November 30, 2016

Flow: 135

Water Temp: 46-48

After a few weeks of winter water storage flows I can hope that we stay at this flow through the winter. We are experiencing the first few cold days on the river and while the fishing has been technical we’ve managed to get some nice photo ops. The remarkable thing is the number of juvenile trout. The water is boiling with the little dinks. The ever-present SJW trailed by a loop wing emerger did well; not only for the juveniles but for the big trout below them. Emergers below bwo dries have been successful on dry rigs. Enjoy Pueblo and our big trout. Then enjoy Pueblo’s art and history. This town has so much to offer for food and night life after fishing.

Tight Lines,

Ben

November 15, 2016

Flow: 109 ish

Water Temp: 51-55

Sorry for the slow reporting folks, this as you all know has just been a surreal month for all of us. I hope you all went and did your civic duty and voted for whichever candidate you felt sucked less. We survived the election, the World Series, and the end of and daylight savings. After the flows have receded a little bit this fall I can say the river here is recovering well. Full weirs that we could walk across ankle deep a year ago are trenching out of their own volition. The river survived the floods and the big trout are still here. What we’re seeing is more browns and cuts. Also, the juvenile rainbows are rampant. Three trout will be six inch dinks and the next will be a twenty inch bow or brown. SJWs, 20 grey RS2s and 18 black zebra midges did well. Book your adventure now as the winter will fill up fast.

Tight lines,

Ben

October 9, 2016

Flow: 120

Water Temp: 58-62

Hat trick just before kickoff.

The river continues to move to winter conditions and the fishery, while still technical, is coming into its famous winter environment. The first weekend I’ve worn waders it is very apparent I need a new set. The Days are getting shorter and we’ll be booking trips for the diehard anglers soon.

Now, if I could write a few words about how fine the Douglas Sky rod fights big Tailwater fish, I’d be a better author.  This is a great top end rod that retails $300.00 less than its competition.  The brown depicted ran fifty yards upstream and fifty yards down and the sky had the back bone to keep him out of the rocks and lumber. Spectacular loading and accurate forward casts, I’m excited to read the next five weight shootout.

The jay hooks that were not accessible for a slow drift are producing the best trout and the season is just going to get better. The water temperatures make for hard fighting fish taking san juans, olive hare’s ears and tricho patterns. I ended the day on a high note with the brown after a rainbow and cutthroagt and headed home just in time for kickoff.

Pueblo’s local guides are on the water daily and know where the trout and carp are in these changing conditions. Book your adventure today.

Tight lines,

Ben

September 29, 2016

Flow: 83

Water Temp: 66-68

Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my mangled foot. I’m moving pretty well now and as busy as we’ve been that’s a good thing. We are blessed; as I continue to say with the best guests an outfitter could hope for. To add to the ten pounds of crap in my five pound bag. My other company, Trigger Ink, saw one of the busiest weeks in our history. For the first time ever we had to produce orders for the Pueblo Chili Fest and one of Pueblo’s great high school rivalry games, the Cannon Game. That and my other orders made for twenty thousand impressions on tee shirts. If you are in need of customized fishing shirts or tees I’m your guy.

Now to the Ark Tailwater. The flows are now down to the winter season numbers. Clarity still has an algae bloom going so the deeper seams are still green. Fishing has been technical to say the least. The good news is that after so much structure in the river was completely filled in with last years record flows the weirs are cutting out new channels of deep water that our trout thrive in. Classic Barr’s patterns are working well and I anticipate some great sight fishing as early as this weekend. The numbers of anglers is low and there is plenty of room to fish.

Come on in brothers and sisters, the water is fine.

Tight lines,

Ben

August 14, 2016

Flow: 777

Water Temp: 65-70

You can’t keep an Evil Genius down.

Sorry for the late reporting over the last few weeks folks. It’s been interesting. In a foolhardy attempt to do some home improvements I managed to severely sprain my ankle and poison my dog.  With Lou’s help I rented a sander and started to get my oak floors back into shape. On the first attempt the pads wore out in under sixty seconds. So it was off to Lowes for several cans of stripper. If you’re a native to Pueblo you know that this is by far the best stripper in town. At our local gentleman’s club one is prone to offer a gratuity and say “Pardon me, but would you mind putting that back on?”, but I digress. Halfway through the evening of stripping floors our CFO Diamond, AKA deaf dog made her way into the chemicals. We were taking another break waiting on the stripper to work when the pooch came in acting more than a little crazy. I grabbed her in my arms and ran for the bath.  It was at this point that I too found the stripper and go akimbo (ass over tea kettle, Wendy I can fly, I just qualified for the Pilipino dive team, Is this how John Elway felt during the Drive?, why is there a skittle in my pocket?). CRASH!

Diamond and I pour ourselves into the tub and started scrubbing. Holding my dogs eyes open under a faucet until she’s wailing in total fear is something I never want to experience again. We minimized the damage and I had to get back to work, the sander was due back in twelve hours.

Ultimately we got the sanding done, I spent a week in the garage licking my wounds and finally got new urethane on the floors. Today it is beautiful and looks like it was just installed. Never, ever, EVER, again.

I know, I know, right now you’re thinking get to the fishing report you schmuck! If I wanted to read a bunch of nonsensical stuff I’d tune in to the O’Grady’s page Bahahahahahaha. 

Today a 16 gold ribbed hare’s ear did the trick. The water is clearing slightly but is still like a river of yoo-hoo. Visibility may be eighteen inches. Trout are hungry and healthy but you have to put it on their nose. Present nymphs two to four feet deep at the top and tailouts of any obstruction that slows the water.

P.S. Apparently it is considered bad form to break wind near a mass baptismal.

Tight lines,

Ben