About The Ones That Got Away On The PT 28Oct13

Greg Lehmann and I took a quick jaunt to Pueblo before the weather will change later this week. It was super nice in the AM but gradually got colder through the day. We had an amazing morning as we were instantly into big fish. My story is a bit sad however as I was attempting new recording techniques with the kid's GoPro. Multiple times I was futzing with that setup while I let a fish get off; at least on one occasion the fish was huge... he stripped line wildly but finally settled behind a big rock - as I was readying the netcam, in one mighty twitch, the line broke off at the first fly. Such events continued some. I was only 6/10 in the AM but then 6/6 in the PM after having run out of camera battery and not filming any more. The videos were not even exciting... still work to do. My best producers were olive and black red glass bead Mojo Midge emergers but silver surfer took its share too. Shown are just some of the fish via netcam frame grabs... plus Greg on a nice fall day. Check the fish release image - I almost lost my keys! I guess I'll have to move the GoPro wireless remote to a jacket zinger rather than my key chain.

Beasty 'Bows on Fall Day @ PT 21Oct13

Shredded the Valco Ponds area of Arki tailwater on a pretty 67 degree day. Stood 8 of 10 on the 4 hrs of fishing but landed two huge fish... one 19-20" and one >22". The latter was so heavy it was amazing - I could not hold it in two hands. I caught him right next to the car in some structure... on a black ice mayfly tung beadhead nymph. Big fight to net but no one around to get the hero shot so all I have is the pole measured beast. Visibility is still marginal so I again reached for sliver. The rest of the fish were on silver surfer or flash wing mercury RS2. Shown are just the two big ones. Great day again on this fine water.

OMG - NEW 7'9" #3 GLX Whisper Creek! 17Oct13

I came home today and G.Loomis had "repaired" my 12 year old 7' #3 GLX (thoughtfully given me by my lovely wife). Recall I biffed down a waterfall in RMNP and busted the tip. The repair was that they sent a brand new Whisper Creek rod, $635 value; it's their latest ultra-light design derived from GLX StreamDance Presentation rods. It's gorgeous and exactly what I'd have replaced my other #3 with if I'd had to so do. Awesome burl reel seat insert, brown anodized seat, cool olive color and the finest tips in the industry for ultra casting precision and delicacy (ok, don't start). OMG... I checked it out with the venerable Bauer M1 (yes I like reels fine without click) and its well balanced. The new rod is even more versatile than my last as I've mentioned... 9" longer for better mends without losing tight quarters manipulation or adding too much weight, and it's medium-fast action which is perfect at this weight. I'm really stoked for the small creeks (Grape, Beaver) and backcountry (Willow, Mohawk) now - too bad they are snowed in soon... I was always grabbing the Winston #4 recently for the alpine lakes in order to get the length... now I won't.

Windy Day on the PT 14Oct13

Got to the Valco Ponds Parking lot about 9:30am. Wind was gusting to 30mph. The worst I have ever attempted fishing in. So decided to head East toward the Nature Center. to try to find a spot in the trees. I tried the structure on the way out and didnt do much good. I caught a couple on the walk between spots just drifting a flashy holographic Nicks BWO Emerger (based on the Coffin intel) in about a foot of water as I walked. The off color water allowed drifting near the bank and the wind prevented much casting.  Fish seemed to be holding near the bank instead of in the structure at least in the am. There was a decent mayfly hatch coming off as they smacked me in the face due to the gale force winds. Casting more than 2-3 ft upstream was near impossible. Morning action died off about 11:30 so headed back to the car for lunch. After lunch the wind picked up even more( I only saw a couple other guys who braved the conditions.). Walked up toward the dam and hit the usual spots without much action. Wind died down about 2:30 and the action picked up as I picked up several nice ones and lost about as many. One monster Bow snapped me off in the rocks at the big V. All Fat 'Bows, caught one fish all day on a black midge the rest were on some shiny BWO emerger (Nick's BWO emerger, flashy RS2 or a Top Secret). Afternoon they seemed to be hanging in the tailwater behind the structure feeding, all but one pulled out of deep hole seemed to be taken in about a ft of water. There seemed to be a decent afternoon caddis hatch.

Great Day on the PT 13Oct13

An old friend (Sage Z-Axis) did most of the damage on the Pueblo Tailwater @ Nature Center today after I busted the tip of my Sage One landing a nice 19"er. During the morning I was only 1 for 4 and a bit frustrated with only 18" of visibility - I couldn't see the fish at all really and had to judge potential lies from just topwater and hydrodynamics. Then I hooked and landed a decent fish without a tip about 11:30a! After dining in nice sunshine back at the car I re-rigged with the Z-Axis and headed back out. The afternoon was much nicer both in temperature and bug hatches. A strong afternoon BWO hatch yielded a number of great fish. I was more effective with more silvery imitations (going to them as a result of recalling techniques in muddy water in PA). All rainbows and all my best silvery/flashy mayfly nymphs worked (I was subsurface all day and saw very little top action)... black ice, rainbow warrior, silver surfer and the venerable mercury head flash wing RS2. It seems like the PT is coming back some after high flows and then weird turbidity.

Scored @ AC Guide Sale 12Oct13

I arrived at Angler's Covey a smidge early and most guides were already set up. There was a lot of stuff I didn't need/want but I quickly focused on Rick's flies - he was selling 4 full boxes including the boxes. Two were lake boxes which I did not purchase but I did buy the "Tailwater" (11 Mile, PT, Blue, etc.) and the "Freestone" (Arki in BHSC or Colorado). I got a thousand flies plus two $50 waterproof boxes just like those I use for just $250 all in. I tie most all my flies but I'm not proud and really liked picking up all this stuff for cheap. Sweet... I've already tried the BWO nymphs and caught some nice fish.

Nice Fall day on the Ark 11Oct13

BHSC was in spectacular fall colors as Daryle and I hit the Ark.  Flows were high for the fall but perfectly wadeable at near 400cfs with crystal clear water. After a couple stops for Java and sammys, we spent time working our way up the canyon from spot to spot. Spike Buck, Pinnacle Rock and Lone Pine were our stops. We each struggled to do much with a handful of Browns taken in the 10in range. Trying most every nymph in the arsenal.  The below fish taken at Lone Pine on a red and flash emerger was the only picture worthy fish of the day. Still better than being at work.

New Life In Simm's G3 Fishing Boots... Resoled/Refelted/Restuded 29Sep13

Cobblers and fly shops would not help me... Simms sent them back saying "it'll cost too much..." So I did it myself for cheap. I dove on the net to find the best refelting practices and also found the felt materials, waterproof contact cement and studs for ~$30 all in. Use Barge cement and find pre-cut (but cheap) nylon felt soles, and use hex head sheet metal screws as studs. Rip off the old stuff, rough belt sand the soles, stuff the boots with paper or rags tight, prep the felt with one generous coat of Barge's and allow to dry (since the felt soaks it up), hours later apply good cement coats to boots and felt and allow to dry 30min, use wax paper between felt and boot to position (the nano-second they touch, they stick), then remove wax paper to stick felt to boot sole, hammer the snot out of the felt with heavy hammer to assure a bond - especially the edges, duct tape the felt to boot and let dry 2 days (important!), remove tape and trim with sharp knife if needed, insert screws - especially on edges. Voilà... good as new favorite guide boots.