First Fly Trip of the Year

Due to a hectic travel schedule for work, sick kids, and an old boat that I'm putting back together after an eight year hiatus from the water, I am kicking off the fishing season a little late this year...

                   

As usual the first day out was full of surprises, and a windy day like this one didn't help.  I managed to get halfway to the stream when I realized that I didn't have an updated fishing licence - of course halfway to this stream puts you all the way into the middle of nowhere.  Fortunately, I remembered a hole in the wall near the stream that, if it was open, just might sell me a license - lucky for me it worked out.  

                          

My frst two hours fishing were spent on the South Platte below Spinney resevoir.  Usually this time of year can be quite productive as the large lake run fish move into the river to spawn providing some great opportunities for some big trout.  Unfortunately on this day - I didn't see a single fish in two hours on the river let alone have a shot a catching one so I decided it was time to change things up - I packed it up and drove over to Eleven Mile Canyon about 20 minutes away where instantly the fishing picked up.

 It didn't take long to land a few nice fish

Despite catching a few nice fish the first day out craziness continued.  After getting the feel the stream and pulling a couple fish out I was greeted by a truck load of idiots who must have seen me fighting the last fish and decided that my hole, along the eleven mile long stretch of river, must clearly be a great place to fish; and the closer to me the better.  Clearly non-Coloradans, they had thick accents with a lazy drawl, wore cowboy boots, ridiculous cowboy hats,  jeans with an ironed crease and had no idea how to use a fly rod - pulling out the line and reeling in with every pathetic cast - yup - Texans!  At least they weren't using bait!  These kind of antics are perfectly acceptable in the proper setting - its perfectly acceptable to wear a beer dispensing helmet to a frat party but just try wearing it anywhere else - especially to say, maybe... church.  This stream is Colorado Gold Medal Water, its recognized world wide as one of the premier locations for large numbers of wild trout in a setting that is simply majestic, for many this is Church and these guys just wore the beer helmet into the service!

As one would expect, my lack of southern hospitality, at least when it comes to sharing prime fishing holes, and their inability to catch a fish drove them out pretty quickly.  I was left to some prime water in solitude for the rest of the afternoon...