The unofficial end of summer afforded Katie and me the opportunity to experience cool dry mountain air in the Colorado Rockies. What we didn't bargain for was a early season snowstorm and temperatures well below freezing. Undaunted, we ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park on our second day, and the snow covered vistas did not disappoint. The sublime beauty of the subalpine terrain made our first hike through snow and ice to Alberta falls at 9,900 feet well worth the trek.
We enjoyed great meals and hospitality while we based in Boulder, CO during our getaway. Boulder is also the home of Front Range Anglers. On day 3, Katie opted for the Spa at the St. Julien where we also stayed. I had pre-arranged a guided fly fishing outing through Front Range Anglers located in Boulder. I drew the lucky straw when I was paired with Tim Neering as my guide. Tim is a Colorado native and grew up in the shadow of Rocky Mountain National Park in the gateway town of Estes Park, where we spent our day on the Big Thompson Creek. We had originally flirted with the thought of a "Colorado Slam" inside of the Park by attempting to bring 4 trout species to the net in a single day (Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Greenback Cutthroat Trout, Brown Trout)
Luckily I took the advice of the guide (one of the many reasons to hire an experienced local), who assuaged me of a slam in favor of consistent fishing, given the cold front that shut down fishing for the two previous days. Tim recommended that we work the lower Big Thompson Creek. The creek below Estes Park is a tailwater fishery. We fished a mix of two and three dropper patterns including an attactor, sow bug, and the always steady, zebra midge. Tim noted that many fisherman fail to take the elevation into account when selecting the best fly size. The entomology at 7,500 feet is different than at sea level. In general, the bugs are smaller, and Tim suggested using his recently tied size 22 - size 26 flies. The crystal clear rocky mountain water necessitated 8x tippet. The morning was chilly with mostly cloudy skies so we armed ourselves with my Scott 5 weight and optimistically carried one of Tim's rods rigged with a dry fly in hopes that the sun would emerge and the trout would rise.
Our first stop on the creek was a piece of swift water with several pockets and seams to work. It got busy quickly, when my third cast produced a nice 10 inch rainbow. Most of the fish in that section tend to be in the 8 - 12 inch range. They are mostly wild trout, with vibrant colors, and feisty when hooked. Tim and I worked downstream, finding one fishy spot after the next. Though often subtle, each spot produced multiple strikes. Although Tim preferred a strike indicator, we more or less employed a high sticking or dynamic nymphing technique.
Pro Tip #1:
Instead of a standard hook set, swiftly raising the rod tip vertically, increase the percentage of hook-ups by turning over your wrist during the nymph's drift so that your palm faces down toward the creek. At the first indication of a strike accelerate the rod tip parallel or up to 45 degrees from horizontal and upstream. I noticed a significant increase in hookups throughout the day once I tried this method.
The action remained steady with some spots producing multiple fish. The largest was this exceptional 16" brownie. A real beauty. A short break for lunch did not slow the action. Our first stop after lunch was the run just downstream from the dam. One rainbow followed another to the net. It was nonstop for at least 20 minutes. And of course, no matter how many fish bring the line tight, it never gets old.
Pro Tip #2:
Instead of using your trigger finger to hold excess line and using the force of the rod tip to set the hook, allow the line to remain slack. As the rod tip swings upstream from the strike, the reel drag will apply the proper pressure to set the hook without pulling the hook or breaking the tippet.
As the day progressed, the sun failed to appear as the wind picked up and the temperatures began to fall. After a day full of fishing action and 18 trout to the net, it was time to call it a day. My compliments to Tim. As Mikey D Fishing has often declared; we have fished with many guides. Most were good, a few were terrible and occasionally, we fished with the exceptional. Tim was exceptional. Patient, attentive, and informative; he mixed banter with pointers and put me on the fish. If you are ever fishing the area around Rocky Mountain National Park, Tim Neering is the guide you want.
Our final full day in Colorado brought sunshine and higher temps. Since higher elevation hikes were inaccessible due to the recent snowfall, Katie and I decided to hike an area through a valley that led to Cub Lake. Providence treated us to a sight and sound that I never thought I would hear in the wild. A bull elk was minding his stable of cows just yards from the trail. We positioned ourselves on a giant outcropping of boulders, providing a safe vantage point. From there we were able to witness the bull defend his herd of elk from a younger male challenger as the elder elk made repeated bugle calls that echoed down the valley...simply amazing.
Near the trailhead, the upper Big Thompson Creek cuts a meandering path through the meadow. Katie became my defacto guide as she encouraged me to cast a few times. I was skeptical given that it would take a bit to rig up and didn't expect to be able to hook into a trout with limited time. It didn't take too much arm twisting however, and with Katie on the far side of the creek, I dropped a #14 Frenchie along a high bank that with a seam that segmented the creek. Unbelievably, on my third cast, I felt a tug and a short retrieve ensued rewarding us with a beautiful 10" wild rocky mountain brown trout! Kudos to Katie at her first foray as guide. An exclamation point on a great day. With the sun getting lower in the sky and dinner reservations awaiting, discretion pulled us from the stream and the backdrop of the Rockies.
Tight Lines,
Mikey D Fishing
