I snuck up to Summit for some runs with Bro Brown and Yoho. Steve & I started on a cold and dry, but sunny, day at Keystone. We ran a 17.5K day starting in the back on Outback and working forward - that's kindof our typical play. While I chose the wrong skis, since there was no new snow I needed more stability at speed rather than 118 underfoot float, we had a great time capped with some Last Chance pizza and beers.
I spent some time diving on data from electrofishing sampling done by CPW and their counterparts in Wyoming and Montana. I'm interested in whether the seeming increase in person-fishing-days from the pandemic has impacted fish populations. I also wonder if global warming, which seemingly is forcing lower flows and warmer waters, is impacting fishing in the Rockies. I couldn't get to my pandemic questions because recent data hasn't been posted or analyzed. I was able to understand some longer term trends though. First off, brown trout populations are declining across the Rockies! There may be some bigger fish but the younger populations especially are in decline. I have clearly personally seen this occur on the Arkansas (more later). The head of Montana's FPW Fisheries gave a talk to the Westslope TU chapter HERE and it's concerning.
I am most interested in Colorado conditions and trends and while there's little uniformity in data collection or reporting processes across our drainages, I could dive on information from some of the more popular spots. Before describing declines I should mention that the South Platte seems generally holding strong. It has many impoundments and therefore a lot of tailwaters. Here are snippets from home waters like Deckers, Cheeseman and the Dream Stream. They don't sample in 11 Mile Canyon but I fish it regularly and sense it is relatively similar to these results.
Now for some not-so-good news. The freestone Arkansas fishery is in some decline. It is mainly a wild brown river and the biomass in the river has substantially declined over the past decade - especially below Coaldale. The Big Bend and headwaters sections seem to be holding a bit better. Overall the long term trend is a decline in brown trout.
For 2022 I propose a new scheme to get us out and together (or not, if rejected), this whether we get to fish together or not. I’ve designed & made three bracelets: black, red and blue, in leather with trout medallions. I propose they be awarded at a conveyance at each quarters' end in 2022 to the best fish (aka biggest), most fish, and many different rivers/lakes fished (really many different “spots” so Deckers and 11 Mile count as 2 and five trips to Mohawk Lk count as 1). I say big is black, most is red, and spots is blue. These will be awarded “per quarter” and evidence is required; stories are good but you know… I won’t go so far as to suggest time-stamped, GPS-tagged, properly-scaled with marks and images therefrom are needed - but they’d be the best. Images for big are required.
So, in April, whoever catches a 10# tailing redfish, will likely get the coveted black bracelet that quarter ~ that is unless Andy finds a pond full of genetically altered beasts on St Andrews, to which he garnered private access. At first I thought we should award for triples (3 species from same river on the same day) too, despite how rare they are in the wild, but again Andy has been dealt a pejoratively great hand with the fertile waters of Trout Ck at his call ~ though I’ve not caught a pure cutthroat there. The place I’ve scored the most triples is Gore Ck, once or twice annually for the last several years, but 11 Mile Canyon is another haunt for such pursuits. I've never caught a home run. I might do a triples bracelet as I have one more medallion, but to start they will just make great fish stories. Triples would be different as the winner holds the bracelet until the next (rare) triple is posted, if ever.
I believe COS-based, or pre-hurricane ~ post-redfish Texas, or Summit co, or Chaffe co breweries should lead as the quarterly target venues. Location should be based on local fishing conditions at the time of course, and/or new brewery openings. Points for best fish or spots might be awarded for travel effort; democratic voting will be respected (right now there are 9 voters: DD, GL, JY, RH, SB, AH, RP, MD & me) though when guests attend and offer evidence of fish, they drink and vote too. EoQ in-person would normally be the plan in my mind, though zoom could supplant at least in part so we can dial in RH & SB (for their pond fish or other mid-western offers, and gather their vote). We could even wager, but ya’ll might be put off by my planned, expected, and consistent out-performances (that’s for you MD). The CoWW cannot go lamely into the sweet night, despite C19.
With such a gorgeous day in January in the 60°s Kala and I chose hiking over biking and clamored through the AFA highlands. It was a blast and an unexpected treat in winter... we didn't even hit too many snow or ice patches, and barely needed coats.
I guess a number of us had the same idea: "with a nice 60° day in Pueblo, let's go fishing." Yeah, pretty crowded, I was only able to hit 33% of the spots as I headed upstream from Nature Center parking on the PT. I did catch quite a few fish (7) but all small rainbows & cutbows. The best was the 14"er. I targeted the two larger fish I spied but didn't hook up. Most fish took the blood midge (with white gills) though one took a black MHFB Miracle midge. The RFT5 overpowered the catch today but was nice when the wind blew. Very nice being on the water despite the folks and smaller sized catches... I guess it's back to the slopes and the tying bench.
With a smidge of time in COS I decided to finally order and install LED fixtures in the laundry, where the last vestige of fluorescent lighting exists @ Blodgett. Mainly I am tired of replacing those tubes and throwing away those tubes; upon investigation the easiest and least expensive upgrade is to just replace the entire fixture and junk the old, much larger, magnetic ballast systems. Seeing those old heavy magnetic ballasts reminded me again of an EE summer job at Sylvania in Muncy, PA where we were researching replacement of those things with electronic (transistor) versions ~ it must not have worked, at least not cheaply enough (and it hadn't either on my watch in the summer of 1977), as fluorescent fixtures are still driven by magnetic ballasts. Anyway I ordered the LED lights with fixtures ($110 for 4), tore out the old fixtures, and discovered that they were so much smaller I'd have to paint the ceiling to have a finished look. Grrr... I executed the creeping elegance, which seriously extended the job time, but did result in a nicer room. I had to paint the entire ceiling as I could not locate the matching paint for the ceiling in this room. I installed the new fixtures and they fired up nicely and light the room well. I don't think we'll save electricity, but will limit bulb replacement frustration, with the new system.
We finished our recent holiday stay at the Nest with a fine visit from our friends and neighbors, Steve & Donna Brown. With other parts of Colorado on fire whipped by winds - we experienced the windy day too. Our huge sentinel was buffeted and I hope recovers well.
Steve & I first caught some fresh snow the next day, NYE, on a very cold outing to Keystone. We even got out to the Outback, but we had to ride the Outback gondola to get there initially, as none of the access trails (south-facing) had opened yet. Good soft snow finally. We ended early ~noon as holiday crowds caught up with us.
