December 31, 2012
Flow: 66
Water Temp: 39 at dam 34 downtown
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We’re finding big pods packed in small areas with huge sections of river devoid of life. Walk the high bank to find them working the water close together like that will somehow keep them warm. I’m talking of course about the fisherman. We’re seeing more traffic on the river as the rest of the state is biting cold. For the most part the typical spots are getting heavy pressure and the majority of the river is empty. Yesterday I worked upstream to one of those well known holes to find someone there already so I waved hi and hit the next section up a hundred yards and found sight fishing opportunities to a number of 18” bows. After landing a few there I hit the section a hundred yards below the early bird angler and found the same thing. Seeing red cheeks before profiles in slightly stained water with an overcast sky the fishing was technical. After a few there I witnessed a first. Some guy working downstream invaded the top of the early birds water and within ten casts snagged a duck. You could hear the poor thing quack and thrash two weirs down. Three minutes later the guy held up his prize. Satisfied that he had sufficiently jacked up that water the duck dapper moved down toward me. I’d been sitting on the weir letting the water rest enjoying a little coffee and the dog's company. “Any luck” was my greeting from the poultry pounder, I half growled some non sequitur response and turned back to my water. Seeing I wasn’t chatty he kept trucking probably to see if he could also scratch a beaver off his bucket list. A short while later the bird left his perch and I wandered up and fished if for a bit. The top still had the aura of duck poop so I hit a couple suckers and missed one trophy in the lower before passing the hole on to a local fan working up and beat feet for the best brunch in Pueblo at the Coyote Grill. Sitting under the heater gorging myself on prime rib and pork tenderloin, checking stock in Colorado’s smallest fly shop and sipping mimosas is just bliss. All with my waders still on.
Work slowly looking for trout everywhere. 80% of my catch was in flat water. Fish an attractor/emerger/midge tapered rig almost to the bottom in the fastest seam of slow water. If you’re having trouble finding open water give us a holler. There’s still plenty to explore.
Tight lines,
Ben