Monthly Archives: June 2017

Day 4: Wisconsin Trip – 06/10/2017

Day 4: Wisconsin Trip 06/10/2017 Photo Album

On Friday as Jane and I searched for non-fishing activities in the Driftless Area, we discovered a bicycle ride to the north of the Westby House Inn. The trail began in Sparta and ended in Elroy, and it was named the Elroy – Sparta State Trail. According to the literature it was the first rails to trails project in the United States. It contained three tunnels, but the main attraction to us was the rails to trails designation. In an area characterized by numerous rolling hills and deep valleys, the idea of a gradual railroad grade was very inviting.

We Found the Rail Trail

The trail passed through a town called Norwalk that was just north of Ontario, WI, so Jane and I decided to access it at that point and then complete an out and back that would take us through a tunnel near Wilton, WI. We arrived at the Norwalk Park and found an open parking space next to the trail. I mentioned the wind in my report on Camp Creek, and it did not relent during our travel to the bike path trailhead. As we zigzagged across the rural countryside, we observed waving tree branches and flags fluttering in the stiff breeze. We considered canceling the ride, but as we unloaded the bicycles, we realized that the wind was blowing from the southeast. We took consolation in the fact that the wind would be in our face on the outbound leg, and we would benefit from a tailwind on the return. We jumped on our bikes and began to peddle.

Crushed Gravel Surface

The surface of the trail was crushed limestone gravel, and heavily wooded surroundings provided shade for most of the ride. This was a welcome circumstance for two cyclists pedaling with temperatures near ninety degrees. After four miles we approached the highly anticipated tunnel. Neither of us expected the complete darkness that greeted our progression to the midpoint of the .5 mile tunnel, and I wore my prescription sunglasses. I am essentially blind without my prescription lenses, so I maintained close contact with Jane through the middle section. We were both amazed at the refreshing cool air that settled in the dark underpass, and our exit on the east side shocked us back to the reality of the hot outside world.

The End Is Near

We passed the small town of Wilton at the ten mile point, and just beyond Logan Avenue we turned around and reversed our direction back to Norwalk. Visibility did not improve on our second pass through the tunnel, but me survived and pedaled into the parking lot having accomplished the twenty mile round trip. Riding up and down the gradual grade of the railroad bed while seeing the sharply rolling hills and valleys north and south of the trail was certainly a relief on a warm late spring day.

Typical Section

We returned to Westby and quickly showered and changed, before we drove to Viroqua for an early dinner. For Saturday night we chose the Viroqua Food Co-op deli counter in order to save time. The time banked at dinner translated to more fishing time for Dave on Saturday evening on Bad Axe Creek. My dinner consisted of a pastrami sandwich and gypsy soup, and it was one of the best meals I consumed on the entire road trip.

Camp Creek – 06/10/2017

Time: 8:00AM – 12:30PM

Location: Viola Park area

Camp Creek 06/10/2017 Photo Album

Saturday was expected to be even hotter than Friday, so I departed nice and early from the Westby House Inn. I completed the thirty minute drive through Viroqua and then east through the tiny town of Viola, where I reached the Viola Park. The parking lot was devoid of any cars, and I was quite pleased with this development after my difficulties finding fishing space on Timber Coulee on Friday. I experienced a fine day on Camp Creek during 2014, and since it was a weekend day, I was concerned about fishing competition. At 8AM in the morning I concluded that I had the stream to myself, at least for some period of time.

As expected the air temperature was already at seventy degrees, as I pulled on my waders and assembled my Orvis Access four weight in the early morning. Starting early was a smart decision as the thermometer peaked above the ninety degree line in the late afternoon, when I was no longer fishing. I fished nearly the same segment of the small limestone creek that appealed to me in 2014; however, I began farther downstream where a dirt road crossed Camp Creek. In 2014 I hiked downstream from the bridge on the paved road that leads from Viola to the park. Similar to Friday the stream appeared to be nearly ideal with average flows and perfect clarity.

Above and Below the Fallen Tree Produced

I began my early morning search for Driftless trout with a size 10 Chernobyl ant and a beadhead hares ear nymph, and on the third cast I shot a cast to a position just below an angled dead tree that spanned the narrow waterway. Wham, the Chernobyl dipped, and I set the hook and landed a chunky nine inch brown trout. It was an auspicious start to my day on Camp Creek.

While I was netting the first trout of the day, I spotted a single rise just above the angled tree, so I carefully circled around the root ball and dropped a cast above the scene of the rise. Again on the third drift the foam surface fly paused, and I lifted my rod tip and felt the weight of brown trout number two. My expectations were now sky high for the remainder of the day, but not surprisingly my catch rate slowed measurably.

Wild Brown Trout

I resumed my upstream migration and covered the remainder of the segment between the bridges with no additional fish putting a sag in my net. I did manage a hook up with what felt like a larger fish, but it escaped prematurely. I also made a poor decision when I attempted a roll cast beneath a tree and hooked a live branch. After several attempts to dislodge the Chernobyl and hares ear, I surrendered and broke off the pair of flies. In place of the Chernobyl ant I tied a yellow fat Albert to my line, and then I added a new hares ear. I continued my quest for additional trout, and after I passed under the bridge I added a beadhead pheasant tail as a third fly. I was dissatisfied with the long dry spell and searched for a means to break the slump.

Gorgeous Pool

Although the pace of action never matched my remembrance of 2014, it did accelerate. Before quitting at 12:15 I registered twelve landed trout, and all were of the brown trout variety. The beadhead pheasant tail did indeed prove to be popular with the Camp Creek residents, as numbers three through ten succumbed to the size 18 rust brown nymph imitation, and the intervals between catches shrank significantly.

Near the end of my morning I encountered a very attractive wide deep pool. A large submerged log divided the pool, and a five foot lane rushed between the bank and the log. I lofted the flies to the top of the run, and just as they approached the lip, a fish flashed to the left of the visible Chernobyl. I guessed that this signaled a take of the nymph, so I executed a swift hook set and felt decent weight and saw the side of a brown trout. Unfortunately that was the extent of my success, as another nice spring creek trout evaded the hook and escaped.

After this bit of excitement two more small browns grabbed the hares ear, and then I reeled in and hiked along the fence until I reached the park and my car at 12:15. The gnats at Camp Creek were were even more annoying than what I experienced at Timber Coulee. I attempted to thwart their attacks with a double application of DEET and a special concoction that Jane and I purchased at the Driftless Angler, but the effectiveness of these deterrents was questionable.

Another Hungry Driftless Trout

As was the case on Friday the riffles and runs at the top of each pool produced the best action. I suspect that this resulted from the the faster water masking the plunk of the dry/dropper, and it also allowed me to execute a closer approach. The accelerated current velocity also forced the fish to react quickly to passing food possibilities. For some reason I never tested the five small terrestrial patterns that I purchased at the Driftless Angler, although I probably should have experimented with them on the smooth pools of the small limestone spring creek. On Saturday the wind was a significant factor, and it created numerous menacing tangles. Tall grass and strong wind are generally strong leading indicators of hot terrestrial fishing.

In summary I enjoyed another fine day on Camp Creek. I was the only fisherman on the stream, and this allowed me to move freely. I love prospecting with a dry/dropper without interference from other fishermen, and that describes my day on Saturday, June 10.

Fish Landed: 12

Day 3: Wisconsin Trip – 06/09/2017

Day 3: Wisconsin Trip 06/09/2017 Photo Album

After an enjoyable morning on Timber Coulee I returned to the Westby House Inn, where I discovered Jane, who returned from a twelve mile out and back bicycle ride to Viroqua. The temperature climbed into the upper eighties, and I was anxious to undertake some new activities. On our canoe trip we drifted past the boat ramp at Wildcat Mountain State Park, and we were curious to explore that destination, so we made plans to hike. Jane performed a short search on the internet and quickly identified three possible hikes ranging from 2.5 miles down to 1.2. We chose the longest, but I expressed a desire to visit the Driftless Angler in Viroqua before they closed, so we inserted that small detour into our Friday itinerary.

I generally like to make a purchase at a fly shop where I seek information, so I scanned the fly bins and picked out five small terrestrial patterns. I should have cast these on the slow moving pools of Timber Coulee in the morning, but I planned to fish two different spring creeks on Saturday, and small beetles and ants seemed like a solid idea. I opened my Driftless area map for the salesperson behind the counter, and he kindly marked three possible destinations for my Saturday excursion. I told him that I fished Camp Creek and Bad Axe Creek in 2014, and I asked if they were good choices for the next day. He suggested that they were great options. I could not remember the exact location where I fished Bad Axe Creek, so he highlighted that area on my map. He insisted that Bad Axe was a great choice because the water carried more color, and this allowed for closer approaches and less skittish fish. I also asked about West Kickapoo Creek, and he marked that as well, but he cautioned that the hot weather would negatively impact West Kickapoo before the other colder drainages.

Shaded Downhill Path

Jane and I departed the fly shop, and Jane entered Wildcat Mountain State Park in her map application, and we were promptly on our way. A thirty minute drive delivered us to a trailhead for the bridal path, so we quickly consulted with the old fashioned paper map and navigated to the main park entrance. The woman at the entry gate provided directions to our chosen trailhead, and we arrived there without further delay. Our trail was named the Settlers Trail, and it rolled through the wooded valleys and hills in a loop before it delivered us back to our car. Fortunately the path was mostly shaded since the air temperature surged to the upper eighties, and neither of us were accustomed to the elevated humidity of the upper Midwest.

Wildflowers in Abundance

On our return drive we headed north to Ontario, WI where our canoe launch occurred, and from there we traveled west to Cashton, WI and then south to Westby. The dining options were limited in Westby, but I noted that a breakfast and lunch establishment along the main street called Borgen’s was open on Friday night for a fish fry. Since it was Friday we decided to give it a try, and we were not disappointed. The place was quite popular with the locals, but the dining area was very large, and we were seated immediately. Best of all Borgen’s was less that a block away from our B&B.

 

 

Timber Coulee – 06/09/2017

Time: 10:00AM – 2:00PM

Location: Bridge on Olstad Road.

Timber Coulee 06/09/2017 Photo Album

The day finally arrived. Friday and Saturday were reserved for fly fishing adventures. On Thursday evening we arrived in Viroqua after the Driftless Angler closed for the day, so I forfeited the opportunity to obtain local intelligence. The Driftless Angler web site documented general weather and stream conditions for the entire area, and it was not specific regarding individual streams. Consequently I performed some Google searches and determined that Timber Coulee was highly regarded and within a short drive of our lodging at the Westby House Inn. The coulee was a spring creek that benefited from stream improvement projects, and access appeared to be quite good with leases obtained by the DNR from landowners. Timber Coulee represented new water for me, and I love to explore, so I decided to make it my destination on Friday.

On my way to the creek I traveled along county road P, which bordered the upper Timber Coulee. After I passed the Snowflake ski jump area, I was surprised by the number of fishermen on a Friday morning on a very small creek. After two or three miles I passed Rullands Coulee Creek, and this tributary nearly doubled the volume, but I began to worry about a stream access point. All the pullouts along the smaller upper section were occupied, and two below the confluence with Rullands Coulee also contained vehicles. I resolved to inspect the next bridge crossing, and I regretted not checking in with the Driftless Angler on Thursday.

Path Through Tall Grass at Timber Coulee

Finally approximately 1.5 miles below the Rullands merger I turned left on Olstad Road and parked beyond a truck on the south side of the bridge. I could see a fisherman among the herd of cows above the bridge, so I hustled to pull on my waders and assembled my Orvis Access four weight rod. My haste was vindicated when another car arrived with two additional fishermen, but I spotted a narrow path through tall weeds that led downstream of the bridge. I made this my gateway to Driftless fly fishing, and I hiked through the grass and weeds that reached to my shoulders for fifteen minutes until I reached a relatively wide open segment of the creek.

Spooked Lots of Fish in This Stream

At this point I cut down a relatively gradual slope, and I found myself next to a short riffle between two long pools. The water of Timber Coulee was gorgeous. I had no basis of comparison, but the water was crystal clear and the flows appeared to be nearly perfect. The stream reminded me of numerous spring creeks in central Pennsylvania. All was not ideal; however, as the gnats were a major nuisance throughout my stay on Timber Coulee. They swarmed about my head in dense clouds, and they attacked my ears and invaded my glasses. They did not bite, so I avoided a DEET application and decided to ignore them as best as I could.

Deep Yellow-Gold Brown from Timber Coulee

I initiated my quest for wild Wisconsin trout with a size 8 Chernobyl ant trailing a beadhead hares ear. This combination performed quite well for me during a Driftless Region visit in 2014, so I decided to give it another chance. During my day on the creek I added a bright green caddis pupa as a third fly for a period of time. I also removed the dry/dropper and experimented with a parachute ant, but this venture into terrestrial fishing did not yield any positive results. This surprised me given the abundance of tall grasses and weeds that lined the banks of the relatively narrow stream.

Eventually I returned to the dry/dropper with a smaller size 10 Chernobyl ant as the surface fly, and I persisted with the beadhead hares ear nymph. Given the preponderance of gnats I also knotted a mercury flashback black beauty to my line as a second dropper below the hares ear. Finally at the very end of the day I tested a Jake’s gulp beetle in the section of the stream above and below the Olstad Road bridge.

Sporadic Risers in Water Such as This

During my four hours of fishing I landed seven brown trout. Two were buttery colored twelve inch beauties, and the remainder were smaller in size but just as pretty. All but one of the brown trout that nestled in my net grabbed the hares ear, and the aberration nabbed the black beauty. The key to success was fishing the faster runs of moderate depth that flushed clear water into the deep pools. Early on I invested far too much time in large slow moving pools after observing a fair number of sporadic rises. I executed fairly long delicate casts, but even the size 18 ant was soundly ignored. In many cases I sadly watched fish scatter, when they sensed my presence. Surely my wading, or the movement of my rod, or the shadow from the overhead line put them on high alert. Unfortunately quite a few of the fleeing fish appeared to be quite nice and perhaps in the fifteen inch range.

Lovely Brown Trout

Eventually I learned that my best chance of success resulted from focusing on the faster runs and riffles. In these locations the faster water and surface turbulence masked my presence and the plop of the flies. In addition to the seven landed fish I experienced two momentary hookups with fish that felt heavier than even my largest catches. One grabbed the hares ear nymph in a nice riffle that spanned the entire creek, and it created a significant bend in my rod, but I never caught a glimpse. The second long distance release snatched the hares ear in a current seam, and I played it long enough to recognize it as a thirteen inch brown trout.

Ignoring Me

By one o’clock I reached the bridge where my car was parked, so I crossed the road and climbed over the fence by using one of the designated ladders. I continued upstream until I was among the herd of dairy cows, and I added a couple small trout to my count during this time. Before I called it quits for Friday, I worked the head of a deep pool above the bridge, and this late effort produced a small brown trout that nabbed the black beauty. Several refusals to the Chernboyl ant prompted me to knot a Jake’s gulp beetle to my line, but it also generated only a pair of refusals.

I spooked more fish than I landed, but despite this frustration I enjoyed exploring new water in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin. Catching trout in a clear spring creek on my first visit challenged my mind and provoked keen observation. Timber Coulee was a fine alternative to fishing in high turbid streams in the Rocky Mountains.

Fish Landed: 7

 

Day 2: Wisconsin Trip – 06/08/2017

Day 2: Wisconsin Trip 06/08/2017 Photo Album

Jane and I got off to a nice early start on Thursday morning, and this enabled us to arrive at our destination in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin by 12:30PM. It did not take long to find our lodging in the small town of Westby, WI, and we quickly checked in and shifted our luggage to the small two level room that fronted on to State Street less than a block away from the main street. The Westby House Inn was our home for Thursday through Saturday nights. Our bed was situated in a small loft, and a wrought iron spiral staircase provided the means to move from the first floor to the bedroom. The bathroom was located on the first floor, so night time visits were a bit of a challenge.

The Westby House Inn from the Corner of State and Ramsland

We quickly procured the necessary items required to support a canoe trip and jumped in the car and proceeded to Ontario, WI. In 2014 we visited the same area of Wisconsin, and during that trip we paddled rental canoes on the Kickapoo River. We planned to repeat that experience on Thursday afternoon; however, we both hoped to extend the length of the float.

After a scenic forty-five minute drive we arrived at Drifty’s Canoe Rental in Ontario. We waited a short time while Mr. Drifty checked in a small group of young kayakers, and then we made our arrangements. For $35 we could rent a canoe for the remainder of the day, and that fee included paddles, life jackets and a shuttle back to Ontario. Mr. Drifty informed us that we could select from a two, three or four hour float. We responded that we completed the two hour float in one hour and twenty minutes in 2014, so based on this he felt we would have no problem finishing the longest distance by 6PM. The take out for the longest trip was just beyond Bridge Seven.

Enjoyment

We paid our fee, and Mr. Drifty pushed a canoe down a dirt hill to the edge of the water. We grabbed our life jackets and paddles and shoved off with Jane in the bow and Dave in the stern. In the first hour we converged with several groups, but after that we were nearly the only paddlers on the Kickapoo River. Unlike our previous experience we paced ourselves, and between bridges four and five we paddled only occasionally to reposition the canoe. The river was rarely wider than twenty-five feet, and it curved back and forth, as it passed through woodlands and large vertical rock walls. The rock walls completely shaded the river, and the moss and ferns created the sense of passing through a moist rain forest.

A Big Bend

Jane and I switched positions once, and we each agreed that we preferred our initial spots, so we rotated again for the Bridge 5 to Bridge 7 segment. By 5:30 we glided into a ramp below Bridge 7, and then we dragged the long narrow craft on to land until it was no longer touching water. We waited only five minutes before the Drifty van appeared and transported us back to our car in Ontario. Our trip to Wisconsin was off to an enjoyable start.

Lush Surroundings

When we returned to Westby, we changed and made the short six mile drive to Viroqua, WI. Viroqua is the small town we stayed in during 2014, and we chose Dave’s Pizza as our restaurant for dinner. The establishment offered casual dining, and Jane and I satisfied our appetites before returning to Westby to end our day. We traveled from Marshalltown, IA to Westby, WI and completed a 3.5 hour canoe trip. Our adventure was only beginning.

 

 

Day 1: Wisconsin Trip – 06/07/2017

Day 1: Wisconsin Trip 06/07/2017 Photo Album

I continually search for alternatives to impatiently waiting out the annual run off on Colorado streams during the mid-May to end of June time frame. Our friends that live in Loveland, CO completed a cycling tour of Door County, WI last fall and returned with rave reviews. Jane and I combined these two strands of thinking and assembled plans for a nine day road trip to America’s dairy land.

We departed from our home in Denver early on Wednesday morning, June 7 with the Santa Fe loaded with bicycles, hiking gear, and fishing equipment. Our goal for the first day was to travel as far east as possible in order to enable some fun activities during Thursday afternoon. We accomplished our plan; however, we suffered through some anxiety in the process.

Green Scene

The miles across eastern Colorado and Nebraska were uneventful, and we targeted Des Moines, IA as our stopping point for Wednesday night. This location positioned us for a relatively short four hour journey on Thursday morning in order to arrive at our reserved room at the Westby House Inn in Westby, WI. Unfortunately traveling in the Midwest is not that simple. While I drove toward Omaha, NE Jane began to check the availability of rooms in the Des Moines area, and she was perplexed to learn that all hotels were displaying no vacancy banners on their web sites. I remembered that the College World Series was scheduled to take place in Omaha starting on June 17, but that was over a week away. What could be generating this unexpected demand for lodging in Des Moines, IA during the middle of the week in June?

We decided to stop at the first Hampton Inn in West Des Moines to confirm that the internet information was accurate. The man behind the front desk confirmed that his hotel offered no open rooms, and he volunteered that it would be difficult to obtain accommodations in Des Moines due to the Pork Expo. Pork Expo? Jane and I resolved to remain current on agricultural events before embarking on future travel.

While at the Hampton Inn, we called ahead to a sister inn in Ames, IA, but it also offered no availability. What could we do? It was 8PM, and we faced another hour or more to escape the Pork Expo congestion. I quickly did some searches on my phone and found a Baymont Inn in Marshalltown, IA that displayed some vacancies. Marshalltown was an hour northeast of Des Moines. We stayed at a Baymont in Tucson, AZ on a previous road trip, and we recalled that it offered reasonable standards, so we called and booked a night. Jane and I both heaved loud sighs of relief upon receiving the confirmation number.

Later I searched for what Marshalltown is known for, and I discovered that it is the hometown of Cap Anson. Since I am a huge baseball fan, I recognized Anson as a member of the Hall of Fame and a famous player in the late 1800’s. We found a room and learned some history in the process.

Sprague Lake – 06/05/2017

Time: 10:00AM – 12:30PM

Location: Various places around the entire lake

Sprague Lake 06/05/2017 Photo Album

The long anticipated conversion from fly fishing in streams to casting in lakes is now in progress in Colorado. The stream possibilities dwindled considerably today. After reviewing the streamflow data on Sunday, I made plans to meet @rockymtnangler ( AKA Trevor) at the Big Thompson River tailwater below Lake Estes. I knew from past experience that 128 cfs is a very manageable velocity on the popular small river near Rocky Mountain National Park.

I arrived at the pullout on Mall Road at 9AM, and I discovered Trevor sitting on the tailgate of his Subaru. A white SUV with flashing lights was parked behind him, so I continued over the bridge and pulled into a small space on the north side. I walked back across the bridge and met Trevor part way, and he first informed me that the flashing light vehicle was supporting some workers doing a bridge inspection. Next he pointed to the river and suggested that we make alternative plans. I glanced down, and I was instantly shocked to see large waves and thrashing whitewater. Clearly the flows were recently adjusted upward, and the brown opaque color of the water made fishing in the Big Thompson a foolish option.

Trevor suggested that we continue on to Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, and I quickly supported his idea. We drove to a parking lot near Kirk’s Fly Shop on the main street of Estes Park, and I transferred my gear to Trevor’s Forester. While Trevor drove to Sprague Lake, I checked the flows, and sure enough the DWR graph looked like a flat line that ran into a vertical wall. On Monday morning the water managers opened the valves, and the Big Thompson flows skyrocketed from 128 cfs to 325 cfs. It was a stark example of the vagaries of fly fishing in streams during the spring run off in the Rocky Mountains.

After a short drive that included viewing several elk and deer, Trevor pulled into a parking space at Sprague Lake. Trevor was already dressed in his waders, so he simply pulled two rods from his rod vault and began his assault on the Sprague Lake trout population. I meanwhile found partial privacy in front of his car and pulled on my waders and then assembled my Sage four weight. I quickly crossed the narrow footbridge that spans the feeder creek to Sprague Lake and joined Trevor along the paved path that leads to the main lake. Several fish rose in the small but deep pool that was located upstream from the inlet to the lake, and Trevor announced that he had already landed two small brook trout and experienced several momentary connections with other residents of the pool.

Blue Sheen

I quickly tied a size 16 light gray caddis adult to my line and flicked it to the vicinity of a recent rise, and within minutes two small trout rocketed from the depths only to veer away from my fly at the last instant. Clearly I needed to make an adjustment. I asked Trevor what was working for him, and he informed me that he had a large surface attractor with a red and peacock midge larva on a dropper, and the fish were assaulting the midge larva. I adopted his dry/dropper approach and added a mercury flashback black beauty to my line on a 2.5 foot dropper, but my flies continued to drift unmolested in the pool.

I stripped in my flies and swapped the black beauty for a black zebra midge with a small silver bead to attain a faster sink, but this fly was also ignored. While this was unfolding, a steady stream of tourists paraded along the path, and this caused Trevor and I to pause frequently in order to avoid impaling the RMNP patrons with hook points. Non-fishing tourists were a nuisance, but the squadron of fly fishermen that arrived next were another matter. There must have been thirty wader clad individuals carrying fly rods along with a few spinning rods, and we asked each other whether there would be any remaining space along the shoreline of Sprague Lake.

Eventually we gave up on the pool above the inlet, and we wandered in a counterclockwise direction on the path that circles the lake. As the entire lake came into focus, we noted three circles of fishermen situated across the lake. One group of eight was waded into the west end, one commandeered the center of the lake, and a third was situated along the east bank. A guide or teacher for each group began to instruct his or her students in the steps of casting.

Trevor Tests His Fiberglass

Trevor and I circled around a cove and stopped at a point where the shallow muddy bottom transitioned to a deeper rocky structure. We covered this area for twenty minutes, and during this time frame I decided that I needed more flash and color on my midge larva imitation, so I replaced the zebra midge with a rainbow warrior size 18. This was a fly that I recovered from a tree branch on one of my previous fishing ventures, and it was the only one in my possession. Trevor moved to a location next to a small outlet stream, and he managed to land another brook trout when he cast his dry/dropper parallel to the shoreline.

Snow Covered Mountains Southwest of Sprague Lake

Once again my flies were undisturbed, so we made another move to a space in front of a second outlet. I waded into the lake for eight feet to create more backcasting space, and Trevor continued around the east side to the inlet. I sprayed some long casts to various spots above the outlet, but it was merely another period of arm exercise with no response from fish.

Quite a Backdrop

Again I reeled in my line and marched around the eastern side of the lake to complete the circle, and I found Trevor back at the slow moving pool where our Sprague Lake fly fishing adventure began. Trevor was positioned farther upstream than earlier, as he executed nice casts to the deepest hole ten feet below the footbridge. As he fished, several fishermen sporting large spinning reels and bobbers sized for bass ponds arrived, and they began splashing their floating grenades just above his flies. Trevor decided to rest the water, and I took a position toward the downstream end of the pool.

So Colorful

I lofted a cast halfway across the pool, and after it drifted a few feet, I was distracted by one of the tourists, who asked me how I was doing. In the moment when I glanced at my questioner, Trevor shouted set, and I reacted and hooked a small seven inch brook trout. I thanked Trevor and vowed to ignore the passers-by. I shot a longer cast to within four feet of the far bank, and once again the fly began to slowly crawl downstream. This time a balding gentleman inquired as to whether I was fishing for stocked fish. Again I made the mistake of turning to look at him before answering, and again Trevor shouted to set the hook. I raised the rod tip and felt the throb of a slightly heavier fish, and in a short amount of time I held a ten inch brook trout in my hand.

Slivery Bright

During the last half hour some dark clouds materialized in the western sky, and as I released my second catch, we heard a loud clap of thunder. This was our warning signal, and we reeled up our lines and returned to the car. I quickly removed my waders and stashed my gear and rod in order to avoid the possibility of executing this routine under sheets of rain back at my car.

As we returned to Estes Park, we decided to stop for beers at the Estes Park Brewery. We sampled some free tasters, and then we moved upstairs where Trevor ordered and devoured a burger, waffle fries and IPA; while I sipped a Redrum Ale. When we finished, Trevor returned me to the Santa Fe, where I once again transferred my gear. Trevor departed, and since the rain had passed, I grabbed my lunch and ate it at a convenient picnic table next to the raging Big Thompson River. It was still quite early in the day, and I pondered the idea of traveling south through Boulder and then heading west to scout out two ponds in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. I read about Slough Pond and Kiley Pond on the DOW stocking report, and I was curious to check them out and perhaps catch a few fish to finish out the day.

I made the trip, and used US 36 to reach the north edge of Boulder until I turned on to Broadway. Broadway conveniently traversed the university town and transitioned into CO 93. I followed 93 until I was near Golden, CO, and then I turned right and negotiated numerous curves and climbs until I reached Golden Gate Canyon State Park. A mere mile beyond the visitor center I spotted Slough Pond on the left, and it was quite small and deserved the title of pond. A short distance beyond Slough, a parking lot appeared on the right, and a Colorado State Parks sign announced that I arrived at Kiley Pond. This body of water was roughly 1/3 of the size of Sprague Lake, and at least six other vehicles occupied the small parking lot. Quite a few fishermen were scattered along the banks, and this suggested that the DOW stocking report is popular with other Colorado residents.

A dark gray cloud was visible to the west, so I decided to save time and skip the process of putting on my waders. Shore fishing was the name of the game here, so why bother? I quickly pulled on my backpack and front pack and removed my Loomis two piece from the rod case. I wore my fleece as well as my raincoat to combat the biting wind, but as I turned to stride toward the pond, strong blasts of air accompanied by sheets of rain confronted my being. In an instant the parking lot was filled with scrambling anglers, many dressed in T-shirts and shorts, as they sought the shelter of their cars. Without giving it a second thought, I returned to my car and hit the tailgate button and reversed my recent actions. The lack of waders lowered my standing on the comfort index below the X axis, as the windblown raindrops drenched my jeans.

Monday turned out to be an eventful day, but most of the events had nothing to do with landing fish. The Big Thompson is likely off my destination list for at least four weeks, and Trevor and I stumbled into casting classes on Sprague Lake. We also discovered that Rocky Mountain National Park is a popular tourist destination in early June. I weathered several thunderstorms and scouted out a possible stillwater destination to satisfy my fly fishing addiction until the rivers and streams subside. The highlight of the day was spending time with Trevor and sampling some craft beers at the Estes Park Brewery.

Fish Landed: 2

South Platte River – 06/01/2017

Time: 11:00AM – 2:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 06/01/2017 Photo Album

After a successful day on South Boulder Creek I chose to visit the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon on Thursday June 1. I invited my fishing friend John to join me, and we arrived next to the river to begin our day of fly fishing a bit before 11AM. The air temperature was in the middle sixties, and the sunshine made it feel more comfortable. A fishing shirt over a quick dry T-shirt served as my only upper body layers. The single most important factor that influenced my decision to fish the South Platte River was the favorable stream flows of 65 cfs, and as I waded into the river, I confirmed that conditions were in fact as documented.

Attractive Section of the South Platte River

Between 11AM and 2PM I covered a significant amount of water and landed nine trout. None of the netted fish stood out, and all were in the eight to thirteen inch range. Three trout revealed themselves to be rainbows and cutbows, and the remainder were brown trout. Despite their lack of size, they all exhibited a feisty nature and battled heroically to evade the hook points of my flies.

Most of my success stemmed from the beadhead hares ear; however, the fat Albert, ultra zug bug and soft hackle emerger each accounted for a fish as well. During the first hour I utilized the dry/dropper method and featured the yellow fat Albert, beadhead hares ear nymph and ultra zug bug. Midway through this period I swapped the ultra zug bug for a salvation nymph, but the fish demonstrated a distinct preference for the hares ear. Unlike previous trips to the Eleven Mile section of the South Platte River, the fish did not aggressively grab the hares ear, and success required a decent amount of movement and casting to likely pockets and runs.

Just before I broke for lunch at 12:30 I set the hook on some aquatic vegetation, and the force of my rod movement catapulted the flies into a pine branch twenty feet above me. I quickly determined that the flies were out of reach, so I grabbed the line with both hands with my rod tip pointed directly at the flies and applied slow steady pressure. Pop! The leader broke above the fat Albert, and all three flies dangled in a taunting position high above me.

I retooled with a size 10 Chernobyl ant and a beadhead hares ear, and then I found a nice grassy spot on the bank to enjoy my midday repast. After lunch I continued with the Chernobyl and hares ear, but the smaller foam surface fly induced numerous refusals and momentary hookups. Clearly the relatively low flows had the South Platte River trout looking toward the surface, but what where they keying on?

Cutbow Was the Best Fish on Thursday

Some dark clouds appeared in the southwest, so I pulled on my raincoat. The increased darkness provoked a very sparse blue winged olive hatch, but it also created a vexing glare. In an effort to counteract the visibility conundrum, I tied a medium olive bodied stimulator to my line, but this simply generated a couple refusals. I downsized to a size 14 gray caddis, but this also failed to generate interest. My friend John was experiencing some success with a parachute adams, so I scanned my fly box and settled on a size 18 CDC BWO. This fly lasted through a couple prime spots, but it was nearly impossible to follow in the dim light, glare and swirly water.

I was about to abandon the tiny CDC olive, when I spotted a solitary mayfly as it glided upward from the surface of the water. This natural was much larger than the minute olives, and I surmised it was an early pale morning dun. Could the fish be opportunistically feeding on these early season PMD’s? I knotted a size 18 cinnamon comparadun to my line and gave it a fair trial, but my theory collapsed with the resounding lack of interest from the resident trout.

In a last ditch effort to capitalize on the brief and sparse baetis hatch, I reverted to a yellow fat Albert along with the hares ear and a size 20 soft hackle emerger. Shortly after the change a rainbow trout snatched the soft hackle emerger from some riffles. Thoughts of hot action on BWO nymphs and emergers danced through my head, but the optimism was misplaced. I did manage to land a few more fish on the hares ear during this second dry/dropper application.

At 2 o’clock John and I decided to drive to a different section. We gave the river another decent opportunity to produce, and I exchanged the soft hackle emerger for an emerald caddis pupa. I hoped that the emerald color would capture the attention of the suddenly lockjawed trout. I did manage to land a small brown trout to increment the fish counter to nine, but that would be my last bit of action. As I was moving upstream at a rapid pace, a size 12 cream colored stonefly floated by, and this prompted me to try a yellow size 12 stimulator, but the fish were oblivious to my fluffy imitation. In the past a size 12 yellow Letort hopper has produced when golden stoneflies are present, so I tied one to my line along with a beadhead hares ear and the emerald caddis. Despite my theories and persistent fly changes, I could not coax any more action from the South Platte River.

At 3:45 I strolled back to meet John, and we agreed to call it quits. Although 65 cfs is preferable to raging run off and poor clarity, it was a bit below the ideal range. The bottom of the river is covered with a bright green algae, and the dropper nymphs constantly picked up scum. This compromised my favorite dry/dropper method of fishing. In addition many spots that normally yield fish were too low, and this reduced the prime fish holding locations to deeper runs and pockets.

John switched to a dry fly before I did, and he experienced decent success. By the time I made the transition, the dim light and glare became a factor, and I quickly lost confidence in my small dry fly offerings. Thursday was a fair day of fishing particularly for the run off time frame, but it was beneath my expectations for the stretch of the South Platte River that normally produces banner action. As always the scenery was spectacular, and I remain thankful for the opportunity to fish in beautiful Colorado.

Fish Landed: 9