Down Fremont Pass West 14Jul16

Recon over Fremont Pass into the headwaters of the Arkansas River was decent but super windy. Weird that the summer pattern with afternoon rains is currently broken and we have high and warm winds all day instead. I hit the Hayden Meadows/Ranch access of the Ark headwaters today and fished four hours 10-2pm (with a 45 min lunch/beer break) with the 3 wt Loomis - 7'9"; 3 wt and med flex was too little gun in high winds with big flies but landing was fun with these foot longs.  Flows are still high and cold here but several hatches occurred while I was on the river - caddis, green drakes, PMDs and some tiny gray thing. It was not epic but I caught a doz browns and a couple 'bows by changing rigs. My fave and most productive was a big drake with a BH FB hare's ear dropper (drake nymph) at 28" - this was a solid rig mid-day with both misses and fun hookups. The stimi and yellow sally dries in the AM scared 'em up but failed to hookup save one rainbow. The best fish were within 3' of the bank - freakin' Ark is often this way over the lengths I've fished it. Gorgeous meadow environment in the shadow of Mt Elbert and Mt Massive below Leadville. I did not find public access above Leadville (and before the Lake Ck joins) but it looked nice (and lower) from the road.