Author Archives: wellerfish

Arkansas River – 05/11/2026

Time: 11:00AM – 2:00PM

Location: Buena Vista area

Arkansas River 05/11/2026 Photo Album

If one fly fishes as much as I do, one is bound to experience disappointing days every now and then. Today, May 11, 2026 was one of those days. After a spectacular day on Friday on the Eagle River, I ached to return on Monday; and, in fact, it was my intention to make the drive until Monday morning. That is when I reviewed all my data points, and the stream flow graph depicted an increase in flows from 200 CFS on Friday to the 300 CFS range on Monday morning. 300 CFS on the Eagle River is a manageable level; however, the trend line is what spooked me. Most of the increase occurred within the last two days, and the normal trough in the evening was minimal with the curve bending upward. I decided to not make the two hour drive and instead pivoted to the Arkansas River.

The DWR chart for the Arkansas River at Wellsville and Nathrop presented relatively flat volume in the mid 200 CFS range. The flows remained low and the trend line was stable, thus suggesting nice clear conditions. I made the drive to the Arkansas River in the Buena Vista area, where I experienced decent success in past years.

I arrived by 10:30 and geared up with my Sage One five weight. I always prefer my five weight on the larger rivers in Colorado. The temperature was in the upper 50’s, so I avoided extra layers and stuffed my raincoat in my backpack just in case. I hiked for approximately .2 mile to the river, and I was prepared to cast a bit before 11:00AM. I began with my workhorse lineup of an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, 20 incher and olive perdigon. The nymphs extended three and a half feet below the surface offering.

First Fish

I spent forty-five minutes before my lunch break working my way upstream through some very attractive deep pockets and pools around large exposed boulders, and I managed  to land one small brown trout. I exchanged the perdigon for a sparkle wing RS2 and a bright green caddis pupa, but the only fly that produced was the 20 incher. I did, however, notice three fish that elevated to look at the chubby Chernobyl, before they rejected my fly and returned to their holding lie.

One of Two

The looks and refusals prompted me to move to a double dry fly arrangement that included a peacock hippie stomper and size 14 olive-brown deer hair caddis. I concentrated on the edge of the river in slow moving shelf pools and riffles that bordered large exposed rocks. I assumed that the bright and sunny conditions forced the trout to seek protection from the bankside structure. I landed one additional small brown trout on the trailing caddis, but then a long period of refusals and momentary nips ensued.

Home to a Trout

The trout were mostly refusing both flies, so I implemented a series of changes that included a smaller size 16 caddis, a gray body caddis, a Jake’s gulp beetle, and an olive body size 14 stimulator. Most of these flies induced a refusal or two. Another long period of inactivity caused my confidence to plummet, and I was bored with the situation. There were virtually no insects to spur feeding, and my mind drifted to thoughts other than fly fishing. I decided to cut my losses and ended my day by 2:00PM.

I hiked back to the car and packed my gear and headed to a new spot that I pass every time I journey to the Arkansas River. Monday on the Arkansas River was dead, in spite of what appeared to be ideal spring conditions. The negative was the bright cloudless sky and the absence of insects. I was surprised to see minimal adult caddis activity in the area. I know from past experience that the section contains plenty of trout, but they were not hungry on Monday, or at least they did not like what I placed on the menu.

Fish Landed: 2

Eagle River – 05/08/2026

Time: 10:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: Between Wolcott and Avon

Eagle River 05/08/2026 Photo Album

The euphoria still lingers, as I prepare to log my outing on the Eagle River on May 8, 2026. I was anxious to return after a superb day on 04/20/2026, and Friday became that day, and what a day it was! An appointment on Monday prevented me from making a fishing trip, and adverse weather on Tuesday and Wednesday inhibited thoughts of fly fishing. Thursday was our day to watch the grandsons, so that left Friday. My daughter was visiting from Carbondale, and I was torn between spending time with her or fly fishing. Her visit extended into Saturday, so I opted for the trip to the Eagle River.

Productive Area

When I checked the flows, they were holding around 200 CFS, so the area was probably not affected by the same amount of snow that we received in Denver on Tuesday and Wednesday. The high temperature was projected to peak in the low sixties, so I deemed conditions perfect for a spring outing on the Eagle River.

Amazing Girth

As I have noted many times in this blog, expecting a repeat from a prior visit was unrealistic; but those thoughts were admittedly in my head. I arrived at my designated parking pullout by 10:00AM, and after my usual preparation and a short hike to the river, I was prepared to launch my fly fishing day. The temperature was in the upper fifties, so I pulled on my fleece hoodie and raincoat, and these layers served me well until lunch time, when I removed the raincoat and stuffed it in my backpack. In order to battle larger than average fish, I chose my stout Sage One five weight.

Tail Droop

To begin the day I rigged my line with a three fly dry dropper. My choice for the surface fly was an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, and below it I strung a 20 incher and an olive perdigon. My approach never deviated from these three flies and the dry/dropper methodology over the course of my day on the river, which evolved into 4.5 hours.

Lots of Troughs in This Area

Between 10:30AM and noon I advanced up the river for .1 mile and passed through some moderate riffles and glides, where the river widened quite a bit. I was somewhat skeptical about this structure, but I landed six trout in the morning session. Two of the fish were beneath twelve inches, but four were substantial fish, that I was proud to guide into my net. The best was a slab of a rainbow that probably approached twenty inches, but its weight and girth were more notable than length. A sixteen inch brown was also part of the morning net haul.

Another Model Rainbow

As I advanced up the river, I noticed another angler eighty yards above me, and by noon three other fishermen joined him. I decided to continue up the river to within forty yards of them after lunch, but before I could enact this plan, they departed.

Promising

After lunch I resumed my prospecting, but when I came within forty yards of the area occupied by the fly fishing party that recently departed, I exited the river and walked along the path, until I was above the area they disturbed. At least I thought I was, although I never tracked the three other anglers that were not with the individual that was first evident.

Workhorse Perdigon

My concerns about disturbed water were overwrought, as the pace of action accelerated from the morning. From 12:30PM until 3:30PM I advanced up the river and tossed my dry/dropper in all the likely fish holding structures. During this window of time I observed a number of small blue wing olives but also some gray mayflies that were a bit larger than the tiny BWO’s. I estimate that they were size sixteen. I never saw a single rise, but the trout were quite active on my underwater offerings.

Perfect Fish Home

I elevated the fish count from six at lunch to twenty-five by the end of the day. Five of the landed trout consumed the 20 incher, and the remainder grabbed the olive perdigon. What a workhorse fly! The simple green thread body fly with a copper tungsten bead gets my nymphs in the feeding zone quickly, and the fish loved it.

Big Flipper

A very effective technique was to swing the flies near the end of the drift, particularly after an across river cast through a glide or run of moderate velocity. The trout aggressively grabbed the perdigon, as it began to lift and swing at the tail of the run. I also caught trout with upstream casts, but the across and down was probably the most productive. I probably had another five to ten very brief connections, when the trout grabbed and spit the flies on numerous occasions.

Pretty Fish

What about the quality of these fish? That is what created my euphoria. I already documented the size of the netted fish prior to lunch. The trend continued in the afternoon with numerous trout in the thirteen to sixteen inch range. On the day I estimate that only six out of twenty-five landed fish were beneath the twelve inch threshold. The quality of fish mirrored my 04/20/2026 outing on the Eagle River.

Found It 18 Days Later!

Several outings ago I lost the rubber knob on the end of my homemade wading staff. It was attached with a wood screw, and the screw apparently worked its way loose. I did not realize the loss, until I returned to the car at the end of the day. Toward the end of the day on Friday I was wading along the bank to approach a new position for a cast. I glanced down to safely place my wading boot on a solid spot, and I saw what appeared to be the rubber knob from my wading staff. I attempted to stab it to bring it to the surface, but it was solidly wedged between two rocks. I rolled up my left sleeve, reached down and retrieved the object, and sure enough, it was my lost rubber knob. It still had the wood screw in it. What are the chances of this happening?

Will I return before the run off kicks in for good? I checked the flows today, and they increased from 200 CFS to 250 CFS. There is clearly a run off hump in the river flow graph. The outlook will depend on air temperatures over the next week, but I am certainly on the lookout for another fabulous day on the Eagle River.

Fish Landed: 25

Clear Creek – 05/03/2026

Time: 11:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: Clear Creek Canyon

Clear Creek 05/03/2026 Photo Album

Once again I had difficulty dialing in the fly fishing on a nearby Front Range Stream. Jane and I hiked the newest section of the Peak to Plains Trail on Friday afternoon, and it served as a scouting expedition for this avid angler. I spotted quite a few spots along the newly opened trail that appealed to my fly fishing instincts. With nice weather projected for the next two days, I planned to make a longer trip on Monday, before bad weather arrived on Tuesday and Wednesday, but then a scheduling conflict resulted in a change in plans. Sunday became my alternative to Monday, and Clear Creek and the short drive made sense.

I completed my workout and some gardening chores, and I departed my house in Denver by 10:40AM. I arrived at one of the Peak to Plains parking lots a bit after eleven o’clock, and this enabled me to stand along the edge of the stream ready to fish by 11:30AM. The air temperature was in the upper sixties, so I simply wore my fishing shirt, but I stuffed my raincoat in my backpack in case of cool cloudiness. My classic Sage four weight was assembled and served as my fly rod on Sunday. The canyon was alive with all manner of outdoor enthusiasts including anglers, dog walkers, walkers, runners and cyclists. I am certain rock climbers were also in attendance, but I was not near a popular rock climbing destination.

First Fish Landed

On my hike on Friday I picked out a prime spot to begin my test of new water, but when I arrived a father and daughter were tossing rocks in the creek right next to the large series of pools that I targeted. The dad announced that they would be leaving shortly, so I waded along the north bank downstream for fifty yards. I concluded that I was beyond the impact of the stone tossing crew above me, and I could fish the lower portion of the attractive stretch and then skip the recently disturbed section.

Caddis Eat in This Area

I began my day with a gray chubby Chernobyl, a 20 incher and a bright green sparkle caddis pupa. I quickly moved through the section of moderate riffles, long pockets and deep runs; but no evidence of trout made an appearance. When I arrived at the top of the area, where the rock hounds had been situated, I attempted a backhand cast and snagged a tree limb. I waded out a bit and made an attempt to bend the small tree down to rescue my flies, but the fly grabbing branch was too stiff. Seeing no way to unsnag the flies, I grabbed the line above the chubby Chernobyl and applied direct pressure and snapped off the 20 incher and bright green caddis pupa. I berated my lack of awareness and decided to change my approach.

Rare Brook Trout from Clear Creek

I observed one refusal to the chubby Chernobyl in the early going with no action on the nymphs, so I decided to alter my approach. My early session in recently disturbed water was perhaps not a fair test, but I had a hunch that dries might produce more action. I opted for a peacock hippie stomper and a size 16 olive-brown deer hair caddis, and I began to work upstream at a decent pace while prospecting the caddis in likely holding lies. It worked, sort of.

Brook Trout Came from the Slick above the Whitewater Near the Far Bank

I landed five trout on the double dry lineup with one smashing the hippie stomper and the others rising to crush the deer hair caddis. I actually deployed three different caddis dry flies, as the hackle on the first one got cut by the teeth of a trout, and I switched out the second one to go with a gray body instead of olive-brown. During the main portion of my fishing day, I discovered that I could generate interest by skating the flies on the surface. I cast across and then executed abrupt mends that jerked both flies upstream in an erratic manner. This worked best, when I cast across the creek to some slow moving water along the opposite bank. I admit that this method encouraged a large number of slashing misses or refusals, but I did hook and land two with the skating caddis methodology.

Some Heft to This One

For the last half hour I switched back to dry/dropper mode with a tan pool toy hopper trailing a size 14 prince nymph and a size 16 ultra zug bug. I saw a fair number of caddis flitting about, so I surmised that perhaps egg layers were present, and the prince and ultra zug bug tend to mimic egg laying caddis. I did not take the time to lengthen the dropper, and I was fishing a dry/dropper rig that only extended around three feet deep. I did land one brown on the prince nymph for my only subsurface eat of the day, and that advanced the fish count to six, but I probably should have extended the leader for more depth.

Skated the Flies Under the Branches

I continued a bit longer after fish number six, but then my watch reminded me that it was 3:00PM, and my flies were not clicking in spite of some very attractive water, so I stripped in my line and called it a day.

Size 14 Olive-Brown Deer Hair Caddis

Fortunately I was near a break in the high fence that separates the creek from the trail, so my exit was straightforward. I landed six trout in three hours of fly fishing. Two of the landed fish were browns of around twelve inches, and those were fine catches for Clear Creek. I probably should have skipped the section disturbed by the rock tossers, but it looked pretty amazing. I landed four brown trout, one very small rainbow trout and a ten inch brook trout; so I was a cutthroat away from a grand slam. I suspect the brook trout was the first that I ever landed in Clear Creek. I was outside on a nice spring day with cool temperatures, and I landed some fish. It was a satisfying day for this angler.

Fish Landed: 6

 

Arkansas River – 04/29/2026

Time: 11:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: Big Horn Sheep Canyon

Arkansas River 04/29/2026 Photo Album

With the Arkansas River still moving along at a relatively modest 331 CFS at Wellsville, and a weather forecast suggesting a high of 61 degrees, I decided to pay another visit to
Big Horn Sheep Canyon. The fly shop reports were very vague about the advancement of the caddis hatch, so I decided to expect no caddis interaction and simply fish the river like it does not exist. Chasing the hatch over the last several years has been an exercise in frustration.

I got off to a nice early start and arrived at my chosen parking space along US 50 by 10:30AM. The dashboard display registered 50 degrees, and it was accompanied by a chilling wind, so I pulled on Under Armour undershirt, fleece hoodie and rain shell. These layers proved to be effective throughout the day. For a fly rod I chose my Sage One five weight. It is perfect for the large river, and its stiffness facilitates fighting the wind. I could have used my Scott six weight, but I was concerned about elbow and shoulder fatigue with a lot of casting in my future.

Starting Point

Once I was prepared, I hiked downstream along the bank for approximately .2 mile, and I rigged my line to start with an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, a 20 incher and an olive perdigon. I am embarrassed and sad to report that I lost all three flies to a tree limb. I attempted to direct a cast away from the bank without checking my surroundings, and the backcast lodged high above me. I mounted the bank and considered trying to bend the entire tree down, but I wisely concluded that was a recipe for injury. Instead I applied direct pressure to the line and snapped off the three flies.

Salivating Over This Wide Riffle

Neither fly produced in the first fifteen minutes, so I replaced the olive perdigon with an emerald caddis larva while maintaining the chubby Chernobyl and 20 incher. I wanted the 20 incher for weight, and the chubby Chernobyl was my indicator. My distance from the surface fly to the bottom nymph was 4. 5 feet, as I planned to probe deep in the large river.

Getting Larger

The 20 incher finally produced a small brown trout, but the caddis larva was avoided. I shook some willows and examined rocks, but I saw very few caddis. Nevertheless, when the larva fell out of favor, I switched to a bright green sparkle caddis pupa tied to the specifications of Gary LaFontaine in his book Caddisflies.

Many Fish Hung Out in Front of Large Boulders

The caddis pupa generated results, and I landed a pair of small brown trout on the green imitation, before I broke for lunch at noon. I observed the river intensely while eating, and I spotted a handful of adults dapping on the surface. One was rather large, and the others were small, so I was not sure they were grannom; the caddis species I was attempting to imitate.

Wide

Between lunch and 2:30PM I persisted with the three fly dry/dropper featuring the chubby, 20 incher, and bright green caddis pupa. I built the fish count to nine, and the netted fish included some substantial brown trout in the fourteen to fifteen inch range. One of these fish nabbed the 20 incher and two crushed the chubby Chernobyl. In fact, several fish slashed at the chubby, as I dragged it across the surface in the process of executing another cast. These instances caused me to consider a switch to a caddis dry, but I never attempted the conversion.

Downstream Dangle Worked Here

Instead I worked the caddis pupa aggressively, and it accounted for five of the first nine fish landed. I discovered that the ticket to making the pupa work was stripping, lifting and dangling the flies. Purely by chance I allowed the flies to dangle downstream in front of large exposed rocks, and several decent browns grabbed the pupa while it dangled. In other instances the trout snatched the fly, as it began to swing and lift across the current near the end of the drift, or the fish chased and corralled the pupa as I lifted to make another cast after dangling briefly. I fished the three flies aggressively including bad mends that jerked the flies and downstream mends to accelerate the flies through riffles and runs.

Another Promising Area

The five connections with the sparkle pupa were much appreciated, but I was also frustrated by the number of bumps and split second connections. During this time I swapped the bright green caddis pupa for a go2 caddis pupa. The go2 version features a bright and shiny chartreuse body, and this fly never yielded a fish. It was the king of bumps and half second hits. It seemed that the fish were teasing me by inspecting with a bump without taking the fly confidently.

Lots of Pockets to Explore

At 2:30PM I approached a fifty yard section of pocket water, and I somehow broke off the bright green caddis pupa. Rather than replacing it with another, I substituted an ultra zug bug. I knew from reading that the female adult caddis return to the water in the late afternoon and evening to deposit their eggs, and they do so by diving to the bottom of the river. In past years I experienced a decent level of success with a size 14 beadhead prince nymph, but for some reason on Wednesday I chose a size 16 ultra zug bug.

Just a Beauty

What a move! I fished all the deep pockets I could safely reach, and I moved the fish count from nine to twelve. All three of these fish were stunning rainbow trout in the fourteen to fifteen inch size range, and they were fierce fighters. I found it interesting that all the fish that ate the ultra zug bug were rainbows. Was there something about the flash that attracted rainbows more than browns? I decided to test the theory.

Rainbow Haven

I retreated to my car and then hiked down the path that I used at the start of my day, until I reached a delicious wide moderate riffle area. I fished this section in the early afternoon, but I was convinced that the ultra zug bug might generate better results, and I was curious to see whether any brown trout would succumb to the UZB flash. Well, I managed one eleven inch brown trout near the end of my time in this section, so the results were rather inconclusive. The ultra zug bug did not replicate the success that it provided in the pocket water.

Gorgeous Spot Pattern on This One

Wednesday was a nice day of fishing on the Arkansas River. I landed thirteen trout, and quite a few were very respectable fish. The three rainbows in the pocket water were the jewels on the day, but I also landed three brown trout in the fourteen to fifteen inch range. I was proud to discover the technique of swinging, dangling and lifting that aroused the attention of the resident trout. Enduring quite a few temporary hook ups was a frustration. The near term forecast calls for continued cool temperatures, so perhaps another visit to the Arkansas River is in my future, before run off commences in earnest.

Fish Landed: 13

Boulder Creek – 04/28/2026

Time: 12:30PM – 3:30PM

Location: Boulder Canyon

Boulder Creek 04/28/2026 Photo Album

I attended the Timberwolves vs Nuggets NBA playoff game on Monday night, and I got to bed at midnight. This late night precluded pickleball, but once I woke up and completed my morning activities, I decided to make a short trip to Boulder Creek for a few hours of fly fishing. The air temperature was cool but expected to peak in the upper fifties in Boulder, CO, and the flows were around 30 CFS at Orodell in Boulder Canyon. Why not give it a try?

Site of First Fish

When I arrived at noon, I immediately downed my lunch, and then I prepared to fish. I gathered my fleece hoodie and layered on my raincoat. For my casting tool I assembled my Sage four weight. The wind was actually stronger than expected, and it was a nuisance throughout my time on the creek. The flows were indeed 30 CFS and low and clear. Run off was not yet a factor on Boulder Creek after a cool April.

Respectable for Boulder Creek

I progressed up the creek over three hours and landed six small brown trout. I was never able to identify a consistent producer among my fly selections. I began with a peacock hippie stomper and a hares ear nymph, and the stomper yielded one small trout, before it became an attractor fly that enticed refusals. The hares ear was ignored, so I switched to a double dry, and this approach remained in force until the last fifteen minutes. The dries that adorned my line in addition to the stomper were a size 16 olive-brown deer hair caddis, a size 18 Adams, a size 14 gray deer hair caddis, a black parachute ant, a size 14 lime green trude, a classic Chernobyl ant, and a mole fly. The olive-brown caddis produced one trout, and the gray caddis added another. The mole fly trailed the lime green trude and yielded two more trout. Nearly all the flies generated a host of refusals. I continue to be amazed at the selectivity of the small brown trout in Clear Creek and Boulder Creek.

Produced One Fish

For the last fifteen minutes I added a salvation nymph on a two foot dropper to the classic Chernobyl ant. This modification produced a small brown trout that struck the salvation at the tail of a pool. I persisted with the two fly dry/dropper for another ten minutes through an attractive area, but the effort was not rewarded, so I stripped in my line and hiked back to the car owning a six fish day.

Nice Deep Spot

Six small brown trout was obviously not what I had in mind, but I was out in the crisp spring air, and the trout educated me through there fussiness. I was pleased to land two trout on the mole fly, after I spotted a few tiny blue wing olives floating above the creek. I chose the lime green trude as the leading fly combined with the mole fly, as I hoped the trude would serve as an indicator and not divert the trout’s attention with refusals. It worked for awhile, but then I suffered an extended dry spell, when neither fly worked. As they say, nothing ventured, nothing

Fish Landed: 6

 

South Platte River – 04/22/2026

Time: 10:30AM – 4:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 04/22/2026 Photo Album

As I considered options for Wednesday, April 22, 2026, I reviewed weather, flows and fly shop reports. Very quickly I became aware that high winds were forecast across all of Colorado. I chose to visit the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon, because I felt the south to north flowing river would be sheltered more from the wind than the East – West flowing Arkansas River and Eagle River.

The Pool Beckons

I departed Denver at 8:00AM and made the drive to Eleven Mile Canyon without incident. The flows were in the 63 CFS range and low and clear. I arrived at my chosen parking location by 10:15AM, and the air temperature registered 59 degrees on the dashboard display. The weather app forecast wind speeds in the 15 to 18 MPH range, and I immediately felt the impact of the wind, as I prepared to fish. I chose my Sage One five weight to combat the wind, and I wore my raincoat as a windbreaker. Both moves proved to be solid choices.

Decent Fish

I hiked down the dirt road for .2 miles, and then I cut to the river and began fishing with a peacock hippie stomper and an olive perdigon on a four foot dropper. Because of the low, clear conditions I chose a smaller and lighter top fly and a single nymph with a tungsten bead to quickly get deep drifts.

Boulder Searching

Between 10:30AM and noon I progressed upstream and managed to land two small trout. The first one was a brown trout less than twelve inches, and it darted to the surface and smacked the hippie stomper. Number two was an even smaller rainbow that nipped the olive perdigon.

Tail Sag

As I munched my lunch next to a gorgeous pool, I decided to switch things up. I replaced the stomper with a size 8 gray chubby Chernobyl and beneath it I added a 20 incher and a hares ear nymph. From 12:30PM until 2:30PM I tossed the three fly dry dropper, and I landed two trout that snatched the 20 incher. One was a respectable thirteen inch brown and the other was an eleven inch rainbow trout. I covered a huge amount of stream real estate in the process of landing these two fish. Clearly the action was very slow, and I attributed the lack of results to the wind and the absence of insect activity. I cycled through several additional flies on the point including an orange scud, sparkle wing RS2 and a supernova PMD. None of these flies found favor with the South Platte River trout.

Along the Rock Wall

At 2:30PM I arrived at a wide pool, and I spotted a few sporadic rises in a run near the far bank. My nymphs were not yielding much in the way of results, so I removed the three fly system and shifted to a double dry fly arrangement. The front fly was the peacock hippie stomper, and I trailed a mole fly behind it. I tossed these flies for the remainder of my time on the river, and I upped the fish count from four to seven. I landed one brown from the area, where I first spotted rises. Surprisingly the brown was fooled by the hippie stomper.

Hard Earned

Number six emerged from a deep and short pocket in the middle of the river, and this rainbow trout of fourteen inches was easily the best fish of the day. I was about ready to quit, but I decided to visit one more nice pool, and I stood fifteen feet back from the bank and lobbed a cast to the slow moving shelf near the bank. By now I had swapped the mole fly for a soft hackle emerger. I allowed my flies to sit motionless, and suddenly out of nowhere a twelve inch brown trout emerged and sipped the soft hackle emerger.

Productive Spot

I continued fishing the double dry for another ten minutes, but the wind was gusting, and I was weary, so I called it a day. Wind was the overriding factor on Wednesday, April 22. Casting was a chore, and I had to frequently wait for gusts to end in order to cast upstream. I spotted a few blue wing olives, when I observed rises, but I suspect the adults were rapidly blown off the water and not available to the trout for any significant amount of time. For some reason nymphs were mostly ignored. Wednesday was a tough day, and I probably should have given more credence to the wind forecasts.

Fish Landed: 7

Eagle River – 04/20/2026

Time: 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Between Wolcott and Minturn

Eagle River 04/20/2026 Photo Album

I was convinced that my day of fishing on Monday was going to unfold on the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon; however, a last minute check of the Eagle River prompted me to change my mind. High temperatures in Avon were in the low sixties with moderate wind; and, surprisingly the flows were chugging along in the 140 CFS range. I concluded that the river was back in ideal pre-runoff conditions, and I decided to take advantage before the real snowmelt made an appearance.

Quite a Start

Brown Trout Are Great As Well

I arrived at my chosen pullout at 10:30AM. The temperature was a chilly 51 degrees, so I wore my long sleeve thermal undershirt, my fishing shirt, my fleece hoodie and my raincoat. I was very comfortable until lunch, when I removed my rain shell. During cloudy periods in the afternoon I was comfortable, but there were times, when the fleece was a bit too much, but I persevered. I rigged my Sage One five weight and replenished my 20 incher supply, and I was off to the river.

Lovely Colors and Speckles

I hiked along the path for .2 mile, and then I cut a short distance to the river to begin my outing on Monday, April 20, 2026. My starting lineup included an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, a 20 incher and an olive perdigon. On the first backhand cast to a deep run at the entry point to a pool I noticed that the chubby darted sideways, so I made a swift hookset. I was connected to a fat rainbow, and it immediately rocketed downstream. I let it run and then exerted side pressure to bring it closer to my position, but the fighter slipped free of my fly. What an adrenalin boosting first cast! I continued to probe the nice deep riffle that produced the rainbow, and I landed two brown trout on the olive perdigon. It was quite an auspicious beginning to my day on the river.

Slicks Behind Exposed Boulders

Between 11:00AM and 11:45 I continued to wade up the river, and I built the fish count to six. All the trout grabbed the olive perdigon. If I encountered any riffle or glide with decent depth and moderate current, I was able to generate some action. The fish were on the feed, and I was the beneficiary.

Gold, Bronze or Butter

For lunch I returned to the bench by the pool that was below my starting point, and I observed the scene, while I munched my snack. By noon sporadic rises were distributed along the length of the pool, but I did not note any regular feeders, and I remembered from my previous trip to the Eagle that casting to the sporadic risers was a fools errand. I resisted the siren call of dry fly fishing and hiked back along the path to my exit point for lunch.

Turned Around

Between 12:30PM and 3:00PM I persisted with the dry/dropper, and the same three flies that I began with, and they served me well. I boosted the fish counter from six to nineteen, and these fish were not dinks. Of the first nineteen I estimate that six were below twelve inches and the rest stretched the tape between twelve and fifteen inches, and the range of sizes skewed toward the upper boundary of fifteen inches. In short, I was having a blast prospecting likely pockets, seams and moderate depth troughs, and quite often I was rewarded with a respectable hard fighting wild brown or rainbow. Several of the rainbows were wide slabs that easily extended to fifteen inches, and several browns were the same length although not as wide. The 20 incher finally chipped in and accounted for three fish, while the olive perdigon did the heavy lifting and accounted for the remainder.

Deep Color

Trough Between Exposed Rocks

By 3:00PM I was feeling very satisfied with my day, and I paused to inspect a new section of the river. A nice current seam created bubbles as it sluiced along the right bank, and three fish rose in rapid succession. I decided to accept the challenge, and I removed the three fly dry/dropper configuration and replaced it with a double dry set up. The first fly was an old reliable peacock body hippie stomper, and a mole fly trailed it on an eighteen inch dropper.

Across the Turbulence

Once I was ready, I executed a backhand toss to the tail of the small run, and instantly a fourteen inch brown trout smacked the hippie stomper. I was stunned but still managed to lift my rod and land the eager eater. I carefully dabbed the mole fly against my sleeve and then doused it in dry shake and plumped the CDC wing to dry it off.

Smacked a Hippie Stomper

Once the flies were back in floating condition, I flicked another backhand cast to the middle of the run, and within seconds I noted a flash and bulge and set the hook. Once again a feisty brown trout in the thirteen to fourteen inch range slid into my net, and in this instance it displayed the mole fly in its lip. I chalked the hippie stomper eat to a low IQ fish and expected to cash in on the mole fly a few more times.

Another Rainbow Beast

The last of the third fish rose next to a bank side boulder, so I lofted a cast above the rock. The flies drifted only six inches when another cookie cutter brown smashed the hippie stomper. This was not a dainty sipping take; but, instead it was an aggressive slash.  I landed all three fish that revealed their presence with surface eats, and I applauded my timely switch to the double dry fly combination.

Three Eats in This Location

It was near quitting time, but these successes caused me to continue the experiment with the stomper and mole fly. I moved up the river along the right bank, and I landed three additional trout, and all three mashed the hippie stomper with confidence. These fish were of similar quality and size to the three previously described, and this angler was in a state of euphoria. I elevated the fish count to twenty-five, before I called it a day, and the last six were all taken on dry flies. Should I have switched sooner? I will never know.

Deep Olive

My hunch that the Eagle River would be fishing well was confirmed, and I experienced my best day of the 2026 season. Everything coalesced, as I landed twenty-five trout, and the average size was above average. The icing on the cake was landing six stunning wild fish on dry flies in the last hour. I am very thankful.

Fish Landed: 25

 

Arkansas River – 04/15/2026

Time: 11:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: Bighorn Sheep Canyon

Arkansas River 04/15/2026 Photo Album

After a disappointing outing on the Roaring Fork River on Saturday, I picked up a sore throat and spent Sunday, Monday and Tuesday loading up on daytime and nighttime cold medications. By Wednesday I was feeling well enough to embark on another spring fishing outing. I was anxious to revisit Bighorn Sheep Canyon, so I checked the status of the 24 Fire, and I was pleased to learn that the fire was 85% contained, and CO 115 was open for travelers. I made the Arkansas River my destination on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. My federal and state taxes were filed, so I could relax and celebrate with a day of fly fishing.

No. 1 Was This Pleasant Surprise

I arrived at my chosen pullout by 10:30AM, and this allowed me to be poised along the bank of the river ready to cast by 11:00AM. The temperature at the start of my day was in the upper fifties, so I wore a long sleeved Brooks undershirt and my raincoat. Once again I was armed with my Sage One five weight in case of large fish and to combat the predicted double digit wind velocity.

Decent Clarity Although Somewhat Stained

When I arrived, my car was the only one in the vicinity, but as I prepared to fish, another angler parked forty yards farther west along the highway. He was ready before me, but fortunately he grabbed a spot directly across from his car, and I was not planning to fish that area. Instead I crossed the highway and began along a high bank across from my car. I chose an olive perdigon and a bright green go2 caddis pupa to begin my search for trout. in the first twenty minutes I managed to land a chunky rainbow trout in the sixteen inch range. When I scooped it in my net, I found the go2 caddis embedded in its lip. Needless to say, I was very pleased with this early success.

Peek-a-Boo

After I covered the attractive pockets and slots, I found a place to cross the river, and then I ambled down the river for .1 mile to another favorite spot, where I could work some deep seams. I was getting no action on the olive perdigon, so I substituted a 20 incher and kept the go2 caddis on the point. Before I adjourned at noon for lunch, I added three brown trout to my count. One was shorter than twelve inches, but the other two were very respectable wild fish in the thirteen inch range. All three grabbed the 20 incher, thus, validating my switch from the perdigon.

Murkiness Evident in This Productive Pool

I ate my lunch along the bank thirty feet above a goose that was sitting on a nest. Several other geese were in the vicinity, and they honked and carefully watched me, while I ate. I suspect they were the security guards for the young mother.

Nesting Mama Goose

After lunch I continued up the river for .3 mile, and I built the fish count from four to eleven. Number five grabbed the bright green go2 caddis pupa, and was another husky rainbow. I estimate it was in the seventeen to eighteen inch range and very plump. Number six was a fifteen inch brown trout that smacked the 20 incher.

Another Bow in Excess of Fifteen Inches

It took an hour to add the two fish after lunch, so it was rather slow going. I did observe three refusals to the chubby Chernobyl, and I shook loose a decent number of caddis, as I waded along the willows. I decided to give a double dry approach a try, so I knotted a peacock hippie stomper to my line and then added a size 14 olive-brown body deer hair caddis. I began prospecting with the dries, and within minutes I landed a small brown trout that recklessly crushed the caddis along the left bank. I directed my casts primarily to the edge of the river along the left bank; however, I did cover very attractive pockets and seams toward the middle of the river. Unfortunately the dry fly experiment did not pay additional dividends, so I abandoned it, as I approached a nice section with deep pockets and runs. I did see two or three fish elevate to inspect the caddis, but they never closed the deal with an eat.

Rainbow Lived Eight Feet Out from Center-Right Bankside Rock

I returned to dry/dropper fishing, and during this go round I utilized a yellow fat Albert followed by a 20 incher and several nymphs. I started with a beaded soft hackle emerger, but it did not yield results, so I swapped it for a hares ear. The 20 incher produced a much appreciated fifteen inch brown trout for number eight, and then I suffered through a bit of a slump. I landed three additional trout that gobbled the beadhead hares ear, but they were on the small side, and I was spoiled from my earlier catches. In addition, I experienced a streak of long distance releases and foul hooked fish, and of course these felt like larger fish.

From the Top

Ugly 20 Incher Saved the Day

By 3:30PM I covered my targeted section of the river, so I hiked back to my crossing and completed my day. I achieved double digits and six of the landed fish were in excess of the twelve inch standard including two rainbows that exceeded fifteen inches. I have to admit that I was disappointed with the lack of dry fly action. I was convinced that prospecting with a deer hair caddis in the early afternoon would produce some results; but, alas, that was not the case. I spotted one blue wing olive, so perhaps it was too sunny, bright and windy, or I was on the downside of the baetis hatch. I suspect that another trip to the Arkansas River would take me upriver to the Salida area or above.

Fish Landed: 11

Roaring Fork River – 04/11/2026

Time: 12:30PM –  3:00PM

Location: Near Carbondale

Roaring Fork River 04/11/2026 Photo Album

Jane and I spent the weekend with our daughter, Amy, in Carbondale, CO; and I was free for some fly fishing on Saturday. I checked the conditions on the Roaring Fork River and the Frying Pan River, and the flows on the Frying Pan were quite low at 47 CFS. The Roaring Fork flows were 275 CFS, and since we were staying in Carbondale, I was easily able to observe the excellent clarity of the river. Based on this evaluation and the close proximity of the Roaring Fork given my limited window of time, I chose to drive to the Roaring Fork River.

The temperature was in the low seventies, as I prepared to fish, but dark and threatening clouds appeared on the western horizon, so I pulled on my raincoat as a windbreaker and in case of rain. I assembled my Sage One five weight, and I immediately paid a visit to the large pool just down the river from the parking lot. I experienced quite a bit of success in this area on a previous visit during a blue wing olive hatch, and I was seeking a similar result on this Saturday visit.

Another angler occupied the very top of the huge pool, so I ambled to the tail and paused to observe. I saw no rises, but I decided to give a double dry fly configuration a try just in case. I tied on a peacock hippie stomper for visibility and added a mole fly on an eighteen inch dropper. I waded to the middle of the river, so I could make some long casts to the bottom corner of the pool. I paused again to observe, but no heads were showing, so I made some prospecting casts and hoped for some surprise takes. After twenty casts, I concluded that my approach was futile, and I decided to move up the river to some faster sections.

I hooked my fly in the guide and hiked along the path for .3 mile, whereupon I cut down a path to the river and resumed my attempt to land a Roaring Fork trout. The section I entered consisted of many long, deep troughs and pockets and runs. In short, this was the type of water that typically produces results with a dry/dropper approach. I removed the double dry flies and replaced them with an amber ice dub chubby Chernobyl, 20 incher and olive perdigon. I felt a renewed confidence in my chances for success.

I drifted the three fly offering through some very attractive spots, but the fish were not interested, and my recent optimism quickly faded. After covering quite a bit of prime water, I cast to a narrow seam that suggested it was probably too fast for a trout to hold, but much to my surprise I saw the chubby dive, and I quickly set the hook. Instantly a torpedo of a rainbow trout streaked down the river. I allowed the bullet to run, but then it leaped above the surface and tossed aside my fly. Based on my brief glimpse of the fish, I guessed that the rainbow was in the fifteen to eighteen inch range. I paused to allow my heart beat to return to normal, and then I resumed my upstream progression.

Only Fish of the Day from This Area

After a short interval I came upon a place where some riffles of moderate depth ran along the left bank. There were some tree branches protruding over the water by a foot or so, and I began to cast directly upstream with a concerted effort to avoid the tree branches. On the third drift I spotted a flash to my fly, and I set the hook. A brief struggle ensued, as a fifteen inch brown trout battled for its freedom. In this instance I was able to land the noble foe, and the skunk was off.

Nice Brown Trout

Once again I moved up the river, but the signs of trout disappeared. During this dry/dropper period I cycled through a classic RS2, an emerald caddis pupa, a hares ear nymph, and a salvation nymph, but none of these offerings were winners. I passed a section where whitewater entered a long section of pockets and runs, and then I circled around a wide shallow area. Eventually I reached another more attractive riffle and run stretch, but I encountered a no trespassing sign, and this forced me to retreat.

I ran out of public real estate, so I retreated back to the pool near the parking lot. By now four anglers had arrived, and they were spread out through the pool, although I could have occupied the lower fourth. I keenly observed for a bit for a hatch and rises, but seeing none, I decided to explore downstream. I hiked a well worn path, and in short order I faced a sign that said no hunting, trapping or horses; but it did not mention fishing. I continued on my walk, and after another fifty yards, I encountered another white and red sign that warned against trespassing. In this case it mentioned the same outdoor activities not allowed including fishing, but fishing was scratched out. Was this legitimate or an act of vandalism? I concluded the latter and turned around. Another clue was that the next section ran across a property, where the ground was cleared of the typical woodland debris in a quasi yard.

I returned to the pool, and I once again I observed for rises, but none were forthcoming. The last of the four pool occupants had slid down the river a bit, so with no hatch in progress, I was not going to risk crowding him. I decided to move up the river to another public area.

I drove another four miles to a bumpy parking lot and retrieved my gear. The sky was still threatening, and I was pleased to be wearing my raincoat. I hiked down a path and found my way to the Roaring Fork River downstream from a section I fished on a prior visit. I was covering new ground, or should I say water, once again. I cherry picked some very attractive runs and seams, until I came back to close proximity of the trail; but, alas, this period of fly fishing in a new locale yielded no fish. By now my watch was showing 3:00PM, so I climbed the bank and returned to the parking lot.

2.5 hours of fishing yielded one landed fish, albeit a very respectable brown trout. I tangled briefly with a very nice rainbow trout, but I saw very little in the way of insect activity. I was perplexed by the lack of blue wing olives given the very overcast conditions. Baetis typically love cloudiness for their emergences. Not every outing can be a roaring success, and Saturday certainly was a bit disappointing.

Fish Landed: 1

South Boulder Creek – 04/07/2026

Time: 11:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 04/07/2026 Photo Album

Not all outings can be as rewarding as those that I experienced early in the 2026 season. Tuesday qualifies as a disappointment in my book. Flows on South Boulder Creek were held steady at 90 CFS, and I knew from previous visits that flows at that level were very conducive to fly fishing. The high temperature in Eldorado Springs was expected to reach 61 degrees, so I decided to make the trip.

Upstream

I arrived at the Walker Ranch Trailhead parking lot and quickly prepared to fish. The dashboard temperature was 51 degrees, and that was surprising since the reading was in the thirties as I passed through Boulder, CO. I pulled on my fleece hoodie and stuffed my raincoat and a long sleeve undershirt in my backpack along with my lunch. I selected my Loomis two piece five weight for my casting tool, and I departed on the one mile downhill trail. I knew I would pay for the downhill on the return, but that is part of the South Boulder Creek bargain.

First Fish of the Day

I began my day with a peacock hippie stomper and size fourteen deer hair caddis on the off chance that the fish would be looking up. No dice. After twenty minutes of inaction, I converted to a dry/dropper configuration that included an amber ice dub body chubby Chernobyl and a psycho prince. The combination was equally ineffective, so I swapped the psycho prince for a regular prince, and the pairing was ignored. I suspected that I was not drifting deep enough, so I added a second nymph in the form of a hares ear. Once again no response was forthcoming. Finally before lunch I swapped the hares ear for an olive perdigon to gain depth, but my morning ended with a fish count of zero. I did note a refusal to the chubby Chernobyl, and I temporarily hooked a fish on the chubby as well.

Another View of My Favorite Pool

The sun was out bright, so I removed my fleece hoodie and knotted it around my waist under my waders. It worked, but the fit was rather tight. It was obvious that the trout were not interested in nymphs, so I abandoned that approach and returned to a double dry fly gambit. I pulled a classic Chernobyl ant from my box and placed it in the first position, and then I added a deer hair caddis. Between 12:30PM and 2:00PM I cycled through a number of dry flies, but I could not unlock the code. There was the hippie stomper, a yellow stimulator, a size 14 olive-brown deer hair caddis, a size 14 gray stimulator, a black parachute ant, and a Jake’s gulp beetle. The stimulators and caddis provoked refusals, but my fish count remained mired on zero.

Handful

At this point I encountered a gorgeous pool; my favorite on the stream. The hippie stomper and beetle remained on my line, but the shutout continued. I swapped the beetle for a size 16 olive-brown deer hair caddis, and I nicked a small trout, but then the creek residents once again ignored my offerings. I waded to the tail of the pool below the right bank, where some side channels fed into the pool in some short runs. I could see quite a few trout in front of me, and they were rising and sipping something small on a very irregular basis. I tried an ant and a CDC BWO, and I was able to monitor the reactions of three very respectable trout to my right. They ignored my offerings. Finally I decided to try the new kid on the block, the mole fly. Guess what?Two trout charged to the surface and smacked the mole, and I was on the board with two landed fish.

Home to a Lot of Fish

I persisted with the mole fly for another fifteen minutes, but it was treated like inert flotsam. I cycled through a soft hackle emerger fished dry and a tiny CDC BWO, but those flies were ignored, so I moved above the pool. The next set of attractive pockets were much faster moving, and the tiny baetis imitations seemed futile without actually seeing rising fish, so I reverted to the size 14 olive-brown body deer hair caddis. Once again I only exercised my arm, so I exited and began my arduous return hike.

Take Two

When I reached a spot, where I was forced to wade along the edge to progress back to the car, I paused to make some casts, and much to my amazement, I landed a small rainbow and a small brown trout. This lifted the fish count to four, and I was very thankful for that meager tally. I returned to the fishermen path and hoofed back to the car. During the one mile uphill I paused every .3 miles to drink water, catch my breath and rest my muscles. I made it.

Wide Pocket Yielded

Tuesday was a very slow day. There were very few insects present, and that may explain the lack of action. I tried quite a few flies and methods, but none delivered consistent results. I will probably give South Boulder Creek a rest before I return.

Fish Landed: 4