Monthly Archives: May 2023

Myrarkvisl River – 05/20/2023

Time: 9:00AM – 11:00AM

Location: Beat 2, Pools 31 – 26

Myrarkvisl River 05/20/2023 Photo Album

Guide’s Patch

When I woke up on Saturday morning at the lodge, the wind was once again howling. I wore the same layers as Friday evening. Gilbert maneuvered his 4 Runner over a rough two track, and we began fishing above the wooden bridge in a pool bordered by a high vertical rock wall along the opposite bank. I worked this pool with the eight weight and the black ghost with no success, and then Gilbert switched to a small pink marabou streamer. This move was unappreciated by the fish, so we moved downstream to a horseshoe-shaped bend. I told Gilbert I was concerned about the strain on my elbow due to backhand casting in the wind, so he assembled a six weight and converted to a strike indicator nymphing setup with a locking Thingamabobber, split shot and squirmy wormy. The gel type fly did not produce, so he swapped it for a bright pink San Juan worm, and that did the trick.

Below This Bend Was a Prime Spot

On the first cast into some nervous, riffled water, a robust fifteen inch brown trout chowed on the worm. Gilbert told me the tippet was 2X, so I horsed the fish a bit more than I should have, but it worked out, and I gazed at a very colorful Icelandic brown trout. In another area with many conflicting currents, I landed a second brown of approximately thirteen inches on the San Juan worm. We tried a few more attractive pools between 10:15 and 11:00, but the constantly gusting wind was taxing my arm and casting, so we called it quits by 11:00AM. Based on my two stints on the river, I can foresee the fun that could be in my future should the wind abate.

Fish Landed: 2

Myrarkvisl River – 05/19/2023

Time: 5:00PM – 7:30PM

Location: Pools 51, 50, and 46.5

Myrarkvisl River 05/19/2023 Photo Album

After getting acclimated at the lodge I met my guide, Gilbert, and I found waders and wading boots with a perfect fit for my small stature. I was concerned about this issue, but the waders and boots actually fit better than my own. As we prepared to depart for an evening of fishing, the wind howled, and I was skeptical that we would even fish. I wore my long sleeve Columbia undershirt, a fishing shirt, my melanzana fleece hoodie, my light down North Face parka, and a rain shell; and I was comfortable for my 2.5 hours on the water.

Gilbert is a guide from Sweden in his fifth year of guiding with Iceland Fishing Guides, and we piled into his “new” used Toyota Four Runner with 210,000 miles. During the course of the 2.5 hours we passed through three crude farm gates, and we moved from pool to pool. I think we covered four such sections on the river.

Reminded Me of the North Platte

The fishing approach did not vary, only the casting. I was offered an eight weight rod with a weight forward head, and the working end contained a black ghost size 6. Gilbert ties his own flies, and the black ghost was one of his own. I spent my time shooting casts across or at a forty-five degree angle, and then stripping the streamer back in a big arc across the current. The pools were generally  deep slower moving troughs, but I also applied this technique to a couple nice deep entering riffles at the top of the pools.

Holding the Prize

In the second pool, as I paused the retrieve at the end of the swing, I felt a forceful bump, and reacted with a swift hookset. The fight was on, and after a spirited battle I edged a gorgeous silvery and spotted brown trout into Gilbert’s net. Needless to say, I was thrilled with this start to my Iceland adventure. Prior to the first catch, I also experienced a very brief bump, and Gilbert said it was a short strike. A short swirl was another predecessor to my landed trout.

Number Two

After a second pool we dropped into an area with steeper banks, and Gilbert had me switch to roll casting because of the high wind. Eventually the cross wind became so ridiculous, that I was executing (poorly) a form of spey casting with a downstream roll cast, and then an upstream flip and then a roll. In the third pool, which I assessed as the best, there was a nice deep boil above a series of stream improvement rocks. I made several swings through the pool, and we spotted a single swirl five feet above the rocks. Gilbert helped me swing the streamer through the area of the swirl with verbal direction, and a strong smash ensued. Wham! I stripped and connected with a fat seventeen inch brown. The fight followed, and I succeeded in landing the beast.

Sheep Jam

By the fourth pool the wind accelerated to dangerous levels, and Gilbert suggested that we call it a day, so we headed back to the lodge for dinner. Friday was a great introduction to my Iceland fishing adventure.

Fish Landed: 2

Iceland Day 4 – 05/17/2023

Iceland Day 4 05/17/2023 Photo Album

Rainbow Road

After spending the night in Egilstaor; Amy, Jane and I drove to Seyoisfjordur. We crested a ridge and rounded a curve, and the small town spread out before us with an out of place cruise ship/ferry anchored in the small harbor. Apparently the small artsy town on the northest coast is the end point for European travelers crossing the North Atlantic. We strolled about the small village, and this included viewing the rainbow path, the small blue church and hiking to a narrow waterfalls. Across from the falls was a small circular dock area with a number of picturesque fishing trawlers.

Looking Well Maintained

From Seyoisfjordur we reversed direction back to Egilstaor and then continued to the basalt canyon named Stuolagil, but Apple maps led us to a two-rut lane that was barely more than a cow path. After .5 mile we decided this drive was not feasible, so we turned around and discovered road signs to Stuolagil. The sign offered an option that involved a 10K hike into the canyon, but time did not allow this choice, so we drove to Gund with an amazing metal staircase that led to an overlook platform. Amy and Jane counted steps in excess of two hundred.

Loved These Curled Versions

Krafla Geothermal Area

The next couple of hours took us to a stop call Krafla in the Lake Myvatn area, where we completed a brief stroll among fumaroles, mud pots, and hot water pools. It was Yellowstonesque with the eerie steaming landscape. From Krafla we headed to our final destination at Myrarkvisl Lodge. Google maps took us within one mile, but we missed the turnoff, and I called Matti, who walked us through directions to the lodge between broken signals and wind noise.

On Friday night we shared the lodge with Pamela and Brian, and the guides joined us along with Chef Gunsi for a superb pork chop dinner with sweet potatoes, sweet corn and aioli salad over bread. Dessert was a superb vanilla flavored skyr with cinnamon biscuit topping.

Iceland Day 3 – 05/18/2023

Iceland Day 3 05/18/2023 Photo Album

Thursday began with another incredible continental breakfast deluxe. Skyr, pastries, and an assortment of fresh fruit were favorites on my plate. Once again we filled up with fuel and snacks, and we were off to the Hoffellsjokul Glacier. Our itinerary mentioned that the road from the highway to the glacier was a bit rough, and this prompted us to rent a 4X4 (Mitsubishi Outlander). While cautiously traveling the secondary road that led to the rough two-track, Jane spotted an arctic fox 75 yards away. It paused to look at us, and I snapped a pair of photos using my maximum telephoto (which is not that great). before it pranced off. The arctic fox is clearly identifiable in the photo, although rather small. Later, at the fishing lodge, the locals told us that we were lucky, as Arctic fox sightings are rare.

A Rare Arctic Fox Spotted

Huddled

Amy was in the driver’s seat, and the gravel road was indeed a bit rough, but we have driven worse in Colorado. The worst part was a small stream crossing at the outset, but Amy literally rocked it. The short hike over a steep hill revealed a panoramic view of a huge glacier lagoon littered with massive ice blocks. The initial view was another wow moment of our trip. We actually encountered another couple, as we returned on the trail. Near the start of the return drive, we temporarily veered off the main road, but a deep gully prevented us from straying too far, and we managed to correct and rejoined the main two-track. When we reached the stream crossing, a reindeer was staring at us from the opposite bank. I jumped out of the car to make a video of the creek crossing, and the reindeer ambled away unconcerned. Amy selected a different line on this crossing and once again mastered it.

Boneyard

From Hoffellsjokull we reversed direction and passed through Hofn and continued a short distance to Vestrahorn. Amy and Jane enjoyed Viking waffles at the lodge, and I downed a ham panini. Afterward we paid our 3000 IKR and drove the short road to a parking lot and completed a one mile round trip hike to the Viking village and farm. The site was pretty lame except for some thatched roof buildings and a Viking ship replica.

Churning Surf

Our next stop was a second parking lot near the shoreline. We were seeking a black beach with grassy tussocks, but instead we got drenched in a soaking rain before reaching a lighthouse and decommissioned NATO radar station. The wind was blowing the rain sideways, and the severe test of my old tan Columbia raincoat taught me that it was not a viable outer layer for fishing.

A Falls on the Way to Egilstaoir

The next segment of our drive was a two hour journey along the fjord country of eastern Iceland. Route 1 hugged the shoreline and provided classic views of the Icelandic coast. When we reached the western edge of the deepest fjord, we veered on to a gravel road that climbed in a steep ascent through dense fog. This bit of dicey driving was unexpected, but as usual Amy mastered it. From the high point on the pass we descended along a high gradient stream and eventually arrived in Egilstaoir and found our hotel, Lake Hotel Egilsstaoir. We debated going to the Vok floating baths, but decided to forego this option for dinner at the Salt Bistro followed by wine in the lobby of the hotel. Dinner consisted of two vegan pizzas and a maugherita pizza, and we created a large quantity of leftovers.

Iceland Day 2 – 05/17/2023

Iceland Day 2 05/17/2023 Photo Album

A night with one hour of sleep caught up with us, and we slept twelve hours in our comfortable room at the Kria Inn. Jane woke up Amy and I at 8:00AM, as she thought the Kria Inn breakfast ended at 9:00AM, but we made it with plenty of time to spare. The breakfast buffet was amazing with Icelandic bread, smooth yogurt, and delicious pastries.

Rocks and Surf

Black Pebbles on the Beach

After breakfast we crossed the street to the discount store, where we bought an assortment of snacks. I actually found pretzel sticks to feed my addiction, but they were called Saltletts. We also purchased a second electrical adaptor and gasoline and then headed east a short distance to Reynisfjarabeach. From there we could also see the famous rock formation, Dyrholaey. The beach was black sand and shiny black pebbles, and the rock façade consisted of vertical and diagonal basalt rock sections separated by cracks and fissures. After a short out and back hike along the beach, we returned to the rental car, but that was not before once again running into the trio of men who sat behind us on the plane.

We Hiked to the Bridge

We jumped back on the coastal highway and drove for two hours to the Svartifoss Falls. Here we hiked for thirty minutes to the base of the falls, before we turned around and ambled back to the car. The hike was relatively short but steep, and the falls were nice but not as impressive as Seljalandfoss.

Tons of Ice

I Was Enthralled with This Iceberg

Once again we hit the road and reached Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in plenty of time to meet our scheduled boat trip. What a place! Huge icebergs cluttered the outlet from the glacier, as the lagoon eddied in a big circle. The amphibious craft took us into the more open water behind the iceberg bottleneck. While we waited for our time to board, we spotted three seals (or were they sea lions?) frolicking in the icy lagoon (Brrr!). After the boat ride we checked out Diamond Beach, but it was devoid of the anticipated ice crystals.

Suited Up for the Glacier Game

After Diamond Beach we pressed on to the coastal town of Hofn (pronounced Hop), and along the way we spotted nine grazing reindeer. When we entered the small town, we headed directly to the Kaffi Hornid, but while waiting in line to be seated, a man appeared to announce that the restaurant was having technical difficulties, and we could return later. Our stomachs grumbled, so we found our second choice, Z Bistro, where we enjoyed fish and chips and a lobster sandwich. While in the parking lot at Kaffi Hornid, Amy was accosted by an extremely furry cat, and she was naturally compelled to pet it. We agreed that the heavy coat was appropriate for the weather of Iceland.

Iceland Day 1 – 05/16/2023

Iceland Day 1 05/16/2023 Photo Albums

As an avid fly fisherman for the last forty years, I devoured a lot of literature about destinations, and Iceland has always been an intriguing place for me. Fast forward to the Fly Fishing Show in Denver in early February, and I attended a presentation by Matti of Iceland Fishing Guides. Matti’s talk excited me tremendously, and I decided at that moment that I wanted to visit Iceland in 2023. When I returned home, I announced my decision to Jane, and she expressed an interest in accompanying me, although she does not fly fish. I sent a text message to Matti, and Jane and I met him for coffee at the Gaylord Resort on Saturday to ask additional questions about activities for Jane for the four days that I planned to fly fish. Ultimately Jane and I decided to invite our daughter, Amy, to join us; and Amy readily agreed. This provided Jane with a compatible traveling companion for the entire trip, but most importantly for the four days that I was committed to fish with Iceland Fishing Guides.

Once we settled on the three person traveling party, Matti’s team put together an itinerary, and after a few tweaks, the trip plan was finalized. We were scheduled to fly to Reykjavik, rent a car and drive the southern and eastern ring, while sightseeing along the way, before arrival at the Myrarkvisl lodge for fly fishing.

On Monday, May 15, 2023 the plan became a reality; as Jane, Amy and I arrived at Denver International Airport. We hopped on our Jet Blue flight in Denver and landed at Logan International Airport in Boston on time and without a hitch. We endured a four hour layover in Boston before boarding the Icelandic Air flight at 6:30PM for Reykjavik. Dinner consisted of Asian fast food in the international terminal. Amy, Jane and I occupied the three middle seats on our transatlantic four hour flight. I attempted to sleep in an awkward upright position and possibly logged an hour of rest.

Upon our arrival at Keflavik Airport, we passed through customs without a glitch. My decision to rely on Iceland Fishing Guide equipment and flies helped expedite the customs process. There was a problem with the baggage carousel, so we waited an inordinate amount of time in our grumpy, hungry state.

Waiting for Breakfast Upon Arrival

Finally the bags arrived, and we proceeded to the Europcar counter, where we obtained our Mitsubishi Outlander (Mitsy) for our time in Iceland. I took my phone off airport mode and absorbed the $10 daily pass charge for international usage, so we could navigate from the airport to downtown Reykjavik. Using the Lonely Planet guidebook we selected the Kaffivagnimm Restaurant in the Old Harbor area for our breakfast destination, and Amy completed the 45 minute drive.

A Euro summit was in progress in the downtown area, but the restaurant was outside the security zone, so we had no trouble finding a parking space. The restaurant did not open for food until 8AM, but we entered and found a table and sipped coffees and tea for twenty minutes. The counter man took our orders of breakfast plates, and shortly after eight o’clock our meals arrived. The other patrons of the “oldest restaurant in Reykjavik” were crusty, old retired men (like me). Also, ironically while we ate our breakfasts, the three gentlemen who were seated behind us on the flight from Boston, arrived. What were the chances?

Downtown Reykjavik

After breakfast we returned to the Outlander and drove to a parking lot near the center of the city. Our parking was constrained somewhat by the barricaded streets caused by the summit conference. The signs in the parking lot were in Icelandic, so we also had reservations about the meaning, but Amy and Jane worked out payments, and we were never ticketed. We spent the next hour strolling the quaint streets of Reykjavik. The capital has a very small town feel with very neat and brightly colored buildings and a very Scandinavian look.

Seljalandfoss 2

The Iceland Wellers

After roaming the downtown area, we returned to the car and drove to Seljalandfoss waterfalls. This trip took us along the southern coast littered with small farms, sheep, and Icelandic horses. The waterfalls was amazing, and there were a series of smaller falls farther north on the trail. Jane, Amy and I hiked behind the falls, and in the process absorbed a bit of water, but the dampness was justified by the unique experience. Once again we encountered the three seat mates from our flight, as they were likewise visiting the waterfalls.

Spring Flowers in the Creek Below the Falls

Our next and final stop on Tuesday was the Hotel Kria. We checked in early and took two hour naps, before heading to The Soup Company in Vik for a splendid meal of homemade bread, Icelandic lamb soup, and topped off with a shared slice of caramel apple pie.

South Platte River – 05/10/2023

Time: 11:30AM – 4:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 05/10/2023 Photo Album

When I first considered a day of fishing on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, the weather forecast was very encouraging. The high temperature at Lake George was anticipated to be in the upper sixties with partly cloudy skies and wind speeds in the ten to eleven mile range. The hour by hour forecast predicted a thirty to forty percent probability of rain after 3PM. In retrospect after experiencing the day, the weather was very adverse. Heavy clouds were present all day with only thirty minutes, at most, of sunshine. In the early afternoon my fishing companion, Nate, and I heard rumbling in the western sky, so we found a large rock overhang and huddled there, until the lightning and thunder abated. After resuming our fishing, another storm cell rolled in, and in this case we absorbed heavy rain showers and small hail pellets. The remainder of the afternoon reflected the forecast with periods of rain, wind and overcast for the last 1.5 hours. Fortunately I packed a fleece hoodie and my New Zealand billed hat with earflaps, or our quitting time may have been munch sooner than 4PM.

Once again my young fishing partner, Nate, accompanied me on this adventure. Nate is an experienced spin and bait fisherman, but a relatively novice fly angler, and I really wanted to introduce him to a productive piece of water, that would position him to set new standards for quantity of fish landed. The good news is that he accomplished that goal. The bad news is that he suffered through the same adverse weather conditions that tested me throughout the day.

I chose the South Platte River at Eleven Mile Canyon because the flows were in the 77 CFS range, and the major freestones in Colorado were already demonstrating the impact of seasonal run off with high and murky conditions. In addition, I visited the South Platte quite a few times in 2023 in the area, and I had yet to be disappointed. Nate and I met at a convenient park and ride, and we continued our trip to the river, so that we were positioned to begin fishing by 11:30AM. The river displayed a slight tinge, but the flows were as advertised in the upper 70 to low 80 range. I chose to fish the left bank, and Nate moved along the right shoreline, which was closest to the fisherman path.

Intense

In the early going I featured a yellow fat Albert, beadhead hares ear nymph and salvation nymph, and before we broke for lunch, I managed to net three brown trout in the eight to ten inch range. All three munched on the hares ear. Nate, meanwhile, offered a foam hopper, and then knotted an emerald caddis pupa below followed by a chartreuse copper john. Eventually the copper john was swapped for a beadhead hares ear.

Early Going

Sure Bet

After lunch, Nate began to register trout at a regular pace. I noticed a series of rises, and not wanting to consume the time necessary to make a full conversion to a dry fly, I exchanged the salvation nymph for a RS2. The RS2 produced a fish or two, but the rises stopped, and that signaled an end to the subsurface action as well. I knew from surveying the quality of the water, that I was skipping fish, so I reconfigured with a prince nymph on top and the hares ear on the bottom. This move paid strong dividends, as the fish count began to climb at a steady pace. There was a streak when the prince was on fire, but eventually the hares ear resumed its status as the top producer.

Big Smile

On Display

Protected from the Elements

During this time period the first thunderstorm forced us to seek shelter under a small rock ledge overhead. When we returned, I made an excessive hook set with no resistance and hurled my flies into an evergreen branch behind me. I had swapped the fat Albert for a tan pool toy hopper, and I could see the hopper relatively close to the trailing nymphs. I acknowledged that retrieval was unlikely, so I applied direct pressure and snapped off the three flies. I was not a happy camper. I replaced the prince and hares ear with like flies, but for the surface fly I returned to a fat Albert.

Cast Over White Water?

For the remainder of the afternoon Nate and I worked our way up the river along opposite banks, and we raised our fish counters significantly. Nate tallied eleven landed trout, before we adjourned at 4PM, and I elevated my count to twenty-six. Most of Nate’s success came from the hares ear, but he also notched two feeders on the emerald caddis pupa and one eager trout that gobbled the hopper pattern. In my case I estimate that sixty percent of my catch was attributable to the hares ear and forty percent to the prince. I believe that the larger prince helped sink my flies, and this aided in my strong afternoon showing. Nate achieved double digits on flies for the first time, and he also netted the fish of the day, a fine wild fourteen inch brown trout.

Long and Lean

Most of my fish were in the eight to eleven inch range with a pair of twelve inchers topping the measuring tape. There was one period during the second thunderstorm, when both of us were pelted by heavy rain and then slanted ice pellets, but this lasted for ten minutes and then moved on. My top locations were deep runs along fast moving current and long and deep pockets. The trout seemed to favor positions at the tail of the soft water, where currents merged and concentrated food. Slow moving pools were not productive, although the sections that we fished did not offer much in the way of deep slow moving water. The size of my fish was somewhat understated, but I had a blast moving quickly and prospecting upstream and landing trout at a steady pace. Nate, of course, was euphoric after his record day, and he was the proud owner of the largest fish landed.

Fish Landed: 26

South Platte River – 05/08/2023

Time: 10:30AM – 4:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 05/08/2023 Photo Album

I reviewed the flows on Colorado streams, and it was apparent that many of the freestones were already impacted by the developing snow melt on May 8, so I turned my attention to tailwaters. When I noticed that the flows on the South Platte River at Lake George were 77 CFS, I immediately turned my attention to that popular tailwater. The weather forecast suggested high temperatures in the upper sixties with wind speeds peaking in the low double digits.

I began my drive at 7:30AM, and this placed me at a favorite pullout along the river by 10:00AM. The air temperature, as I prepared to fish by my tailgate was in the low fifties, so I tugged on my fleece hoodie and stuffed my raincoat in my backpack. I was properly attired for the entire day, although from 3PM to 4PM some dark clouds rolled in, and this development in turn caused constant cold gusting winds. I was close to the end of the day, so I never took the necessary steps to remove my frontpack and backpack to access my raincoat as a windbreaker. I paid the price for this laziness, as I was quite chilled, while I walked back to the car.

Started Here

I fitted together my four piece Sage R8 four weight, and I decided to walk down the dirt road for .3 mile to a section of pocket water that I love. I passed an SUV with Texas plates along the way, and as I was about to reach my chosen starting point, I encountered another angler next to his Jeep Wrangler preparing to fish. Not wishing to invade his space, I reversed direction and went upstream to the bend next to the road and fished up the river from there through a wide section with numerous pockets and runs of moderate to shallow depth. I began with an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, a beadhead hares ear nymph and a salvation nymph, and I probed all the pockets and runs that displayed adequate depth to harbor trout. During this phase of my day I landed four small trout. One smashed the chubby, and two nipped the hares ear, and the fourth trout nabbed an RS2, that I substituted for the salvation nymph.

A Bit Larger Rainbow

At 11:45PM I exhausted the pocket water section, and I was concerned that I would invade the space of the Texan, so I climbed the bank to the road and hiked upstream, until I was a good distance above the Texas couple. The female of the pair was entertaining herself by walking two dogs, as her partner fished the river. I crossed the river and then hiked along the far bank for thirty yards, at which point I fished back up the river through a fast and deep section with a narrow bank of soft water between the heavy main flow and the banks. I was certain that an opportunistic trout would grab the RS2, as I swung it along the bank; but, alas, that was not the case.

Above the narrow chute I encountered a long deep slow moving pool, and a pod of fish began to rise to something quite miniscule. I observed the surface for a bit in hopes of identifying the food source, but I never saw anything on the water or above the surface. I decided to fish on top, and I removed the dry/dropper components and tied on a peacock hippie stomper and size 22 CDC blue wing olive. For the next fifteen minutes I fluttered the double dry to the pod of risers, but they fed around my fly but never ate my fake. The rising activity waned, so I adjourned to the bank and ate my lunch. After lunch a few rises resumed upstream from my position, and after quite a few fruitless casts, a ten inch rainbow trout crushed the hippie stomper for fish number five.

I released the small rainbow and continued my progression, however, the nature of the river changed to another section of fast flows and attractive pocket water. I decided to once again modify my approach, and I converted back to a dry/dropper. For this dry/dropper pass through the pocket water I resorted to a yellow fat Albert, a beadhead hares ear nymph, and I retained the classic RS2. A small brown rewarded me in one of the short pockets, and the fish count rested on six, as I approached a very long pool section.

Next to the Exposed Rock on Right Produced

I was not generating much action in the deep slow moving sections of the river, but I decided to cover the water with a few casts, before I moved to the generally more productive entering riffles to the pool. A strong run flowed along the far bank, so I placed a cast along the seam and allowed my flies to slowly drift downstream. On the third such pass, the fat Albert made a dive, and I immediately set the hook. I was shocked to hear a loud suction sound, as a large fish swirled, upon feeling the hook penetrate. I instantly knew that this fish was larger than the ten to twelve inchers that occupied my net thus far in the day. Sure enough, after several heart pounding dives and spurts, I caught a glimpse of my catch, and it was a huge rainbow trout. The underwater behemoth shot downstream several times, and I responded by releasing line. I maintained steady pressure and coaxed the elongated football upstream. When it reached the middle of the river across and below me, it executed an aerial leap, and then crashed back down with a thunderous splash. In a stroke of unusual fish fighting acumen I lowered my rod tip to avoid tippet shock from the heavy weight landing. I had a great view of my river foe, and it was a rainbow trout in excess of twenty inches with a torpedo shaped body. The fight continued, and I applied steady pressure and coaxed the heavy resistance upstream very gradually. Clearly this trout was larger than my net, so I began slowly wading up the river toward a place, where there was a shallow gravel shoreline. I hoped to guide the beast up onto the beach in case the net would not encompass the entire body. I was almost there, when the rainbow caught a second wind, and it flapped its tail and slid back to the middle to heavier current. Somehow in the process of doing this, it rolled over the line, and I noticed that the hares ear and fat Albert were now wrapped around and behind the head. At this point there was not much I could do other than swear, as the valiant foe turned and snapped off all three flies at a surgeons knot above the fat Albert. I could see the large yellow foam fly move downstream for ten feet, and then it disappeared. The reader can imagine my state of mind after this physical battle on the South Platte River.

Acceptable

Slack Water Was Ideal

I paused to gather my senses, and I waited for my body to stop shaking from the adrenalin rush, and I replaced the lost flies. I pulled out another yellow fat Albert, and did the same for the hares ear and RS2 and continued prospecting. In a short amount of time I landed a twelve inch rainbow on the RS2, but it was small consolation for the prize fish that escaped my capture. The catch rate slowed to a halt, and I considered my next move. The RS2 seemed ineffective, and I saw no evidence of BWO’s, although I never actually saw them during the surface feeding time frame, so I decided to replace the RS2 with an emerald caddis pupa. Why? I have no idea other than the fact that caddis season on the South Platte was approaching, and the emerald colored pupa has historically been effective during tough fishing periods.

Best Brown of the Day

The move worked, and I fished the three fly dry/dropper combination for the remainder of the afternoon, as I boosted the fish count from seven to fourteen. Most of the afternoon fish were in the nine to eleven inch range, but I also managed a pair of thirteen inch browns and a similar sized rainbow. The emerald caddis was the food of choice for all the afternoon fish, and the first pupa unraveled, so I replaced it with a fresh version.

A fourteen fish day in May is a respectable accomplishment, but I never felt the confidence that accompanies finding a fly that consistently produces trout. The emerald caddis was close, but I cast to many very attractive spots with no response, so I was not totally dialed in. Of course the story of the day was the one that got away. I will remember that battle for quite a while. I actually feel like I did quite well to maintain contact for five to ten minutes with a size 20 RS2 on a 4X tippet.

Fish Landed: 14

Arkansas River – 05/03/2023

Time: 10:30AM – 4:00PM

Location: Big Horn Sheep Canyon

Arkansas River 05/03/2023 Photo Album

Wednesday, May 3 marked my annual attempt to intersect with the Arkansas River caddis hatch. I am pleased to report that I found it; however, I did not succeed in finding the elusive leading edge of the emergence. In 33 years of fly fishing in Colorado, I made the journey to the Arkansas River nearly every spring, but I only hit the sweet spot of the leading edge three times. 2023 was not one of them.

The high temperature was forecast to peak at 73 degrees on Wednesday, and the fly shop reports suggested that the caddis were in the vicinity of Salida, so I made the trip to the river below the popular rafting town. I arrived at my chosen pullout by 10:00AM, and two cars preceded me to the parking area. One contained two fly fishermen, and they departed heading east along US 50, before I was ready. The other car belonged to a gentleman, who was doing some sort of maintenance to the cable that crosses the river across from where my car was parked. I planned to fish upstream, and I only encountered one other fisherman during my five plus hours of fishing. I was quite pleased with this fortunate circumstance.

This Type of Water Produced

The air temperature at the start was around sixty degrees, so I pulled on my raincoat for a bit of added warmth, but as I prepared to fish, I felt overheated, so I removed the rain shell and stuffed it in my backpack. My fly rod of choice was my Sage One five weight, as I anticipated tangling with larger fish, and I liked the additional backbone of the five weight to counter the wind and cover the large river. When I was ready, I headed down the gradual path to the river, and began my caddis hatch adventure. To begin my quest I opted for a dry/dropper configuration with an ice dub tan chubby Chernobyl, size 14 prince nymph and a bright green go2 caddis pupa. I progressed along the left bank of the river for quite a distance and through some usually productive riffles and pockets, but by the time I broke for lunch, I could only claim credit for two temporary hook ups. Along the way I swapped the prince for an ultra zug bug, but the late morning was characterized by a lot of futile casting. I tried to impart movement to the flies by swinging them, twitching the rod tip and jigging; but none of these ploys produced the steady action that I anticipated.

Big River

Before lunch I converted to a deep nymphing set up that featured a Thingamabobber, bright green go2 caddis pupa and a RS2. I drifted these flies through a prime deep run and shelf pool, but once again my efforts were stymied in spite of aggressive strips, twitches and swings. I consumed my lunch at 11:45AM, and upon resumption of fly fishing I changed out my flies. I substituted a 20 incher for the top nymph and replaced the RS2 with a bright green caddis pupa with a dubbed body. On the fourth cast to the entering riffle section of the shelf pool, a nice trout grabbed the bright green sparkle pupa, and I avoided a skunking on May 3. I was seriously starting to believe that a zero fish day was a possibility.

Lots of Caddis

Repeat Shot

As the morning developed, it was clear that I was among the epicenter of the caddis hatch. The willows and boulders along the bank were absolutely swarming with caddis, and periodically they would flutter above the water and dap. Surely this activity was attracting the attention of the trout. I decided to forsake the deep nymphing, and I adopted the double dry fly approach. I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my leader as the forward fly, and then I added a size 16 olive-brown deer hair caddis on an eight inch 5X dropper. The hippie stomper was intended to be the indicator fly that enabled me to track the small caddis through riffles and glare.

Bruiser

Another Fine Arkansas River Brown Trout

These flies remained on my line for the remainder of the afternoon except for a very brief period, when I swapped the caddis for a BWO puff. I would not characterize the afternoon fishing as hot action, but I was able to inflate the fish count from one to ten. Among these nine landed fish were two stunning rainbow trout in the fourteen inch range. The remainder were wild and deeply colored brown trout ranging in length from twelve to fourteen inches. By one o’clock the caddis left their streamside perches and clustered over the water and dapped down periodically. When the wind gusted, it knocked caddis on to the surface of the river, and the trout responded. The surface eats were very subtle, but I stumbled across two areas, where multiple fish exposed themselves via dimples in the surface chop, and I was able to leverage these observations to land five trout. The other four trout resulted from persistent blind casting, and two of these net dwellers actually smashed the hippie stomper.

Targeting the Seam Below the Exposed Rock

Caddis Macro

Yikes. Surprise.

Deep slow moving pools and slicks behind large exposed rocks were not productive. My best success occurred in long choppy riffles and troughs with four feet of depth. Nine fish in three hours represents a slightly above average catch rate, but the action was steady, although it required an abundant amount of long casts into the breeze. One of the surprise eaters that resulted from prospecting was a fourteen inch brown trout, and this angler was extremely pleased to see this prize curled in his net.

Foam Is Home

Lovely Spot Pattern

By 4 o’clock the caddis returned to their streamside habitat, and very few adults touched the surface. I covered .5 mile of the river, and the fish count extended to double digits, so I reeled up my line and hooked the caddis adult to the hook guide. Did I achieve my goal of hitting the 2023 grannom caddis hatch? Yes I did, but it was not the crazy drag your fly and catch a fish on every cast bonanza that characterizes the leading edge emergence. Achieving double digits on Wednesday required constant upstream movement, keen observation to notice subtle rises, and solid water reading skills. I drove six hours in order to log 5.5 hours of fishing, but landing ten quality trout made it worthwhile.

Fish Landed: 10

South Platte River – 05/01/2023

Time: 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 05/01/2023 Photo Album

With a string of nice spring weather days in the forecast, I was anxious to take advantage. I managed to land ten trout on Sunday, but they were small and very discerning. I worked hard for ten fish, and I was ready for some new scenery for a day, when the weather was forecast to peak in the low seventies in Denver, CO. I checked all the front range flows, and when I noticed that South Boulder Creek below Gross Dam was rolling along at 40 CFS, I was fairly convinced that a hike into the canyon was my Monday destination. But wait a minute. The ongoing dam expansion project needed to be considered. I brought up the Denver Water construction web page, and the verbiage on the Fisherman Parking lot was confusing and vague. Not wishing to risk another thwarted trip, I decided to shift my attention elsewhere, until I had a chance to call the Denver Water phone number that was provided.

I turned my attention to the old reliable South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon, and the DWR water graph displayed a steady flow in the 50 – 60 CFS range. Perfect. I decided to make the drive once again, but I planned to fish a different section. I departed my house in Denver at 8:15AM, and this enabled me to park and be ready to fish by 11:00AM. The air temperature was around 60 degrees, so I skipped wearing an extra layer and stuffed my raincoat in my backpack just in case. After lunch a series of dark clouds rolled in from the west, and I took advantage of the rain shell to hold in body warmth. For my rod I grabbed my new Sage R8 four weight, and I was off to the river’s edge.

Probably Home to Trout

Morning Prize

My outstanding day can be divided into three discrete periods. At the start near the parking lot I opted for a size 14 peacock hippie stomper, ultra zug bug and beadhead hares ear nymph. This three fly combination was moderately effective, as I built the fish count to five before I paused for a quick lunch at noon. Two fish crushed the hippie stomper, and the other three nabbed the hares ear, but I covered a fair amount of very attractive water with no interest, so I did not feel locked in.

Honey Hole

Actually a Cutbow

Muscular Torpedo

After lunch I noticed a couple sporadic rises, so I decided to exchange the hares ear nymph for a size 20 classic RS2. What a move it turned out to be! I stood to the side and just below a fifty foot long deep run, and I began firing casts to the entering riffle. After a few fruitless long casts, the hippie stomper disappeared, and I found myself attached to a spunky and hard fighting rainbow trout. This scenario repeated itself eight more times, as I apparently stumbled into a rainbow trout party. The last of this rainbow trout windfall was a very thick fourteen inch rainbow, and it put up a heroic fight before surrendering to my net. Fourteen inches does that seem that remarkable, but this trout exhibited excessive girth for its length. This angler was quite pleased. From the same position I shot some casts to another shorter run where the river curled between some exposed boulders, and this redirection yielded two additional rainbows. Finally the action ceased, as I executed five or six fruitless casts, so I ended my second phase of Monday’s fishing and moved upstream to the next section, which was characterized by a narrow streambed and an abundant quantity of deep pockets and short deep runs.

Slick Look Promising

Brief Display

I never observed more than a couple blue winged olive adults earlier, but by now they were totally absent, and the fish were not displaying surface feeding, so I decided to revisit the dry/dropper approach albeit with some larger flies to enable deeper and faster drifts through the deep pockets. I knotted a yellow Amy’s ant with a gray body to my line and trailed a size 14 prince nymph and size 16 salvation nymph. This configuration signified the start of my third period of the day, and once again my change in approach paid huge dividends. I continued working up the river at a steady pace and incremented the fish count from fifteen to twenty-seven, before I stripped in my line and quit for the day. This segment of my day was the type of fly fishing that I thrive on. It was fast paced, as I dumped short casts into likely pockets and deep runs, and I held my rod high to keep the fly line off the water. Three to five casts were sufficient for each target location, and quite often a hungry trout snatched the trailing nymph and quickly found itself languishing in my net. All of the fish during this middle to late afternoon session fell victim to the salvation nymph, and the first normally indestructible fly actually unraveled a bit forcing me to make a change. Several of the deep nymph biters were very healthy brown trout, and I was quite proud to fool these normally wary feeders.

Love the Markings

By 3:30 I reached the top of the fast water section, so I hoofed it back to the car and drove up the road another .4 mile to a new pullout. I quickly tromped down to the river and spent thirty minutes fishing through another pocketwater section, where I secured a couple more rainbows to bring my total to twenty-seven. A lot more attractive water remained upstream, but it was 4:00PM, and I was tired and ready for my return drive.

Monday was easily my best day of the season so far from a numbers perspective, but a previous twenty fish day in Eleven Mile was probably at the top of the list from a quantity and quality perspective. Nevertheless, I relished the fast action and challenge of adjusting to the ever shifting tastes of the wild stream residents of the South Platte. Hopefully I can get quite a few additional successful days in before permanent run off and a trip planned to Iceland.

Fish Landed: 27