Fishing, mountains and critters in Colorado - my report

[Dutchy]

So I posted a thread last week about going to Colorado and my plans to fish there. As I write this I am still in Denver, but I am bored so what the hell. I'll get to the fishing bit further down. I have been to the Canadian Rockies a couple of times, but the Colorado Rockies are just spectacular. If you get a chance you should grab it with both hands. Simply stunning scenery. I am not really easily impressed by these things so that gives you a clue as to how amazing the Colorado Rockies are.

 

So I arrived last saturday and we headed to Estes Park and stayed there for one night. On the way to Snowmass, we decided to go through Rocky Mountain National Park. I thought the whole "its difficult to breathe" thing was a crock, boy was I wrong. :whistling:

 

 

We start seeing streams that are just loaded with trout, mainly browns according to a guy we talked to. But the odd brookie as well.

 

Then the not-so-shy critters start appearing - no hunting only fishing allowed in the national parks:

 

We started heading up towards the summit, some more random pics:

 

This is as high as the road gets, 12,500 feet above sea level:

 

I was dying by this point, I could hardly go ten steps without struggling for breath. I swear these little buggers were laughing at me:

 

There was a rodeo in Snowmass and these guys did not seem overly happy the morning after. Especially with some idiot taking pics of them. They were massive animals, don't quite get the rodeo phenomenon myself, but oh well......

 

OK, FISHING. So everything I had read before I went basically said you need a guide for the Raging Forks and the Colorado river. We saw people fishing everywhere. So I am thinking of ponying up the money just to say I had been fishing. But being Scottish it really goes against my nature. At dinner one night I was sitting with a prof from Guelph also attending the conference and mention fishing. His face lights up and I discover he is a fellow OFNer. So we figure there must be a cheaper way to do it. We end up in the one shop in Snowmass with any fishing gear. He gives us the required info and we purchase licences, telescopic fishing rods (so we can bring them back) and cardinal reels, a few panther martins and some aglias. All for alot less than $100 nevermind $350. The guy in the shop tells us about a reservoir called Grizzly up off Independence pass. The road in is apparently dodgy as hell, but he assures us the reservoir is like shooting fish in a barrel. Sounds like my kind of fishing. :thumbsup_anim:

 

So off we go, it takes us 45 minutes to go 6 miles on this road and Hertz will one day wonder why the suspension on the SUV went after 20,000 kms We eventually get to Grizzly reservoir and this is what we see:

 

So I am ridding my body of the morning coffee when I hear Jim shouting. First cast, a 6 inch brookie. So I get casting and after a few, bam, the first bow of the day:

Followed by another...

and another

 

Then Jim gets this beauty in between all the bows:

 

Then I go for a bit of a wander and this suicidal brookie hits my size 4 panther martin:

 

All in all between us, we land over 50 trout in about 4 hrs and miss alot more. The trout were sitting in under this outlet:

This reservoir is the head waters of the Raging Fork river.

We lost one trout in total due to a deep hookset that was going to remove its gills. So we left that one for the mountain lions and bears. All other fish went back to fight another day.

Had a blast and met a new fishing buddy. What more do you need?

 

Oh and I did go to the conference which was also very good. Its not all fun and games.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Dutchy.

[Lunatic]

awesome pics, i'll add colorado rockies to my to go list!

but why isnt there a pic of the coors light brewery? come on!!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Very nice scenery! Those lakes look pristine! Thanks for sharing!

[danbouck]

Awesome!

[Spiel]

I think I'd want to move too, or at least extend my vacation by several months.

 

Nice report, I hope there'll be more.

[Rich Clemens]

Fantastic !!!!

[Leecher]

Great report and awesome pics Dutchy

Beautiful scenery up there

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!!!

Leechman

[BillsTheBassMan]

Hey Dutchy,

 

Glad to see you had such an amazing trip - I'm extremely jealous as I'm still plowing through Gierach books and Colorado is mentioned non-stop.

 

Did you get into any cutthroat trout on your trip? Apparently they hold in extremely high altitudes and the locals around there treat them similarly to how we treat specks around here (they're harder to get to and rarer).

 

It sounds like you folks did well on the spinning gear, which is good to hear. I figured people would do well on spinning gear, but most people just fly-fish the area. I think there would be many advantages to using the spin-gear myself.

 

Also, why do you need telescopic poles in order to be able to bring them home?

 

Thanks for the great report! Colorado has long been on my go-to spots, and I'll make the trip in time!

 

Cheers,

Ryan

[splashhopper]

great picks Dutchy.

 

Speaking of Telescopic rods.... i might be able to fit in a large suitcase the next time you go there

[Dutchy]

Hey Dutchy,

 

Glad to see you had such an amazing trip - I'm extremely jealous as I'm still plowing through Gierach books and Colorado is mentioned non-stop.

 

Did you get into any cutthroat trout on your trip? Apparently they hold in extremely high altitudes and the locals around there treat them similarly to how we treat specks around here (they're harder to get to and rarer).

 

It sounds like you folks did well on the spinning gear, which is good to hear. I figured people would do well on spinning gear, but most people just fly-fish the area. I think there would be many advantages to using the spin-gear myself.

 

Also, why do you need telescopic poles in order to be able to bring them home?

 

Thanks for the great report! Colorado has long been on my go-to spots, and I'll make the trip in time!

 

Cheers,

Ryan

 

Fishing in Colorado should be on every trout fishermans go to places before they die. We stopped in numerous stream and they are just loaded with trout.

 

Cutthrout - I showed a pic of the "brown" trout and someone told me they thought it was a cutthroat-brown hybrid. Still waiting for JJcanoe to tell me why lol. In certain areas the trout are spread. In some areas mainly browns (Rocky mountain national park), in others rainbows (Grizzly). Brookies tend to be in very small streams, such as the one going through Snowmass. Its very hard to fish though. People flyfish certain areas because you have no choice. Single barbless fly, fly gear only on many parts of the Raging Forks river. I cannot remember, but I think North of Aspen you can use anything, south of Aspen is fly fishing only. The Raging Forks and Colorado river are hit and miss according to the locals, basically you need to know where the fish hold. I have a map that a local highlighted a few good fishing spots on around Snowmass and Aspen, so if anyone is going there, send me a PM and I can scan it in.

 

Telescopic rod was $16 and fits very nicely in my bag so I don't need cases to prevent it getting broken. That is the only reason. That rod will be going with me to many places from now on. Its a great little rod.

 

The fish were hitting everything we threw at them initially, but quickly learned and stopped hitting panther martins. We changed up and used trout eggs and then they soon stopped hitting that. A couple were fishing near us and were using worms under a float. They were mainly getting small fish though, only had 3 keepers in the time me and Jim had probably 40 keepers. I know someone who fly fished Grizzly and slaughtered them. Even when we were there, fish were rising all over the place.

 

Trust me Ryan, you want to go there.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Dutchy

[Twocoda]

Excellent report Dutchy!!....Amazing scenery!! One hell of a good read ...thanks for that ...

 

A trip youll never forget ...always try to mix some pleasure with your work ...Confrences are for sleeping ...cuz ya fish too hard..

 

Nice shootin!

 

the pic of your first bow of the day .....is a cutthroat...you can catch them in great numbers in our canadian rockies as well...

Edited July 26, 2010 by Twocoda

[jayess]

such beautiful fish... and tasty to boot!

 

as an aside, what discipline is bringing you out to conferences? assuming you're an academic as well

[Dutchy]

such beautiful fish... and tasty to boot!

 

as an aside, what discipline is bringing you out to conferences? assuming you're an academic as well

 

It was a biology conference FASEB. I run a research group at Western

[Spiel]

Cutthrout - I showed a pic of the "brown" trout and someone told me they thought it was a cutthroat-brown hybrid.

 

Not sure if this is the picture you're referring to Dutchy?

 

 

But if it is, I believe that's 100% Cutthroat.

[mepps]

Incredible scenery!

[Dutchy]

Not sure if this is the picture you're referring to Dutchy?

 

 

But if it is, I believe that's 100% Cutthroat.

 

Not sure. Twocoda said the first pic of a rainbow is actually a cutthroat.

 

According to wikipedia Spiel, you are totally correct. That "brown" is a 100% cutthroat:

 

We also caught a bunch that looked like this:

 

Well I learned something today. I didn't catch any bows likely in Colorado

[ehg]

Great report! Never seen a cutthroat trout before. Stupendous

[FishinFlyinElkHunter]

Dutchy,

 

From a Colorado front range resident, glad you had an enjoyable trip. Very happy you found Griz Rez "Grizzly Resivoir." Some of the local fly shops in small towns can be pretty snobish to non-locals, and I am glad that was not the case for youself. That resivoir is a great little place expecially to take kids, as you can count on some quick and sustained action. Unless there are stocked ponds, quick and non-boring kid action "ie. blugill, sunfish, perch, crappie," are just not the norm in Colorado. I do also carry a telescoping Eagle Claw rod and Shimano reel when I fly fish for the time the fly fishing is off; Mepps will often produce when flys do not!

 

I found this great site this weekend when looking for fishing opportunities in Ontario. I am headed to Coburg, Ontario, about an hour east of Toronto for two weeks starting August 1st. I will have most evenings after 5 pm to fish, two Saturdays and one Sunday. I am really looking for advice on where to find some fun fishing opportunities while I am there. From this site, I have found that BJ's in Bewdley is the place to gear up and rent a boat to fish Rice Lake on weekends, but also am interested in local fishing between Clarington and Port Hope.

 

My usual MO when I travel is to hit the local Wal-Mart or bait and tackle shops, purchase an inexpensive rod and reel for conditions and appropriate tackle. Usually dropping about $100-$125 or so. Pick up license for 5 or 10 days or what is available and then hit the water. The day before I head out of town, I will find a youngster fishing and give him all the gear and extra bait I have. I have so much at home, I do not need more, but traveling with gear is a big hassle most of the time. Now if I return to a previously fished location, I might bring some of my own gear, having a better idea of what is needed and works well. Unless I have an "in" at the hotel for a fish to be prepared, I usually just catch and release.

 

When leaving tackle behind, if the youngster is alone, I will give him a business card so his parents can confirm that I GAVE him the gear. I have had dads call me a couple of times to confirm. But these kids are the sportsman of the future and I believe it is the right thing to do to pay it forward.

 

So if yourself or any other readers in the southern part of Ontario are available for advice or local spots to try, I am all ears.

 

Also, by the way, I also fish several small streams near Lyons, CO and have run into John Gierach on several occasions there and on the South Platte River. I do have every hardback he has written. Unbeknownst to me, a year of so ago, my sister found out he was doing a book signing at a local fly shop, came and took my entire collection to John, and he signed every one of them. She presented them back to me on my birthday. A nice collection to pass to my son someday.

 

Cheers and enjoy your stay in Colorado!

 

FishinFlyinElkHunter