The International Sportman’s Expo ISE starts today 1/6 and runs through Sunday 1/9/11. The ISE showcases fly fishing, fishing, boats, hunting, camping and sports travel primarily. Many fly fishing notables from Colorado will be there such as Landon Mayer and Pat Dorsey. The ISE is a good place to see an over view of the outdoor recreation industry offerings.

The ISE Hours:
Thursday Noon to 9:00 pm
Friday, Noon to 9:00 pm
Saturday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

TICKETS
$15.00 Adult
FREE – Youth and Children 15 years and under
FREE – Active Military with military ID card  

Parking: FREE Parking & Shuttles at Coors Field. Ride light rail to the Convention Center station.

Complete information on the ISE or to buy Tickets Online.  ISE Denver

Tight Lines,

Be sure to stop by the Denise Lake Lodge booth at 421c and say hi to the Lodge Owners Elaine and Jim. The Denise Lake Lodge and B&B is located on the Kenai Peninsula near the town of Soldatna, AK. The Lodge offers fine food, great lodging and superior fishing experiences. Tell them Fly Fishing Colorado Referred you.

Marshall, Publisher
www.bestflyrods.com
Find your best fly rod here 

Morning was a repeat of Sat. Cold at 8 am and warmed up by 10 am when we were to meet at the fishing lodge with guide Joel Condren, owner of South Fork Anglers. I was slow getting focused and ready to fish. Too much low protein scotch coupled with good pinot noir wine at dinner.

Finally I was ready and the group set off down the cart path to the second bridge. Tucker and friend stopped to fish the pool below the first bridge.

The rest of us went to the second bridge to work back up stream. Joel started Sabrina in a deep run just upstream from the bridge. Michael was upstream from her and I was farther upstream.

Joel took me farther upstream to where a gravel bar split the river into a fast section and a slower section. He explained the water structure and how it made for a deep bucket at the base of the riffle feeding the run. Then this type of water will often cause a high ridge with slower water and the faster water of the run itself. Joel called this water over the deeper run "Hard or Nervous" water and the water over the slower section "Soft" water.

After Joel explained the water and bottom structure and put on a Rio Grande AP in size 14, he went upstream with Sabrina and I fished the run hard. See the wavelets from where my line hits the water to the far shore. This is "Hard" water that offers great overhead concealment for trout. Joel said this run holds a lot of trout.

After some 20 drifts, I hooked a scrappy little 11 inch rainbow. Another 30 casts and I had a much larger fish on. Got a good look at him on the surface before he practiced self release. I fished the hole for another 40 minutes with only one good strike.  I am sure there were others but quite subtle and I missed the set. During this 40 minutes, the wind was coming up and gusting which made drift control and casting difficult.

I headed upstream toward pump hole. On the way, I passed Sabrina and Joel in another riffile – deep run structure similar to where I had been fishing. Joel was showing Sabrina about this typical Rio Grande water and bottom structure.

Sabrina pays close attention and is a good student as can be seen with a nice 15 inch brown. After more instruction, she caught several more nice browns about the same size.

Sabrina resting after catching trout.

Vik and Joel rounded up the crew at the Fishing Lodge for lunch at the Riverside Grill at the Club.

Next we headed to the Rio Grande Club for lunch. Waders and all on the outdoor patio. Weather was beautiful and lunch on the patio was a great end to a day on the water. The pizza was generous with toppings. Mine was a soft rising crust and provided 4 other meals for me.

If you are looking for a great golf and fly fishing summer or fall vacation, see the main website page for information about fractional share purchase or club information. http://riversideatriograndeclub.com

 For booking of vacation rentals or information contact http://riversideatriograndeclub.com/contact.htm.

Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
Marshall, Editor
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com
www.110flyfishingtips.com
www.troutadventures.com
Alaska Trout Fishing Information

We arrived at the Rio Grand Club about 3 P.M.

Our townhome was a spacious four bedroom, 2.5 bath, full kitchen, large living room with fireplace, deck, mud room, and a one car garage. This is a full town home you could live in all summer. (Fractional 1/10 Deeded Shares are available or townhomes are available to rent. There is a summer season and an off season).

Michael and I decided to chill and rest this first day. We looked around the golf course and the river a bit. The course was in excellent shape for October. Greens and fairways were green and well maintained. The river looked to be in excellent shape with flows about 250 in the club area. Water was gin clear and the bottom clearly visible except where there was hard water covering a deeper hole or run with moss on the bottom.

The fishing lodge is a large building located next to the river.  The lodge is designed for the fly fisherman’s comfort with a pool table, comfortable furniture and you don’t have to remove your waders to walk around inside.

We ate dinner in South Fork at a restaurant that shall remain as nameless as their food. Then headed back to the digs for beer and tv.

More to come. Fishing the Rio Grande Sat and Sun.

Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
Marshall, Editor
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com
Everything you need for fly fishing
www.110flyfishingtips.com
www.troutadventures.com
Alaska Trout Fishing Information

Trout included are:

1. Brown Trout
2. Rainbow Trout
3. Cutthroat
4. Cutbow
5. Cameloop Rainbow
6. Donaldson Trout
7. Donaldson Rainbow
8. Eastern Brook Trout
9. German Brown Trout
10. Greenback Cutthroat (Colorado State Fish)
11. Tasmanian Rainbow
12. Tasmanian Cutbow
13. Tiger Brown Trout
14. Snakeriver Trout
15. Steelhead Trout
16. Wild Brook Trout
17. Montana Brook Trout
18. Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout

The fish are contained in small ponds and lakes. Fly fishing is only allowed from the shore and is all catch and release. No wading or boats. Some of these trout are large enough to snap 3X leaders so don’t fool yourself into thinking they are lightweights.

Other activities at the ranch include hunting and snowmobiling in the winter. The scenery is spectacular and just watching is ok too. The BAR ZX ranch can be reached from Delta or from Glenwood Colorado. Driving Directions

Accomodations – The Ranch has a 12 guest lodge with basic amenities.

As with most good things, there is a cost to stay at the Ranch. Hunting Fees  Fishing Fees A Colorado Fishing License is required. Rates are on the fishing fees page. Fishing season is roughly 6/1 through 9/30. 

Dean and Family are the type of down home folks you would expect to find on a ranch. If you want to really get away and relax the BAR ZX is one place for quiet plus good fishing.  (See slideshow in the right sidebar. Shows tiger trout, large rainbow, ponds are handicapped accessable. And Don a High Plains Drifters member with an 18 inch brook trout. Don is the one in the cowboy hat.)

Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
Marshall, Editor
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com
Everything you need for fly fishing
The Stores at Fly Fishing Colorado
www.110flyfishingtips.com
www.troutadventures.com
Alaska Trout Fishing Information

Colorado Fly Fishing Vacations 2

The section of the Animas River flowing from Durango to the New Mexico border has been classified as Gold Medal water, easily supporting populations of rainbow and brown trout 14 to 18 inches in length. These monsters are sure to give you a fight. The Animas River runs through Southern Ute Indian Reservations land in the south, and special permits are required to fish this section. Contact the reservation for more information on their requirements. Bends, log jams, boulders and eddies are prime spots to kiss the surface of the water with nymphs or streamers. 6   (Editor Note:  John, Owner of Duranglers Flies and Supplies in Durango favors the Animas River in Durango as one of his favorite spots. Use a  #14 BH Prince Nymph or a #18 Black Copper John.

http://www.duranglers.com/

DURANGLERS FLIES & SUPPLIES
923 Main Avenue
Durango, Colorado 81301
(970) 385-4081
(970) 385-1998 fax
toll-free 888- (FISH-DGO) 347- 4346

End Note)

The spring (April) before run-off during the classic caddis hatch and fall are the best and most consistent times to fish the Rio Grande Gorge. Streamers work well for lunker cutbows and browns especially for fall browns. For the adventurous angler who likes a chance at catching large, wild trout that have rarely if ever been hooked or even seen a fly, fly fishing the Rio Grande Gorge is just what the doctor ordered. ⁷

The Cimarron is a small tail water located one hour east of Taos. Eagle Nest Lake, a large reservoir situated in the beautiful Moreno Valley, feeds this beautiful and challenging stream. The Cimarron is home to German Brown trout in abundance and a fair population of Rainbow trout. Fish range 7" to 20" in length, averaging 10 to 14 inches. Don’t be fooled by this river’s size; it’s loaded with willing brown trout! ⁸

The dry fly fishing from mid-May through July can be fabulous. Several varieties of stoneflies, mayflies and caddis hatch, sometimes simultaneously, bringing eager brown trout to the surface, often all day long. August and September brings out the terrestrials and bank-feeding browns. By October browns are running and fall baetis are hatching, providing some excellent low-water fly fishing. ⁹

The Gunnison River, which eventually feeds into the Blue Mesa Reservoir, teems with trophy-worthy trout. Fly-fishers will have some of the best luck with nymphs. Drop a well-placed cast behind a boulder, or look to eddies and strainers for a good chance to pull out a 16-inch trout. Due to these consistently large fish the river has been give Gold Medal status, so be sure to pack your larger net. Historically, trout have been exceptionally large within the stretch of river between Crystal Creek and its confluence with North Fork. But you?ll have to hoof it in a short ways, as there isn?t a road to this section. Before it reaches the dam, the Gunnison River runs through the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, so even if you leave empty handed, the scenery alone makes the trip well worth it. ¹⁰

The Platte River Spider was a huge producer last fall when fished either in tandem with another Platte River Spider or trailed behind the Little CQ Brown Trout. This fly also works well as the lead fly with various Copper Johns, caddis, mayfly nymphs, or midge droppers. This fly works better when stripped, rolled, and wiggled through the water to turn on the cannibalistic nature trout have. ¹¹

Public access to the river is found interspersed between tracts of private land, where fishing is by permission only. Be aware of the areas you traverse when fishing this river and please respect property rights. Some public stretches are also catch and release. Caddis and mayfly-type flies work well in many Taylor River tributaries. The Taylor Reservoir is ideal for fishing from a boat and offers boat ramps for those who prefer to float. ¹²

(Editor Note:  Guide and owner Tad Howard with a large Taylor River Brown caught in November.  Colorado Trout Hunters

The South Platte River between Spinney Mtn. Reservoir and Eleven Mile Reservoir — Colorado’s Dream Stream — is another prime water for big fish. ) 15

There are several ponds and lakes nearby as well. Some lakes have an abundance of fresh water shrimp which the large Cutthroats gorge on. These are the places for float tube fly fishing at its best! ¹³

Located just off the Flat Tops Trail Scenic and Historic Byway, Trappers Lake is a piece of easily accessible wilderness, where pines ring the lake in thick swaths of deep greens. Gnats and the occasional mosquito are the food of choice for the lake’s cutthroat trout. The lake itself is Colorado’s second largest natural lake, providing plenty of room for fish to roam. Non-motorized floats are the way to fish this serene body of water. Because many of the insects emerge during dusk, try casting a gnat-shaped fly when the late-day sun touches the area in gold. ¹⁴

Upper Tarryall Creek offers outstanding small stream fly fishing near Colorado Springs. Located only 45 minutes from Colorado Springs, this unique South Park property contains five miles of Upper Tarryall Creek, and one mile of Michigan Creek. This is ideal "hopper dropper" water with plenty of brown trout ready to devour your dry fly or nymph. The river meanders through sagebrush meadows on its way to Tarryall Reservoir located just downstream of the property. Mostly a brown trout fishery with a few rainbows present, fish average 8-10 inches with an occasional 14 incher being caught. Under the right conditions, 70-100 fish days can be achieved for anglers able to make long casts and successfully stalk these spooky brown trout. The rewards are exciting as browns will explode out from undercut banks to attack terrestrials fished on the surface. ¹  [Editor Note:  Don't forget to try the Tarryall Creek below the Reservoir too.  There can be some outstanding nymph fishing for rainbows and the occasional brown.  Average size is 10 to 12 inches.  Occasional 14 incher.  See Also Tarryall River Below Tarryall Reservor Jun 2006

Harmel's Ranch Resort trophy fishery is known as "Rainbow Heaven". Fed by high mountain lakes, (Taylor and Spring Creek Reservoirs), Harmel's Gold Medal waters are at the confluence of Spring Creek, Beaver Creek, and the famous Taylor River. Just downstream from Harmel's Ranch Resort the Taylor meets the East River to form the Gunnison River and Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest lake in Colorado. Let Harmel's Colorado fly fishing guides teach you the ins and outs of trout fishing. 2  [Editor Note:  I have stayed at Harmel's Ranch Resort some years ago.  Lovely clean cabins. Walking distance to river.  Good Fishing especially for rainbows.]

The area below the Dillon reservoir eventually flows into Silverthorne, home to the Silverthorne Outlet Stores. Here you can find some of the largest trout in the state, making this area of the Blue River one of the most popular destinations for a fly-fishing Colorado vacation. Silverthorne is also home to Cutthroat Anglers, a popular Colorado fly-fishing store situated in the lovely Silverthorne Pavilion, which is located along the banks of the Blue River. Cutthroat Anglers also offers expert guides for fly-fishing in Colorado. The fishing in this area of Silverthorne happens under the Pavilion Bridge, which is also a popular site for Colorado wedding receptions. If you plan to stay in this area, you can spend your evenings enjoying the theatrical productions at the Backstage Theatre or the free outdoor concerts at the Dillon Amphitheatre. ³

If you wish to take a fly fishing Colorado vacation near Aspen, you will probably be fishing along the Roaring Fork River. The Roaring Fork River begins in the snowfields and lakes of one of Colorado’s highest mountain ranges. Then, as it tumbles to the northwest, it joins the Colorado River on its way to the Pacific Ocean. This rapid descent makes it one of the steepest rivers in Colorado. When it reaches the river valley, it soaks up the fertility of the land and the sun. It thus becomes one of the state’s finest freestone rivers, which provide excellent Colorado fly-fishing for wild brown and rainbow trout. ⁴

In the upper reaches of the Roaring Fork River, you will find a lovely mountain stream filled with small brook trout in the headwater tributaries and a healthy population of rainbow and brown trout in the main stem. The stretch between McFarlane Creek downstream through Aspen to the Upper Woody Creek Bridge was the first designated wild-trout water in Colorado. ⁵   (Editor: The guides in the Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt are knowable about the Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan rivers.  If you like fishing for "Hog" rainbows, try the toilet bowl below Rudi Reservoir.  Mysis Shrimp patterns will produce well. These are educated, spooky trout so stalk them as such.)