I cant help but keep fishing streamers. Each morning I rig up either a dry/dropper or a nymph rig. Each morning I fish said rig for at least a handful of casts. I then decide that I would like to move some fish and cover some water. I then tie on a big piece of bunny fur. Usually I end up hooking fish pretty quickly. Today I was using what was pretty much a saltwater fly. Caught a nice brown right out of the gates. I then tried another new streamer with only a few strikes and no fish. I am sure that some folks look down on this type of fishing when the bugs are active and the water levels are at summer flows. I read that streamer fishing is to dry fly fishing what rock and roll is to Beethoven. I agree.
Tommorrow I will fish again and try to resist the urge to throw big wet chickens through the air. Not sure how long it will last. I am trying to learn how to guide people on these rivers. Casting streamers means being able to cast within inches of the bank,work a big fly, and hopefully handle bigger fish. None of these are what the first timer should be concerned with. Well when the day comes to take out my first guided trip I will have to resist the urge and put the streamer box away. Not this summer though. Next year maybe but not this year.
"Its only rock and roll but I like it"
Adios.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Feed the addiction.
I have now fished somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 days this summer. I am running out of time. My deployment to Antarctica is edging closer with each day. I have not counted how many fishing days I have left. I am going to try and fish as much as possible before my summer comes to a screeching extreme stop.
Last week I fished the Taylor river. Sat morning and the river was full of fisherman. I knew what to expect but decided to give it a go anyway. I caught a couple of fish before tragedy struck. One of my reels decided to stop working. I think that the drag mechanism seized up. The reel came with a Sage rod as a combo from Cabelas. I bought the combo about 3 years ago. Not very long ago and certainly not long enough to justify the end of the line for the reel. Needless to say,the day was taking a turn towards the toilet. On the tailgate of my truck with a leatherman I tried to open the reel up. Not the best idea. I then came home and called Cabelas about a warranty or a repair job. I was told that they dont repair their reels. ??? I was given the option of sending the reel in for a look and they will decide if it is worth anything. The kicker came when the voice on the phone said that the process will take 2 or 3 weeks!! Not an option. I then went out and bought a new reel. Wow what a difference spending a couple of hundred dollars on a reel will make!! I am now the owner of a reel that looks as good as it feels. Landed a couple of big fish on it so far. Caught a nice 20 inch bow yesterday. The drag worked like a well machined piece of equipment. Very happy with the new purchase. O.K. I need to get on the H2O. I will let you know how the fishing is at a later point.
Adios.
Last week I fished the Taylor river. Sat morning and the river was full of fisherman. I knew what to expect but decided to give it a go anyway. I caught a couple of fish before tragedy struck. One of my reels decided to stop working. I think that the drag mechanism seized up. The reel came with a Sage rod as a combo from Cabelas. I bought the combo about 3 years ago. Not very long ago and certainly not long enough to justify the end of the line for the reel. Needless to say,the day was taking a turn towards the toilet. On the tailgate of my truck with a leatherman I tried to open the reel up. Not the best idea. I then came home and called Cabelas about a warranty or a repair job. I was told that they dont repair their reels. ??? I was given the option of sending the reel in for a look and they will decide if it is worth anything. The kicker came when the voice on the phone said that the process will take 2 or 3 weeks!! Not an option. I then went out and bought a new reel. Wow what a difference spending a couple of hundred dollars on a reel will make!! I am now the owner of a reel that looks as good as it feels. Landed a couple of big fish on it so far. Caught a nice 20 inch bow yesterday. The drag worked like a well machined piece of equipment. Very happy with the new purchase. O.K. I need to get on the H2O. I will let you know how the fishing is at a later point.
Adios.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
3 Weeks left
Summer is going fast. I am leaving the gunnison valley for a trip East 3 weeks from yesterday. The trip is one that is I am looking forward to. Visiting family and friends before heading back to Antarctica. I wont be doing much fishing while I am out East. All the more reason to try and fish every day while I am here. Today is my 30th day of fishing so far this season. Not going to set any records but I am enjoying being on the water.
Still thinking about guiding next summer. We will see how it turns out.
Still thinking about guiding next summer. We will see how it turns out.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Paint when you can.
I did not fish today. I ended up working late on the house painting project. We are going to start a little late tomorrow. I don't have to be there until 9 a.m.. Which means if I can get some food in my belly and then get into bed I can get up at 5:45. With a little luck and coffee I can be on the river for a couple of hours before work. Not sure what the fish will be doing. I will most likely pound the banks with rabbit fur. Perhaps a big sleepy eyed brown will make the move for a breakfast meal when given the chance.
Company coming this weekend. No fishing until Monday next week. Tomorrow morning is the last chance for a few days. Better not get myself into this position too often this summer.
Adios.
Company coming this weekend. No fishing until Monday next week. Tomorrow morning is the last chance for a few days. Better not get myself into this position too often this summer.
Adios.
First week of Summer.
The 4th of July arrived with sun and warm breezes. Now really feels like summer in the mountains. Interesting how when the warm weather arrives so do the out of town visitors. Is there some phone line that they can call for an up to the minute report on the conditions in town?
I have not fished much this week. Fished in a lake on the 5th. Nothing on a fly. Caught some on some metal flies. Went out with a group of friends. Helped a buddy with his cast and talked about fly fishing with him. Not bad day at all.
Fished in the East on Tuesday. The bugs are pretty thick at times and the fish are full at times during the day. I have been on a big streamer adventure lately. To the point of trying to only fish with the big flashy fuzzy flies. I tried the chuck and duck technique to no avail on tuesday. I tied on an Elk Hair Caddis and started poking around a little. Two likely spots held nice fish. The second spot was not much more than a foot deep if that. A little log had been lodged against the bank allowing a little eddy to form. I cast my fly just upriver of the little eddy.Sure enough a nice brown made the move from the cover of the log and took a swipe at the fly. The rod bent over with much more force than I expected. I thought that the current combined with an excited fish was the cause of the extra force. Then I saw the fish flash as he came out away from the bank. This fish was much bigger than I thought. The current was a factor in the weight on the end of my line but the fish that was so doggedly pulling towards his log and undercut bank were much more of the reason for the weight I was feeling.
So after a little downstream scramble and some frantic rodwork(I really did not want to lose this fish) I was able to bring him to the net. A nice 18 inch brown. Not the biggest fish but a nice fish just the same.
I am in the process of helping a friend paint a house. I have been enjoying the work quite honestly. I am not fishing as much as I was last week or the past few weeks for that matter. I think the break is good. Actually this is probably the best week of the season so far. Water levels are down and water color is clearing. The crowds are coming too.
The river that I have fished the most has changed so much with the lower water levels that it seems like a new place. I am going to have learn the river again at this new level. I am going to fish this evening. Next week I am going to be back on the fishing every day schedule.
I hope I can make it that long.
I have not fished much this week. Fished in a lake on the 5th. Nothing on a fly. Caught some on some metal flies. Went out with a group of friends. Helped a buddy with his cast and talked about fly fishing with him. Not bad day at all.
Fished in the East on Tuesday. The bugs are pretty thick at times and the fish are full at times during the day. I have been on a big streamer adventure lately. To the point of trying to only fish with the big flashy fuzzy flies. I tried the chuck and duck technique to no avail on tuesday. I tied on an Elk Hair Caddis and started poking around a little. Two likely spots held nice fish. The second spot was not much more than a foot deep if that. A little log had been lodged against the bank allowing a little eddy to form. I cast my fly just upriver of the little eddy.Sure enough a nice brown made the move from the cover of the log and took a swipe at the fly. The rod bent over with much more force than I expected. I thought that the current combined with an excited fish was the cause of the extra force. Then I saw the fish flash as he came out away from the bank. This fish was much bigger than I thought. The current was a factor in the weight on the end of my line but the fish that was so doggedly pulling towards his log and undercut bank were much more of the reason for the weight I was feeling.
So after a little downstream scramble and some frantic rodwork(I really did not want to lose this fish) I was able to bring him to the net. A nice 18 inch brown. Not the biggest fish but a nice fish just the same.
I am in the process of helping a friend paint a house. I have been enjoying the work quite honestly. I am not fishing as much as I was last week or the past few weeks for that matter. I think the break is good. Actually this is probably the best week of the season so far. Water levels are down and water color is clearing. The crowds are coming too.
The river that I have fished the most has changed so much with the lower water levels that it seems like a new place. I am going to have learn the river again at this new level. I am going to fish this evening. Next week I am going to be back on the fishing every day schedule.
I hope I can make it that long.
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