Pueblo Tailwater - The Hatchery Hole to the Doubletree Hole.
February 14, 2022
Flows: 95 cfs.
Water Temp: 36F @ 8:30a.
Water clarity: Very clear - ~6’.
Air Temp: 27F @ 8:30a - 63F @ 4p.
Hatches: Midge (very large in the afternoon) 10a to end of day.
Flies: #12 Chubby Chernobyl, #10 Black Mini-leech, #16 Red Copper John, #18 Pshyco Prince Nymph, #24 Top Secret Midge, #18 Red Midge Larva, #24 Black Beauty, #20 Desert Storm, #24 Purple Jujubee Midge, #24 Barr Emerger, #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail, #20 Dale's Pale Midge.
Top producers: Dale’s Pale Midge, Top Secret Midge, Desert Storm, Black Beauty.
The moon.
Various articles that I’ve read espouse the theory that a bright moon enables fish to feed more effectively during the night. Then the fishing is off the next day because they're full.
On the way to Pueblo I mentioned to Brian that we had a Waning Gibbous moon for the past few days. This phase of the moon occurs just before a full moon – and it’s bright. We were wondering if it would cause the fishing to be slow. Hoping that it didn’t.
We started at the Cliffs just upstream from the Hatchery Hole.
Brian got this beauty in the tailout below the Doubletree Hole.
Brian Kenney.
When we got there Terry was in the Hatchery Hole smoking his cigar. As we walked by, he told Brian he had caught a few little ones. From experience we knew that after he finished his cigar he would be gone.
There was nothing happening at the Cliffs and Terry seemed to finish his cigar early. So we moved downstream into the hole.
Brian and I both were fishing our nymph rigs. I had adjusted my indicator and weight in order to get my flies deeper into the pool. Brian had removed his indicator which would get his flies down deep – deeper than mine. Without an indicator fishing in a deep, slow pool you can be sure that your flies will be on the bottom of the river. It’s an interesting technique that is used in these circumstances – but I normally stick with an indicator.
Brian was positioned at the top of the hole – where it’s deep. I was below him in a shallower run that flows in front of the hatchery inlet. We have caught a bunch of fish in both places in the past.
Got this 17" female rainbow in the Hatchery Hole on a #24 Black Beauty.
After covering my spot several times I was planning to move up to the top of the run – to the other side of the hole from Brian. As I started to move that way, Brian asked if I wanted to switch with him. So now I was in the deep pool and he was in the shallower run.
After several casts I added a bit of mud to my #6 – 1 gram – split shot. On my next cast I had a fish on. Before starting the day I had loosened my drag from my previous outing. I knew soon enough that I loosened it a bit too much. The fish was easily taking line out. Trying to gain control - I began to tighten the drag. Bit by bit. Didn’t want to overdo it.
With the drag properly set I could tell that it was a nice size fish as he continued to make runs and take line out. He was trying to get into the rocks that line the opposite shore. I had to keep out of that. After a bit he took me downstream to where Brian was and he netted him for me.
Releasing my 1st rainbow of the day.
Got my first fish of the day – a 17” rainbow - on a #24 Black Beauty. Things were looking up!
After releasing the fish and getting everything back together I waded out to the same spot. After several cast I had another fish on. This one took the #20 Desert Storm. He was a rainbow, not as big – 14” – as the first one but put up a good fight.
You can’t really sight fish in the Hatchery Hole - the water is too deep. Granted you may see an occasional fish swim to the surface but you can’t track him. So after a couple of fish in the net I wanted to head downstream to the Valco Ponds Run. There you can definitely sight fish and I had visions of fish lined up in the shallow water at the head of the run.
Another look at the 17" male rainbow.
Brian continued to fish the hole and I would find out later he was able to entice an 18” rainbow and a 20” sucker to take his Dale’s Pale Midge pattern. Brian ties this one based on advice he received from Dale who is a Tailwater regular. It was his fly of the day.
Besides concerns about the bright moon, I was a bit concerned about running into crowds. The Valco Ponds Run is a popular place. No wonder - it’s close to the parking lot and produces a lot of fish – and nice size ones too. But as I approached it I was pleasantly surprised that this whole section of the river was wide open.
I was careful to cross the river well upstream of the run just incase the fish were hanging out at the top of it. Once I got to the other side I approached the run as stealthy as I could. And sure enough I could see fish lined up across the river right where I thought they’d be.
A 14" male rainbow taken out of the Hatchery Hole on a #20 Desert Storm.
I started casting my flies to the nearest fish. Thinking that I’d pick them off one-by-one. In case you don’t know it – I’m very optimistic!
I didn’t want to cast over the closer fish which would effectively spook them – so that was my strategy. Instead of picking them off one-by-one, I proceeded to spooked them one-by-one. It’s easy to do. This part of the run is shallow and crystal clear. They’ll run from your leader, your indicator, or a sloppy cast. Sometimes your flies will get snagged up on the rocks just in front of them and spook them.
As the closer fish ran off I waded into the water and targeted the next fish. I was now about ¼ of the way across the river and let my flies float into the deep water just in front of the submerged boulders. Then as I lifted my flies to recast I felt the tug of a fish on. And it was a nice one. I briefly saw him as he came to the surface – but with a couple of head shakes he was free.
A view of the Valco Ponds Run. (No fishermen in sight!)
Not much you can do about that. Sometimes the fish sip your flies so subtle you don’t even know you had a hit. This was one of those times and I didn’t have a chance to properly set the hook. It was fun though – no matter how brief.
Now all the fish had disappeared from sight. I know from experience that if you let this run sit for a while – even a short while – they will come back. So I moved downstream and fished the run in front of the boulders. I could see fish in the middle of it. Getting them to hit was another story. They seemed to ignore my flies.
This is pretty much what I was experiencing at the top of the run. The fish weren’t hitting and they definitely weren’t chasing any flies.
Were they full after feeding under the bright moon last night?
Another view of the 17" rainbow I caught in the Hatchery Hol.e.
After a bit Brian came up to join me. We fished the top, middle, and bottom of the run – and the run below the sunken tree. All the while we could see nice rainbows. But couldn’t get them to hit.
Just below the sunken tree was a redd – and occasionally we would see a fish or two on it. Definitely spawning. We left them alone. About 30 feet below the spawning bed we could see trout lined up close to the shore. They were fair game – but they wouldn’t hit either.
Were they preoccupied with spawning? Maybe that was what was happening – they weren’t interested in eating - only spawning. Or was it that they were full? Who knows?
We stayed on the run until a little after lunch. Then Brain moved downstream and was headed to Tom’s Run. I was planning to join him after just a few more tries for these reluctant fish! It turned out to be more than just a few tries.
This 19" bull rainbow took a #24 Top Secret Midge.
I got the idea that maybe it would be better to cross the river and cast back into the seam in the middle of the run. I’ve never fished it that way – but it’s a little more stealthy from that position and they seemed so skittish – I thought why not.
It paid off.
I positioned myself behind the submerged boulders and casted into the foam line on the other side of them. At the end of one of my drifts my indicator wiggled. Just a tiny wiggle. And I set the hook hard downstream.
Fish on. Finally!
I was standing about 10 feet upstream of the sunken log. In that spot the riverbed has a bunch of smaller boulders strewn about the area. Not a good place to fight a fish. As I suspected, he took off for the sunken tree. Trying to get under it. If that happened he’d be gone.
I waded upstream into the calm water behind the boulders - coaxing him along – without tripping over one of those boulders. He was a big fish – I could tell – and not easy to control. I was happy when I got him in the net without falling in the water.
A nice 19” rainbow. He took the #24 Top Secret Midge.
Earlier as I was releasing the 17” rainbow he splashed water onto to me – some hitting my face as he struggled to get free. This big fish did the same thing. Only better! He jumped out of my hand and flashed his tail just as he hit the water – sending a good splash into my face and my open mouth!
Releasing a rainbow.
Brian Kenney.
I was thinking “Great – now I probably have a parasite in my stomach”. I have to remember to keep my mouth closed next time I release a fish!
After that I was now going to head down to catch up with Brian. Really. But first I had to retie my Hopper/Dropper rig. It took me a bit of time and once complete I began to walk downstream.
Those fish that were lined up 30 feet below the redd were still there. With a newly tied Hopper/Dropper rig I thought what the heck – why not give it a try.
After several casts I heard Brian call out. He was on the other side of the river. He fished the Doubletree Hole and landed a nice 21” rainbow. He got it on his Dale’s Pale Midge in the tailout. He also mentioned that there were about six fishermen down in that area. No use going.
So we finished out the day in the Valco Ponds Run.
Releasing the 19" rainbow. (Notice how clear the water is.)
As we left we were still scratching our heads wondering why the fish were so hard to entice. There are so many factors - night feeding under a bright moon, barometric pressure, spawning, selective feeding or something else. It could be one of them – or a combination of them. I’m planning to track a few of these factors to see if I can find a pattern. But I’m not hopeful.
Even though we didn’t have fish in quantities – we got quality fish!
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