Fishing Disasters Happen

So double update for the day.  Finished the fly fishing school on Sunday afternoon with St. Pete's.  While the first day was very informative and fully eye opening the 'on the river' day was a total disappointment.  Most of the information was good, but the actual instruction was boring.  Most of the stuff I had already figured out with trial and error.  also they acted like we were getting a guided service, when in reality the instructors definitely didn't want to get us into any fish.  short time and new people usually means limited chances, but I imagined a bit better day for us.  On the up side I tried out some nice waders and am totally convinced that they are worth it.

disaster two was fishing on the poudre river tonight.  Took the wife and the boxer dogs.  Was not a good idea.  Grabbed some sandwiches and at the first location the water was very high and fast.  Good drifting practice, but no takes.  At Indian Meadows the Mosquitoes came out.  Within half an hour we were all covered in swarming bugs.  So the dogs started barking little wimpy chirps in distress and the wife was doing a little anti mosquito dance.  So sometimes fishing in the mid week is not a good idea.

First day of Fly fishing School!!

Just finished my first of two days with fly fishing school with St. Pete's fly shop in the fort.  Kyle did a very good job of taking us through the basics of fly fishing.  Best part was learning a new knot that ties so much quicker than what I was using.  Also there was just enough information on mayflies, caddis, stoneflys, and midges so that I didn't totally zone out.  Just what the beginer ordered.  After some talking we spent about an hour flinging lines at library park.  This was supper helpful to have a example person who looked good throwing line around to model after.

I am supper stoked to go tomorrow for our day on the poudre with some practical instructions.

Golf at Link-n-Greens

This was my first game of golf with my father ever.  Kind of a unique time for us both were we could appreciate the two hours walking around outside together.  The highlight was probally the kits that were on hole 7 or 8 by the barns. 

They were 5 or 6 little ones that were lounging around waiting for mom to come home with dinner I think.  This barn is really a quite unique building for not having been real close to it before.  dad beat me by 4 strokes at double bogie golf for me.

First trip to Chambers Lake area

On Saturday the penultimate weekend warrior fishing day I planned and executed a trip with a couple of college buddies.  As I am not the most the social fisher guy around due to a novice's unwillingness to show ineptitude and lack of time on the water it sounded like a good time.  Unfortunately one buddy was unable to show due to illness, but thankfully Jeff was able to make it.  We altered the planned trip to red feather in order for Jeff to show me his favorite Colorado lake places.  The three lakes are about ten miles shy of the top of Cameron pass were quite wonderful.  The lakes were a long hour and a half up the poudre river and taunted me with some quite fishable water along the way.  I saw the hatchery for the first time in years.  Somehow the taunt of a fish hatchery made me imagine that there were giant fish in the water around there.  But this itch was to be scratched another time.

Upon arrival we stopped at the first of three lakes a small reservoir that Jeff didn't name.  we hiked a little ways around to by a damn.  Jeff set up his lure spinning rod an I proceed with a dry fly indicator with a small wormy thing second.  we both started pulling in 6-9 inch rainbows in minutes.  After about an hour of load fishing we had attracted all of the families and other fisher people that we hiked by earlier with our enthusiastic catches.  So feeling a bit crowded we headed to lost lake and chambers.  Lost lake was again fairly crowded and nobody was catching anything so we headed to the inlet of chambers lake.  With strong threatening clouds we set up our lines for fishing in some current.  After Jeff reeled in a couple of nice lake trout the weather broke and we hoofed it back to the car.  The altitude and rain made for a very cold walk to round out what was a very interesting day for me.  The three lakes are firmly within driving distance of the fort and will offer me a couple more weeks of lake fishing while the rivers are all swolen monstrosities from the spring melt. 

Of note is that next week I am looking forward to taking the St. Pete's fly shop of Fort Collins fly fishing school next weekend.  I am looking in particular for some direction on casting more than 30 ft of line and on keeping a few more of my fly's as I seem to be losing them at a quite an alarming pace.  It will also be a fun time to potentially expand my fishing network.

"Prospecting for Trout" Book Review and Fishing Story

Tom Rosenbauer is the author of this wonderful book I just finished.  The book covers in ~200 pages all the technical elements of fly fishing for trout.  There is unique writing that glides through a jungle of information, opinion, and challenges without lessening the adventure for a novice.  Many techniques presented were just beyond me in understanding let alone executing.  The book also contained a set of light instructions that the author wants me to take and develop into my own expertise.  His enthusiasm for fishing trout is contagious and makes a sense of need and desire for standing in a river seem like a perfectly normal activity for anyone. 

I particularly liked Tom's explanation of finding your own space in the fly fishing world.  for example, some people want to carry a fly for every possible situation, while others want a dozen of proven trusty's and that is it.  This choice rested on the variety of locations fished, type of fly fishing, and the individual fisher.  This ability to choose within the bound of success for fishing was very encouraging for a new fly fisher. 

And because it's a fishing post!!

I caught this fish on my first ever dry fly only rig at Redfeather lakes.  Lake Parvin was good to me with 3 lake trout and numerous strikes for the three hours I was there.  There is just nothing like taking a rising fish on a good cast with just a dry fly.   As a new fisherman the interesting thing was how focused I was on willing the fly, fish, and line all into the right place for the take.  Thankfully it was a great day were the fish were eating everything.  The lake was quite crowded that day(Saturday), but I found that quite a comfort, for when I was there later that week in the evening it was kinda spooky to be all by myself at dusk on a lake side.  somehow it is so comforting to be a part of the fishing group without having to interact with anyone else too much.

First!!!

I was finally first! Hehe

I am currently writing this blog since I along with many others feel the need to share with a larger audience about myself and my activities.  I have grown dissatisfied with Facebook as the in-personal nature of friending got weird when creeping became the primary activity.  Althouth I am writting to record some of my activites in a way that can be shared the end result may be a record for myself of what I was doing and focused on at the time.