December 28, 2013

Flow: 111

Water Temp: 37-40

End on a high note.

Today I went up to valco and below the dam to count close to forty vehicles. The upper part of the tailwater is being hit hard. Downstream was sparser and downtown had miles to explore. Aside from the gauging station a packed river in Pueblo means an angler every 150 yards. I spent the morning talking to folks for the most part. A few little bows came from my efforts and I was snapped off by one smartass leviathan ‘bow just to keep me humble. We traveled back down to the Nature Center to find the rock piles empty. I found a lovely young woman trying out her new Christmas fly rod and offered some casting technique. I wandered back down to my spot and after a few dead drifts had the suicide strike I’d been waiting for. Forty yards downstream it was in the net and I called it a day. End on a high note. As is the story of 2013.

2013 has been a great year. We started off helping The Southern Colorado Greenback Chapter (509) of Trout Unlimited with the best Frostbite Fish-Off in the group’s history. New scoring and venue made for a terrific event. Thanks to all who came and we’ll probably see you in a month for the fourth installment. TU also helped financially and with lots of sweat for river improvements we’re all enjoying today. Thanks for the hard work and support.

After the tourney we got back to work and booked 92 guests for the year, served close to 100 meals at the Coyote Grille and stocked a lot of gear as we continued to grow. We opened Colorado’s smallest fly shop. We’ve had our mugs in the papers, TV and radio. 2013 has been our most successful year and it appears we may have the distinction being the first guides to owe the park extra money at the year’s end. Just what we need, another bill!

We’ve certainly had our setbacks but looking back they seem so small compared to the successes and in time those will fade too. What will stick in our memories forever are the incredible days with you our guests and the smiles on your faces. For that we want to thank you and wish you the same success in 2014.

Happy New Year!

Eternally Grateful,

Ben and Lou

December 22, 2013

Flow: 121

Water temp: 38-40

Great days on the Ark tailwater.  We’ve been busy helping Trout Unlimited 509 prep for the Frostbite Fish-Off and the upcoming Fly Fishing Show January 3-5^th in Denver.

As far as the FFO goes all teams are filled. We need controllers to step up, measure fish and help make it a great event. All week long we met teams getting some practice in and getting pumped for the event.  Orientation for volunteers is January 9^th, 6:00 PM at Jones Healy Realtors 119 w. 6th Street.

At the Fly Fishing Show In Denver we’ll be there raffling off a sweet cane rod form Larry Jordan fly rods, a full day with us and half day from the Drift Fly Shop  and other fabulous prizes. Come see us and say hi.

Fishing was technical today with olive and black chronomid below attractors getting subtle hits. Depth is crucial as is natural drifts. At the apogee of your mend release a little line from your trigger finger and your fly line will brake before it hits your indicator.

I would love to put 2013 to be thanking all our guests over the last year but we’re not done yet. We have two more trips before the year ends and when this year is in the books all of you will have our eternal gratitude.

If we don’t see you on the river before we wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Ben

December 18, 2013

Flow 93 CFS

Water Temp 40.5- 44 Degrees

It is another fabulous day on the Ark.  I met my guest at the Nature Center at 9 AM and proceeded to complete the necessary paperwork and go fishing!!!  One thing to note, the air temp was 45 degrees.  That was at 9 AM, the banana belt in full force.  However the trout were not cooperating!  The cold water has basically shut down nymph production.  Multiple seining resulted in one nymph and multiple case caddis larva.  As soon as the temperature reached 44 degrees we began to put fish in the net.  In the end seven fish came to net and it was a good day.  Steve was very pleased and we did not realize how good we did until we met fisherman ending their day at the Nature Center parking lot.   None of them had more than one fish in the net.  Among them were a couple of pro’s from Colorado Springs and Castle Rock.  The last fish of the day was a feisty 14 inch bow in the rock piles below the Judges Hole.  The bug of the day was BH FB Peasant Tail.  It does not get much better than this folks.  Your local guides know best!

Tight Lines

Lou

December 1, 2013

Flow: 98

Water Temp: 45

I’ve been down with a very nasty bug over the holiday weekend spending short tours on our incredible tailwater. The last time I got ill I bought an over the counter med and sweated it out overnight. I found the half-full package from the cupboard to find it expired in 2011. Getting out every day didn’t help my condition much and I’m not feeling much like Superman over the last few days.

A while back I asked a few teams from the last Frostbite Fish-Off to share their experience. As fishing conditions are similar to our last report I’d like to share Jamie’s story before I pass out again. He has been one of our earliest and repeat guests and a great supporter of our TU chapter. You can read all his adventures at https://www.facebook.com/jamiesfishingjournal .

Tight lines,

Ben

I remember hearing about the Frostbite Fish-Off just before the 2012 event. It was either too late for registration or I was too chicken to sign up so I didn’t get to fish but I did show up the day of the tournament and walked a few beats. The first thing I noticed is that I got to park at Valco Bridge. Always wanted to do that! The next thing I noticed was Fly Fishing Team USA unloading some camera gear. This was going to be cool. The tournament looked great. Unfortunately walking along beautiful trout water without a fly rod in your hands is not natural. In fact it’s just wrong. No way was I going to miss 2013.

Ben Lewis and I joined “forces” and created Team Chuck and Duck. Neither one of us had fished in a tournament before so we didn’t really know what to expect. Ben and I had drawn two good beats the night before (a fun event in itself) that we had both fished before so we were feeling pretty confident the morning of the tourney. As we walked to our first beat with a dozen tangled rods however, I began to question my confidence in two dudes with way too many rods who could only come up with “Chuck and Duck”.

When it was all said and done fish were caught, old friends were caught up with, new friends were met, and Ben and I had an absolute blast. We endured paparazzi, mobs of crazed female spectators, fish that ignored us the entire morning save our last THREE MINUTES of morning fishing, speeches by Lou, and a last hour of the day, buzzer beating, jaw dropping, ROD BREAKING fish hook up! Fun was to be had each step of the way. No way are we going to miss 2014.

Jamie Roth

November 24, 2013

Flow: 97

Water Temp:  44

Today we greeted an old friend at the Nature and Raptor Center and headed out for a day of great dry fly action. I’d say the weekend was cold but I think I’ll leave that statement for the Broncos. With a perfect flow and low hanging hatches of bwo and chironomid made for slow slurping trout all day. You’re not going to land the Arkansas tailwater’s largest trout on dries but it sure is fun. Bugs change through the day so match the hatch and if all else fails tie on a griffiths gnat. When It gets too chilly stop off at the Coyote Grill and warm up under the propane heaters.

Tight lines,

Ben