High All Along The Ark 28Aug17

Part drive home, part fall CoWW recon, part hope... I fished several spots along the Ark today at ~900 cfs (while I am used to wading at <450cfs). I headed home the super-back way over Fremont Pass from Summit and started fishing at Hayden Meadows. The water was still even pretty high and cold and dirty here despite the several days of no rain. I turned over two nicer browns on the hopper but only landed a half doz smaller ones on the dropper - a Cheeseman Emerger. Like this...

I moved on down to the new Amica's in Salida where I enjoyed the Headwaters IPA and Salcicia pizza on their cool parklet - first I've seen one in CO but Berkeley is littered with them. You just take a parking spot or two and build an elevated "park" into the street - it extends an establishment's seating substantially... probably gotta get a municipal license.

I moved on down to Chaffe Co Line and fared similarly in heavier water. Turned some bigger ones but landed the smaller ones on the trailer - an RS2 I recall.

I moved on down to Rincon and caught another in yet even heavier and dirtier water... on the dropper.

I moved on down to Pinnacle Rock where the river was raging and looked like chocolate. I made a doz casts and packed it in. BUT, I forgot to stow the Sage One 5wt and it fell off the roof onto US 50 and a truck ran it over. NP for the Sage as they'll replace it for $70... but the Hardy Ultralight 4000 DD didn't fare well - I'll have to see if a new spool will solve the mangling or not - too I'll attempt a bend-back like I do on bike brake disks but I'm dubious it'll work. Anyway - the Ark is not ready for prime-time fall wading in any way as yet IMO.

Pre-Fight Trip To Breck 26Aug17

I went to Breck today to catch some of the games in the Quickstick Lacrosse tourney - a bunch of 20 something lax players bound for, in or just out of college. Mostly Colorado talent and good, big, fast players - it was fun in nice weather. Spectators were me and 3 parents and 6 girlfriends to watch 6 clubs (Aspen, 10th Mtn Whiskey, Pablo's, Monstars, etc.) battle for seeding in Sunday's playoffs. The Monstars looked to be the cream and they were younger and faster with better stick skills - it seemed they were a college team honing on guys who'd passed their best playing years - those ancient 26 yr olds.

The field was right next to the Blue River at the Breck Rec Center area so I rigged up the 3 weight and went to catch a few rainbows. They were small and somewhat oddly-shaped with chubby middles. All 'bows this day.

Back at the Nest I ordered the fight for $99 PPV through SlingTV. Jason Wilbur's friend Scott Kaiser and hiis friend David Gray came over for brats and totties, etc. and help defray the cost. Decent fight but Floyd's skills and fitness ultimately caught up to the Dublinite.

Williams Fk, Sailing & TK 25Aug17

After all PM rain yesterday and cold evening I was dubious on many rivers but hit the Williams Fk anyway. I saw 1st evidence of fall colors on the aspen in a few spots. Weather had turned awesome but in the AM it was still warming up, the water too. Action was slow and flows were high, for me at least. I managed a number of 13'-15' browns but none of the big rainbows - others I spoke to fared similarly. I left early to enjoy the blue skies elsewhere.

After lunch at The Nest I headed to the lake to score the fairly steady 8mph winds. Mon Ami sailed great single handed for a couple hours under full sails - including a wing on wing that held well. The sunset was cool but I missed the colors with my iPhone. I did somehow fail my halyard on my winch and couldn't bring down the sail on the lake - I came to dock with the main up (fortunately winds had subsided) but ultimately fixed it ashore. I snagged a new seasonal IIPA from Melvin on the way home, which was excellent; it's won awards.

Once home I learned TK had won his super-regional IBA (International Bodyflight Association) tourney in Phoenix - sponsored by Red Bull and named Flight of the Phoenix. He and partner Paul fly 2 man VFS (vertical formation skydiving) in the open (yep) division. They are Fly Undone and took the top spot on the podium - here Paul had to go home but Matt stayed for the award ceremony. VFS is an event where teams are issued an ordered list of positions in random prior to the event and they must execute these and touch to score... Fly Undone won by 4 points over 6 rounds. Congrats to them. Check the video stream @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLks7BqHvDU&feature=youtu.be @ 1:44 and 2:10 for their first two runs and elsewhere on the feed for more. I included a shot from their home turf in Denver too - the guy next to Matt on his right is Paul and the lady to his left in the black & blue city skyline shirt is Alexa, his girlfriend.

New St Pk Pass & Colorado Tiny 24Aug17

TStorms were in the forecast for the afternoon and I needed to update my state parks pass. Finding the nearest office was in Hot Sulphur Springs or Denver I headed north to the Colorado expecting to return to the Jurassic Pk after the storm blew through. I got the pass - what a goober interim solution vs prior sticker - paper stuck to sticky window. Anyway, that done I headed down to the CO access where I instantly came upon huge mayfly mating balls - I missed the emergence of these smallish BWOs or tricos and didn't really see rises to the spinners. Hmmm. I kept fishing on what appeared to be great water but only mustered several small rainbows like this. I split for Kremmling to grab a lunch and to the effluent of the Blue from GMR. It was sprinkling a bit as I arrived for lunch but hailed and rained over lunch then continued to storm - I bailed for home. Weak day on the river but I did check off a reminder item.

It Was Nice So... 23Aug17

It was nice today in Summit...

So I went sailing, aware of the differences between left and right...

And caught some nice wind and views...

But ultimately the storm on the right caught me...

And I was in the shit - so headed back to dock...

Chased there by the storm, but safe at home.

Browns In The PM On The Gore 22Aug17

Back to Eagle County after Cheerio box eclipse and review of potential winds showed PM ~3mph only. Good day of many good brown trout @ Dawg Park in short time... but just browns - they seem the greater aggressors as we move toward fall. I long line nymphed with indicator mostly and had to clean the flies of scunge often but the clear low flows offered a passel of German browns like these on WD40 and the CE (Cheeseman Emerger). including one fatter one of 16" (the 2nd). I turned 'em over with caddis ultimately but didn't catch 'em on top.

At it for just 3 hrs I was ready for another thing. I headed west to VBC. Reaffirmed dominator of Eagle County breweries. I stopped for tacos at the food truck and brews @ VBC while the construction up I70 to Vail Pass still underway for the day. Tasted 4 good IPAs including Tourist Trap 8.5%/75IBU, Blue NEIPA 6.2/:), Pete's Stash Pale 6/45 and Time Lapse NEIPA 7/;) - drank the excellent and NA Bronze winner Tourist Trap DIPA (wait - how'd I get that depth of field with an iPhone) and the excellent Time Lapse. Great brewery and good $5 carnitas tacos.

Exonerated Drakes In Jurrasic Pk 18Aug17

I finally caught the tail of the green drake hatch on the Blue below Green Mtn Rez. Being gone so much of July left me wanting for the tug on the big mayflies. Exonerated means that I caught multiple fish on my custom ties of green drake nymphs from 2016 (stymied that season, late). Today I landed many smallish browns and only one nice 17" cutbow - several on the drake nymph. I tried hard but got nothing to surface to the drakes - though my daytime timing was not perfect; I have guests and need match the activities. Perfect weather - plenty of drake and PMD signs in the canyon still, and caddis too, but the flows are still strong ~550cfs so no crossing to hit all feeding lies - floaters still ruling the roost.

Keystone Ride & Alpenglow Stube 16Aug17

We've ridden up all 3 rivers of the Dillon Rez now. A couple of days ago we did 15 miles and 1K ft elevation to Keystone and back and today we slaughtered Copper and back with similar distance and grade.

We took the gondolas to the top of Keystone Outpost for a great dining experience at Alpenglow Stube. While Anne was a bit dubious of the ride and chariot, we had a great time at ~11.5Kft elevation with nice views, cocktails, wine, food and of course, most importantly, great friends. The sunset was over but still cool as we descended.

Quick Outing On The Gore 16Aug17

While Steve played golf and the ladies partied on their own I stole off to the Gore at the mouth with the Eagle for several hours. I caught a number of fish including mostly german browns and a cutbow - all about ~13". Best fly was a black WD40 but two bit hooker got some too. I turned a couple over with dry bugs like hopper and ant but caught none with that method. It was decent but a little odd with 2-3 other fishermen on this brief stretch. I fished it twice and did better on pass #2 about noon - again all subsurface.

Continuance To Red Rocks... 15Aug17

Steve & Anne and Kala & I rode again, from Dillon to Keystone and back to hit A Cafe. We left for Red Rocks early as we had GA tix to the concert.

Venue and production quality was spectacular. I am not aware of nor knowledgeable at all really of Young The Giant, Cold War Kids or Joywave but a common fan-base seems to exist. And, a common message of some sort was offered. We enjoyed the show but not nearly to the extent of the younger audience - the offering seemed a bit dark and supernatural.

Brewery Bikery 2017 13Aug17

Despite fallout and under-engagement of many CO mates in the Brewery Bikery annual, the 2017 installment came off with decent speed, 5oz pours and no weather mishaps - such a great outing. We rode 38 miles, hit every open Summit Co brewery to enjoy their hops - certainly 7 breweries, probably 3 pints net each. The team was sufficiently sharp at age... Jim Yohanan and Steve Gordon joined me - thanks for coming out.