Time: 10:00AM 3:00PM

Location: In the vicinity of Lodgepole Campground

Taylor River 07/22/2025 Photo Album

Jane and I snagged a first come, first serve campsite number one at Lodgepole Campground for July 21 and 22. On the day of our arrival, we hiked along the Taylor River, and then we completed a four mile hike on the South Lottis Creek Trail. We did these hikes after driving from Denver to Lodgepole and after putting up our tent and canopy. The weather was magnificent with high temperatures in the upper seventies.

A Good Starting Point

Solid Water Ahead

Tuesday was my day to fish. This gave Jane access to the car, although she never took advantage. After a tasty breakfast, I prepared to fish the Taylor River. I selected my Sage R8 four weight and pulled on my brand new Guideline waders and set out for the river. Jane accompanied me to make sure that I did not attempt any unsafe crossings. While she was watching, I actually tried to cross at two spots near the campground, but using my better judgement, I reversed course and moved on. Eventually I found my preferred crossing point and managed to wade across the river, as Jane observed. The Taylor River is one where I firmly believe that fishing away from the pressured bank next to the road is advantageous.

Fine Fish

By 10:00AM I was positioned along the left bank, and I opted for a size 14 peacock hippie stomper trailing a size 14 parachute green drake. I suspected that July 22 was near prime green drake emergence time, and history told me that trout have long memories, when it comes to western green drakes.

Getting Bigger

During the first forty-five minutes I built the fish count to three. One of the early catches was a decent twelve inch brown trout that grabbed the trailing green drake on a downstream drift. The other two trout were small browns that favored the hippie stomper. During this time, I experienced quite a few refusals and several long distance releases. It seemed that the fish were drawn to the large hackles and profile of the stomper, so when the hackle on the parachute green drake got shredded by fish teeth, I replaced it with a size 14 green drake comparadun. This comparadun had a large and high fan-wing with a long moose mane tail. The switch made a difference, and I increased the fish count to ten, before I broke for lunch at noon. A thirteen inch rainbow and a couple twelve inch browns were among the late morning catch, and the fly of choice was split fairly evenly between the stomper and the comparadun..

Along the Seam

After lunch it seemed that the comparadun was favored, and the pace of action accelerated. I actually saw a natural green drake between 1:00PM and 2:00PM, and this sighting was accompanied by some rises. The actual hatch, if there was one, took place between 1PM and 2PM.

Green Drake Comparadun Slimed

More Shelf Water

By 2:15PM the maroon thread rib on the comparadun began to unravel, and there was a lull, so I replaced it with a fresh comparadun. This fly, however, presented a sparser wing, and the fish avoided it. Perhaps I needed a fly with bushy hackling? I tested a size 14 Harrop hair wing, but it also failed to deliver. I inspected my green drake box and found another comparadun with a dense wing. It was tied to the leader from the stomper, and between two and three o’clock I added three trout to boost the count to nineteen.

Solid

Best of the Day

The prime green drake time from 12:30PM until 2:00PM accounted for trout numbers eleven through sixteen. One of these netted fish was a healthy fifteen inch brown trout that gulped the comparadun at the lip of a pocket not more than eight feet above me. This fish charged into fast water, and I was forced to follow it downstream over some rather large and slippery boulders. Another highlight was a rainbow, only the second of the day, that crushed the compardun on the first cast to a faster run. A testy battle ensued.

Along the Log Is Obvious Fish Magnet

I quit at 3PM and crossed once again at the location, where I knew it was doable. Nineteen fish was a decent day on the Taylor River. Six fish in the twelve to fifteen inch range were notable. The best aspect of the day; however, was fishing green drakes. Casting large green drake dry flies to hungry trout is one of my favorite activities. Hopefully I can encounter more such occurrences in 2025.

Fish Landed: 19