Time: 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Location: Middle Colorado River

Colorado River 09/18/2024 Photo Album

For this blog post, I am offering two versions. One was composed by me as usual and the other used artificial intelligence. Can you guess which is which, and tell me your preference?

Yesterday, I finally got to experience the long-awaited guided float fishing trip on the Colorado River. After a couple of washouts due to high and muddy waters earlier in the summer, I was excited to hit the river with my friend Dave G. and our guide, Reed. The anticipation had been building, and as I drove to Dave’s house in Eagle, Colorado, I couldn’t wait for the adventure that lay ahead.

We met at the boat launch by 10:00 AM. The sky was a stunning pure blue, but the air was brisk, with temperatures lingering below 40 degrees. I layered up in fleece and a rain shell, shedding a layer within the first hour as the sun warmed us up. By lunchtime, I was down to just my fishing shirt—a testament to how quickly the day transformed.

A Bit of Cloudiness

Reed had rigged up my Sage One five weight with new Rio Gold fly line, which performed beautifully. He also set up Dave’s rod and a six weight for me, outfitted with a dry/dropper configuration. I claimed the front of the boat, eager to get started. Reed’s dog, Edna, accompanied us as always, adding a bit of charm to the outing.

Edna

Funky Midge Cluster

The morning began with high hopes as I cast a double dry rig featuring a size 14 caddis and a funky midge cluster imitation. Unfortunately, the fish seemed uninterested. Meanwhile, Dave G. was reeling in a few on his dry/dropper setup, prompting me to switch tactics. I opted for a large attractor top fly paired with a Pat’s rubber leg and a perdigon nymph. It proved to be the right call; by the time we paused for lunch along the riverbank, I had landed ten nice trout!

Nice Morning Catch

After lunch, Dave and I switched positions in the boat, and I continued to increase my count, bringing my total to sixteen. Reed made adjustments to my rig, introducing a psycho baetis along with the rubber legs. While the rubber legs were still dominating, the baetis helped reel in a few more fish.

Hopper Eater

The highlight of the day came in the afternoon, as we approached a densely vegetated bank. Reed set us up with solo hopper flies, and I managed to cast close to an overhanging grassy bank. A thrilling moment unfolded as I witnessed a sixteen-inch brown trout rise to meet my fly—a visual eat that I’ll cherish long after the trip. Despite that excitement, the hopper action remained slow, and we soon switched back to our dry/dropper setups, landing a few more trout before reaching our takeout at 4:00 PM.

Focused on the Mouth and Lip

The day was mostly delightful, despite the afternoon winds that plagued us. I found myself in a few tangle mishaps until Reed stepped in with a brilliant short over-the-left-shoulder backhand cast to counter the crosswind. With the temperature reaching a comfortable 70 degrees, the fish were hungry, and we capitalized on pounding the banks with our dry/droppers. Thanks to Reed’s expertise in positioning the drift boat, we were able to maximize our chances.

Color Changing Along River Bottom

In total, I landed 19 fish, and the experience was well worth the wait. Here’s to more days like this on the water!

Fish Landed: 19