Category Archives: Fishing Reports

Fishing Reports

North Fork of the White River – 09/17/2019

Time: 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Between North Fork Campground and Trappers Lake

North Fork of the White River 09/17/2019 Photo Album

After three amazing days of fly fishing in the Flattops area, I was eager to spend one more day on the North Fork, before I returned to Denver on Tuesday, September 17. The section I planned to fish was the scene of many fine outings during previous trips to the Flattops, and I was anxious to continue the trend. Was I setting my expectations too high? Read on.

I camped at the North Fork Campground on Monday night, and in order to avoid setting up and taking down my tent, I stashed all the bins in the bear locker and slept in the back of the Santa Fe. This was the first time I attempted this with the new Santa Fe, and it suited my needs perfectly, as the additional length allowed me to fully stretch out in my sleeping bag.

Prime Small Stream Location

On Tuesday morning I packed the car with all my camping gear and headed to my chosen fishing destination, where I assembled my Orvis Access four weight and hiked a short distance to the stream. The short jaunt was a welcome change from the long hikes endured on Sunday and Monday, and my feet and legs embraced the break. The stream was flowing high compared to most of my previous September visits, but the water was crystal clear and cold and hopefully brimming with hungry fish. Unlike the previous three days, the weather was very unsettled, and this condition prevailed throughout my six hours on the creek. Thick gray clouds masked the warming rays of the sun 75% of the time, and strong gusts of annoying wind made casting very challenging. The air temperature peaked at sixty degrees, and the absence of the sun created the first significant chill since spring of the 2019 season.

Brook Trout Brilliance

My search for wild trout was initiated with a tan pool toy hopper, ultra zug bug and salvation nymph; but the first hour was very slow, as three trout were guided into my net. The starting section tumbled down a high gradient, and this provided limited choice holding spots; however, I felt that several prime spots failed to produce. Two of the three fish, that I landed were gorgeous and colorful brook trout with bright orange bellies contrasted against a mottled luminescent body. The third catch was a cutbow, and it featured vivid spots and stripes against a buttery gold body.

More Cutthroat Than Rainbow

My inability to tempt trout in several quality spots caused me to modify my offerings. I lengthened the leader between the hopper and the top nymph, and I replaced the salvation nymph with a hares ear. This change improved my success rate, and the fish count leaped from three to eight before I settled on a large rock to consume my lunch. The five fish included the fish of the day, a spectacular fifteen inch cutbow that nabbed one of the nymphs in a magnificent pool on the small mountain stream. Some cutbows lean towards rainbows in appearance, but this version had the deep yellow-gold body color, speckles and slash of a cutthroat, yet also displayed the distinctive pink stripe of a rainbow trout. It was the highlight of a day that grew increasingly frustrating.

Prize of the Day

After lunch the weather conditions worsened, as large gray clouds accumulated in the western sky and swirling blasts of wind raged up the canyon. At one point the threatening skies caused me to consider an exit strategy, but neither returning to the start or advancing to the end point were particularly attractive options. Instead I extracted my raincoat from my backpack and braced for the worst.

Let Me At It

During my afternoon on the North Fork I experienced nearly every conceivable form of fly fishing adversity. Foremost on my list of hurdles to success was tangles. Quite a few patience-taxing snarls resulted from the gusts of wind, but another self imposed factor was my choice of a three fly dry/dropper arrangement. Quite a few trout crushed the pool toy, and their efforts to escape created tight balls of monofilament, which took extended minutes to unravel. I estimate that my cumulative untangling time was 1.5 hours out of the six spent on the stream.

Those Colors

The wind also had a negative impact on my casting, and another slug of time was allocated to wading across or upstream to unhook my flies from branches and dry scratchy vegetation. In addition the dropper flies inevitably found all the protruding sticks that were wedged between the rocks. Rock climbing and log rolling added to my woes. The area experienced a wildfire many years ago, and an abundance of dead and charred logs span the creek. These obstacles created an obstacle course for the wading fly fisherman.

Typical Water

In spite of these hurdles to success, I managed to increment the fish count from eight at lunch time to eighteen by 3:00PM. Ten fish in three hours was not a torrid pace, but given the conditions, was acceptable to this fly fisherman. The quality of the fish was outstanding; and brightly colored brook trout, cutbows and rainbows were more than adequate rewards for my troubles. During this period many of the landed fish slurped the pool toy hopper, but the action was accompanied by numerous looks and refusals, so at three o’clock I swapped the pool toy hopper for a yellow fat Albert. I was hoping that the larger foam attractor would either result in more takes or would be ignored and thus allow the fish to focus on the trailing nymphs.

Silvery Brook Trout

The ploy paid off to some extent, as I boosted the fish count to twenty-three by the time I quit at 4PM, when I neared my designated exit point. These five trout were mostly very nice cutbows in the chunky thirteen inch range, but I probably experienced twice as many long distance releases as catches. In fact over the course of my day I suffered nearly as many lost fish, as I guided into my net.

Afternoon Success

In summary I spent Tuesday practicing casting in the wind and untangling knots among the scenic environment of the Flattops. In spite of these unforeseen lessons, I managed to land twenty-three dazzling wild trout including a fifteen inch small stream monster and quite a few muscular and hard fighting twelve and thirteen inch cutbows. Toss in some elegant brook trout in brilliant spawning colors, and you have a picture of my day on September 17. My end result was acceptable, but the hardship was not welcome.

Fish Landed: 23

Leaves Beginning to Change

Marvine Creek – 09/16/2019

Time: 10:30AM – 4:00PM

Location: Upstream from the Marvine Creek Trailhead

Marvine Creek 09/16/2019 Photo Album

I elected to fly fish Marvine Creek on the third day of my Flattops adventure. After two successful visits in previous years, Marvine became a Flattops mainstay on my agenda.The weather on Monday was once again ideal with the high temperature in the upper sixties and decent cloud cover much of the day, although rain was never a serious threat.

Near the Start

Workhorse Salvation Nymph

I began my day in an open area with a peacock hippie stomper, ultra zug bug, and salvation nymph. I quickly discovered that the two fly dropper was too long for the small stream and eventually halved the length of the leader and fished a hares ear as the top nymph and the salvation as the bottom fly. The hippie stomper became irrelevant after an initial burst of success, so I replaced it with a tan pool toy hopper. This dry/dropper configuration was the most successful, although when the action slowed in the afternoon, I eliminated the salvation and fished a hares ear as a solo dropper. After a bit the trout lost interest in the hares ear, and I returned to the salvation, but it failed to improve the success rate in the late afternoon.

Teeth Marks and Missing Legs after a Day of Fishing

Brilliant Color

The pool toy hopper was easily the top producer, as brook trout could not resist the size ten foam terrestrial with dangling legs. The reason was obvious, as hoppers launched into the air with every stride on my hike to and from the creek. At least twenty of my landed trout rose to and crushed the imitation grasshopper.

Dazzling Beauty

Likely Home of Trout

During the noon to 3PM period the fish count rose from eight to thirty-one, and this segment of the day coincided with my deployment of the short leader, three fly configuration. Quite often a brook trout would reveal its location via a refusal to the hopper and then grab the hares ear, as it trailed near the surface on the short leader.

Could Not Resist This Mouthful

Belly Check

All except three of my catches were brook trout, and the char parade included quite a few ten inch jewels with striking orange underbellies. The three fish that were not brook trout were cutbows, and these fish were the highlight of the day. The three outliers measured sixteen, fifteen and fourteen inches; and they were very pleasant surprises among the steady stream of brookies. All three emerged from prime lies on the high gradient stream that offered limited sanctuaries from the rushing current. The first one, the sixteen incher, snatched the trailing salvation. The fifteen and fourteen inch giants, by small stream standards, slurped the pool toy. Landing these fighters in close quarters was quite a thrill.

Big Surprise

Net Filler

More Cutthroat Coloration on This One

The greatest challenge on the thirty-eight fish day was covering water. I prospected 1.1 mile of tumbling whitewater and skipped large segments of fast riffles and churning chutes and cascades. Finding locales where trout could feed without expending excess energy was the key to success, and this approach entailed skipping significant quantities of water. Wading against the stiff current or bashing through rough streamside vegetation were the toughest hurdles on Monday, September 16.

Love the Left Side

The fly fishing was spectacular, but the golden glow of the grasses and low shrubs against the blue sky and dark green evergreens was equally splendid. Marvine Creek requires a lot of effort, but the results make it worthwhile.

Fish Landed: 38

Head of the Beaver Pond

South Fork of the White River – 09/15/2019

Time: 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Upstream from the South Fork Campground

South Fork of the White River 09/15/2019 Photo Album

Day one in the Flattops exceeded my expectations, and after a night of camping at the South Fork Campground, I was poised to explore another piece of the White River system on Sunday. Historically the South Fork has proven to be more challenging than the North Fork, and I was unsure which face it would show me in 2019. The more remote and slightly larger South Fork is normally more temperamental and requires adherence to a defined strategy in order to achieve consistent success. Could I attain above average results during my one day visit to the South Fork in 2019? Read on.

Remote South Fork

Since my retirement four years ago, I usually confine my fishing and camping adventures to weekdays, but I violated my policy with this Flattops trip over the weekend. I had a commitment for the end of the next week, and desired to fit in four days of fishing before then, thus I began on Saturday. That choice backfired somewhat when a couple of campers in a RV played loud country and western music into the early hours of the morning, and I woke up three or four times to the sound of deep throbbing bass. I considered accosting them on the matter, but sadly in this day and age I feared a violent reaction and sacrificed sleep for personal safety. I remain appalled by how inconsiderate people can be.

Do Bears Eat These?

Sunday was a gorgeous day, although it was quite chilly, when I woke up at 7:15AM. The air temperature was around forty, until the sun rose above the hill to the east. The high for the day was in the mid-seventies. As a result of camping near my destination I was in the stream and prepared to fish by 10AM.

Trough Below the Exposed Rock Equals Fish

I used my Sage four weight in case of wind and big fish, and I began with the alignment that produced excellent results on Saturday; a tan pool toy hopper, ultra zug bug, and salvation nymph. I landed eight rainbow trout by the time I stopped for lunch, and I only managed three in the first hour, and all were relatively small fish in the eight inch range. One of the five between eleven and twelve o’clock was a feisty specimen that measured twelve inches.

I Love the Orange Fins

After lunch I began to experiment with different flies in the upper nymph position. Flies positioned above the salvation were a dark Cahill wet fly, a pheasant tail nymph, an iron sally, and a prince nymph. The dark Cahill produced a nine inch rainbow and the prince nymph accounted for a pair of thirteen inch ‘bows. Over the course of the day the ultra zug bug delivered two trout to the net, and the pool toy hopper generated two, and this left the salvation responsible for seventeen trout. It was without a doubt the most popular fly on the South Fork.

The Most Productive Fly on Sunday, a Salvation Nymph

Top Fly All Day, Pool Toy Hopper

The South Fork stayed true to form, as I covered a ton of water in my pursuit of twenty-four fish. Wide shallow riffles were obvious time wasters, and I waded around several long sections that met this definition. I sought stretches, where the stream bed narrowed; and this created deep troughs, long pockets, and riffles of moderate depth. These were the places that fish preferred, and success hinged on disciplining oneself to focus on spots, that matched these descriptions. I landed my best fish in narrow deep slots near the bank, and the rainbows attacked the salvation as it began to swing or lift.

Another Rainbow Lair

No End to Rainbows

The disciplined approach did not always yield success, as I cast to numerous attractive areas that met the definition of productive with no results, and I never totally solved the puzzle of where to concentrate my efforts.

Deep Along the Edge

Hand for Perspective

At 2:30PM I noticed a fairly marginal slot along the north bank. I lobbed a cast into some fairly fast water, and as the pool toy bobbed along the narrow and deep channel, it came to an abrupt stop. I was certain that one of the nymphs snagged a branch, but I lifted just in case and felt some movement through my fly rod. Was it a fish, or was I moving the stick in the current? After a few seconds it was clear that the object on my line was alive, as my rod tip was tugged upstream at a slow rate. Unlike most rainbows, this fish was moving slowly and staying deep, and I was convinced that a massive whitefish inhaled one of my nymphs. After a ten foot upstream move at a relatively slow pace, I managed to turn the fish, and I caught a glimpse of my largest fish of the day. With extra side pressure applied, the fish accelerated its pace and initiated escape tactics. First, it swam downstream to the edge of some faster water. I applied steady and strong pressure and prohibited it from reaching the spill over below me. Next the wide body executed a series of rolls on the line, but I countered this by lifting the head out of the water, and I gradually guided the striped prize into my net. There before me rested a sixteen inch wild rainbow, but the width and girth were the most impressive aspect of the fish. The muscular rainbow was easily the largest fish of the trip so far, and fighting it was a strenuous test of my rehabilitated elbow.

Perfect Pose

Sunday was a fun day on the South Fork of the White River. Twenty-four trout in six hours of fishing is respectable, but I continued to struggle with my ability to identify productive water on the large backcountry enigma.

Grip Gap

In addition to the sixteen inch battler that I described above, I landed a pair of thirteen inch beauties and quite a few spunky twelve inchers. The remainder were wild ‘bows in the seven to eleven inch range. A double digit day on the South Fork requires on abundant amount of wading and casting, but nice fish are there, if you are willing to work.

Fish Landed: 24

Berries Next to Campsite

North Fork of the White River – 09/14/2019

Time: 1:00PM – 4:30PM

Location: Between North Fork Campground and Trappers Lake

North Fork of the White River 09/14/2019 Photo Album

After making a four hour drive on Saturday morning, I needed a Flattops destination relatively close to the road, and the North Fork became my choice. I parked at the end of my anticipated exit point and then hiked downstream .6 mile to an easier access path. I needed to make steady progress over roughly four hours to reach my exit point, so I skipped the braided section where I normally begin.

Fast Water

I rigged a dry/dropper that featured a tan pool toy hopper, ultra zug bug, and salvation nymph. I maintained these offerings throughout my 3.5 hours, although I exchanged the ultra zug bug for a hares ear, when I lost my entire leader, but more on that later. I moved in a fairly steady pace and focused on deep runs, pockets, and riffles. The strategy paid off as I boosted the fish counter to thirty-one before I quit at 4:30.

Lovely Rainbow or Cutbow

The pool toy hopper attracted the larger rainbows and included a fifteen inch rainbow, a pair of bows in the 13-14 inch range, and a decent number of feisty twelve inch trout. The ultra zug bug produced a couple during its tenure on the line, and the hares ear accounted for a couple late in the afternoon. The remainder of the landed rainbows latched on to the salvation, and a lift or swing at the end of the drift was consistently effective. Three landed trout were of the brook variety, and the remainder were spunky rainbows and cutbows.

Target for My Flies

Long One

In the very first run of moderate depth along the left bank I connected with a very hot fish, but after a torrid downstream streak, it broke off the salvation. The most notable event occurred in a left channel around a small island. The river tumbled over some rocks and carved out a deep hole, that was twenty feet long and twelve feet wide. A dead tree branch extended downstream along the left side of the small pool. I landed an eleven inch rainbow, as I lifted the salvation at the tail of the pool, and I decided to lob a cast toward a seam left of the center current. As the pool toy tumbled toward the middle of the pool, a large rainbow appeared and swirled around and then down on the foam terrestrial. I reacted with a swift hook set, and the aggressive eater immediately headed toward the branch. I applied steady side pressure to avert a line wrap, and just as I appeared to gain the upper hand, the line popped, and the combatant was free. I cursed my bad luck and expected to learn that the hopper and both nymphs were missing in action. This assumption proved correct, but the news was even worse. The entire tapered leader was absent, and I faced the task of rebuilding my entire leader below the end of the fly line! What happened? I can only conclude that the monofilament loop that was part of the loop to loop connection was cut or abraded, and the weak spot severed from the pressure of the trout. I was rather disappointed, but eventually accepted the separation as part of the game.

Another Wide Body

A Brook Trout Joins the Mix

Thirty-one fish landed in 3.5 hours served as salve for my bruised ego, and I was euphoric over my splendid day one. Even more impressive than the fish count was the size of the trout landed, with many trout in the robust twelve to fourteen inch range. My four days in the Flattops was off to an auspicious start, and I continued on to a campsite at the South Fork Campground. Would my good fortune continue on Sunday? Stay tuned.

Fish Landed: 31

Korkers and Bear Locker in This View

 

South Boulder Creek – 09/12/2019

Time: 12:30PM – 4:30PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 09/12/2019 Photo Album

My previous two trips to South Boulder Creek could be characterized as relatively straightforward when referring to fly selection. During the early hours I relied on a dry/dropper with a foam surface fly and a prince nymph dropper, and various green drake patterns occupied my line during the afternoon. Although I experienced my share of refusals, for the most part these flies delivered steady action. Based on the favorable outings on 8/15/2019 and 8/24/2019 I decided to return to my home waters on 9/12/2019.

When I returned from my six day trip to Pennsylvania on Wednesday, I reviewed the stream flows of the Front Range creeks, and South Boulder Creek posted a reading of 123 CFS. This level is higher than my ideal range, but the lure of green drake action in September brought me back. On my two previous visits the green drake action did not commence until 2:30 – 3:00PM, so I completed my morning workout and delayed my arrival. By the time I pulled on my waders and rigged my Sage four weight and ambled down the trail to the creek, it was lunch time, so I downed my small snack, before I approached the water.

Near the Start

Better Focus

As I mentioned, I prefer lower flows, and I quickly discovered that the creek could only be crossed in areas where the rushing water spread out over a wide stream bed. This handicapped my efforts a bit, and many areas that offered prime sanctuaries for hungry trout at lower stream levels were off limits at 123 CFS. Another unanticipated adverse factor was the weather. A storm rolled through Colorado on Wednesday night, and it brought a high pressure system that featured cool temperatures and wind. The air temperature in the canyon never surpassed the mid-sixties, and I dealt with sporadic gusts of wind throughout the day. Historically I never seem to do well on the first day after a high pressure system arrives, and I surmise Thursday was one of those days.

Ant Eater

Unlike my last two South Boulder Creek visits, I never settled on a consistent approach or fly. I began my day after lunch with a size 18 black parachute ant with a pink wing post, and this choice paid quick dividends, as six fish confidently inhaled the small terrestrial. The gusts of wind suggested that terrestrials might be solid searching patterns. The downside to the ant was my inability to track it in swirling water and riffles. It performed admirably in smooth shelf pools and pockets, but it was difficult to follow in challenging light and through surface chop.

Zoomed on the Ant

It was likely a case of over analysis, when I swapped the ant for a size 14 Jake’s gulp beetle. I reasoned that the beetle was also a likely wind blown terrestrial food source, and tracking the bright orange indicator foam was much easier than following the low floating tuft of pink poly. The beetle did, in fact, yield two trout, but it was ineffective in several prime areas, so I made another change.

Beetle Victim

During previous trips I prospected with a parachute green drake in the hours before the hatch, so I revisited this strategy on Thursday. I knotted a size 14 2XL parachute green drake to my tippet and landed two more trout. Unfortunately for every taker I suffered three long distance releases. The trout were interested in the western green drake imitation, but they reluctantly nipped at the large low floating imitation, and when I responded with a timely hook set, they quickly dropped off. I was a baffled by this turn of events, since the parachute green drake was money in the bank in the pre-hatch time period on the last two visits.

By 2:30 I had not yet observed a natural green drake, so I reasoned that perhaps the fish were locked on subsurface nymphs. I took a long break and configured my line with a dry/dropper including a peacock hippie stomper, prince nymph, and salvation nymph. The trout gave this alignment a resounding thumbs down. The hippie stomper elicited several refusals, and I sensed that the large weighted prince was causing the nymphs to drift below the cone of vision of the feeding trout. I removed the prince and replaced it with the salvation in a single dropper arrangement, and this combination duped a brown trout in front of a submerged boulder, when I began to lift for another cast.

Colors

By 3PM I spotted some early natural green drakes, and I responded by reverting to a solo green drake dry fly. In this instance I tested a Harrop hair wing dun, and it fooled a nice fish along a current seam, but then it fell out of favor, and I once again pondered a change. I decided to stick with the green drake theme, and I replaced the Harrop version with a size 14 comparadun with no ribbing. The comparadun generated the most success, when it produced three netted fish, and the fish counter moved to fifteen.

At 3:30PM I reached a section of fast water that consisted of numerous deep runs and pockets. I decided to exit and hike back toward the trailhead and stop at one of my favorite pools along the way. When I arrived at the gorgeous wide pool with a deep run slicing through the center, I paused to observe, and several sporadic rises caught my attention. Prior to my exit downstream I knotted a cinnamon comparadun to my line, and now I fluttered a few casts to the right side of the spectacular pool in front of me. A pair of refusals dampened my optimism, so I exchanged the cinnamon size 16 for a light gray of the same size. The gray pale morning dun imitation reversed my fortunes, and I hooked and landed a spunky rainbow and two brown trout, before I called it quits for the day.

Pastel Pink

Eighteen fish in four hours of fishing is a respectable performance, but it lagged 8/15 and 8/24 in both quantity and size. I suspect that I over analyzed the situation, and I should have persisted with the ant or defaulted to my tried and true dry/dropper in the pre-hatch time period. I never fell into a nice rhythm and or developed confidence in one of my fly choices. I also suspect that the cool temperatures and wind played a role in my inability to attain a comfort zone on Thursday, September 12.

Fish Landed: 18

Little Schuylkill River – 09/05/2019

Time: 11:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Special regulation area

Little Schuylkill River 09/05/2019 Photo Album

During the spring I received an email from a fraternity brother informing me, that a group was planning a reunion that spanned the graduating classes of 1970 through 1976. Since I was a member of the class of 1973, I made plans to attend. When I booked my flights, I scheduled an early arrival on September 4, so I could spend some time with my brother and sister, who continue to reside in southeastern Pennsylvania. Before my departure date, I learned that my aunt, who lives in Pittsburgh, was visiting my sister, and a small mini reunion was organized for Thursday night, September 5. 

Thursday remained an open date for fly fishing, but my destination had to be relatively close to my brother’s house in Lititz, Pa. or to my cousin’s home in Wernersville, Pa., the scene of our family gathering. Over the past two years I made the Instagram acquaintance of Fred Klein, a fly tier and fly angler, who lives near Birdsboro, Pa. I decided to contact him about a fishing day in early September. Fred immediately approved of the idea of a joint fishing trip, and he felt that we could catch some fish in spite of seasonally low and clear stream conditions.

On Thursday morning, September 5, I met Fred at the outer reaches of the Barnes and Noble parking lot in Reading, Pa., and we left my rental car there and transferred my Fishpond travel bag to his vehicle. Fred was forced to utilize his back up car, a RAV4, since his main car had mechanical issues. Once my bag was situated we departed, and we stopped at a Redner’s Market to purchase insect repellent and a few lunch snacks.

A Tributary

A Tributary

Starting Point

Starting Point

Before we reached our ultimate destination, we stopped at a bridge and another pull off, where we surveyed the river. It was low and clear, as I expected, given the early September timing of my visit, but Fred assured me that cool nights lowered the water temperature. At the second stop we negotiated a short hike to the river, where we encountered a massive slow moving pool that was the recipient of cold water from a tributary. On a previous visit Fred spotted a huge rainbow trout holding tight to a deadfall, but we were unable to locate the beast on this stopover. Fred executed a few obligatory casts with his fiberglass, but we quickly abandoned the honey hole and continued on to the special regulation water.

Once Fred parked the car in a makeshift pullout, we geared up for a day on the river. The weather was ideal with partial cloudiness, and the temperature peaked in the mid-seventies. We found a nice clear area between the road and the river, and cut to the bank and began our quest for Pennsylvania trout. Fred began by swinging a classic wet fly, and I knotted a peacock hippie stomper and beadhead hares ear to my line. Our starting point was the left braid around a very long narrow island, and it felt like we were exploring a much smaller creek. We never encountered another angler over our entire day, and I was amazed at the feeling of remoteness on this Pennsylvania waterway. Judging from the lack of worn paths and defined pullouts, I agree with Fred’s assertion that the Little Schuylkill is lightly pressured.

Fred in Action

Fred and I alternated turns at casting in the narrow left braid, and being a gracious host, Fred offered me the first quality spot. The hippie stomper generated a few splashy refusals, and then I connected with a fish that was likely a small brown trout, but it evaded the hook after a two second tussle.

Pleased with This Catch

The remainder of the day continued in much the same fashion, and I eventually landed four brown trout with the largest extending to the one foot mark. Three grabbed the hares ear, and one nipped the salvation nymph, after I added it as a third fly for a deeper than average run. Fred, meanwhile, switched to a dry/dropper and connected for a few temporary hook ups in the mid-afternoon time period.

Hidden Channel

The catch rate was slow, and the fish were small, but I maintained low expectations given the low and clear early September conditions. In short, I had a fun time. I discovered a new fishing companion and explored an entirely new fishing destination within close proximity of my brother and sister and my hometown. I can easily envision the possibilities of this southeastern Pennsylvania gem during higher water and colder temperatures. Mix in some hatches, and pure enjoyment would surely be the end product. 

Fish Landed: 4

Those Spots!

 

Canyon Creek – 08/28/2019

Time: 10:30AM – 3:30PM

Location: Backcountry in Colorado

Canyon Creek 08/28/2019 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 fished this remote backcountry stream twice previously with the most recent visit on 08/06/2019. During that trip I hiked 2.1 miles from the trailhead, and after fishing for .4 miles I entered a canyon with very steep sides. In order to return I was forced to wade along the edge of the stream, until I reached my original entry point. Upon my return home I pulled out a topographical map and researched the area, and I noticed that the trail veered away from the creek at my starting point, and then after approximately .5 miles it made a big bend and merged back with the blue line that represented the creek. I concluded that I should have pressed on, and in doing so I would have intersected with the trail, and this would have enabled an easier return hike.

Since I was camping within a reasonable distance of Canyon Creek, I concluded that this allowed for an early start, and if I moved at a steady pace, I could achieve my goal of fishing through the canyon to a point, where access to the trail made my return hike a relatively reasonable proposition. The most interesting aspect of my fly fishing outing on August 28 was the contrast between my plan and the circumstances that actually unfolded. The fishing was superb, and I will get to that later in this post, but first an account of my exit adventure from a remote high country stream.

I began fly fishing at the 2.1 mile mark, just as I did on 08/06/2019. As I planned, I moved at a steady pace, and by 2:30 I advanced beyond my farthest penetration on my last trip. The area that I entered was characterized as a massive boulder-strewn cascade with steep canyon walls on both sides. The only way to advance upstream was to clamber over the huge rocks, and the difficulty of this process was enhanced by the cold water that spilled and sluiced through the gaps in the high gradient setting.

Nymph Grab Under Roots

During the early phase of negotiating this terrain I paused at nearly every attractive plunge pool to fish, and the results were impressive; however after an hour of this I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was 3:30, and the boulders were not going away, and the canyon walls were not becoming more gentle. I was faced with attempting to press on to find the trail or reverse direction and wade back down the cascade to my entry point. I tend to be a very goal oriented person, so I opted to press on…for awhile.

The difficulty of this task swelled exponentially. The canyon narrowed, and this topography concentrated the water in the center of the boulder field, and the boulders became larger. I found myself, at times, climbing waterfalls. Fortunately I was wet wading, because my waders would have filled with water during many of my climbing maneuvers. On several occasions I placed my fly rod on top of a large rock, and then I used my arms to pull my body weight up to a point, where I could extend one of my legs to the crest of the rock and pull myself over the top. My net, wading staff and fly rod constantly wedged in crevices or snagged on sticks and branches, and this slowed my progress and added to my frustration. By four o’clock it became apparent that reaching the point where the trail bordered the creek would remain an unfulfilled goal. The cascade and waterfall stream structure was not changing as far as I could see, and the east wall of the valley that bordered the trail was unrelenting in its pitch. I surrendered to the backcountry and decided to reverse direction.

Up Close

Even this decision was fraught with downside. The waterfalls and cascades that I worked so diligently to climb now posed serious threats to my safety, as I slid down churning chutes and falls. Again I used the technique of lowering my body to within a couple feet of the water and then dropped the final distance to the creek bed, while water gushed against my backside. At one point I thought I found a place, where I could scale the steep angled bank, but after scrambling up the slope for ten feet, I realized that farther progress required me to traverse an extremely narrow ledge above a steep section of loose soil. I wisely came to my senses and gave up on this risky course of action.

Picture Perfect

Progress was slow, but I reminded myself that plenty of daylight remained, and I moved on with caution. Once again I stared at the east bank, and I found another place where the angle of the slope was less than other insurmountable places. The impediment to this path was a fifteen foot section that was quite steep, but if I could attain the crest, it appeared that the slope diminished beyond. I decided to give it a try, and I chose a line, where I could grip sturdy saplings and a curved tree stump to pull my weight upward, while I dug my toes into the loose ground. It worked! I crested the bank and anxiously peered upward to assess my next move. I was now committed to continuing the search for the official trail, since sliding back down to the creek was not a safe option.

Carrying Some Weight

Where to Cast First

My next obstacle was a large area covered with scrub oaks. Scrub oaks are low trees that rarely grow to a height of more that fifteen feet. They spread out and possess very stiff limbs with rough bark, and I began to wend my way through the forest of scratching, grabbing scrub oak trees. The coarse limbs poked me and clutched at my net and fly line, but I gradually found a path through the shortest of the obstinate trees. After fifty yards of strenuous ascent through the thick woods, I spotted some tall evergreens, so I veered to the right and managed my way through some taller oaks by holding my fly rod as high as possible above the branches and foliage. During this entire time I checked my hemostats, nipppers and floatant tube every few seconds to make sure they were not confiscated by the unrelenting brush.

Phew. A Handful

I made it to the tall evergreen trees, and they were situated in a small gully, and the tall trees apparently provided shade, and this reduced the density of the vegetation. I made a sharp left turn and proceeded upward through the depression for thirty yards until I once again crested a short bank and found myself in a clearing, and running through the center of the open space was the trail!

I heaved a sigh of relief and gulped ten swallows from my hydration bladder and began the return hike. I used my Garmin watch to clock the return trek, and I arrived at the trailhead parking lot after 2.5 miles. This meant that I only covered .4 miles during my upstream progression, and I faced a minimum of .2 miles, until I met the trail. I failed to incorporate climbing waterfalls and scrambling over huge boulders into my plan.

So Fine

Was the risk and strain of this adventure worth it? Allow me to return to the fishing. When I arrived at the stream after the inbound 2.1 mile hike, I configured my line with a tan pool toy, ultra zug bug, and salvation nymph. I spent twenty minutes prospecting the likely pools with these offerings and managed to land two small brown trout on the salvation nymph. Unfortunately these positive results were overshadowed by the frequent refusals and long distance releases that plagued the first twenty minutes on the creek. I was passing through quality water and had very little to show for my efforts.

I paused and decided to make an adjustment. I swapped the pool toy for a peacock hippie stomper and retained the salvation nymph in a single dropper set up. I hoped that the smaller stomper would be more acceptable to the small stream residents and additionally would not disturb the pools as readily as the size 8 pool toy hopper. The single nymph was a hedge in case the trout opportunistically favored subsurface food items. I am not sure whether my reasoning was sound, but I persisted with this lineup throughout the remainder of the day. I built the fish count to twenty-seven, and the species split was five rainbows and twenty-two brown trout. The hippie stomper and salvation nymph accounted for landed fish in roughly a 50/50 ratio.The catch rate was steady, and enough larger than average trout approached my flies to maintain my vigilant focus.

Mountain Ash Extends Over a Gorgeous Pool

Toward the end of the day I encountered a very deep plunge pool in the center of the boulder field. A large plume of water spilled over some large rocks and cut a deep frothy run through the center of the 15′ X 15′ pool. A small slow moving 4′ X 4′ eddy existed on the side nearest to me, and a more appealing shelf pool spanned out from the center run on the opposite side. I had my eye on that area as the prime fish holding location, but I decided to drop an obligatory short cast to the nearby eddy. The hippie stomper stalled in the eddy, and as I looked on, a huge head and mouth slowly appeared and drifted up to nip the foam attractor. I waited for a split second, and then lifted the rod and connected with the brown trout for a split second. I was certain that this fish was put down for at least a week by my premature hook set, but for some reason I dropped another cast into the tight pocket. No response confirmed my suspicions, but for some inexplicable reason I executed a few false casts and placed the hippie stomper back in the eddy. The same large head reemerged but at a somewhat faster pace, and a seventeen inch brown trout engulfed the size 14 peacock stomper. The large combatant put up a brief tussle within the confines of the small pool, before I hoisted it into my net. The fact that this trout ate a second time after being pricked on the first attempt indicates to me that fishing pressure is nonexistent on this backcountry stream. The image of this large brown trout in the tiny plunge pool still sends chills up my spine.

Wide Shoulders

But what about the size of the other landed fish? I landed six fat browns in the thirteen to fifteen inch range in addition to the big boy, and these were also impressive fish in the small stream environment. But what about the plunge pool and large boulder area? I landed nine fish from this type of stream structure, before I quit at 3:30, and this included the beast of a brown trout and most of the other larger browns. I suspect that fish in that area were seeing a fly for the first time. I am not sure if the results were worth the risk and extreme effort, but the fly fishing was superb and one of my best backcountry small stream outings during my many years.

Fish Landed: 27

Lake Creek – 08/27/2019

Time: 10:00AM – 3:30PM

Location: Backcountry

Lake Creek 08/27/2019 Photo Album

I began my hike to another high country stream never before fished at a trailhead that displayed a sign. I knew from my review of the topographical map that a trail followed the creek, and I assumed that the marker identified its starting point. After .4 mile, however, I encountered an extremely steep ascent on loose soil, so I backed up and retreated to the stream. Normally I favor hiking much farther from a trailhead, but my lack of familiarity with the area and my concern for safety dictated, that I violate the distance from parking lot doctrine.

Typical Section

I cycled through more than the normal number of flies during my day on the new stream, as I was unable to reach a combination that yielded confidence. For the surface component of my dry/dropper systems I experimented with a tan pool toy hopper and peacock hippie stomper. When I elected the solo dry fly approach, I tested a parachute green drake, Jake’s gulp beetle, and a user friendly green drake. For dropper nymphs I turned to the salvation nymph, beadhead hares ear, bright green go2 caddis pupa, ultra zug bug, and prince nymph. By far the most effective dry was the pool toy, and it was featured on my line on three separate occasions. The salvation duped a couple fish early as did the go2 caddis pupa. The prince produced a very memorable twelve inch brown trout that was tucked tight to an exposed boulder. The ultra zug bug yielded four trout during the afternoon when combined with the hopper.

Another Hopper Victim

Between 10AM and noon the fish count mounted to eleven, and at that point I broke for lunch. Most of the morning trout crushed the hopper or nabbed the salvation or go2 caddis pupa. The action was steady, but I moved at a fairly fast pace and only allocated three casts to most locations. For the most part the willing eaters emerged from expected locations that provided depth near cover.

Butter

After lunch I experimented with the hippie stomper. Although the hopper delivered fairly regular results, it also initiated a decent number of refusals. The hippie stomper performed well on my previous three stream visits, so I wanted to assure myself that I was not overlooking a very productive fly. After twenty minutes as the top fly with a prince nymph as a dropper, the stomper accounted for three fish, but it was not on fire, nor did it outperform the pool toy.

Yummy Hole

I revisited the hopper for improved buoyancy and visibility, and it proved its worth. The prince meanwhile produced a gorgeous brown, but then it ceased to contribute, so I replaced it with an ultra zug bug. By 2PM the sun was high overhead, and its impact raised the temperature to the mid-80’s. It seemed that the fish took siestas, as I suffered through my longest dry spell.

The Fly Savored

My confidence was ebbing, as the fish count stalled at eighteen, so I decided to try some alternative dry flies. I speculated that something smaller might be more in favor. I began with a Jake’s gulp beetle, and it produced a small brown in a marginal spot along the edge, but some drifts through quality runs failed to produce, so I made another change. I opted for an olive size 14 stimulator, and it also contributed a couple fish, but it faltered in some prime spots and got waterlogged.

Attractive Water Ahead

It was at this time, that I observed a solitary green drake, as it slowly fluttered up from the creek. Since I was in a slow period, I had nothing to lose and knotted a parachute green drake to my line. Voila! The fish liked my move, and four additional trout found a home in my net. The parachute also sopped up water; and, in fact, the last fish gulped the mayfly imitation after it sank. I decided to try a user friendly green drake, since it possessed a foam strip for buoyancy, and it added a small brown, but then a small wave of refusals ensued. I stuck with the green drake theme a bit longer, and switched back to a fresh parachute, but suddenly the trout were not interested in the large olive mayflies.

Let Me At It

For a third time I elected to drift the pool toy hopper, and the ultra zug bug was my choice as the dropper. I approached a very deep triangular pocket in front of an exposed boulder and dropped three casts in the center. All were ignored but not the fourth. No sooner had the hopper splashed down, when a missile of a trout exploded on the foam terrestrial. I set the hook and immediately realized that the object attached to my fly was the best fish of the day. It raced back and forth, but fortunately never left the small pool, and after some tense moments I lifted its head into my net. There before me rested a fifteen inch cutbow that possessed ample weight. This was number twenty-five and a fitting exclamation point on a fine day of fishing.

Only Fish That Was Not a Brown

I managed one more medium size brown, and then my watch displayed 3:30PM, and I was unsure of my exit strategy. Finding a way out of remote fishing locations has become a repetitive theme on my backcountry adventures. I angled up a relatively steep but short bank that consisted of loose soil. When I arrived at the top, I proceeded at a ninety degree angle from the stream through some spaced trees and brush, until I arrived at a clearing. Miraculously I spotted a defined trail, and I followed it for .8 mile through pinon pine, juniper and sagebrush vegetation, until I met the creek just below the road. The trailhead was unmarked and fifteen yards below the sign, where I began my morning hike.

Stimulator Eater

The fisherman trail involved a stream crossing, but I now know where to embark on my next visit to Lake Creek in order to gain deeper penetration into the backcountry. I landed twenty-six trout on Tuesday, and all except the cutbow were brown trout. The brown tally included a pair of fat thirteen inchers, four twelve inch beauties, and the remainder were in the eight to eleven inch range. I felt like the fish density lagged other comparable small streams; but this may have been influenced by the sunny hot day, the more wary nature of brown trout, and my failure to hike deeper and away from an area that probably receives heavier fishing pressure. Now that I know the path logistics, I am anxious to give the newly discovered creek another try.

Fish Landed: 26

Beaver Creek – 08/26/2019

Time: 12:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: .8 mile from the trailhead and then upstream for .4 mile

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. Hopefully the readers will agree that excessive exposure could lead to crowding and lower fish densities.

Beaver Creek 08/26/2019 Photo Album

I set out on my three day two night camping/fishing trip with guarded optimism. I planned to camp and fly fish on three different backcountry high elevation streams, and two would be first time exploratory ventures. I was working with minimal information, and that always elevates the risk of such undertakings; however, positive results make such remote excursions even more gratifying.

I made my first stop on Monday at small and tumbling Beaver Creek, and I am pleased to report, that it was an unqualified success. The weather was bright and sunny and very warm with the high temperature close to ninety degrees, and landing a decent quantity of fish in these challenging weather conditions was a testimony to a productive stream.The creek was very clear, and I had no basis for comparison, but it seemed that flows were nearly ideal.

Nice Depth on a Small Stream

I began fishing with at 11:45AM, and I landed a pair of rainbows, before I found a nice space for lunch at 12:05PM. I was off to an auspicious start. My quest for trout began with a solo peacock hippie stomper, but after lunch I sensed that I was passing through productive water with no positive results. In response I added a beadhead hares ear and salvation nymph, but this combination was too long and cumbersome in the narrow and tight quarters of Beaver Creek. I responded by taking a break from scrambling over boulders and logs and removed both nymphs and then knotted a salvation two feet below the hippie stomper. The two fly dry/dropper began to produce, and the fish count mounted to eight fish, when a small fish somehow separated the two flies from my leader. I suspect an old abraded knot was the cause.

Pleased With This One

I Did Not Overlook the Foam

I was not anxious to sacrifice another peacock stomper, so I tried one with a silver ice dub body. This hippie stomper remained on my line for most of the afternoon, and since I was building my lineup anew, I replaced the lost salvation with an ultra zug bug. I was convinced that the small stream residents were not choosy, and my thought process was subsequently validated. The fish count advanced to twenty-two, and by 3PM the shadows grew, and I struggled to track the hippie stomper in the alternating glare and shade. I reacted by replacing the hippie stomper with a Chernobyl ant, and the yellow foam indicator was marginally easier to follow, but the large terrestrial was not as popular with the trout.

Emerged from Beneath the Froth

Once again I initiated a change, and I sought a fly that was large and visible, and the choice became a size 10 tan pool toy hopper. I soon rued my failure to go this route sooner. A couple rainbows aggressively crushed the hopper, and then a nice trout mauled the terrestrial in a very attractive deep pool. After I set the hook, the fish immediately streaked under a large rock and wrapped me around some submerged logs. I was unable to retrieve the flies intact, and they broke off.

Scarlet on This Larger Than Average Bow

Most of the late action was on the hopper, so I replaced the lost foam top fly with another and skipped the dropper. The last hopper accounted for two trout before four o’clock arrived, and a very steep side wall on the trail side gave me concerns about my ability to return.

Tight Quarters for Casting

Beaver Creek was a clear success. I landed twenty-seven trout, and I estimate five were brook trout and twenty-two were rainbows. The rainbows were mostly in the 9-12 inch range, and a couple of thirteen inchers were highlights.

Small Beauty

The day was not all easy pickings. I probably experienced as many long distance releases as fish landed. Quite a few fish nipped the dry fly but dropped off quickly, when I raised my rod to set. The tight quarters made executing a swift set difficult at times, and casting around branches and overhanging bushes was an ongoing challenge. Perhaps the greatest hurdle to success was simply wading. I frequently adopted the position of a contortionist in order to move under, over, and around stream obstacles. I never fell into a confident rhythm, yet the catch rate was steady, and I was pleased with the results for a first time visit.

Fish Landed: 27

South Boulder Creek – 08/24/2019

Time: 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Below Gross Reservoir

South Boulder Creek 08/24/2019 Photo Album

My son, Dan, and I planned a rare fishing outing for Saturday morning, August 24. Dan is at the stage of his life, where he constantly juggles competing priorities, so a day on the stream with him is time to treasure. I offered Dan several options for fly fishing destinations, and he quickly chose South Boulder Creek. This was music to my ears, since I was itching to return after a fabulous visit on August 15. Green drakes were on the menu, and I was fairly confident that they would remain a significant food source for South Boulder Creek trout.

Dan and I met near the intersection of Coal Creek Canyon Road and CO 93, and we car pooled to the upper kayak lot below Gross Reservoir. We quickly put on our gear and assembled our rods and hit the trail. I chose my Orvis Access four weight to minimize arm and shoulder fatigue. Six other vehicles were parked in the kayak lot, so we knew that we would enjoy the company of other anglers.

Amazing Place

The flows were 117 CFS, and although higher than ideal, they were lower than at any time over the recent months. The sky was overcast, and this resulted in an air temperature in the low sixties, when we departed; however, by noon the sun burned through, and the air temperature soared into the eighty degree range.

Dan Begins His Day

By 10AM Dan and I were situated in the stream and ready to pursue hungry trout. Dan progressed along the north bank of the creek, while I cast to the left side. I suggested that Dan begin with a parachute green drake, and I provided him with three of my winter ties. I watched as he hooked and landed a pair of small browns, but the drake failed to generate interest in some very attractive runs, so I opted for a dry/dropper approach. I knotted a tan pool toy hopper to my line for excellent visibility, and beneath the large foam fly I added a prince nymph and a salvation nymph. These two flies were intended to imitate the nymphal stage of green drakes and pale morning duns.

Another Wild Brown Trout

Very Fine Rainbow Joins the Parade

By 11:45 I recorded eleven landed trout, and Dan was in the five range. The action was decent but not as intense, as that which I experienced during the morning on August 15. The prince nymph and salvation accounted for all my fish in roughly equal proportions. Unfortunately our lunch break occurred on a stretch of the stream, where it was narrow and high velocity, and this prevented us from crossing to eat together. Dan found a nice perch high above the creek, while I occupied a 5′ X 5′ flat rock along the south bank.

So Green

Green drakes had not made an appearance by the time I finished munching my lunch, but I decided to join Dan in prospecting the large mayflies with the hope that the trout possessed long memories. Ironically Dan observed my higher paced action before lunch, and he converted to a dry dropper with a fat Albert and prince nymph! I suppose this is an example of the “grass is always greener” adage. I landed a few trout on the parachute green drake in the early afternoon, but Dan went on a tear and jumped his fish count to nine.

Magazine Cover

Happy Fisherman

I was disappointed in the performance of the green drake, and naturals were absent, so I reverted to the dry/dropper technique. Unlike the morning, however, I switched the pool toy to a peacock hippie stomper, and I substituted a hares ear for the prince nymph. I hedged my bets a bit with the peacock hippie stomper, as it is a reasonable approximation of a green drake. Only the width of the body and the peacock color represent a slight deviation from the user friendly green drakes, that I tied over the winter.

Salivating for a Shot at This Pool

Between 12:30PM and 3:00PM Dan and I migrated upstream, and we each enjoyed steady success. Most of Dan’s landed fish snatched the prince nymph, so perhaps my relegation of that fly to my fleece wallet was premature. I, on the other hand, incremented my fish count to twenty-five, and the hippie stomper and salvation nymph were equally effective. I was particularly pleased with several chunky twelve and thirteen inch rainbows, that slashed the stomper; but some deep butter-colored brown trout were also appreciated.

Width and Spots

Speckles Galore

By three o’clock we approached an area where the creek narrowed between large boulders, and the character of the stream converted into deep pockets and large plunge pools. By now a few natural green drakes made an appearance, but we only noted a random rise or two. We decided to circle around the narrows, and we quickly moved upstream to a gorgeous pool. The main current divided the pool in half, and very attractive shelf pools beckoned our flies on each side. As I gazed upon the alluring pool in front of us, several lumbering olive mayflies elevated skyward, and this observation was accompanied by a burst of splashy rises along the main current seam as well as within the side pools. Needless to say our heart rates elevated, as this scene unfolded. Dan and I each began with parachute green drakes, but the fish continued to feed with no regard for our low riding slender imitations.

Scene of Green Drake Hatch

I decided to switch to a more robust green drake model and chose a size 14 comparadun with a maroon thread ribbing. This fly possesses a very full deer hair upright wing, and I speculated that it might be a key triggering characteristic. Once the comparadun was on my line and amply dabbed with floatant, I lobbed a cast to the shelf pool on the left. Thwack! A thirteen inch rainbow trout gulped it like candy. I was very pumped at this turn of events. I quickly sopped the moisture from the body of the comparadun, dipped it in dry shake and flicked off the white residue. My fly was back in floating condition, and I dropped a second cast to the left side of the main current seam. Wham! The second thirteen inch rainbow actually raised its head above the water and ate the fly on its way down. What a visual! I managed to guide another thrashing pink striped fighter into my net.

Dan was a keen observer of these developments, and he switched to a comparadun as quickly as he could. I ceded the left side of the stream to him and moved to the right. The right side contained a large exposed boulder, and a portion of the creek curled around the large rock and then flowed into a shallow pool, before it merged once again with the main channel. I focused on the trout in the shallow right pool section, but these fish were more educated or more than likely obtained a better look at my fly due to the slower and smoother water.

A Jewel

As I suffered through some ignominious refusals, Dan’s comparadun caught fire, and he landed a batch of eager feeders from the full length of the shelf pool on the left. I surrendered to the picky eaters in the shallow pool and turned my attention to the faster current to the right of the center run. This ploy paid off, and I landed two more trout to jump the fish count to twenty-nine. The rises ceased on my side of the stream, and Dan had more prime water to cover, so I waded to shore and circled around to two nice pockets above the main pool. In these locations I was able to net two additional trout, while Dan concluded his assault of the left shelf pool. By 4:15PM we encountered less attractive water, and we realized that time rushed by, so we resumed our return hike to the car.

Hook Removal

Wow, what a flurry of action at the main pool between 3:15PM and 4:15PM! This was exactly the scenario that I hoped for but never dared to expect. Dan experienced the excitement of casting large mayfly imitations to ravenously feeding fish, and he loved it. It is hard to adequately describe the intensity and adrenaline rush that accompanies a scene headlined by large hatching insects, eagerly feeding trout, and an angler with the correct imitation. In my mind it is the zenith of fly fishing, and the scenario that keeps bringing me back.

Fish Landed: 31