Posts tagged Colorado Cutthroat
Summer Chironomids Part 1
Oct 28th
Its been to long since my last post. Life has been busy to say the least. Lots has changed over the past couple months with a new job, three week training in WI, and trips almost every weekend I was home. So over the next couple weeks I am going to try and catch back up with some of my favorite trips over the summer and into fall.
With hall passes from the wives, Hoss and I decided to try one of our favorite stillwaters. We had a hunch that these finicky fish would be in the shallows eating Chironomids and Scuds. We must have played our cards right, because the fish were in and they were on what we had. We started stripping scuds over the moss beds for cruisers that we could site fish. It was very productive in the early hours as the fish were more aggressive and were targeting scuds in the shallows. As the late morning sun warmed the water we started noticing more and more fish breaking the surface further out, ambushing the emerging chironomids. With this in mind we switched over to a chirono set-up and with the help of the wind we were into fish on a constant basis. It was interesting to note that the more the wind blew the better the fishing was. But as the wind settled the fish were less interested in our offering. Luckily for us the wind blew almost all afternoon putting our bugs over lots of oversized Tiger & Colorado Cutthroats Trout. As we ended our day all we could talk about was the next time we were going to come back. That when you know it was a great day! I’ll let the pics tell the rest of the story…
The Annual Lancaster Boys Fishing Trip
Jul 17th
This years trip up north was awesome as always. All the in-laws (14) got together and for our annual fishing/camping trip that we wait for each year. The fishing in the area was a little hit and miss. With the huge snow pack we had this past winter some of the rivers were high and muddy and others were clear and pristine. The key was to think out of the box and try new places. (Since there are 100s of streams in the area) For me these trips are a chance to step back and enjoy the solitude of being alone on a high country trout stream, since the in-laws fish in the morning, golf in the afternoon and fish again at dusk. But for me the fly fishermen the best time to be out is in the middle of the day, plus I don’t really golf when I’m in some of the best native cutthroat land. 
So I wake up late tie up some huge #2-4 dry flies and am off chasing hungry native Cutthroats by 10, until I’m beat from hiking through willows,usually dusk. This years trip was a little different in a couple ways. One is the fact that a couple of my other brother-in-laws that normally don’t come, came and they don’t golf either so they decided to come with me on some of my trout chasing trips. The other is that this year I had a hidden agenda, I was going after the 3 of the four native Cutthroats in WY. To start the “Cutt Slam” program that the WY DNR has put on. Basically the “Cutt Slam” is to catch the 4 native Cutthroats in WY. Take a pic, state where you caught it, and date. Then submitted the application form to the WY DNR and they will send you back a nice hand drawn certificate of completion. The key to the program is to get people aware of the native cutthroats that inhabit the state and to make them learn and study them in the process of trying to catch them. (Where to find them, what they eat, etc…) Luckily in my quest, we were staying in the perfect area to do it all in the same day. The Tri-Basin Divide is the area where three watersheds start and where you can catch three of the four native cutts. The Bonneville, Colorado, and Fine Spotted Snake River Cutthroats.
I was able to spend a beautiful afternoon catching the three different species, as well as help 4 first timers catch their first fish on a fly rod. So in all it was an awesome trip with people I love, in a place that I love and doing what I love. How can you beat that for 5 straight days…Plus it was nice to have some sun this summer and no a single rain drop which was odd for this year. But best of all I am 3/4 to completing my “Cutt Slam” and in the research I was able to find a couple new streams that yeilded big cutties that have become some of my new favorites in the land of my in-laws.
Fishing With My Dawgs
Jun 24th
I love fishing with my best friend Cash. He is my little bros dog, but since he went on a two year vaction. I have taken over the role of master. He is the perfect fishing partner no matter if I’m happy, mad or sad, he is always at my side to give support or that look of “how the heck did you miss that one?” No matter why they created the saying “mans best friend”.
Only If I Could Teach Him How To Net???
Last weekend was a great one, I was able to spend a couple days in a great place with some of my best friends and 
Dawgs. Cash, Chubbs and I arrived to our destination late Friday night after work. After some fishing talk and BS’ing with a couple older gentlemen who were just getting ready to leave after a long hard day on the water. We lanched the boat and headed into the darkness.
Not hearing much excitement from our older friends we were greatly surprised went our first cast produced a fish on and off within seconds. The rest of the night was just as we hoped and as we crawled into our sleeping bags at 2 am we were ancoiusly awaiting what the next morning had instore. In fact it was one of the longest 3 hrs periods of my life, the air mattress went flat within 30 mins and with a couple Amps in my system I decided to wait it out looking at the stars. As the sun slowly arose in the canyon we were greeted by one of natures most beautiful sunrises I have ever witnessed.
Just like earlier that day we instanly started to figure out these weary fish and as luck would have it we not only had a beautiful rainless summer day, but we were also able to catch a couple fish in the process.
Even though it was just nice to be out with friends…and make a few along the way. (Our new WI & NC buddies from the DNR )
Playin a little Frisbee with Cash…I wish I could love something so much…oh wait I do
