Author Archives: wellerfish

Colorado River – 08/20/2025

Time: 9:45AM – 1:30PM

Location: Glenwood Canyon

Colorado River 08/20/2025 Photo Album

After a spectacular day on Tuesday on the Frying Pan River, I decided to sample the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon, since it is along my homeward route to Denver from Carbondale. I fished Glenwood Canyon one other time on 10/24/2018 with decent success, although that was much later in the year. As I drove through the canyon on my way to my daughter’s place on Monday, I noted that the river in the canyon was on the low side although not abnormally low for the season, and clarity was decent with visibility of three feet along the edges.

I arrived at my chosen parking area by 9:15AM, and by the time I assembled my Sage One five weight, geared up and walked to the river it was 9:45AM. The temperature was already in the low seventies. I wore my waders, since I was fishing deep water, and I desired the extra protection of chest waders. As it turned out, I never waded deeper than my waist. The five weight was insurance against tangling with a larger fish.

Hopper Eater, As Expected, Was Along the Bank

A river like the Colorado in Glenwood can seem overwhelming due to its width and power even at lower than average flow rates. I decided to ignore the entire river except for the ten to fifteen feet out from the bank. My starting point was tricky, as it appeared to be a smooth and slow moving pool, but when I began to cast, I realized that the current was faster than expected, and there were no barriers to slow things down. I launched my day with a size 8 tan body pool toy hopper, a weighted 20 incher, and a salvation nymph. As the day evolved, the hopper and 20 incher remained constants, but I cycled through the salvation, a PMD supernova, and emerald emergent caddis pupa in the position of the point fly.

Early Eater

For the first thirty minutes I cast the hopper right along the bank, and I was about to give up on the whole Colorado River venture, when a feisty twelve inch brown trout smacked the pool toy. I thought I was on to something, but then another long lull in action returned my thoughts to an early drive back to Denver.

Beast

I finally advanced beyond the smooth and featureless area and approached some river structure that included deep pockets, slots and runs. As I would learn, the type of water played an important role in generating fly fishing success. I tossed the dry/dropper upstream, and as it drifted next to an exposed boulder, something grabbed one of the nymphs and towed the hopper sideways and beneath the surface. I immediately set the hook with a sweep, and suddenly I was attached to a streaking freight train. It shot to the fast plume and swam with the current downstream. All I could do was hang on and allow line to spin off my reel. After a fifteen yard dash, the fish made a turn toward the bank, and I caught a glimpse of a husky seventeen inch brown trout. I took a few steps, but I was reluctant to wade without my wading stick, and both my hands were occupied with holding the rod and managing the line. After a few more seconds, the brown trout tired, and I was able to hydroplane it back upstream to my net. The 20 incher remained attached to the mouth by the slimmest of membrane. Needless to say, I was a bit euphoric after landing the prize of the day.

Long and Wide

By lunch time I moved the fish counter to four with the help of a small brown and another twelve incher. I found a nice rock and observed the river, but only a few random insects fluttered up from the surface. I did notice, however, that quite a few small size 18 caddis flew erratically from the bankside rocks, as I maneuvered my way upstream. I constantly fought off the idea of casting a double dry with the pool toy in front and a trailing caddis. Who knows? It might have worked.

Such a Gorgeous Place

From 12:15PM until I quit at 1:30, I continued along the shoreline, and I boosted the fish count to seven. The three additional landed trout were all browns, and one was a very pretty fish in the thirteen inch range. I held it up for a passing whitewater raft crew to observe and received a round of applause.

I Ate Lunch Next to This Inviting Moderate Depth Riffle Area

By 1:30PM I endured a fairly lengthy dry spell, and the sun was beating down mercilessly, so I decided to get an early start on my nearly three hour return drive to Denver. I covered a significant amount of Colorado River shoreline, and I discovered that the best spots were seams and runs of moderate depth next to fast water. In addition to my seven landed fish, I endured at least five temporary hook ups. For some reason my ability to stay connected was compromised on Wednesday. I easily had the opportunity to reach double digits on the large and brawling Colorado River.

Could a caddis dry have worked? I kind of regret not trying it. More insect activity would also be a boon to fishing this large river. A lack of heat would be another favorable factor. Another strategy might be streamers around the large boulders. Perhaps an October trip is in my future.

Fish Landed: 7

 

Frying Pan River – 08/19/2025

Time: 9:45AM – 3:20PM

Location: Tailwater below Reudi Reservoir

Frying Pan River 08/19/2025 Photo Album

Tuesday was likely my best day ever on the Frying Pan River. In fact, Tuesday may have been my best outing so far in 2025.

Pocket Water Deluxe

After a rough day on Monday amid ninety degree temperatures, I opted to visit the Frying Pan River tailwater below Reudi Reservoir. I suspected that the cold bottom releases were the perfect antidote to another day of heat. As an added bonus, green drakes and pale morning duns were probably menu items.

Coiled Muscle

I arrived early at my chosen pullout, and I assembled my Sage R8 four weight. I am in love with my newest fly rod, and I was confident that it carried enough backbone to handle the Frying Pan’s best. I hiked down the road along the river to my planned starting point, and as I neared my entry spot, I noticed a DPW stocking truck. Two employees were carrying buckets of trout to the river, so I paused to question their activity. One of the gentlemen informed me that they were stocking three inch rainbow fingerlings, as the brown trout were taking over the river by out populating the rainbows. He suggested that I cross to fish the opposite bank, so I adopted his advice.

Very Nice Brown Trout

I began the morning with a parachute green drake, but after fifteen minutes with no sign of trout, I changed my approach. I tested the green drake first in case the trout were aware of their presence similar to my experience on South Boulder Creek. For my next act, I configured my line with a size 8 pool toy hopper, a prince nymph and a salvation nymph. This lineup also failed to interest the fish, so I replaced the prince with a weighted 20 incher. Finally I generated a response, and the fish count mounted to four. Two of the four attacked the hopper, and the other two chomped the 20 incher. I moved to the weighted 20 incher in order to create deeper drifts, and also with the hope that it imitated a green drake nymph.

No Exit on Left

I persisted with the three fly dry/dropper for the remainder of the morning, and by the time I broke for lunch at 11:50AM, the count mounted to ten. The 20 incher was on fire. On several occasions trout grabbed the weighted nymph as soon as it hit the water at the head of a pool or pocket.

Lovely Cheek

I was ready for lunch, but the shoreline failed to offer any sort of rocks to perch on, so I squeezed through a narrow opening in the bushes and returned to my car. I was about to sit on the tailgate area, but then I decided to cross the road to some large flat rocks along the river. I observed the air above the river closely, but signs of a hatch were absent.

Moderate Flows Over Rocky Bottom Equals Trout Paradise

With this knowledge I stuck with the dry/dropper approach until 1:30PM. I returned to my exit point, and I continued up the river through very attractive sections with deep and slower moving bands along the bank. Suddenly the hopper became the object of desire, and I advanced the fish count to twenty-two, before I approached the section across from the car and my lunch spot. The twelve trout landed in the early afternoon were quality fish and included a sixteen inch rainbow that tested the mettle of my four weight. Some spunky brown trout in the thirteen to fourteen inch range were also part of the mix.

Lots of Possibilities

By 1:30PM I was positioned across from my car, and I spotted a couple natural green drakes. With the fish count resting on twenty-two, I was pleased with my day, so I decided to change tactics in response to the green drake sightings. I removed the three fly system, and I switched to a solo parachute green drake. Suddenly my day morphed from excellent to spectacular. The trout of the Frying Pan River slammed my green drake, and they took it with confidence. I tossed it to all the likely fish holding pockets, riffles and pools; and a high percentage of the time I was rewarded with a hard fighting trout.

Take Two on Wide Body

Zoomed Closer on the Brown Trout

These trout were mostly browns in the twelve to fifteen inch range, and they  battled extremely hard. If I could position myself out of sight, an across and downstream drift was effective, but upstream casts also worked their magic. All the browns sported deep olive bodies with dark black spots and orange dots along the sides. Quite a few displayed orange bellies indicating healthy diets.

A Brown Emerged from the Nook of the Eddy

I finally called it quits at 3:00PM in order to allow time to back track to a safe crossing point, and by that time the fish tally was forty-eight! Yes, I suspect it was a new Frying Pan record for myself, and the last twenty-six trout mauled a parachute green drake. I lost one and cut off another, so that I would not injure a fish that took it deeply. Three parachute green drakes were responsible for more than half of my landed trout.

Big Mouth

Tuesday could not have been more different than Monday. Cold bottom releases and insect activity made a huge difference.

Fish Landed: 48

 

Canyon Creek – 08/18/2025

Time: 11:30AM – 3:00PM

Location: National Forest

Canyon Creek 08/18/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

I postponed my trip to the western slope from last week to the week of August 18. The reason for the delay was the Elk and Lee Fires that were spreading smoke and ash in a wide radius around Garfield County. I checked with my daughter, Amy, and she informed me that conditions improved measurably.

My departure from Denver allowed me to arrive at my chosen stream destination by 11:00AM. The temperature was already in the seventies, as I fitted together my Sage R8 four weight. A .5 mile hike placed me along the stream ready to cast by 11:30AM. I initially knotted a solo purple haze to my line, and it was mostly ignored except for a small cutbow beneath the six inch size requirement for counting purposes.

Inviting a Cast

I persisted with the purple haze for twenty minutes, before I exchanged it for a peacock hippie stomper and a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. This combination was moderately effective, as I landed two decent brown trout in the twelve to thirteen inch range, before I broke for lunch. On this day lunch was late at 12:45PM, since I began at 11:30AM. I also foul hooked a very nice fourteen inch brown and landed a couple sub-six inch browns during the pre-lunch session.

One of Only a Couple

After lunch I continued with the stomper and caddis, and I hooked what felt like a decent fish on the hippie stomper. By a stroke of bad luck, it wrapped around a submerged rock. I could see the trout trashing about below the rock, but just before I waded into range, it slipped free.

Narrow Pool

After this disappointment I suffered a long dry spell, so I changed to a size ten Chernobyl ant paired with a sunk ant. Shortly after the changeover, I hooked a seven inch brown, but then the two fly dry/dropper ceased to attract fish. I began a series of fly changes that included a tan body mini-chubby, but the creek was dead. I failed to generate a look or refusal during my remaining stay on the creek. The temperature soared into the low nineties, and I am sure that is the explanation for the trout lethargy.

At 3:00PM I found a convenient access to the trail and completed a 1.1 mile return hike. Monday was not a good day to be on a stream, and the heat was surely the reason. Three fish landed in three hours of fishing was very lackluster. I tried to be stealthy in my approaches, and I fluttered the flies down with minimal disturbance. I am not sure if I will return to Canyon Creek in 2025.

Fish Landed: 3

 

 

South Boulder Creek – 08/12/2025

Time: 10:30AM – 2:30PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/12/2025 Photo Album

I recently spoke to my son and suggested that we should plan a day of fishing on South Boulder Creek, now that the flows were reduced to 104 CFS, and the trout were tuned into western green drakes. He checked his work schedule, and we agreed to follow through on a day of fly fishing on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Dan lives in Louisville, CO and has two young boys, so the opportunity to fish with him is infrequent and highly valued by this dad.

Dramatic Colors

I met Dan at his home in Louisville, since it is on the route to the Walker Ranch Loop Trailhead. I switched my gear to his car, and he drove the winding and steep road through Flagstaff Mountain Park to the parking lot at the trailhead. The high temperature in Denver was forecast to hit the upper nineties, so we knew it was going to be a hot one, but I was reluctant to wet wade, as the cold flows from the bottom release dam make me feet cold, even when I wear thick socks and waders. We both wore our waders and suffered, especially on the one mile hike up the hill at the end of our day. I chose my Loomis two piece five weight, because it is less than nine feet and offers a slower action for casting dry flies.

Very Productive Pool

By 10:30PM we were perched next to the creek. Dan commanded the left side of the stream, and I advanced along the right bank. We both began with parachute green drakes, and we were not disappointed. We experienced some refusals, but for the most part the trout were where one would expect them to be, and they liked our green drake imitations.

Dan Focused

By noon we met on my side of the creek, and my fish count rested on ten, while Dan accumulated seven. After I devoured my peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a few other snacks, we resumed our progression. As is usually the case with green drakes, the fish became more selective after lunch, and refusals and looks became problematic. Dan switched to a user friendly, after I gave him one at lunch time, and he began enjoying some success.

Pretty Brown Trout

I, on the other hand, did not fare as well with the user friendly, so I progressed to a size 14 green drake comparadun. This fly enabled me to boost the fish count by five, but the olive and brown low riding fly was very difficult to track, especially in shadows and glare. Dan persisted with the user friendly with decent success, so I reverted to that fly. I observed three natural green drakes during the 1:00PM to 2:00PM time frame.

Chunky

The final switch to the user friendly proved somewhat successful, and I moved the fish count to twenty-one by the time we quit at 2:30PM. The foam green drake imitation was not perfect, as I experienced quite a few looks and refusals. The easy pickings of my previous trip to South Boulder Creek were clearly a thing of the past. Dan, however, continued to progress upstream along the south bank with quite a bit of success, and he ended his day with a fish count in the same ballpark as my twenty-one. Forty plus fish in 3.5 hours of fishing was certainly a fine day.

Long Pocket

At 2:30PM we began our return hike, and I endured the one mile unending climb to the parking lot with at least five rest stops and water breaks along the way. What a fun day! We both commented on the feeling of remoteness, even though we were only a half hour away from Boulder, CO. When we first arrived, Dan pointed out an eagle, as it glided across the creek below us. On the drive back we encountered a wild turkey, as it shuffled across Flagstaff Road. Standing in the cold creek on a hot day was very pleasant, even though we wore waders. The trout were hungry for green drakes, and we eagerly met their needs. Hopefully I can record a few more green drake outings during 2025. Spending a day with my son was a rare opportunity and highly treasured. That companionship was more valued than any of the trout landed on Monday.

Fish Landed: 21

 

South Platte River – 08/11/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 3:00PM

Location: Eleven Mile Canyon

South Platte River 08/11/2025 Photo Album

I planned to drive to Amy’s condo in Carbondale for two days of fly fishing, but the Lee Fire had other ideas. It made little sense to drive into the county, where the fire was raging and growing, so I changed my plans and stayed in Denver. Hopefully the firefighters will gain control, and I can make the trip next week.

Instead of driving to fish on the western slope, I turned my attention to the Front Range. I already made plans to fish South Boulder Creek on Tuesday or Wednesday with my son, so I shifted my attention south to the South Platte River in Eleven Mile Canyon. I was pleased to note that the flows at Lake George were in the 125 CFS range, so I made that my destination. The high temperature in the canyon was projected to reach the low seventies, and that was advantageous for the fish and the fisherman.

Short but Fat

I arrived at my usual pullout along the canyon road by 10:30AM, and after I assembled my recently repaired Sage One five weight and hiked up the road a short distance, I dropped to the edge of the river. I planned to focus on the faster pockets around boulders and devote minimal casts to the large pools, unless I spotted rising fish. I adhered to this strategy throughout the day, as no significant hatches drew the fish to the surface.

I anticipated a trico hatch, but I never really observed evidence of such an event. On two occasions I spotted a very sparse emergence of tiny size 22 mayflies, but they were not tricos. I also noted a few random caddis and a yellow sally or two, but these aquatic insect appearances were so random, that I did not attempt to imitate them with my offerings.

Full Length

To start the day, I configured my line with a peacock hippie stomper, a size 22 RS2 and a sunken trico. The trico ploy was insurance in case a hatch and spinner fall occurred early, before I arrived. I suspected that I would see some lingering spinners in slow eddies, but this was not the case.

I Stepped Closer

In the forty-five minutes, before I broke for lunch at 11:45AM, I landed four trout This included a thirteen inch brown trout and a similar sized rainbow. The other two fish fell beneath the one foot length. The RS2 duped the first fish, the rainbow; and the hippie stomper accounted for the other three fish. The stomper also instigated quite a few refusals, and in several cases I foul hooked the fish with a trailing nymph.

Big Bow Was to the Right of the Exposed Rock

The sunken trico was totally ignored, so after lunch I replaced it with a beadhead PMD supernova. The supernova picked up a decent fish, but soon thereafter it broke off, while I battled a fish that slurped the hippie stomper. I added a new length of tippet and replaced the supernova with a size 18 pheasant tail nymph. The stomper, RS2 and pheasant tail remained on my line for most of the early afternoon, and the pheasant tail was the favorite of the South Platte River trout between 1:00PM and 2:30PM.

Another Plump Rainbow

The action slowed considerably by 2:30PM, so I made a significant change to my lineup. I swapped the hippie stomper for a size 8 tan body pool toy hopper, and I replaced the RS2 with a hares ear nymph while maintaining the pheasant tail. The makeover was ineffective, and I ended my day at 3:00PM after logging ten landed fish.

Just in Front of the Rock on the Right

The quality of the fish on Monday was actually a bright spot. In the afternoon I brought a pair of fat fourteen inch rainbow trout to my net along with a thirteen inch brown trout. A couple twelve inch rainbows were also among my catch.

Submerging

My strategy of targeting the faster runs and pockets among structure proved effective, although the fishing on Monday was steady rather than fast action. Twice I actually saw the side of a fish flash which prompted me to set the hook, and then I discovered that I was attached to a decent fish.  I never tested a double dry, although the frequency of refusals to the hippie stomper suggested that perhaps that may have been a productive approach. I encountered only a few anglers, until I bumped into a group of four near the end of my time on the river. I also notched three or four long distance releases, so the action extended beyond the ten landed fish. Given the lack of insect activity, I felt fortunate to record double digits on August 11.

Fish Landed: 10

St. Vrain Creek – 08/06/2025

Time: 10:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: National Forest

St. Vrain Creek 08/06/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

After a very successful day on Monday, I was anxious for another day of fly fishing on Wednesday, July 6, 2025. I was not interested in a long drive, so I chose to visit a Front Range favorite, St. Vrain Creek. Another hot day was forecast, and I felt my destination choice took that factor into consideration.

Tumbling and Tight

Orange Belly

I arrived at my chosen parking lot at 10:00AM, and after I assembled my Orvis Access four weight and hiked .3 mile from the trailhead, I was ready for action. I usually hike farther from the parking lot, but on Wednesday I wanted to test the need to do so on St. Vrain Creek. The temperature at the trailhead was 73 degrees, and in a concession to the heat wave, I wore my wet wading gear. I forgot how hard it is to pull on neoprene booties that are dry. Note to Dave: wet the booties next time.

One of Two Outlier Brown Trout

For starters I tied an olive ice dub body hippie stomper to my line, and I prospected likely spots for the first forty-five minutes. I managed to land four small brook trout, but they all came from very marginal locations; whereas, the prime pools and deep runs seemed devoid of fish. There was a lot of evidence of angler traffic with bare spots and worn fishermen trails in abundance. I concluded that hiking a good distance from the parking lot remained a solid tactic, so I bashed through the brush and found the trail and stomped out another .5 mile. Would this improve the fishing?

Pounded One Up Along the Wall

Light Gray Deer Hair Caddis Was Effective

Initially it did not. Once again attractive spots that normally produced fish seemed barren. The flows remained relatively high, so I pondered the idea that the fish were hugging the bottom and snatching nymphs. I was hesitant to add a nymph given the tight quarters and risk of snagging a tree, but I capitulated to the idea and added a hares ear nymph on a short two foot dropper. I persisted with the dropper for a solid length of time, but it failed to produce, while the hippie stomper proved its worth.

Perfect Colors

Impressive Spot Pattern

By lunch at 11:45AM the fish count rested on seven trout, and all were small brook trout that smacked the hippie stomper. After lunch I removed the hares ear and shortened the leader and replaced the hares ear with a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. The stomper/caddis combination improved my success rate, and I steadily worked my way upstream prospecting all the likely fish holding locales. I persisted with the hippie stomper and caddis duo for the remainder of my time on the creek, and I boosted the fish count to twenty-eight. I estimate that the caddis was responsible for 60% of the takes , and the hippie stomper accounted for the remainder.

Trout Lair

The afternoon fishing was not a walk in the park. I climbed over large slimed rocks, countered strong, rushing currents and scrambled over too many logs to count. It seemed that difficult wading correlated with greater fish density. I snagged a few trees but only lost one pair of flies, when a brook trout shrugged free causing the flies to catapult into an evergreen branch that was beyond reach. The hackle on another caddis was shredded by the teeth of a fish.

Another Mature Brook Trout

Of the twenty-eight fish landed, two were brown trout and the remainder were brook trout. The brookies all fell within the six to nine inch range. One of the browns stretched to eleven inches to take the prize for largest fish of the day. I photographed a few of the brook trout that displayed especially vivid orange bellies.

Loved These Flowers

I quit at 3:30PM and marched back to the parking lot and discovered that my total penetration was around 1.3 miles. On my return hike I flushed a grouse, and I was startled by the loud sound of sudden wings flapping. On my drive home I saw a coyote trotting down the middle of the road without a care in the world. I thought about a photo, but it shuffled off into the woods and disappeared behind some shrubs.

Wide Body on a Short Fish

The fish were small, but I was nevertheless very engaged. The game on Wednesday was mostly about reading the water and executing accurate casts in tight quarters. I felt that I succeeded on both accounts. Another complication was selecting the best path for moving upstream. It reminded my of completing a difficult maze. I learned that hiking farther translates to better fishing, and I will remember that on my next visit.

Fish Landed: 28

South Boulder Creek – 08/04/2025

Time: 10:00AM – 3:00PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/04/2025 Photo Album

I always keep my eye on the DWR graphs for South Boulder Creek below Gross Reservoir, and I noted that the flows dropped to the 144 CFS range over the most recent seven days. This could only mean one thing; game on for fly fishing SBC. I reviewed my posts for South Boulder Creek for late July and early August, and I learned that I hit green drakes on August 3, 2022. Could 2025 also be an early western green drake year? Read on.

Spectacular Colors

By the time I made the drive, assembled my Loomis five weight and hiked to my chosen fly fishing spot it was 10:00AM. The temperature in the parking lot was 69 degrees, but the high in Eldorado Springs, the closest town, was projected to hit the upper 90’s. I knew it was going to be a hot one. Needless to say, by the time I was ready to fish, I was a bit damp. The flows were, in fact, 144 CFS, and the creek was clear. These flows were higher than I prefer, as they limited my mobility, but the presence of green drakes offset flow shortcomings.

Bankside Pool Was Productive

I began my day with a size 14 parachute green drake. This has become my favorite western green drake pattern, although I carry five different types. As it turned out, all the trout I landed on Monday grabbed a green drake pattern. I did have to test different patterns, however, throughout the day, when one fell out of favor.

Nice Small Stream Brown Trout

Between my start and 11:45AM, the parachute green drake fooled twenty trout. Yes, the fishing was torrid. In nearly every location that looked like it might hold fish, a trout emerged to crush the green drake. It was not always the first cast, but quite often that was the case. I quickly discovered that the fish avoided the pockets and slicks in the middle of the river, so I confined my casts to the likely holding lies along the banks. There were a few places, where I was able to maneuver enough to launch some casts to the opposite bank, but for the most part this gambit was not effective. Upstream casts along the right bank were the most productive. In addition, some places were wide, and this allowed the creek to spread-out and create moderate riffles and pockets, and I was able to wade to the middle to cover all the likely spots.

Parachute Green Drake Was Popular

I continued with the parachute green drake after lunch for fifteen minutes, but suddenly the trout consistently refused the previously hot fly.  This was a common occurrence during previous year outings, and my reaction was typically to switch to a green drake comparadun. I followed tradition, and the comparadun delivered and moved the fish count from twenty-five to thirty-one. However, the low riding fly with a large high wing was also refused, and it was very difficult to track because of its earthy colors.

Slender Look

I grew frustrated with the low visibility and the inability to follow, so I made another exchange. In this instance I substituted a user friendly green drake. This fly was designed by Andrew Grillos, and it is very similar to a hippie stomper. It possesses a different wing, and I modified it to display the green drake colors. I have had some previous success with the user friendly, but I consider it a third option behind the paradrake and comparadun. Well, guess what? It became a hot fly. I improved the fish count from thirty-one to sixty-two on the back of a user friendly. I tested it, because I suspected that the fish were looking for a wider and bushier profile, and the user friendly possesses those qualities. In addition, the foam strip makes the fly very buoyant, and the white wing enhances visibility. It worked better than I ever expected.

Wide Bank Pool to Explore

By 3:00PM I was weary, and I reached a point where significant rock scrambling was required to continue an upstream progression. I faced a one mile ascent to the parking lot, and I was depleting my energy supplies. I called it quits and hiked back to the car.

Face Down

What a day! Of course, many of the trout landed fell in the six to eight inch range. Nevertheless, there were enough brown trout and rainbow trout in the ten to twelve inch slot to keep me focused. I love prospecting with a single dry with the knowledge that the fish were tuned in, and I could expect a response in nearly all promising spots. In fact, quite a few marginal locations also generated takes. The rainbows were on average a bit larger than the browns, although I never landed a fish from either species longer than a foot.

User Friendly Green Drake

Hopefully I can return in the near future when the green drake hatch intensifies. I saw one natural green drake during my entire stay on the creek, but the trout were certainly aware of their presence. A modest drop in flows that offered better wading conditions would also be welcome. Stay tuned.

Fish Landed: 62

Cascade Creek – 08/01/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: National forest.

Cascade Creek 08/01/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

After two very successful days of fly fishing, I was anxious for day three and the last during my visit with my daughter, Amy. I fly fished on Cascade Creek twice in 2024 with excellent results, so I felt like I was saving the best for last. I got off to an early start, and this allowed me to arrive at my chosen destination by 9:15AM. I quickly geared up and fit together my Sage R8 four weight and hit the trail. A two mile hike placed me at a starting point, and I knotted a tan body mini chubby to my line along with a hares ear nymph and a psycho prince. As I configured my line, I heard the rumble of thunder, and the daylight dimmed, as a large gray cloud rolled overhead.

I delayed my first cast and hustled beneath a large evergreen tree to remove my packs and pull on my raincoat. As I was doing so, another angler approached on the trail, and he heard me before he saw me and mentioned that he thought I was a bear. I’ve never been mistaken for a bear before! I asked how far he was going, and he stated another mile. I was pleased to hear this, as it gave me plenty of space to explore upstream.

Once I snugged up my raincoat, the rain increased in intensity, so I sought some shelter other than a tall evergreen tree. I found a small nook between some large rocks with an overhanging ledge, and I squatted there for ten minutes, until the precipitation became light. I was amazed at how much the temperature plummeted with the dampness and lack of sunlight.

I returned to the stream and finally began my day of fly fishing at 11:00AM. Within the first fifteen minutes my flies became snagged on a rock, and this forced me to wade downstream to a more manageable crossing point and then wade up the left side to dislodge the nymphs. I was not happy. I returned to the right shoreline, which was more conducive to progressing upstream, and in the next target spot, I attempted a sidearm cast under some overhanging branches. When I retrieved the flies, I noticed a serious tangle, and I spent the next twenty minutes undoing the mess.

Lunch View

At 11:45AM I broke for lunch, and the fish count stalled at zero. I probably only fished twenty minutes during the morning session. Most assuredly the day could only improve. During lunch the sun appeared, and the sky was blue, and this had to be a harbinger of better things ahead.

Not Bad

I continued fishing the dry/dropper after lunch for a bit, but after covering two first class runs and pools with no action, I decided to make a switch. Two refusals to the mini chubby suggested that the fish were looking upward, so I transitioned to a double dry with a peacock hippie stomper up front and a purple haze in the back. This combination finally provided results, although the early netted fish were quite small and barely exceeded the six inch personal minimum. One of the first six was a decent twelve inch rainbow trout. All the early fish chose the hippie stomper, and the purple haze constantly tangled with the stomper. When the purple haze disappeared, while I played a fish, I replaced it with a size 14 parachute green drake.

Low and Clear

The green drake attracted a few refusals and a temporary hook up, but it was rather ineffective, and I sensed that I was fishing through spots that harbored decent trout with no action. I made another change, and this time I replaced the green drake with a size 14 stimulator with a ight olive body. This pair enabled me to climb the fish count to eight, with several spunky twelve inch rainbows in the mix.

What I Was Seeking

During previous visits I landed many hard fighting rainbows in the thirteen to sixteen inch range, but I was not encountering similar fish on August 1. What was the answer? I remembered that the mini chubby was a desired commodity in the afternoon on my previous trips, so I replaced the hippie stomper with a tan mini chubby and retained the olive stimulator as the trailer. The mini chubby allowed me to track the drab olive stimulator, and several fish snatched up the trailer, but more trout refused the stimulator or quickly slipped off after a brief hook set.

Home of Rainbow

I once again made a change, and this time I swapped the small stimulator for a size 14 version with a darker olive body and darker hackles. This fly was probably the most successful of the day, as number nine and ten were wonderful rainbows of fourteen and fifteen inches. They possessed wide slab bodies and fought extremely hard, before I could nestle them in my net.

Wide Body Rainbow

I added another twelve inch rainbow to advance the fish count to eleven, when once again thunder and dark skies intruded on my afternoon. In this instance I retreated to a dense copse of trees and managed to remain relatively dry without the aid of a rain shell. After the brief storm passed, I resumed fishing up the river for another twenty minutes. I was very selective about where I chose to cast, and I managed to hook up with two fine rainbows; however, they leaped and shook free of the stimulator, before I could guide them into my net.

Another Rainbow Home

At 3:30PM I faced at least an hour hike back to the parking lot, and the river ahead seemed to narrow into a tighter canyon with steep banks on both sides. I decided to call it a day. Friday was not the day I envisioned. Certainly the rainstorms shrank my fishing time after the long hike. I also feel like I relied on the mini chubby too much after immense success in 2024, but those visits were later in the season. I wish I would have tried some larger hopper flies, and I also feel like I could have been more strategic in my selection of stream sections to focus on. My best results came from deep slots and large pockets near large rock structures. Obviously the low and clear conditions moved the trout to sanctuaries along the bank or near rocks, where they enjoyed cover yet could readily cherry pick drifting food morsels.

I have not given up on Cascade Creek and hope to return at least once more before the 2025 season ends.

Fish Landed: 11

Frying Pan River – 07/31/2025

Time: 10:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: National Forest

Frying Pan River 07/31/2025 Photo Album

After a fun day on Wednesday, I decided to visit the Frying Pan River on Thursday. I assumed that the Pan would be less crowded on Thursday versus Friday, when all the long weekend anglers arrived.

I opted for my Sage R8 four weight for the somewhat larger Frying Pan, and when I stationed myself next to the river, I began with a peacock hippie stomper trailing a size 14 light gray deer hair caddis. The fish awarded me a resounding thumbs down, so I swapped the deer hair caddis for a beadhead hares ear nymph. The hares ear generated a small brown, but the combination was otherwise lacking, so I converted to a heavier dry/dropper that featured a yellow size 8 fat Albert, a beadhead hares ear, and a salvation nymph. The salvation fooled a couple decent trout in the ten to eleven inch range, but I was covering some very attractive water with meager results.

Started Here

I felt like the large hopper was scaring the fish, so I downsized to a peacock hippie stomper and kept the salvation nymph in place as a dropper. This two fly combination worked to some degree, and I boosted the fish count to five, before I broke for lunch at 11:45AM. Five fish in two hours was fairly average and not what I expected.

Browns Were in the Minority

Fine Looking Section on the Left

After lunch the slow action continued, and I began to think that a double digit day was a reach goal. The hippie stomper duped a pair  of fish to reach seven by 1:00PM, but the takes were more than matched by refusals. I concluded the fish were mainly looking to the surface, so I returned to the double dry approach.

Bronze Body

The stomper was matched with a size 14 purple haze, and the new addition added two trout to arrive at nine on the day. When I cast upstream, the stomper was the first fly visible to the fish, and in nearly every case, it was refused. When I cast across and allowed the flies to drift downstream with the purple haze in the lead position, quite often a take resulted. I received the message from the trout, and I placed the purple haze in the forward position and trailed a small size 16 light olive stimulator behind.

More Rainbow Action

This combination clicked, and I boosted the fish count to twenty-five over the remainder of the afternoon. The stimulator and purple haze were favored in roughly equal proportions. During the last hour, after the dry fly action subsided, I reverted to the dry/dropper featuring a mini chubby with a tan body, a psycho prince, and a salvation nymph. The last three fish succumbed to the salvation including a fine fourteen inch rainbow that represented the best fish of the day. It was number twenty-five, and then I carefully slid along a steep bank, until I found a place where I could cautiously negotiate the significant tilt.

Tight to Cover Was Home

Thursday was once again a blast. It took a long time for the fish to become active. Once I discovered the right double dry combination; however, the tide turned in my favor. Was it the flies, the time of day, or the hard to access section? I will never know for sure, but I suspect all three played a role.

Best of the Day

The quality of the fish was decent. The ratio of species was approximately 25% browns and75% rainbows. The browns were typically smaller with a pair of nice twelve inchers in the mix. The rainbows were predominantly chunky twelve and thirteen inch torpedoes. I was quite pleased with their size and fighting capability. Friday will be a new challenge.

Fish Landed: 25

Beaver Creek – 07/30/2025

Time: 11:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: National Forest

Beaver Creek 07/30/2025 Photo Album

Note: In order to protect small high country streams, I have chosen to change the name for a few. This particular creek happens to be one of them. Excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

After a week away from fly fishing, I was itching to return to western streams. I planned to fish on Monday, but projected high temperatures near 100 degrees dissuaded that notion. The heat was too much for even high elevations according to my reasoning. My grandsons’ “other” grandparents arrived from Pennsylvania, and they assumed our kid sitting responsibilities  on Thursday, July 31, and this provided a window of opportunity for fishing. I asked my daughter, Amy, if I could stay at her condo for three nights. She readily extended the invitation, so I had a home base for fly fishing adventures from July 30 through August 1.

High Gradient

On Wednesday morning I was set to depart Denver at 7:10AM, but as I drove down 35th Avenue, I noticed the low tire pressure warning light appeared on the dashboard. Just my luck. I did a quick U-turn and parked behind the garage, where I connected my portable air compressor and inflated the left rear tire from 25 PSI to 32 PSI. The meter on the compressor showed 32 PSI, but when I resumed driving, the dashboard displayed 28 PSI. If there was a leak, I gambled it was slow, and that I could enjoy a day of fishing without facing a flat tire. My gamble paid off, and when I returned home on Saturday, I learned from the tire store that my left rear tire picked up a tiny piece of metal and did in fact have a slow leak.

Brilliant Colors

I arrived at the trailhead for Beaver Creek by 10:30AM, and I prepared to fish the small mountain creek with my Orvis Access four weight rod. A short but steep climb advanced me to an entry point, and I rigged with a solo peacock hippie stomper. Fly choice was rather straight forward on this day. I stuck with the hippie stomper for the first four hours on the creek, and it delivered twenty-nine trout. The same fly produced all the fish without unraveling, before I carelessly snagged it on a backcast. Rescue was not possible, so I snapped it off and replaced it with a size 14 purple haze. I am not sure what motivated the choice, but it immediately became a hot fly, and I moved the fish count from twenty-nine to thirty-six in the last half hour. My day was too excellent to second guess, but what if I had switched to the purple haze sooner?

Hippie Stomper Did the Job

The trout seemed to relish the parachute attractor, as they attacked it quite often on the first drift. The white wing post was far more difficult to track than the large wing of the stomper, but on several drifts decent trout grabbed the purple haze as I lifted, or when it was not visible.

First Brook Trout

Tough Wading Ahead

What sort of fish was I catching? Three of my netted finned fighters were brook trout, and the remainder were rainbows. This is highly unusual for a small Colorado stream. Size was lacking, as the largest may have extended to twelve inches. The rainbows made up for their lack of size with their spirited fights and vivid colors. Many were in the ten to eleven inch range, but they were all quite chunky, and they fought hard on my light four weight stick.

One of the Best

Melon Color Scheme

Did I mention colors? The stripes ranged from purple to pink to orange to red, and the same color scheme matched the cheeks in many cases. Although it may sound like a walk in the park, it was not. The gradient was severe, and this created very challenging wading. The willows, bushes and trees inhibited moving along the bank, so climbing slippery rocks and clambering over large fallen logs were the only options to advance. Of course, the tight quarters reached out to grab flies at each turn, but my caution limited the frustration on that front.

Very Nice Spot

The effort was very challenging, but it did seem that the trout were more prevalent in sections that featured difficult access. I love prospecting with dry flies and a small rod in a high mountain stream, and Wednesday was very satisfying.

Fish Landed: 36