A Little Slice of Heaven... Colorado Summer Trip 2008...

[Gaines'BowBum]

PART 1
"The Meadows"

Arrived at Denver International Airport a little after 1 in the afternoon. Zach and his girlfriend met me at there. And after some errands, a little lunch, and a few cold micros, we were on our way up to Estes Park Colorado... Talk about pretty country.

We immediately dropped my gear off at Zach's, grabbed the essential tackle and headed out to a small headwater meadow section. Talk about a cool stream, we have nothing like that around here... Clear cold water with nothing but sage and meadow grass to hinder your cast. But with these fish, stealth was a neccesity...

We ended up having the best luck with small parachute patterns and emergers. Hoppers and droppers ended up being a good choice as well. Most of the time, if you stayed low and moved slow, a good presentation got you into some fish. I missed a few browns that probably went close to 18"... BIG fish for a small stream... He came up to smash a hopper from an undercut bank, and I stared in disbelief as he tailed back under my fly and blew up on that big ugly hopper... By the time I set the hook, he was already back under his bank laughing at me... That happened twice... Same result both times...

Anyway, here are the pics of the stream....

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010018.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300002.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300003.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300008.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300007.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300006.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010019.jpg



And here are some the stream's residents...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010022.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300001.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7300004.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010017.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010021.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010020.jpg


Talk about loads of fun on the 1 weight!!!

--Alex

[Gaines'BowBum]

The 2nd day out in CO was spent running errands with Zach... Which was cool with me, got a chance to see some of God's beautiful work... We ended getting to wet a line for an hour or two on the Big T right below the dam in town.

Urban fishing is not really my cup of tea but with the views Estes Park has, it was not quite as bad. Fishing was pretty slow for me... I couldn't figure them out. Saw quite a few good fish, but they had me stumped. Seemd like I threw everything but the kitchen sink at them, oh well cann't catch them all. I saw Zach get a brown to eat on top, but he couldn't keep him on... That was the last action I saw on day 2. Zach said he managed a few, but I didn't see them... So they don't count... ;)

Day 3 was kind of interesting... Zach had a trip that morning, so I went and fished the Meadows while he guided. Me, Zach, and another guide met up after their trip for some lunch and COLD beer. Zach got a call from the shop wondering if the 3 of us wanted to take 6 clients out. I was kind of nervous at first... Until I found out I was getting paid and we were going to be fishing pocket water!!! My specialty!!!

We finished lunch and went back to the shop to meet up with thew clients a group of guys up from MN for a family wedding. After a short but decent hike we reached our destination, a small steep fast flowing stream filled with good pockets and better Greenbacks. After a short instruction period (2 guys with no FFing experience) I had both guys getting into pretty little greenies with some VERY decent roll casts... Pretty proud of myself. And they definitely had a blast... I think I might have ruined these kids lives, they very well might be on their way to bamboo rods and homemade flies...


Here are some pics... Sorry no Greenie pictures, those buggers wiggle around more than any other trout...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010023.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010024.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010027.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010025.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010026.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010028.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010030.jpg

[Labrador]

Love the pics. Man that last one especially is killer. Looks like a great time to be out in the Rockies. Thanks for sharing the great report.

[Gaines'BowBum]

Zach was kind enough to let me borrow his truck while he had to work in the shop. I went and fished a stream where the Colorado Grand Slam is a definite possibilty. The lower section of the stream starts in a meadow, but quickly starts becoming more of a mountain freestone stream... Gorgeous water none the less...

Mostly fished an attractor dry (RL'ed Royal PMX) with a PT dropper and did pretty well. Managed a lot of fish in the 6-10 in class, but missed a couple more that were REALLY good fish for this size water (14" plus)... Ended up getting 3 out of 4 for the CO Grand Slam... Didn't quite make it high enough for the Green Backs, but I did manage a Slam for the trip... Good enough for me.

Here are some shots...


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030060.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030063.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030066.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030067.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030068.jpg


And some of the trout that call this stream home...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030062.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030064.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030065.jpg

[Gaines'BowBum]

"The Way Across the Divide"

Zach and his buddy Will had planned a 2 day float for us on the Colorado River near Kremling, CO. I didn't know that the drive over the Continental Divide was going to be some of the most memorable moments of the trip... Talk about beautiful... Words can't describe it...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030071.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030073.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030075.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030077.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030079.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030086.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030084.jpg


After we crossed the Divide, we stopped off at a little gem of a stream. This LITTLE stream has a good population of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, the native fish on the West side... Any decent presentation was rewarded with a fiesty native... Seriously, I think any dry would have worked. But, I was fishing the same Royal PMX from earlier.

Heres some stream pics...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030091.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030092.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030093.jpg

And some Colorado River Cutts...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030089.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030090.jpg

And the journey to the Colorado River continues...

[Gaines'BowBum]

"2 Days Floating the Colorado River"

On the way to our campsite we ran across a double rainbow, which I've always heard was good luck... We just didn't know HOW good of luck it would be...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030095.jpg

We made it to the campsite and set up our camp with enough time to get about an hour or two of fishing in... Glad we did. Zach hooked 2 trout in the first 10 minutes down there. I managed to miss one fishing a double nymph rig.

Dark started setting in and fish began rising. I noticed one particular fish that was moving some serious water as he ate... I clipped off my double nymph rig and tied on a big ugly hopper (the most visible thing I had and still set the hook on sound))... But boy was I rewarded!!! It was like a bass take, you know the toilet bowl flush strike, and fish ON!!! A GOOD fish at that!!!! After a few minutes of fighting and a lot of help from Will with the net, I was holding the biggest wild trout of my life... A 20" brown... Well he measured out at 19.5"... but since he did take a DRY I get to call him 20"!!!!!

Still working on my grip and grin... I forgot to hold him out in front of me... (You know that ol' trick, make it look bigger) But we did measure him, at a hair under 20"


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8030098.jpg


The next morning started just as good as the last. With Will hooking fish from the get go. It took me a while to get used to fishing out of a drfit boat... The whole cast in front of the boat was messing me up. Give me a break though, first time in a drift boat.

the fly of choice was a fly called Pat's Rubber Legs. A stonefly nymph with nothing more than super floss legs, tails, antenae with a multi-colored brown/black chenille body. We dropped various nymphs off the back, with Rainbow warriors and small PT working well too. But most of the fish took the Rubber Legs.

Some of the views along the Colorado River...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040105.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8050106.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8050107.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040103.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040102.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040104.jpg


Almost all fish landed were browns. But I did catch and land one real pretty Bow (around 16") and Will lost one in the canyon that had to go at least 22". Zach spent most the time rowing... (Thanks dude) But as soon as we would beach the boat and start fishing, he was getting into them as well. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but all the fish that were caught were solid fish... You know, your Standard Fifteen Inch Trout they have out West.

And here are some of the "Little" Browns that were caught.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040101.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040100.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8040099.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8050109.jpg

[Gaines'BowBum]

"Small Stream Green Back Cutties"

After floating the 2nd day, we broke down our camp, and started heading back across the divide to Estes Park. The next morning Zach and I got out early and decide to go hiking into a little small stream that has been producing well.

Started the steep hike up the ridge and then the steep decent down the other side. It took a little while to get used to the thinner air, but after a while I was almost keeping up... But, dang I'm out of shape!!!

We fished just as hard as we hiked, and lit them up. Any high riding dry was enough to draw strikes from pretty little brookies and greenies. I kept fishing the Royal PMX, but switched to a foam yellow sally and continued to get fish without missing a beat...

Here are some of the shots of this pretty little stream...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060117.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060118.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060121.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060123.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060124.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060125.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060130.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060145.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060149.jpg


And for some pretty fish shots...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060119.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060120.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060127.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060129.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060122.jpg


After we left there, we ran back to Zach's house... And I had to start packing my stuff. We ended up going down to Boulder so it would be easier for me to catch a bus to the airport. What an amazing trip... Good fishing, good beer, and good friends... Can't beat it. And to top it all off, I managed to go see a good bit of live music as well. Including a couple of free shows, gotta love CO friends. Managed to see Keller Williams, Yonder Mountain, and caught Emmitt Nershi Band my last night in town... Life doen't get much better.

I want to thank Zach, Will, Travis and anybody else that helped me out while I was out there. Seriously dude, thanks for everything. I appreciate you letting me drive your ride, letting me crash at your place, and taking me out on your new boat...

Thanks man. Sorry if I overstayed my welcome with you or Will.

Hope yall enjoy it... I know I did... Time to start planning for next summer... MT?!?!?! WY?!?!?! Yall tell me...

[Loopdawg]

Nice report. You took some great pictures too. I love the Estes Park area. I lived there for a year and learned to fly fish on the Big Thompson through Moraine Valley where you fished first. Thanks for sharing your trip. I think Colorado in the summer is one of the most beautiful places to be on earth. Summer is a special time out there because the winter lasts so long. It's amazing how fish can look different depending on which drainage you're fishing in. :cheers:

[Labrador]

Man that was awesome. The cutties were awesome.

[Trailblazer]

Man, now THAT was a 'trip report'--and the photography was breathtaking (just like Colorado). Thank you for that incredible report!
Trailblazer.

[S.Trutta]

Man that was an awesome trip!!!! Great shots, I felt like I was there....and I wish I was!!!


Rich

[Musselwhite]

Those last few fish pics are awesome - amazing fish! It looks like a great trip. How was the Yonder show? Was Red Rocks sold out for that show?

Musselwhite

[orange_spokes]

man that made me jealous alex....now i want to get out there and fish up down estes park...sounds like you had blast...let me know when you get some free time and we will hook up and get into some down here...

[Gaines'BowBum]

I defnitely had a blast out there... But it would've never happened without Zach, thanks again man!! The Yonder Show was pretty darn good. And it was not sold out... I got my ticket at the box office an hour before the show. Keller Williams opened up for them and played a few songs with them, including an encore with SCI's Billy Nershi... Talk about good stuff.


Here are a few other pics and a little slideshow I made. Mostly the same pics, but added a few pics and video from Red Rocks, a little music, and some video of a pretty brown Zach landed... Yall check it out...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060126.jpg


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060139.jpg
See if you can find the fish in this picture...


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060143.jpg
Or in this one...


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8060146.jpg


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7310009.jpg
View off the front porch...


http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P8010015.jpg
A little friend that decided to stroll throught the front yard one morning...


AND HERE IS THE VIDEO...

http://www.vimeo.com/1509071



--Alex

[lost Arkansan]

Alex,

Thanks for the much needed Monday afternoon vicarious escape! If any of you happen to be squandering company time like I am right now and you happen to have polarized glasses in your office, check out Alex's first "find the fish" photo. I wouldn't have guessed that they would help to spot fish in a photo. Pretty cool!

Be good.

Scott

[Gaines'BowBum]

Here are a few pics from the flight and the ride to Estes PArk from DIA. Stopped in Lyons, CO (Of Gierach fame) and got a Drake Magazine from South Creek LTD. Got to talk to Mike Clark for a few... Talk about a cool guy, and the shop was pretty sweet too.

Anyways, here are the last of my pics...

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301245.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301246.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301247.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301248.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301249.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301251.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301253.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301254.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301256.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301255.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/ajaume/P7301257.jpg


Appreciate all the comments, glad I could brighten some of yall office blues...

Yall enjoy...

--Alex