November 10, 2021 – Pueblo Tailwater (The Diver Hole to the Tire Hole)
Flows: 140 cfs.
Water Temp: DNM.
Water clarity: ~2’ – off color.
Air Temp: 41F @ 8:30a – 62 @ 4p.
Hatches: Trico 10a – 2p, Midge 11a – 4p.
Flies: #16 Red Copper John, #16 Chartreuse Copper John, #18 Red Pure Midge Larva, #24 Black Sparkle Wing RS2, #24 Black Foam Wing Emerger, #22 Grey Mercury RS2, #22 Black Mercury RS2, #18 Guides Choice Hare’s Ear, #20 Red Zebra Midge, #22 Mercury Miracle Midge.
Top producers: Chartreuse Copper John, Red Pure Midge Larva, Black Foam Wing Emerger, #18 Guides Choice Hare’s Ear, #20 Red Zebra Midge, #22 Mercury Miracle Midge.
Looking upstream from Plunge Pool #1
We haven’t fished at the Nature Center on the Tailwater since last winter. The upper section near the Valco Ponds has been so much fun so far this fall we hadn’t ventured to any other spots on the river. This time we decided to give the Nature Center a try. There are a lot of nice holes and runs and we’ve had success landing numbers and size in them in the past.
The Diver Hole is one of my favorite. In the hole and in the run that feeds it you will typically find a few big rainbows. Sometimes several. And usually the fish are plentiful. Above it are the Plunge Pools - #1 and #2. They’ve been hit or miss – mostly miss for me, but Brian has had some success in them.
We usually start at the Diver Hole and move into the Plunge Pools – they’re too fishy to resist – then head up to the Flag Hole. Stopping at the Blue Heron Hole along the way. Then we work our way back in the afternoon.
The Diver Hole. You can see the submerger boulders (they look like dark spots or a reflection) in the middle left of the picture.
Today was no different. We got to the river early – 8:30a and had the Diver Hole and both Plunge Pools to ourselves. The water was still murky due to the reservoir turning over and sight fishing was out. It makes things a lot harder for me.
If you can see the fish you can dial in the right depth, and the right flies and get them into their feeding lane. When you aren’t able to sight fish you don’t know if there are any fish where you’re casting. And if there are fish, you’re not sure if your at the right depth. So it’s a lot of trial and error.
Brian with an 18" rainbow.
Brian started out in the Diver Hole – the deep part - and I was upstream in the run that feeds it. There are a few large boulders at the front of the hole and the fish feed just on the other side of them. It wasn’t too long and both Brian and I had rainbows in the net. Neither were big – both were about 12” to 13”s.
I’ve gotten into the habit of letting my flies swing at the end of the drift – especially if I can’t sight fish. This helps me cover a few of the water columns. The flies are lower in the column at the start of the drift – then they begin to drift toward the surface at the end of it. Often I get action at the end when the flies are near the surface.
My 1st fish. A 13" rainbow who took the Black Foamback Emerger.
The only problem with getting hits at the end of the drift is getting a good hook set. The natural reaction is to lift the rod when you feel the hit. At this position, that action pulls the flies away from the fish’s mouth. Not what you want. When you do get a hookup, it’s usually because the fish hooked themselves!
After about my third cast after releasing my 13” fish I had a really nice hit at the end of my drift. It was a hard, fast tug. I didn’t even have time to set the hook – I just held on. The fish was hooked up and bolted downstream – taking line out. I held the rod high in the air trying to keep tension. The fish came to the surface and gave a bunch of head shakes and took another run. Then ----- the line went slack. Dang!
Brian got this one in the run feeding into the Diver Hole.
Brian Kenney.
I won’t say it happens all the time – but it happens a lot when the fish hit at the end of your drift. It’s just so hard to get a good hook set. And if they bolt downstream – it makes matters even worse. You’re in a bad position for fighting a fish. Brian got a look at him when he came to the surface and said he was a nice one.
Well - the day was young!
We spent a good portion of the morning fishing the run and the hole. Brian was able to land a few fish in the upstream run and I was able to land a couple rainbows in the hole – one was a nice 17 incher. But that was it for the morning.
A 17" rainbow caught in the Diver Hole.
We walked up to Plunge #2 and ate our lunch with plans to fish it when we finished. But halfway through another guy came up and asked we minded if he fished it. We weren’t fishing – we were eating – and of course we obliged. So when we were done we went up to Plunge Pool #1.
Both plunge pools are formed by a separate line of huge granite boulders that have been placed across the river. The water flowing over them creates a mini waterfall and has dug a deep pool below them. In both pools the water is well oxygenated in the deep part – which quickly gives way to a more shallow tailout. There has to be fish in them!
Brain got this female in the run leading into the Diver Hole.
Brian Kenney.
I set up in the tailout below Plunge Pool #1 – with Plunge Pool #2 just downstream of me. Brian was in Plunge Pool #1. I’ve frequently caught fish in this tailout section. Usually brownies. They seem to congregate near a partially submerged a log on the south side of the river. No one was home this time.
While Brian was in the Plunge Pool he made what turned out to be an astute adjustment. He said that he wanted his flies to stay in the deeper water near where the water flows over the boulders. But his indicator kept getting caught up in the fast water and was pulling his flies out too soon. So he took off the indicator.
This rainbow took the Red Pure Midge larva.
This enabled his flies to get down deep and stay in the wash near the boulders. It worked. He hooked up two nice rainbows using his new technique. Unfortunately, both fish quickly got into the fast water and took him over the boulders that form Plunge Pool #2 – and the line snapped on the rocks. Smart fish.
Well – that happens. What’s important is Brian’s observation and the adjustment he made. That’s one I’m sure I will use in the future.
Got this 16" rainbow in the Diver Hole.
In the afternoon Brian went back to the same spot and used the same technique – and hooked up a couple more rainbows. Before that we fished the top of the Flag Hole. The hole itself and the tailout below was already taken. It seemed that the warmer afternoon weather brought out a bunch of fair weather fishermen. The place was getting crowded!
We were able to land a few smaller fish in the Antennae Hole and the run between it and the Flag Hole. But the fishing was off in the afternoon. There was a front moving in and the wind began to gust. Never a welcome occurrence when fishing! I was wondering if the change in barometric pressure had a negative effect on the fish.
After fishing from the Flag Hole to the Tire Hole with limited success we decided to walk back down to the Diver Hole – hoping it was open.
Another 16" rainbow taken out of the Diver Hole.
On the way a guy hooked up a nice rainbow in the Flag Hole. He was with another guy who seemed to be coaching him – maybe a guide. Neither had a net on them, and the guy doing the coaching was trying to get the fish with his hands! Never seen that before. Brian was nice enough to offer him his net – which the guy gladly accepted and was able to use it to get the fish to shore.
We found the Diver Hole open. But the fishing continued to be off. I had a few hits on the swing – but no hook ups. However, I was able to land a 16” rainbow in the run above the hole. He took a Black Foam Back Emerger.
The last one of the day. Taken in the run leading into the Diver Hole on a Black Foam Back Emerger.
A guy we ran into last week said he was having a lot of success with that fly – so I copied him – and tied up some mid-week. I found out Brian did too. It never hurts to copy success!
It’s always great to be on the water. Finicky fish and all!
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