishing. As always, I was very happy to share the experience with my Dad.
Unfortunately, the bass fishing at Callaway was a bit disappointing. The boat house is only open from 7:00 am to 6:30PM – this eliminates the sunrise and sunset bite so critical to mid-summer bass fishing. Once we went solely for bream we were able to truly enjoy the experience and pick up some quality lessons. Dad’s beetle spin was a great adjustment, and one of the guides at the fly shop turned me onto a fly known as a Rubber Legged Dragon which helped me catch the larger bream more consistently. Overall, our experience at Callaway was made well worth it with some great action and great accommodations.
Bass action came as we moved up to Tyrone, GA and fished the sunset with my son at a small public lake in town. The popper bite was great. In two casts I got quality largemouth that devoured my fly before burrowing in the weeds. My 1X leader was put to good use winching these bass out of the salad. On our last day in Georgia I returned to try the morning bite at the same spot. A dark popper was the ticket to yet another bass fix.
This trip was a great opportunity to continue my pursuit for quality warm water fly fishing. As always, I was very happy to share the experience with my Dad.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Brush Hollow
I have been hitting Brush Hollow for my bass and bream fix this summer. This Reservoir near Penrose, CO is the perfect place for warmwater fly fishing from a float tube. It's relatively small and accessible -- the entire lake is a "no wake zone." There is lots of vegetation on the northeast side that holds some real nice largemouth. The view of the surrounding mountains is spectacular. Most importantly, there are none of the water critters that often dissuade me from launching a float tube in typical "warmwater" fisheries in other parts of the country.
My best of three morning outings this year got me a 16" bass, a 16" rainbow (it's Colorado), and assorted smaller fish. Each morning has given descent action between smaller bass (11-13") and bream. Big or small, I find warmwater fish a blast on a fly rod and totally underrated by the fly fishing community.
My best of three morning outings this year got me a 16" bass, a 16" rainbow (it's Colorado), and assorted smaller fish. Each morning has given descent action between smaller bass (11-13") and bream. Big or small, I find warmwater fish a blast on a fly rod and totally underrated by the fly fishing community.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Quail Lake
I have had a good time this spring hitting Quail Lake on my float tube in the early morning. The local lakes have been the beneficiaries of brood stocks this year. These larger hatchery trout offer a nice change of pace from the standard “catchable” trout that are predominant in this area. On several occasions this spring I have landed a limit of smaller trout then opted for a streamer that takes one of these 16”-18” rainbows. Olive and Brown wooly buggers seem to be the ticket for the larger brood stock. A size #18 Adams often yields a quick limit of smaller fish when fish are active on the surface.
I hope to get up into the mountains to tackle some legitimate wild trout soon -- but as the run-off rages I am content with the action in the local lakes on my float tube.
I hope to get up into the mountains to tackle some legitimate wild trout soon -- but as the run-off rages I am content with the action in the local lakes on my float tube.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Fishing With Dad
I visited my Dad in North Carolina the week leading up to Easter. We had hoped to get a jump on some good pre-spawn smallie action. However, my expectations for fishing Lake James are tempered by the lake’s technical nature and past experiences working all day for one or two quality fish.
Within the first hour and a half on the water we found a school of smallies. My Dad hooked three quality smallmouth landing two that both exceeded 15 inches. We were sure our pre-spawn smallie-fest was on. Unfortunately, the bite abruptly stopped and the electronics on Dad's boat completely fried -- a real killer on a cold, deep mountain lake. We ultimately settled for about twenty minutes of smallie glory. We later went to Cherokee and each caught trout on the Oconaluftee. This river is so beautiful you can honestly view the hook ups as a bonus. Even though we never really dialed in the trout bite, it was a needed break from fishing for lock-jaw smallies on Lake James.
Looking back on the trip I am most happy to have spent some real quality time with my Dad and I am proud to have been there to net two of his prized Lake James smallmouths. Fishing always seems to teach valuable life lessons. In this case I was left with the thought that all things are fleeting, so enjoy the moment. But as I reflect on the trip I can’t wait to start planning the next one.
Within the first hour and a half on the water we found a school of smallies. My Dad hooked three quality smallmouth landing two that both exceeded 15 inches. We were sure our pre-spawn smallie-fest was on. Unfortunately, the bite abruptly stopped and the electronics on Dad's boat completely fried -- a real killer on a cold, deep mountain lake. We ultimately settled for about twenty minutes of smallie glory. We later went to Cherokee and each caught trout on the Oconaluftee. This river is so beautiful you can honestly view the hook ups as a bonus. Even though we never really dialed in the trout bite, it was a needed break from fishing for lock-jaw smallies on Lake James.
Looking back on the trip I am most happy to have spent some real quality time with my Dad and I am proud to have been there to net two of his prized Lake James smallmouths. Fishing always seems to teach valuable life lessons. In this case I was left with the thought that all things are fleeting, so enjoy the moment. But as I reflect on the trip I can’t wait to start planning the next one.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Ice Fishing
I had a great time yesterday ice fishing for the first time at Eleven-mile Reservoir. This remains a great location even when you are reliant on a hole drilled trough 36” of ice. My new fishing buddy Anthony showed me the ropes. I had success applying the drop shot technique to a trout magnet. Anthony had success with a jigging spoon. Together we totaled nine trout comprised mainly of rainbows with a few cutbows mixed in. The highlight was a football sized rainbow I was lucky to manage.
Many thanks to Anthony for showing me a new part of the sport, and for plunging his hands into ice cold water to salvage the chunkster rainbow I nearly broke off with my sloppy landing technique
Many thanks to Anthony for showing me a new part of the sport, and for plunging his hands into ice cold water to salvage the chunkster rainbow I nearly broke off with my sloppy landing technique
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