DOES SIZE MATTER ?

The 6 million dollar question, does size matter? Well, I guess it's all about your perspective. With spring in the air and fish on the move, anglers start to think about trophy trout on their migratory run to spawn.

Yes it's true, this time of year brings great opportunity to put a BIG trout in the net. Fish in the 10 to 13 lb range are not uncommon in many of our river systems. We all hear about the guy that stuck a 30 inch pig. I'm no exception. I want a BIG trophy in the net just like the next guy. But ya know sometimes it's about the company you're with, sometimes it's about the environment you're in and sometimes it's just about leaving it all behind for the solitude and inner peace.

Some great philosopher once said many men fish a life time not knowing what they are really looking for already exists inside them. Oh, who the heck am I kidding? Let's go find the BIG 30 incher, size does matter!

WET A LINE !!
BRENT

SMILE AND SAY CHEESMAN

With all the snow and cold temps lately Cheesman canyon and the Deckers area are great choices for the front range angler.

With awesome flows (166 cfs) and warmer air temperatures than South Park, mid to upper 30's, it truly is hard to go wrong!

There are more and more feeding fish every day. Now a person is able to spend more time fishing, rather than spending time looking for a feeding fish. Many fish are feeding from 11:00 A.M. to 4:30.

Some fish are starting to look for larger bugs in the water. I would recommend trying something larger than a Midge. Try using a size 12-16 Golden Stone fly or a size 16 Pheasant Tail for an attractor, or a red or brown San Juan worm. I hear a Pat's Rubber Legs is also working well from time to time. Eggs and scuds will also be useful as an attractor in the coming weeks.

I saw BWO adults today, and yes the fish did to! Of coarse the standard arsenal of midges is always a key ingredient. Try a green, black, cream, red or brown midge size 18-24 behind your attractor!

WET A LINE!!
BRENT

DREAM STREAM BALDIE

Looks like I'm not the only one on the hunt! Yes that truly is an "Eagle Eye View". Bet he can see the big one I'm looking for! It was cool watching him hunt. With water flows of only 53cfs, the fish are VERY spooky!!!

WET A LINE
Brent!

New Fish Porn from Scott Wells

Our pal Scott sent this today. Beauty pic!


Fish ON!
--Shannon

Dream stream fish

Wet a Line, Brent

Brown trout daydreams ...

Brown Trout live 10-12 years. They spawn in the Fall when the water achieves temperatures in the mid to high 40's. They eat insects (aquatic and terrestrial), crayfish and other crustaceans, lots of fish, and mammals such mice. The larger ones also eat small mammals, reptiles (such as salamanders where they exist), frogs and turtles and they feed mainly at night.

Slimers at a Super Secret Location ...

Pike inhabit lakes, rivers and reservoirs where they can find predatory cover and security in dense weeds. They will probably eat any animal that fits in their jaws including any conceivable fish, mammal, reptile or bird.

Mature pike use their incredible speed to ambush prey from dense cover and are believed to be able to spot prey from fair distances (40-60 feet). Although they have excellent eyesight, it is believed that they also use vibrations in the water to help locate prey so be sure to make that fly twitch and die in a spasmodic death dance to draw your own slimer in for the kill.

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Spinney mtn

We broke through the Canosha pass blizzard and with our surprise to receive blue bird weather. As we approach, we notice the dream stream dropped considerably. My heart dropped with it but we pursued our prize, the brown trout. My first attempt was the pool at the bridge to see if anything was holding deep. I was imediately gifted with a rainbow hitting the gold color crystal hair bugger.
As we walked along the river we observed redds with Rainbows spawning. No browns were visible and we questioned, we are they?
We moved along the river toward eleven mile hoping to see one brown but nothing. I contributed this problem to low water conditions! In some of the pools were saw the coming of kokanee salmon starting there migration to there spawning sites. The rainbows responded to Tucker's Crystal hair wooly bugger and a fushia colored scud. The approach was to fish the runs deep to the a point of dredging the bottom. Unfortunately, you end up snagging some fish at times but most caught by attacking the bugger! There were no signs of any insect activity and the signs of crawfish seem to disappear for the year. When going to the spinney region, the angler might want to stop and try Tomahawk region or the upper end of spinney were the water flows from Antero Resevouir. These are sleeper regions that should not be ignored. With that said, the angler would be smart to watch the water flow. If it rises, you may want to hope in the car to see if the browns are coming up. All in all, the day was beautiful with the mountains tipped with snow. The sun finally settled and we migated back home......

Michael A. Tucker

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Old School ...

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Baked Alaska ...

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Baby 'Poon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Beautiful Fall South Platte Brown ...

--Shannon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Nothing quite as beautiful as a little ...

Fall Color.

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

The "Painted Man" lays out a big ol' crappie ...
Thanks Tory,

--Shannon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Pretty 'bow ...

big bow.

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Delaney pig.

You've got to have good flies and Patrick ties some of the best.

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Eat your heart out Chile, this ones off the Reef.

Big fish and blue skies in WYO.

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Darn nice fish!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

WOW.

Where's mine?

Nice Hat!
--Shannon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Great reefer, man!

Nice Hat.
--Shannon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

This angla' was new to fly fishing when he caught this South Platte baby ... yeah!

--Shannon

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

Big Daddy Hyrum Taylor's Gray Reef Hawg.
Hello Hawg!

If you ain't got a photo, you may be lyin'!

"Drop-dead-gorgeous 28 inch wild rainbow on the Kenai.  Hooking a fish like this is an accomplishment in itself, landing it is a whole 'nuther story."

ed -- The fly anglers wanted to be anonymous so I gave 'em fishy-heads ...


--Shannon