Monsters

January 24, 2022 (Valco Ponds Run to Lower Tom’s Run)

Flows: 116 cfs.

Water Temp: 40F @ noon.

Water clarity: Very clear - ~6’.

Air Temp: 33F @ 8:30a - 49 @ 4p.

Hatches: Sparse BWO 2p – 4p

Flies: #12 Chubby Chernobyl, #10 Black Pine Squirrel Leech, #18 Sawyer’s Pheasant Tail, #22 Blood Midge, #24 Black Midge Emerger, #24 Grey Sparkle Wing RS2, #22 Chocolate Thunder, #20 Black WD40, #16 Prince Nymph, #20 Red Copper John, #24 Top Secret Midge.

Top producers: Red Copper John, Black WD40, Black Midge Emerger.

A sea monster? Or a big rainbow?

I believe in Monsters.

They are alive and well in the Arkansas River. The Tailwater to be specific. I know this --- because I’ve seen ‘em – and I caught one of them yesterday.

OK – well it wasn’t really a monster. Just a 21” rainbow that looked like a sea monster when I snapped his picture underwater as I was releasing him.

But I still believe!

The day started in the Valco Ponds Run. When I fish that part of the river, I usually begin above the Hatchery Hole and work my way downstream. Maybe I was a little lazy yesterday – or just anxious to get into the Valco Ponds Run.

Last week the fish moved from their winter lies and into the more shallow, faster water where you could see and stalk them. If this week was the same – or similar – I was looking forward to stalking them in that run. They hang out in the deeper seam between the south bank and the boulders – and in the shallow water at the head of the run. If they were there – I would be able to see them. They would be dark spots moving in the water – or their red stripe would give them away.

When I arrived streamside - a little later than normal, about 9a – I was happy to see that it was open. There was a guy fishing the pool just upstream from the run – but the Valco Ponds Run was open. Later I would find out the guy’s name was Ron and he said he caught a couple in the pool – one was an 18” rainbow. He got it on a Black Mini-leech.

Here's Ron fishing the Valco Ponds Run below the sunken tree.

As I stood on the south bank and looked into the water I could see fish at the top of the run – in front of the boulders. Exactly where they usually are when they’re not hiding somewhere in their winter lies. Perfect.

The type of water they were lying in – low and clear - looked like perfect for a Hopper/Dropper set up. At the end of the day last week I had changed my Hopper/Dropper to a dry fly set up – so I had to retie the entire rig. Copying Ron’s success - I followed my Hopper with a #10 Black Pine Squirrel Leech. Not a standard “Dropper” – but what the heck? After that I tied on a #22 Red Rainbow Warrior followed by a #24 Top Secret Midge. In order to get the flies down in the water, I added a #6 (then a #0) split shot above the leech.

There wasn’t a midge hatch that I could see – but as I was tying on my flies I noticed a fish had come up and sipped a fly just below the surface near the boulders. Must have been an emerger. Thinking that at this time of day it must have been a midge - I tied on the Top Secret.

I started out drifting my flies in the water near the bank and slowly worked my way further into the river. I had my Dropper about 3 ½’ or so from my Hopper. So from my Hopper (indicator) to my target fly was about 5 ½’ to 6’ and I didn’t like they way they were drifting. My target fly seemed like it was pushed out away from my indicator and I was having a hard time getting the flies where I wanted them. In front of the fish!

Measuring my 1st fish of the day with my net. It was a hard earned catch.

After a bit I switched to my standard nymph rig. Again, I had to retie the entire thing – which took some time. With fish in sight out in front of me – I wanted to get it done quickly, but I kept telling myself to have patience. Don’t be in a hurry. (Advise my Dad gave me on many occasions.)

Since I had success last week with a Prince Nymph – I tied that on as my lead fly. A recently tied #16 – and followed that with a #22 Mercury Blood Midge and a #24 Black Midge Emberger.

After casting my flies a few times out in front of the fish and getting hung up on the rocks - and spooking a couple of fish – I decided to change out my Prince Nymph with a Sawyer’ Pheasant Tail. The Pheasant Tail isn’t as heavy as the Prince Nymph and maybe I’d get better snag free drifts.

It worked and on about my third cast after making that adjustment I have a fish on. As my flies were drifting downstream with the current – I was watching the fish I was targeting to see if he made any movement when my flies were near. Well my flies weren’t exactly where I thought they'd be – and the fish surprised me when he hit. Not getting a good hook set – he wiggle free pretty quickly.

The 1st catch of day - she took a #24 Black Midge Emerger.

I took it as a good sign though. I was dialing it in. Or was I?

I could see fish in both the deeper seam and out in front of the boulders – but I couldn’t get them to take my flies. Save the one that got off. Thinking that my depth was off - I continually made adjustment to my weight and depth with my indicator. More changes in the next hour or so than I can remember making.

Ron was now fishing downstream from me – just below the sunken tree – and I commented that I was having a hard time telling how deep the fish were. He thought they were on the bottom – but they didn’t look like it to me. Even though I added weight – just to see. Then as I moved from the deeper seam to the lower water in front of the boulders – I left the added weight on.

Then I quickly snagged a fish. Got him on the belly. That would indicate that my drift was on target but my flies were below him. With that I changed my lead fly from the Sawyer’s Pheasant Tail to a #20 Red Copper John. An even lighter lead fly – and used only a #6 split shot which weighs 1 gram.

After working all morning to catch this fish - I really wanted a picture of it!

As many times before when I fished the Valco Ponds Run – the fish in the shallow water in front of the boulders spook easily. It could be the indicator, or getting the flies hung up on a rock in front of them, or a sloppy cast. When something like this happens they scatter. So I move and fish the deeper seam or the tailout near the sunken tree – then come back. And the fish are usually back too!

So this is how the morning was progressing. And each time I’d come back up to the shallow water in front of the boulders – there would be the same big rainbow feeding. It was bigger than the other ones that I could see and I was targeting him. Some of the times there would be other fish between me and him – and I’d target them rather than spook them by casting over them.

But that big one was the one I was after. Probably about an hour and half to two hours of this back and forth – I finally got my flies in front of that big fish and she hit. Yes it was female. The strike was subtle – my indicator just slowed a bit and I set my hook hard downstream.

Fish on. And I knew right away it had some serious girth. She took me downstream and was headed for the sunken tree. Ron had to pull up stakes as the fish ran into his lane. He cautioned me to keep it from going under the tree as I waded downstream with the fish. Believe me – I knew I didn’t want her under there!

An 18" male rainbow caught on the #24 Black Midge Emerger.

Needless to say – this fish put up a hell of a fight. I was able to keep her from going under the tree. Then she went behind the boulders. Then in the middle of the boulders. I was doing everything I could to keep my line from getting frayed on them. Then she ran back upstream into the shallow water where she tired out.

Fish in the net.

Dave – Ron’s buddy - was watching as I fought this fish to net. I had targeted that fish all morning and after finally getting her – I asked Dave if he’d take a picture for me. Which he did.

I’d get another fish before lunch – in the shallow water. It was another rainbow – 18 inches. With as many fish as I sighted – I was hoping to have more in the net by then, but it seemed that if the flies weren’t right in front of their noses they wouldn’t hit. They were feeding but not moving from side to side as I’ve often witnessed. That was the trick – you had to get the flies right on their noses.

Here's Dave fishing the Valco Ponds Run. He, Ron, and I shared it throughout the morning.

Ron, Dave, and I shared the run for a bit and I watched them fish it while I ate my lunch. I could see an occasional fish come up and just break the surface. Evidently feeding on pupae just below the surface. But at this time of the day – I thought the pupae were now baetis instead of midges.

After lunch I gave the run one more try with baetis as my target flies. I had a #20 Black WD40 and a #24 Grey Sparkle Wing RS2 as my target flies with my #20 Red Copper John. The fish had moved out. I could still spot one here or there but there wasn’t as many as before.

It was now about 1:30p and I really wanted to hit Tom’s Run. So I gathered my stuff and moved on.

As I moved downstream I kept looking into the pockets along the way to see if I could spot any fish. There is a small run near where a big slab of concrete that lies on the bank. I’ve taken a few fish out of here before and I spotted a few rainbows. So I put my stuff down and began to cast to them. Then I noticed some more. A few big ones!

I got this 19" rainbow in the pool at Lower Tom's Run. He took a #20 Black WD40.

Then I noticed a redd. And one of the bigger fish was protecting it. Then I saw another fish join him on the redd. Rainbows are not supposed to spawn until springtime. What was going on here?

Instead of casting to the fish – I was now observing them. Where they really spawning? It’s awfully early for that. But that’s what was taking place. Maybe it’s a sign of an early spring. Maybe its specific to this river – where the weather in Pueblo is such that the rainbows begin to spawn earlier there than other places.

After watching for a bit – and convincing myself that this was really happening – I picked up and moved on. I had high expectations of finding nice fish in Tom’s Run.

Maybe that was a bad thing…..

As Tom’s Run came into view I could see a guy fishing it. Dang it! I continued on anyway – planning to fish Lower Tom’s Run. As I walked past the guy – he said he hadn’t got any fish where he was – but he pulled a couple out of Lower Tom’s. Hmm.

Here's the brute with a #20 Red Copper John in his upper lip.

I waded into the pool below the weir that begins Lower Tom’s Run cautiously and began to fish the near side of it. I could see a few fish on the near edge of the pool and in the middle of it. Some were nice size ones too! It wasn’t long and I had one of them on. It was another 19” rainbow who took the WD40. A good start.

It was fishing like the Valco Ponds Run. There were fish in sight but they weren’t chasing. You had to get the flies right on their nose – which I found wasn’t easy. But I stayed after it. Persistent. The guy fishing Tom’s Run left and I was still there. I now had the whole place to myself.

After going through the run several times – the fish started to thin out. I probably spooked many of them at one time or another. I saw one behind a submerged boulder and casted to him. Then he was gone. As I looked into the water, I thought I saw him now in front of the boulder.

I thought to myself “Is that a fish”?

Another look at my "catch of the day". Big - and brightly colored too.

Only one way to find out. I casted above the submerged boulder where a seam of water feeds into it from over the weir above it. The cast was perfect – on target. As my flies drifted in front of the boulder – my indicator made an abrupt stop.

I set the hook - hard.

It felt like I had hooked a log. But it was a fish – a big one! I mean this was a brute. The first place he took me was the slow water behind the boulders. A good place to fight a fish – but I couldn’t get in there because of the deep pool between me and him. And he was taking line out.

Then he ran back upstream into the pool at the top of the run. Another good place to fight a fish – and I could get to the side of it. Which I did. Then he swam up the fast water flowing over the weir. Went up it like it was nothing at all with me doing the best I could to follow.

Trying to get a shot to show his size. You can barely see - but he was a couple of inches longer than the length of my net - which is 19".

Now we were in the shallow water above the weir. Another good place to fight a fish. But this was a big fish and I couldn’t control him. I was just hanging on. As the fight went on – I began to increase my drag just a bit. My thinking was as the fish gets tired from the fight – I could slowly increase it to get more control.

It may have helped a little but I still couldn’t get his head up. He continued to lead me upstream. We were now near the north bank at the top of Tom’s Run and he was finally beginning to tire. I had him come up to the surface a couple of times – then another fish came over to see what was going on.

Then he was back down – fighting. Now he was swimming downstream – pulling strongly as he went. This is not good. I waded after him as fast as I could trying to get below him. And I finally did – just in front of the weir.

He now swam back upstream into the pool in the middle of Tom’s Run. A good place to fight a fish. I waded after him and was standing downstream of him. Perfect position. I had him come up a couple of times and finally was able to pull him to my net.

Another view. This one makes him look skinny - but he wasn't. I'm guessing he weighed in at about 5 pounds.

When I went to net him – he barely fit into it. And he was heavy. I thought back to the time I missed a brute in the Fremont Canyon in Wyoming as I tried to net him. This time as before the fish hit the side of my net – but not as hard - and I was able to quickly recover. I got him in - his 21 inches filling my net.

Finally!

I was totally exhausted. I don’t know how long I fought that fish – but it was quite a while. In the middle of it I was thinking “the longer the fish is on and fighting – the more he has the advantage and the higher the likelihood that he will break free”. But I didn’t want to horse him. That never works.

He took the #20 Red Copper John. After taking several pictures – I released him – and thought about the fish that came over while I was fighting him.

I waded over to that spot to take a look and there he was. Another sizable fish. He was in the shallow run on the north side of the river where I’ve caught a couple of nice ones before. I didn’t get this one though. One of my flies got snagged up on a rock in front of him and he bolted.

How about another look?

It was now about 3:15p and I decided to head back upstream planning to hit a pocket or two along the way – and maybe trying the top of Valco Ponds Run again before leaving. The sun was low in the sky and casting shadows on the river making it hard to see into it. So I passed up the pocket water and continued to the Valco Ponds Run.

When I got there I was spent. Fighting that fish took it out of me. I ran into a few guys fishing along the run and chatted with them before giving it maybe three drifts.

That was it. The day was over.

Fighting those big fish – especially the monster fish - took it out of me!

I believe in monsters!