Brainard Lake, Colorado

If you are looking for a close, but fun area to take the family (maybe camp?) over this 4th of July weekend, may I recomend the Brainard Lake Recreation Area?
The entrance fee for the area is $9 and the pass is good for a week. There are seven different lakes to fish. The two lakes that you can drive right up to are Red Rocks Lake and Brainard...although the latter is the one you should fish if you go up this weekend. Red Rocks is a small lake that you pass shortly after entering the recreation area, and is so shallow it winter kills every year. The state will usually stock it with rainbow trout...but they are not this year. So don't bother stopping to fish it! Brainard Lake has a healthy population of wild brookies, though.
Long Lake and Mitchell Lake are excellent, as well. Fishing them involves only a short walk along a maintained trail...and can be worth it. The fishing is often better and there are fewer other people.
The recreation area is just west of Ward (30 min west of Boulder) You will see the signs on highway 7.

Stream Flows Close to Boulder, Colorado

Boulder Creek 360 cfs (still a bit too high)
South Boulder Creek below Gross 250 cfs (almost there!)
Big Thompson above Estes 470 (high)
Big Thompson below dam 130 cfs (very good!)
Poudre 1450 cfs (great flow...for suicidal kayakers)
Clear Creek 600 cfs (too high)
St. Vrain near Lyons 380 cfs (still a bit too high)

AS OF TODAY!

The Death of a Legend-Photo Essay

Memories, this boat caught me tons of fish got me to remote places and I loved it. It took me down the Colorado, the Green, San Juan, Platte and too many other creeks and lakes to list. When the winds picked up on the lakes of South Park the canoe beat back the waves as I continued to fish, even during the darkest nights the boat knew its way around probing the darkest and best spots. I miss the canoe, never before had I invested so much into what most considered a dying boat, but she was my boat. She was my escape, fish finder, powerhouse, playhouse and workhorse boat. All these things beat into one large piece of aluminum. I left her dead on the shore of the water, ripped in half, useless like horse with no legs. Unable to remove the vessel, my only hope is that some one finds her, patches the holes and continues to use her, because she has entered a new phase in her life, a better phase.
Note: A fund has been taken up for a new boat to continue the legend.
~Russ

Jay Zimmerman's Backstabber #6 Leech

This pattern of Jay Zimmerman's was originally designed and tied as a "Carp" fly, but has proven to be an excellent Bass fly also.
Due to my sacrilege it has also proven an excellent pattern for "Trout" in both stillwater and moving water environments. ~ LO Jurgens

For the pattern recipe and tying instructions click on “LoJ’s Fly Tying & Bug Stuff” in the LINKS OF INTEREST Section. ~ LoJ

Bailin on your fishin buddy...12 Step Program

Alright no one wants to admit it, but at some point or another we have all made the call. You have already committed to a great day out on the water, just you and you fishing buddy, hitting it hard. Then something comes over you; the situation might change, a third wheel gets added, the weather looks bad, whatever your lame excuse is, you want and need to pull the plug on the trip, stat.

Here are some helpful tips for pulling the trigger:
1. Get the advice of your fellow fishing buddies. These are to be trusted guys, who "know" the situation. There is no one better to trust than a fellow fisherman who can sympathize and relate. Especially someone who is potentially a mutual friend of whomever you are bailing on, that way it will never come back and bite you in the ass.
2. Call your girlfriend or wife. Make sure that there is nothing going on that day that you did not know about when you made your plans. Deep down you hope she has come up with something since you last spoke that morning at 9Am, and dammit if she doesn't come up with something, you will!
3. Pick up a guide trip. This one applies to the shop junkies. Oh sorry bro, I got to make money while I can...bummer I was so stoked about fishing on Saturday. Ha what a line, but works like a charm, every time.
4. Pull out the wild card. Have you checked the weather for down there...it looks terrible, there's like a 30% chance of some heavy thunderstorms that day and you know how I hate fishing in a lightning storm. This one is tough because you know that some of that afternoon cloud cover should bring those fish up, but hey You dont want to fish with that bum, no matter what!
5. Just improvise. Come up with some brilliant scheme, but whatever you choose to come up with make sure its not the truth. You dont want to let him know how you really feel, do you?

By following some of these simple steps it should be no big deal to bail whenever you want. Leave you buddy behind, you dont want to be out fished, made the fool or be the third wheel of a situation. Believe me this is your best way out. So find a back room away from other distractions put on your game face, take a deep breath and make the call. You will only feel dirty for about two minutes before you can start scheming on where YOU want to fish instead.
Good Luck
~Russ

Fly Fishing for Carp in Colorado

"Rocky Mountain Redfish" otherwise known as the common carp have been quickly growing in popularity among fly fishers. It has taken many years for most of us to overcome the Trash Fish stigma. The entrenching of catch and release in fly fishing culture and the increased travel to saltwater fishing destinations has opened the door for the widespread acceptance of carp fishing. The appeal of stalking large fish in shallow flats is overwhelming!

I have compiled a few short videos to possibly answer some questions about fly fishing for carp, but mainly to get people motivated! If you are planning a trip to Texas or Louisiana to chase redfish, or a trip for bonefish and permit...this type of fishing is the best (maybe ONLY) way to get you in the right frame of mind. Your saltwater trip will be noticeably more productive!

The Colorado Caddis An Oldie & Goodie

This Caddis pattern is an oldie but a goodie that was originally tied by Bob Good of Denver Colorado, per Terry Hellekson’s book Popular Fly Patterns, Published 1977. I have been fishing caddis patterns for the past two days and the "Colorado Caddis" was the top producer as the “dropper” fly using a dry and dropper setup.

For the pattern recipe and tying instructions click on “LoJ’s Fly Tying & Bug Stuff” in the LINKS OF INTEREST Section. ~ LoJ

Topwater Frogs for Colorado Bass

Water temperatures will continue to warm up
throughout the summer. Early mornings and late evenings can be fantastic opportunities to find largemouth bass eager to crush frog poppers in your local bass water. If watching aggressive fish swallow an amphibian imitation on the end of your leader does not sound fun to you, then I recommend you seek help immediately.
Fishing a topwater frog is not unlike fishing a dry fly. Accuracy, precision, and a well finessed retrieve will produce fish. The satisfying gurgle that a crisply stripped popper makes as it moves through the water causes many anglers to over-strip frogs and other topwater flies. I must admit, I have often been guilty of such behavior. Avoiding this common mistake requires a discipline that I often lack. However, it is important to remember that a fly rod presentation can allow for a much more realistic presentation. When I truly have my frog face on, and take the time to make good presentations, I am rewarded frequently. My ritual is as follows: First, I make a cast close to a bank, structure, weed line, moss patch, etc. By close, I feel that the cast should make you nervous about getting stuck in the weeds. Fish dangerously!
The frog will land with a satisfying splat! Let the rings settle until everything is perfectly still again. A short twitch will give it some life and may seal the deal right there. If no interest has been raised, make along strip that slides the frog under the surface so that the frog will reappear a few feet a way. Sliding the frog creates a realistic "swimming" look. Hopefully, this will have gotten the attention of nearby bass. Often, after a sharp twitch, a bass will rush up to the frog only to stop inches shy and stare at it for the rest of eternity. It is now time to employ whatever brand of voodoo magic you have in your bag. I personally prefer a micro-twitch while standing on one leg and holding my breath.

Experimenting with different types of retrieves and presentations is important. When everything comes together perfectly, topwater bass fishing can be an incredible fishing experience. Lip that fish, show him off to your dog or jealous fishing buddy, and then quickly release. High fives and fist pumps are acceptable. Its ok, you know you want to.

By,
Patrick Knackendoffel
Front Range Anglers
(Photo) Bass eye view of a frog popper.

To check out our Colorado Largemouth Bass Selection click here: http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=fraexclusivebass

Flies for high country lakes

Most of the high country lakes here in Colorado are clear of ice and the fishing has been outstanding, as usual! Our high elevation waters are absolutely brimming with aquatic bug life...this makes up for the rather short fish growing season. The trout are usually more than eager to eat, but I certainly have some GO TO flies in my box when I am heading for the high ground.

I have chosen three of my favorite high country flies... The Pandemic Callibaetis in either #16 or #14, available at Front Range Anglers, as well as most Colorado fly shops. The Moody Damsel #16, available ONLY in our FRA exclusive "lake" fly selection: (http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=fraexclusivelake)
and, for the fly tiers, the DLS Leech available only from your own fly tying desk! Use a TMC 777sp #10 hook, thread on a 5/32" pearl white bead, use dark olive arctic fox fur for the tail and build a dubbing loop using dirty olive Sparkle Leech dubbing for the body. Wrap the dubbing loop up 2/3rds of the hook shank and whip finish, then slide the bead down over the knot. Then build a separate dubbing loop (a short one) to finish the front end of the fly. Use a dubbing brush to comb back the long dubbing fibers.

Bear Creek Delight

Had a great afternoon on Bear Creek. Bear Creek is a great little creek just 45 minutes away from Boulder. It reminded me a lot of Boulder creek. There is some beautiful stretches. Found every time of water, from pocket water to great riffles and pools. There is quit a bit of public water from Morrison all the way up to Evergreen, but like most of the Front Range there is plenty of private water. We saw a bunch of fish munching caddis, and saw some PMD'S.
There are mostly brown's averaging 10'', but did manage to raise a couple in the 13''range, with a small population of rainbows. We got most of our fish on a Neversink Trude, Blooms Para Caddis, with a dropper of electric Caddis, hotwire caddis,bottom rollers, BTS PMD, and pandemic PMD.

Flyfishing for Texas Redfish on the Cheap

Scratching the saltwater itch can be more expensive than a gambling addiction, especially when you live in Colorado. For many landlocked flyfisherman, the $3000 price tag of a guided week of flats fishing might as well be a million. However, determined to get our saltwater fix, fellow Front Range Anglers Guide, Tyler Bowman and I set our sights on the redfish along Texas' Gulf Coast. With a budget not allowing for the conveniences of a boat, guide, or rental car, we strategically located ourselves in Aransas Pass, Texas. Fueled by peanut butter sandwiches and armed with 8 weights, we found expansive flats within walking distance of our $50 per night motel. We quickly discovered also that a thumb and a smile can easily get you a few miles down the road from a friendly local on their way to work. Every new flat provided shots at tailing and cruising redfish, along with an occasional speckled sea trout hookup.

Tyler Bowman with a beautiful Texas Red

If you go: The beauty of salt water flats fishing is that the gear is pretty simple. A good fast action rod in the 7-8 weight range, a pair of wading boots or old sneakers, a few leaders, and a handful of flies is all you need. Here is a short list of effective gear:

Rods: A 9' 8 weight with a fast action will is an ideal rod for smaller reds.

Reels: Any reel with a half decent drag system and at least a 125 yards of 20 pound backing will do.

Flies: The Texas coast is filled with abundant populations of crabs and shrimp. Any fly that imitates these creatures will produce fish if carefully presented. Also, red fish feed heavily on mullet, and in several instances we found reds cruising with groups of these fish, so smaller bait fish imitations are good to have on hand. On the sand flats shrimp patterns without weed guards worked well. However, we quickly learned that many of the grass flats in Texas require a weedless fly. Simply put, sometimes a double weed guard was not enough to keep our flies free of grass. The more weedless your fly, the better. We threw all of our flies on 9-10' leaders tapered down to 0-2x fluorocarbon tippet.

Every minute on a flat is educational. For every hookup, we had to put quite a few miles on the old chevro -legs. Wind, spooked fish, and bad casts are more the rule than the exception.
Hiring a local professional guide is always worth every penny, but if you're low on pennies, your next experinece on a pristine saltwater flat may only require a plane ticket, a cheap hotel, and a short swim...

Tight Lines,
Patrick Knackendoffel and Tyler Bowman

Rocky Mountain High

It is easy to forget that here in sunny Boulder, CO the spring temps hover in the mid seventies and remain fairly mild, but just a few miles to the west the elevation soars and the environment changes. Now is the time to throw on a pack and head up into the high country for some early season lake fishing for high alpine trout. The ice has retreated pulling back the cover of snow and leaving behind a renewed sense of life at 11,000 feet. Flowers, grasses, and animals have begun to show their heads through the snow and the fish are hungry and eager to get a bite in.


This past weekend I had the chance to hike up to Snowmass lake outside the town of Aspen to do a bit of backpacking, fishing, and relaxing. With a cool breeze in our face we hiked up 3,500 vertical feet for eight miles to arrive at a desolate lake, tucked away at the foot of the mountains, some of which rise up to 14,000 feet. Upon settling in to the lake it was apparent that the rainbows and cutthroats were engaging in the annual dance of shaking and grooving in and around the inlets and outlets of the lake; while the brookies took comfort in the depths of steep banks of the lake. Small shrimp dropped off of whatever favorite dry worked great in the streams while the brookies hammered on streamers in the lake.

The weekend was a blur of gray and white up around 11,000 feet with plenty of snow, wind, rain to make things all the more interesting, but as we descend the valley became a sea of greens and the small alpine creek began to grow into a river. The chance to get "high" legally in the state of Colorado is one of the best ways to spend a spring weekend, get out and go for it.

~Russ

Micro Caddis

This caddis pattern is an effective pattern on small freestone creeks and in the evening when the "Evening Caddis Hatch" is going full blast. At last light and later it will be a good idea to tightly hang on to your rod as trout will sometimes violently attack this fly!

For the pattern recipe and tying instructions click on “LoJ’s Fly Tying & Bug Stuff” in the LINKS OF INTEREST Section. ~ LoJ

Lactose Dreaming -- Cheeseman

From the first time I set foot in Cheeseman Canyon I instantly fell in love. Walking in from the Gill Trail and seeing the mighty platte snake through the boulder filled valley is a sight that evokes the same feelings time and time again. Cheeseman is the premier distnation for front range anglers who want a shot at smart wild trout in a setting that most anglers spend a lifetime trying to find.

In big water (flows over 600 cfs) to the bare bone flows of winter (of >40 cfs) the energy of the river remains constant with its granite blobs deep runs and huge pocket water. This spring the flows have been averaging around 500 cfs and water has even been spilling over the top of the dam, which means warm water. Warm water in turn brings epic hatches of Caddis, combine this with high flows that push large fish out from their lairs and you have lots of big fish suspending and willing to eat a dry.

I walk the same crunchy trail time and time again moving quietly and confidently along the banks of the river that I feel at home on. Each fish that comes to hand is a gift because each day and each moment is different; one moment there is a frenzy and the next there is empty space in the day. Its a warm welcome coming into Cheeseman a homecoming if you will here I feel at ease and a part of this place. No matter what the flow, the time of day, or the color of the water there are big eager fish waiting, resting and gearing up for the next hatch.

Big Thompson River, Colorado

The Big Thompson River is one of the more popular small rivers on the northern Colorado Front Range...and it is a very healthy fishery thanks to the catch and release regulations and decent flows for the last half decade!
The Big T (as it is commonly called) is a 40 minute drive north of Boulder. The river begins in the Forest Canyon area in the Rocky Mountain National Park, flows down through Moraine Park and the town of Estes Park, then into Lake Estes. The headwaters have greenback cutthroat and the Moraine meadows have everything...cutthroat, brookies, browns and rainbow trout. And the lake in town is full of dumb stocker rainbows.

Below the dam on Lake Estes is the "tailwater" section of the river, although it fishes more like a very bug rich, freestone than your stereotypical tailwater. This has more to do with the river structure than anything else. It can be swift at times, but can be some of the most enjoyable pocket water fly fishing in the area! The river follows Route 34 down through the town of Drake, then on to the mouth of the canyon and into the town of Loveland. Well, actually, the road follows the river....sorry.

My favorite section of the canyon has always been the 10 mile stretch between the Estes dam and the small town of Drake. There are rainbows and browns in this area...averaging 10 to 14 inches. There are plenty of 16 t0 20 inch fish around, though! In the canyon stretch there are mainly rainbow trout (70%) with just enough browns to keep it interesting (30%).

The stream flows through the canyon can vary dramatically...and this can obviously affect the fishing. In the spring (during runoff) it is very important to check the canyon flows before taking the time to drive up for the day. You can use the stream reports on our Front Range Anglers website or go directly to the USGS site: http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=BTBLESCO&MTYPE=DISCHRG
I have always found that the Big Thompson canyon fishes best when the flows are between 80cfs and 180cfs.

This time of year you want to have blue-winged olive mayfly patterns with you...both dry and subsurface.

Warming Water Improves Bass Fishing

Bass fishing at a local pond in Longmont with a Wooly Bugger produced results for David Staub.

Red Butt Flash Buzzer

Give this pattern a try while the "Chironomids" are doing their thing!!!



For the pattern recipe and tying instructions click on “LoJ’s Fly Tying & Bug Stuff” in the LINKS OF INTEREST Section. ~ LoJ

Is this your year to fish Colorado's stillwaters?

Waters high and muddy? Might be a problem unless you like to catch large trout feeding on massive hatches of large midges! Temperatures on our gold medal fisheries in South and North Park are finally stabilizing in the mid fifties, and with that comes the first of the great hatches, and lake fisherman's best friend the Chironomid. If you haven't fished lakes before, don't panic, this hatch is very beginner friendly, utilizing the same gear you use on our rivers. In this blog we'll look in depth at this midge hatch and try to answer the many questions we hear at the shop when getting started in lake fishing, Callibaetis are coming off now as well- but we'll save that for next time.

The Gear:
Any rod in the 5-7 weight range in med fast to fast action, and of at least 9 foot in length will work great. The faster action will accommodate casting in the notoriously windy conditions found on these impoundments as well as recover any slack line on hook sets. My personal favorite is a 9 1/2 foot fast action six weight Sage. The longer rods available now can assist the float tuber sitting low in the water attain a little extra leverage. A weight forward floating line matched with a nine foot leader tapered to 3x or 4x and completed with the same size fluorocarbon tippet to fly will finish the set up. A cork indicator set to suspend your fly or flies a foot or so off the bottom and large enough to support the weight of the flies in windy conditions completes the basic rig.
There are as in most fly fishing situations other techniques that will work well for this hatch. I personally enjoy slow crawling pupa without an indicator, counting down the flies after casting using a short Rio Midge intermediate tip fly-line, and certainly if you become a lake enthusiast looking at some of these specialized tapers to maximize presentation will make sense, but for the sake of the beginner, I'd recommend the suspension method as this is without a doubt the easiest way to consistently catch fish during this hatch.

Understanding the bug
Chironomids are the single most important food item found within a still-water’s biomass. It has been estimated that this bug within its various life stages can represent ½ of a trout’s total diet throughout the year. Hatches start shortly after ice off and will continue until ice covers the lake again in late fall. Peak emergence in Colorado starts in May or early June but strong secondary hatches can appear again all the way through September. Chironomids belong to the order of insects known as Diptera meaning two winged. Other bugs of this family include mosquitoes and crane flies, but rest assured these wont’ bite. There are well over 2000 species of Chironomids, all of them with their unique size, color and hatch timing. As with all Diptera, Chironomids have a complete life cycle, meaning it has larval, pupal, and adult stages that should all be considered by the fisherman. However unless fish are showing themselves on the surface, it is the larvae and pupa that can provide Colorado anglers the most consistent action on our South and North Park waters.
Sizes on these lake midges can vary and Lake Fisherman should come prepared with imitations ranging from a size 18 to a size 8. The glory months of May and June provide several species between 14 and 10 and if you are to start tying or stocking a box for this hatch I find I use more 12 and 14s for the pupa and 10s and 12 for larvae imitations. Popular colors for pupa Chironomids include red, olive, brown and black. The solid red “blood worm” is the overwhelming favorite for the larvae. Many naturals utilize hemoglobin for oxygen intake and this quality gives the larvae a blood red appearance and enables it to thrive in oxygen poor muddy bottoms. Some pupae retain this quality from the larvae stage in the tip of their abdomen; this red butt quality should be associated with some of your imitations. It is important to note as well that during emergence the pupae will often have a silver cast due to trapped air and gases necessary to help it swim towards the water’s surface. This quality again should be taken into account when experimenting with patterns.
As I noted earlier, adults will be present during strong hatches but it is very infrequent that the angler can take advantage of this dry fly bite. The windy conditions conducive to Colorado promote rippled conditions that allow adults to crawl out of their pupal shuck without much hesitation. Perhaps more importantly, the sheer number of pupae ascending in depths of 5-15 feet allows fish to efficiently feed without worry of predation. Dry fly windows can literally be at first light or just before dark on adults.

Fly Patterns:
As Chironomids are the same species whether in lakes or rivers (although in rivers they are referred to only as midges and for whatever reason thought of as a separate bug) larger imitations of the same patters you use in the South Platte or Big Thompson can be effective. It doesn’t hurt to tie in gills on these larger imitations as they can become a trigger for fish while searching them out. Many patterns incorporate a white glass or brass bead to imitate this quality with success. Keep in mind that even in size 8, it is still a midge and should be slender in profile respectively. Both straight and continuous bend hooks (scud bend) are used with success concurring with the ideal look desired by the tier or fisherman.
Popular commercial imitations include larger Black Beauties, Rojo Midges, Chironocones, Chromies, Juju Chironomids, Kalidescope Chironomids and my favorite, the Yankee Buzzer (you’ll have to look for this one next year!). The Bipolar Chironomids is another imitation that has proven itself over the years and is available in our custom lake assortment. As mentioned before, Callibaetis are hatching now as well, and damsels are on deck to start in the next couple of weeks- so check back in on particulars to address these hatches in following weeks. Good fishing!!!