Recently, there has been a lot of controversy and debate of the proposed ban of felt soled boots.  Alaska and Vermont have officially banned felt soled boots, and other states like Maryland won’t be far behind.  I’ve remarked in previous posts on where I stand on this issue, and have had insightful conversations with customers and business colleagues alike.  So I was thrilled/amazed/disappointed to read the latest article put out by none other than the New York Times on the issue (read the full article).

Now putting the debate and accompanying science to the side for a moment, what struck me most about this article is how poorly it makes our industry and sport look to the general public.  The author does a great job of using published science and the opinions of those that matter most to paint a picture of a bunch of sportsman who are more concerned about what material stands between them and the bottom of a river, than they do about the future health and viability of our nations fisheries.  So whether or not you believe in the need and viability of a ban on felt soled boots, I think it’s fair to say that the time has come for all of us to put petty personal beliefs and differences aside, and open our eyes to what this debate is truly about.

But hey, these are just my thoughts, what do you think?

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Glancing over each row of my fly box, I search for that pattern that alludes the confidence in both my mind and in appearance.  I have already gone through numerous variations of adult mayflies, stones, hoppers and drakes, yet to no avail.  I am reminded and humbled by the often overlooked complexities of summer fishing; with all the available food sources, it can sometimes be a formidable challenge to determine what the trout are keying in on.  There are those days when you have the right fly on and the fishing can be absolutely lights out.  Then there are those days when no matter what you try, the fish just don’t want anything to do with what’s on the end of your line.  The latter being how my day is seeming to go.  It is at these times that I often find myself trying to think outside the box, and conjure up a strategy that might entice a trout to say “what the hell, I’ll give that interesting looking morsel a try”.

It is at this moment as I stand on the river’s edge that I locate the solution to my fly query, a drowned grasshopper.  Being a new fly in the shop as well as my fly box, I am not sure how exactly to fish this unique pattern.  With the look of a dry fly, but the weight of a large nymph, the applications of this fly are not  totally clear.  But with little apparent surface action, and no hits on any of the dry flies I had presented to these finicky trout, I seemed only natural to go deep.  A few minutes later my creation is complete, a three fly nymph rig consisting of a size 12 stonefly, a small caddis pupa, and 18″ behind that my secret weapon; Takahashi’s Drowned Hopper.

Now I’ll be totally honest that as I cast my line to the head of the run, I had little hope that this method was going to actually work.  So it was to my astonishment that as my flies passed next to a large submerged rock that my indicator went down in a manor that suggested one thing, FISH ON!  Four jumps, 2 runs and 5 minutes later I had in my hands the largest brown trout of my season; a beautiful male with a hook jaw to boot.

So the next time you find yourself on the side of river, perplexed by what fly to tie on next, think outside the box and you too may be rewarded with an unexpected surprise.

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If there is one thing I have learned about fly fishing in the Rocky Mountain West, it is that nothing is constant.  River levels rise and fall, insect hatches come and go, and a trout’s mood can be influenced by any number of outside variables, both tangible and not.  While it would seem logical that late summer would be one of the more consistent times of year to fish, the reality is that there are evolving circumstances that can change the make up of a river and how fish will subsequently react.  Knowing how to identify these variables, as well as understanding their subsequent influence on the productivity of a stream, is a paramount skill that every fly angler in Colorado should have.  So let’s take a moment and discuss some of the key factors that influence the productivity of a river, particularly in late summer.

River Flow:  While the flow of a river is in constant flux, it is from mid July to mid September where we see water flows play such a vital role in the productivity of a fishery.  Too high and everything gets blown out leaving the fish scrambling trying to find suitable habitat.  Too low and the fish begin to get stressed because they feel more vulnerable to predators.  So it seems that we’re always looking for that elusive “prime” flow where the bugs are hatching, and the fish are happily feeding.  So how do we know when that “prime” flow is?  Unfortunately there isn’t a set standard or method to measure this; every river is different, and each will react differently to the rise and fall in flow.  But if we understand where the water that fills our streams comes from, it becomes easier to calculate when these “prime” flows will be, particularly during the late summer months.

In the west, roughly 70% of our annual precipitation comes in the form of snow.  So once the snow is gone, we are totally reliant on rainfall and cooler weather to help keep rivers at optimal levels.  This year has been unique as we started out the summer with a state wide snowpack around 100% of average.  We then quickly lost much of our snowpack in a short period of time right around the first weekend in June, when temperatures in the high country peaked in the upper 80’s and low 90’s.  As a result, we experienced river levels that peaked at near 25 year highs on certain rivers.  While these high flows are great for flushing out our streams, the mass exodus of our snowpack has ultimately left us very vulnerable to low flows and now 100% reliant on rainfall to help us get through the last months of summer.  So what does this mean for late summer fishing here in Colorado?  Pray for rain and cool weather!!! (more…)

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Bill Nelson, Trout’s customer extraordinaire, was by the shop this morning and we were reminiscing about our Tarpon adventures this summer.  Turns out Bill was in the Keys the week ahead of me, and has put together a great little teaser of the experience.  Enjoy!

Posted in Owner's Ramble, Videos | 2 Comments »

Trout Bum Trips 2010

Rio Grande River

July 16-19, 2010

Come join the guys from Trout’s Fly Fishing for a memorable trip to Colorado’s Rio Grande River.  We’ll be float fishing this world renowned freestone river for 2 days with South Fork Anglers, as well as wade fishing the private waters of the Rio Grande Club.  Don’t miss this opportunity to fish a classic Colorado stream with your favorite Denver Fly Shop!

Dates:  July 16-19, 2010

Cost:  $595

Price Includes:  3 nights lodging, 2 days guided fishing, all breakfasts and lunches, 2 dinners, plus a 10% discount at the shop on any supplies you need for the trip.

Accomodations will be provided by the Rio Grande Club

Space is limited to 6 anglers

hosted by Jim Kanda & Tucker Ladd

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This is a short clip from my Tarpon fishing trip in the Florida Keys.  This fish at in about 24″ of water over a sandy flat.  The eat and ensuing fight is something I’ll never forget.  Enjoy!

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Trout’s is an official dealer for Hatch Fly Reels!!

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We had an amazing response to our Logo T-Shirt Slogan Contest, so it was quite difficult to narrow the field to the Top Ten.  But after much deliberations here at the shop, we have finally dwindled the list down.  So, at long last here is the Top Ten Slogans for our first ever Trout’s Logo T-Shirt.  Comment to this post and help us choose a winner!

1. A Mile High and Rising -  Jonny Caldwell
2. Born to Fish, Forced to Work – Sara
3. Trout’s – We Stock it, You Catch it – Jon (sorry Jon, we tweaked this one a hair)
4. You Show Me Your Trout… I’ll Show You Mine – Martha
5. Cast, Mend, Strip, Strike, Repeat -  Fletcher Davis
6. Hooked On Trout’s -  Brandon Lenderink
7. Fish Globally, Shop Locally – Keith Soriano
8. F*** BPS! – David Brittain
9. Rise to the Top With Trout’s Fly Fishing – Frank Comiskey
10. Trout’s.  It’s Not For Dinner – Michael Gracie

So that’s it.  A big thank you to all of you who participated, we only wish we could have chosen them all.  A reminder, please comment on this post and vote for your favorite slogan that will grace the front of the first ever Trout’s Fly Fishing Logo T-Shirt!

Posted in Owner's Ramble, Uncategorized | 31 Comments »

Trout’s Logo T-Shirt Slogan Contest

We’re in the process of making up some new Trout’s Logo T-Shirts for the Summer, and need your help in coming up with a catchy (yet tasteful) slogan for the front.  So here’s the deal, comment to this post with a slogan of your choice.  We’ll take the 10 best entries and let all of our customers vote on which one will grace these awesome new t-shirts.  The winner will receive a Simms Dry Creek Boat Bag, a $169 value!!

But wait it gets better, we’ll also give the first 25 entries one of the new T-Shirts for FREE!!!!  So get to it, be creative, and win yourself some great gear!

Posted in Owner's Ramble | 16 Comments »