April 8, 2020
Flows: 200 cfs and rising
Water Temp: 36 @ 8:30a
Water clarity: Crystal clear in the AM – turning a little off in the PM to about 3’.
Air Temp: 20s @ 7:15a – mid-low 60s @ 4p.
Hatches: Midge – 9a to 11a, BWO 11a to 3p.
It was another beautiful day in Colorado to be out on the river – and with the shelter-in-place order limiting our activities, Brian and I decided to get a 2nd day in this week. Our original plan was to hike into The Canyon (as in Cheesman Canyon). The parking lot was pretty crowded when we arrived at 7a – so we decided to go to Deckers instead.
Looking into the "mini-canyon" and the Diver Hole. (The Between the Islands Run is to the left - upstream side - of the small island.)
We picked the tail end of the public water – the Cable Hole – to start. The sun was not up over the southeast side of the mountain yet and it was cold! In the mid-20s and so cold – for me anyway – that I didn’t fish to start the day, rather spotted for Brian. I had dressed a little light anticipating the hike into The Canyon – and didn’t want to overdress and get too hot!
So Brian fished the Cable Hole for a bit as I looked into the river to see if I could spot any fish. With the little bit of light -it wasn’t easy to see into the water. But I did spot a couple of fish near the shore in the run below the hole. The fish in this area are very spooky because they are in such a vulnerable area. Brian went into the river about midway and casted back toward the shore – but they were spooked and ran for cover.
With that, Brian moved into the Between the Islands Run – I think this is becoming his favorite spot! At that point the sun was starting to shine there – and I continued to spot as I soaked it up. By 8:30a I was worm enough to rig up and fish. I started just upstream from Brian but really wanted to try the north side of the Cable Hole and the run below it. So after a several casts with no action, I left Brian and headed that way.
The lower end of Between the Islands Run.
My nymph rig was setup with a #10 Olive Crane Fly Larva followed by a #22 Red Zebra Midge and a #24 Harvester Midge. I couldn’t see any fish and covered the hole and the fast water leading into it. Then moving downstream to the run below – where I still could not sight any fish. So I moved back down to join Brian.
By then he had already landed a couple of fish in the middle of the run in the seam between the fast and slow water. They hit a #22 Miracle Midge and Brown RS2. With that, I changed my Harvester out for a Miracle Midge and fished the more shallow, slower water at the end of the run. This part is filled with little pockets that are formed behind the numerous large rocks.
As I was working it, I noticed a brownie feeding and began to try to get a good drift to him. In order to get the flies to him without getting snagged – I had to take off weight to where I only had on a #6 BB. After several tries, I got him to take one of my flies. When I spotted him earlier – I didn’t think he was very big, but after hooking him up – he looked to be in the 17” range. And the reason I don’t know which fly he took is because he quickly ran for the fast water and the small waterfall below me. The only thing I could think of was to palm my reel and try to quickly increase my drag. But that didn’t work – as he broke the line as soon as I palmed the reel.
I had another one on a bit later – but that one got off too! So my day started off on the rougher side – while Brian continued to land fish! He was catching most of them on a #22 Chocolate Thunder. It was about 11a and was getting crowded – and the pickings were getting slim for fishable water.
I decided to move downstream and was intending to go the Diver Hole – but on my way there, I noticed that someone was already in it. So I tried a small run on the south side of the river just below the island. This run has some nice pocket water and a small deep pool as it bends back to the north and feeds into the Diver Hole. I spotted a fish feeding in front of one of the boulders – but I was having a hard time getting a cast and drift into him. In hindsight – I should have been in the river fishing back toward the bank. But I didn’t do that and ended up foul hooking him, losing my rig in the process. Disappointed in my execution for the entire morning – I thought it was a good time for a lunch break - and chill!
I passed Brian on the way and he said he’d meet me in a bit – but never showed up. After lunch I noticed that the Diver Hole was now open, and I passed by him again on the way there and invited him to join me. He said to go on over and he’d meet up with me in a bit. But he never did. In fact he stayed in the run the whole day – and for good reason. He was catching fish! By what he was telling me each time I saw him – he must have netted fish numbering in the teens. Most were Brownies in the 13” to 15’ range with one 17”.
Meanwhile, I was working the Diver Hole where I landed a couple of 17” fish – one rainbow and one brownie. The brownie hit a #22 Chocolate Thunder and the rainbow hit a #22 Purple Beadhead JuJu Baetis. The fish where feeding a few feet below the surface and I was able to get these 2 and 3 more letting my line swing in the current at the end of the drift. The other 3 were brownies - one 14" and two 15".
This 17" male brownie took the #22 Purple Beadhead JuJu Baetis.
This brownie jumped out of my hand as soon as I snapped his picture. Notice the coloring of his spots though - they are a beautiful fish!
About 3p – the fish started to rise so I rigged up dries with a #22 Parachute BWO and a #24 Sparkle Dun BWO, and a #22 Barr Emerger dropped off. On my second cast, I landed a nice 13” brownie who took the Sparkle Dun. Then all of a sudden the fish stopped rising. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed such a short period of rising activity.
So I went back to my nymph rig which I setup with baetis after lunch. I had a #16 Pheasant Tail w/Red Flash followed by a #22 Purple JuJu Baetis and either a #22 Chocolate Thunder or a #22 Flashback Barr Emerger. I could still see the fish feeding below the surface and was able to entice a 15” rainbow to take the JuJu Baetis. When I was tying this fly, I wasn’t sure it would catch fish – so I was encouraged to catch 2 fish on it.
A 15" rainbow. Not real noticeable is a faint "cut" on her jaw. Maybe a Cutbow....
It was now about 4p and I was thinking it was time to head back when I spotted a very large fish feeding in a seam near the bank below me. So I couldn’t leave without trying to catch it. And after several casts she took the #16 Pheasant Tail – and she was a big one - 21” and in my estimation, at least 6 pounds. It took two hands to pick her up.
Two hands required to pick this one up! (Water on my lens clouded the picture.)
With that - I headed back to the car – where I met Brian for a beer. Yep – another beautiful day fishing in Colorado!
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