Featured Photo: Autumn Glow
Friday, June 21, 2013
A Clue
Here is a clue as to where we fished yesterday. Any guesses as to where this is at? Be specific!!! I will send 6 of yesterday's hot fly to the first person to correctly identify the exact location. Guess away!!!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Float Down the River
One of the most peaceful and enjoyable ways to fish larger streams and rivers is to float. While I enjoy the intimacy of wade fishing the Caney Fork, sometimes it is nice to sit back in a boat and relax. Last Friday I had plans to meet David Perry to float. We finalized where to meet the evening before and everything was set. As before most trips, I spent the evening before furiously tying up a few last midge patterns.
Friday morning I got up and was soon on the road. A quick stop for breakfast and fuel slowed me down temporarily but before I knew it I was cruising along the river to the takeout. David and Brent had already dropped off the boat so I waited until David came back to do the shuttle. We rode together back up to the launch point while catching up and discussing the day's fishing prospects. We found Brent waiting with the drifter and after arranging fly rods and other gear were soon underway.
I somehow found myself in the front seat but the hot spot to be was in the back. Before we knew it Brent had caught several trout while I was still looking to get rid of the skunk. My luck was slow to turn while Brent continued to boat trout at a ridiculous pace that soon landed him on the rower's bench. Changing up to a deeper rig to get down to where the fish were holding, I finally fed a few fish and the day was looking up.
Naturally just being back on the river with friends was a great way to spend my time. I found it difficult to concentrate on the indicator, instead getting distracted by herons, deer, beavers, and whatever else happened to be in view at any given time. Still I was catching enough fish to make the day amazing.
The best part of the day was when Brent and I doubled up and David P. was kept busy with both fish in the net at once. I had to ask for a picture. In the background you can see Brent is already back at it and trying to catch the next fish.
The one disappointment of the day was the lack of big browns. We normally see a few monsters but the largest we saw was probably 18 inches or so. Hopefully we just weren't looking in the right places. If we don't get too much more rain the river may be at low flows for much of the rest of the summer. To get in on the good fishing, consider taking a trip with David Perry. He knows the river well and always seems to crack the code early in the trip to get into fish.
Oh, one more funny picture. I snapped the picture right as the fish panicked...
Friday morning I got up and was soon on the road. A quick stop for breakfast and fuel slowed me down temporarily but before I knew it I was cruising along the river to the takeout. David and Brent had already dropped off the boat so I waited until David came back to do the shuttle. We rode together back up to the launch point while catching up and discussing the day's fishing prospects. We found Brent waiting with the drifter and after arranging fly rods and other gear were soon underway.
I somehow found myself in the front seat but the hot spot to be was in the back. Before we knew it Brent had caught several trout while I was still looking to get rid of the skunk. My luck was slow to turn while Brent continued to boat trout at a ridiculous pace that soon landed him on the rower's bench. Changing up to a deeper rig to get down to where the fish were holding, I finally fed a few fish and the day was looking up.
Naturally just being back on the river with friends was a great way to spend my time. I found it difficult to concentrate on the indicator, instead getting distracted by herons, deer, beavers, and whatever else happened to be in view at any given time. Still I was catching enough fish to make the day amazing.
The best part of the day was when Brent and I doubled up and David P. was kept busy with both fish in the net at once. I had to ask for a picture. In the background you can see Brent is already back at it and trying to catch the next fish.
The one disappointment of the day was the lack of big browns. We normally see a few monsters but the largest we saw was probably 18 inches or so. Hopefully we just weren't looking in the right places. If we don't get too much more rain the river may be at low flows for much of the rest of the summer. To get in on the good fishing, consider taking a trip with David Perry. He knows the river well and always seems to crack the code early in the trip to get into fish.
Oh, one more funny picture. I snapped the picture right as the fish panicked...
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Caney!!!
Now that I'm blessed with tailwaters full of large wild trout, I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed fishing on the Caney Fork. Those little stockers with rubbery fins rubbed raw by the concrete abode they call home for the first portion of their life can provide a lot more fun than I remembered. My first venture onto the river this year finally happened on Wednesday morning. Anticipation and excitement woke me up around 5:30. Not too long after I was on my way.
Driving west through early morning light as the sun slowly edged higher behind me, I had a chance to recall other trips to the river. I remembered when I first started fishing the river and discovered that the browns in an undisclosed area had a fondness for terrestrials. Next I remembered that I had not had much luck in that area for many years now. Past float trips were recalled with equal fondness and before I knew it I was exiting I-40 and rolling past Happy Hollow. Crowds of early arrivals encouraged me to keep going in my search for fresh water.
The dam was conscientiously checked and also dismissed, again due to crowds. Finally my car led me over the dam and down to Lancaster. Only one car was there ahead of me. I got out and chatted a bit with the two guys getting ready to fish. Its always a pleasure meeting new people on the river. I wished them luck as they headed down. Remembering the forecast high of 96 degrees, I decided to wet wade, something I have rarely if ever done on the Caney unless floating. Best decision of the day...
I decided to rig up by the water. Normally I do this so I can first check if there is any obvious hatch situation going on. Enough trout were dimpling the surface that a dry/dropper rig seemed a logical choice. My long-time favorite Caney Fork rig has been a Parachute Adams with a midge dropped behind it anywhere from 1-2 feet. Just like that I was ready to fish!
My casts unfurled so nicely that I even thought to myself, what nice casts today! I'm rarely if ever conceited, I promise, but you know those days when you find yourself in the zone without even really trying? Well this was one of them for me. I haven't fished enough lately so my casting arm was fresh and....oh yeah, this isn't a professional sports report, just a fishing story.
Anyway, so here was my little #16 or #18 Parachute Adams floating high with a midge hanging temptingly below when a little brown trout swam by and noticed breakfast. That was fish number one. The fish were all up in the riffles so I soon moved there until the sun was on the water. About the time the sun hit I happened to look upstream. The view was so beautiful that I just paused and absorbed the scene, until I remembered my camera that is. What perfectly calm water!
The mist was thick for a while, but as you can see above the sun soon burned it off. After catching 7-8 of the little stocker browns, I arrived at the stage of I wonder what the fish won't eat? Several nymphs and streamers were attempted but the fish clearly wanted midges and not much else. About this time, a boat drifted by, and I got to talk to another angler. A couple of other fishermen in 2-3 hours of fishing is not bad!
I wandered down the river utilizing a favorite technique for long drifts while wading. My reward was a fat rainbow that looked pretty healthy!
Getting bored, I decided to head back to the car and explore some more of the river. Down at Betty's Island it didn't seem as if much was going on but the crowds were still at Happy Hollow, until I realized that there really weren't any crowds. The number of people actually on the water did not compare to the number of cars in the lot. This pleasant discovery encouraged me to fish at Happy for a while and I'm glad I did. In addition to some freshly stocked browns, I also discovered brookies and some more 'bows. A couple of the browns were a bit larger in the 12"-14" category and fought like fish larger than they were.
By the time I started thinking about home, I had caught more than my fair share of fish. I was starting to get hungry and thought about the nice air conditioning back home. That did it and I headed back up to the car.
Tomorrow I'm headed back. Expect another report. Next week? The Smokies, and some smallmouth, and maybe even musky. Stay tuned for more!!!
Driving west through early morning light as the sun slowly edged higher behind me, I had a chance to recall other trips to the river. I remembered when I first started fishing the river and discovered that the browns in an undisclosed area had a fondness for terrestrials. Next I remembered that I had not had much luck in that area for many years now. Past float trips were recalled with equal fondness and before I knew it I was exiting I-40 and rolling past Happy Hollow. Crowds of early arrivals encouraged me to keep going in my search for fresh water.
The dam was conscientiously checked and also dismissed, again due to crowds. Finally my car led me over the dam and down to Lancaster. Only one car was there ahead of me. I got out and chatted a bit with the two guys getting ready to fish. Its always a pleasure meeting new people on the river. I wished them luck as they headed down. Remembering the forecast high of 96 degrees, I decided to wet wade, something I have rarely if ever done on the Caney unless floating. Best decision of the day...
I decided to rig up by the water. Normally I do this so I can first check if there is any obvious hatch situation going on. Enough trout were dimpling the surface that a dry/dropper rig seemed a logical choice. My long-time favorite Caney Fork rig has been a Parachute Adams with a midge dropped behind it anywhere from 1-2 feet. Just like that I was ready to fish!
My casts unfurled so nicely that I even thought to myself, what nice casts today! I'm rarely if ever conceited, I promise, but you know those days when you find yourself in the zone without even really trying? Well this was one of them for me. I haven't fished enough lately so my casting arm was fresh and....oh yeah, this isn't a professional sports report, just a fishing story.
Anyway, so here was my little #16 or #18 Parachute Adams floating high with a midge hanging temptingly below when a little brown trout swam by and noticed breakfast. That was fish number one. The fish were all up in the riffles so I soon moved there until the sun was on the water. About the time the sun hit I happened to look upstream. The view was so beautiful that I just paused and absorbed the scene, until I remembered my camera that is. What perfectly calm water!
The mist was thick for a while, but as you can see above the sun soon burned it off. After catching 7-8 of the little stocker browns, I arrived at the stage of I wonder what the fish won't eat? Several nymphs and streamers were attempted but the fish clearly wanted midges and not much else. About this time, a boat drifted by, and I got to talk to another angler. A couple of other fishermen in 2-3 hours of fishing is not bad!
I wandered down the river utilizing a favorite technique for long drifts while wading. My reward was a fat rainbow that looked pretty healthy!
Getting bored, I decided to head back to the car and explore some more of the river. Down at Betty's Island it didn't seem as if much was going on but the crowds were still at Happy Hollow, until I realized that there really weren't any crowds. The number of people actually on the water did not compare to the number of cars in the lot. This pleasant discovery encouraged me to fish at Happy for a while and I'm glad I did. In addition to some freshly stocked browns, I also discovered brookies and some more 'bows. A couple of the browns were a bit larger in the 12"-14" category and fought like fish larger than they were.
By the time I started thinking about home, I had caught more than my fair share of fish. I was starting to get hungry and thought about the nice air conditioning back home. That did it and I headed back up to the car.
Tomorrow I'm headed back. Expect another report. Next week? The Smokies, and some smallmouth, and maybe even musky. Stay tuned for more!!!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Burning
While I am safely here in Tennessee about to go fish the abundance of water, back home in Colorado it is another story. Extremely dry conditions have set in and wildfires have popped up all over the middle part of the state. One is causing some concern up in Rocky Mountain National Park while others are burning near Colorado Springs as well as the Royal Gorge. I understand that fire is part of Nature's toolbox for maintaining healthy environments but it is still difficult to see so I'm glad that I'm away from the state right now. Until I return I'll be hoping for an early onset of the summer monsoon season. If past history is any indicator, we are looking at a month of prime burning conditions before wetting rains arrive. For more information on the fires, Inciweb is a good place to start and currently even the main page of CNN is highlighting the current problems in CO.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Along the Road
Long distance trips do not have to be all misery. Sometimes the little things along the way are what make the trip. By a small country road in Oklahoma, I found Indian Blanket growing in profusion. This is the season for wildflowers!!!
Sunday, June 02, 2013
Headed East
Tomorrow morning I am headed east. Along the way, I hope to see friends and family. Over the next month or so I will even sneak in some fishing including back home in Tennessee. With luck I'll get to chase smallmouth and trout and maybe even some musky. I'll be checking in as much as possible and hopefully going to update with some reports that I know I've been slow to add. Please be patient as I'm planning on enjoying this summer to the fullest. Accordingly I may not spend as much time blogging as I otherwise might. When I return to Colorado in July I'll be camping and backpacking and yes, doing a little fishing as well. Hopefully I'll find some time to rest as well. August and a return to school will be here before I know it...
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Attention TN Tailwater Anglers
Good news for those of you who live in Tennessee! The current forecast for the Caney Fork (and the Cumberland as well) indicate that flows are going to be decreasing within the next week or so...finally I might add. Since I'm planning on heading back to TN for a couple of weeks in the middle of June, I like the sound of fishing my old home tailwater.
If you want to see for yourself, check out this great spreadsheet from the Army Corps of Engineers. It includes lake elevations as well as predicted inflow and outflow for all area lakes. The interesting piece is that they plan on cutting back generation once Center Hill Lake reaches an elevation of around 633.5'. In recent years, with work taking place to address seepage around the dam, elevations were kept below 630'. Thankfully the target elevations seem to have increased a bit which will be a good thing for the tailwater fishermen!
If you want to see for yourself, check out this great spreadsheet from the Army Corps of Engineers. It includes lake elevations as well as predicted inflow and outflow for all area lakes. The interesting piece is that they plan on cutting back generation once Center Hill Lake reaches an elevation of around 633.5'. In recent years, with work taking place to address seepage around the dam, elevations were kept below 630'. Thankfully the target elevations seem to have increased a bit which will be a good thing for the tailwater fishermen!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Pocket Water
Some of my favorite water to fish is pocket water. On small streams that may be 90% of the water on the whole stream. On larger classic trout water, larger pools and runs may predominate but the pockets behind in-stream obstructions are still some of the best water in the river. High stick nymphing is my method of choice although streamers and even dry flies have their place at times. While on a hike this past weekend, I came across an ideal pocket behind a large boulder. Unfortunately I did not have a fly rod with me but I will return! Just imagine what must live behind this boulder...
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Full To The Brim
Area streams are full to the brim and there's still a lot more water to come down the hills. The Big Thompson River in Rocky Mountain National Park is almost to the top of the banks as of our last visit.
Water clarity is still awesome so if you can find calm water you should also be able to find fish. We've been out on the water but not as much lately. Today and/or tomorrow should fix that but options are currently limited. Don't be too disappointed if you get out and find your favorite stream unfishable due to high and muddy water as runoff is in full swing now. If the water is just stained, fishing the edges and behind any obstructions in the current can still produce some fish.
Water clarity is still awesome so if you can find calm water you should also be able to find fish. We've been out on the water but not as much lately. Today and/or tomorrow should fix that but options are currently limited. Don't be too disappointed if you get out and find your favorite stream unfishable due to high and muddy water as runoff is in full swing now. If the water is just stained, fishing the edges and behind any obstructions in the current can still produce some fish.
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