February 21, 2022
Pueblo Tailwater - The Tree Hole to the Diver Hole.
Flows: 121 cfs.
Water Temp: 46F @ 1:30p.
Water clarity: Very clear - ~6’.
Air Temp: 34F @ 8:30a - 60F @ 4p.
Hatches: Sparse midge 10a to end of day. Scant BWO 1:30p to 3:30p.
Flies: #12 Chubby Chernobyl, #10 Pat’s Rubber Leg, #16 Frenchy, #20 Pheasant Tail, #22 Mercury Blood Midge, #22 Mercury Black Beauty, #22 Red Rojo Midge, #24 Purple Jujubee Midge, #20 Dale’s Pale Midge, #20 Brassie, #20 & #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear.
Top producers: Dale’s Pale Midge, Pheasant Tail, Black Beauty.
A view of the weir that forms the Tire Hole.
I was standing in ankle deep riffles at the tail end of a run created by a man-made weir. At the top of the weir there is a pool about 4’ deep then it gives way to riffles that flow down the middle of the run. At the end of the run – where I was standing – there is a deeper trough that forms as the water bends to the right.
On the other side of the trough the water is shallow and slower. I could see a redd there and there were a couple of rainbows on it going through there spawning ritual. I could also see fish further upstream of the redd and in the trough. They were darting back and forth. Feeding on bugs – midges was my guess as it was early in the morning.
I was casting my flies and attempting to get them in front of a couple of fish that were in the trough. It took several attempts as I mended my line hard upstream. I wanted to get my flies out in front of my indicator and let the current take them to the fish I was targeting.
My first fish of the day taken out of Weir #3 on a Mercury Black Beauty.
I finally got them on target, and as my flies drifted by one of the fish I instinctively set the hook. I can’t remember why I did. Maybe the fish moved just a bit. Maybe I saw his mouth open. Not sure. My indicator surely didn’t stop – or bounce – or do anything that would indicate a strike.
When I set the hook I was actually surprised – maybe astonished. The fish had indeed taken one of my flies! It’s not unusual for a fish to take your fly without notice – but it floors me every time. This time I had a nice 19” rainbow trout hooked up and fighting for his life. He took me upstream into the riffled water, then back downstream into the trough. I wanted to keep him off the redd – didn’t want to disturb the activity that was taking place on it. He finally tired out and I got him to the net.
Releasing my first catch of the day.
It was satisfying to catch this fish. Both Brian and I were covering this run – the 3rd weir upstream of the Tire Hole – for about an hour. Brian landed a nice rainbow – also 19” – earlier. He got it in the 4’ pool at the top of the run. I started out fishing the middle and end of the run with my Hopper/Dropper setup. I wasn’t getting any action with it and decided to change over to my standard nymph rig.
It wasn’t setup and I had to tie it from scratch which took some time. I tied on a #16 Frenchy as my lead fly with a #22 Mercury Blood Midge and a #22 Mercury Black Beauty. By the time I was done, Brian was ready to head downstream. After spending so much time getting the nymph rig tied up – I wanted to try it out. That led to landing that 19” bad boy. He took the Black Beauty.
We started out the day with the plan to fish the Tree Hole – then move downstream. First we’d hit the Tire Hole and see if we could get anything out of it. The whole river was open – no other fishermen in sight. That is until we walked up on the Tire Hole. There was a guy fishing it. So we headed up to the Tree Hole. When we got there – there was also a guy already fishing it.
Brian got this 19" bull rainbow out of the pool at the top of Weir #3.
Brian Kenney.
Jeez. We only saw two fishermen, and wouldn’t you know it they were in the holes we wanted to fish. After seeing the guy in the Tree Hole we headed back downstream and stopped at the 3rd Weir where we landed those nice rainbows. After that we headed further downstream. Brian stopped to fish the middle of the Tire Hole. There was now another fisherman in the primary spot – just above Brian - the A position.
I went further down to fish the Antennae Hole. After covering it, I moved down to the Flag Hole hitting the fishy spots as I went along. After spending quite a bit of time with no action I headed back upstream to see how Brian was making out.
He now had the Tire Hole to himself and had hooked up some nice fish. We shared the hole fishing the A position and below it – the middle of the run. Brian had landed a few fish – nice ones 18” to 19” - and I had one or two on, but they broke off. It was now time for lunch. As I sat on a log and ate my lunch I watched Brian fish the hole and thought about my rig.
A cutbow Brian landed in the Tire Hole.
Brian Kenney.
Lately I’ve been trying out different flies – Rainbow Warriors, Prince Nymphs, Frenchies, and other that I haven’t fished for a while. So as I ate my lunch I decided that I’d tie up some tried and true flies. I tied on a #18 Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear as my lead fly. It’s tied with lead wire and my though was that it would help get my flies down deep. That and the guy who was fishing this hole earlier caught a few with it! I followed the Hare’s Ear with a #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail and a #22 Mercury Blood Midge. Red midges seemed to be working for Brian. He was getting hook-ups on his Red Dale’s Pale Midge.
Everything reset, I headed back to the river. Brian was in the middle of the run and I waded into the A position. After about six drifts I had three fish on. They were in front of the boulders and in the seam to the near north side of them. I landed one of them – a 20” brute. The others broke off and were nice size too.
Me with a 20" rainbow. He took a #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail.
Brian Kenney.
Each one of them took the flies so subtle that I hardly noticed. It’s surprising. You’d think the bigger fish would hit harder. But that’s not the case. These guys seemed to just sip them. I was setting late and had more fish break off than I landed.
We had a lot of fun in the Tire Hole catching several fish – all 18” to 20”. They were healthy too, with wide girths and strong as an ox. After a bit it dried up. I think we caught them all!
We decided to head down to the Diver Hole. As we walked downstream I had to try out a small run at the end of the Tire Hole. I caught an 18” rainbow in it a couple of weeks ago. It’s one of those places that fishermen walk by thinking it wouldn’t hold fish. But it does.
After about six drifts through the run I had one on. It felt like a nice one too. But as was the norm for the day – he took it very subtly and I was late on the set. So after a brief struggle – he broke free.
Brian with a 19" rainbow. He got this one in the middle of the Tire Hole.
Oh well. With that I waded out and walked down to the Diver Hole with Brian.
When we arrived there was a guy just at the top of the #1 Plunge Pool, a guy in the run between the #2 Plunge Pool and the Diver Hole, and a guy in the Diver Hole. Oh boy.
I arrived first and began fishing the #2 Plunge Pool. Brian came just a bit later and walked down toward the Diver Hole. There was a spot that he could fish at the top of the hole and he took it. After covering the #2 Plunge Pool I moved up into the run between it and the #1 Plunge Pool. Then the guy below me moved into the #2 Plunge Pool – opening up the run below. By now the guy in the Diver Hole left and we had it and the run above it to ourselves.
This rainbow took Brian's Brassie.
Brian Kenney.
As I walked along the run between the #2 Plunge Pool and the Diver Hole I could see fish in the middle of the river and on the south side of it. Nice size ones. The fish in this run are hard to fool. With the clear water they get spooked easily. You have to be very careful with your cast. Any splash near them will send them running. They’ll also bolt from your indicator and even your leader at times. The trick is to get your flies in front of your indicator and in front of them.
Not an easy task.
Another one of Brian's rainbows - a 19" beauty.
Brian Kenney.
I would target one fish – then he would spook and leave, and I’d target another one. The ones that spooked either came back after a bit, or another fish would assume their position in the water. They were feeding in mid-column so I only was only using a #6 split shot for weight. After making several adjustments to my depth by adjusting my indicator and being persistent I hooked up a nice 19” cutbow. He took my #20 Mercury Pheasant Tail.
I could see this fish in the middle of the run and just as the first fish I landed in the morning – I set out of instinct. I can’t remember any indication that he took my flies. Another subtle hit. This one put up an amazing fight – taking me all the way down to the Diver Hole where I finally landed her.
A plump 19" female cutbow taken out of the run below the #2 Plunge Pool.
A bit later I would get another 14” rainbow out of the run. I didn’t spot this one and wasn’t targeting him. Luckily he took the fly – the #20 Pheasant Tail - and ran. Not a subtle take like the others or I would have missed him.
As we left the river all I could think about was those subtle takes. At times when not sight fishing I would see my indicator just wobble and for some reason I didn’t set right away – and I’d either miss the fish or he’d quickly break off. When sight fishing I wouldn’t see any indication and would set - and would have a fish on and in the net.
A 14" brightly colored rainbow taken out of the run below the #2 Plunge Pool.
It was quite a day though. I’m not sure I can remember a day when we had so many fish 18” and over in the net.
Releasing another big rainbow.
It just might spoil us.
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