High Country Angler | Fall 2014

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North Platte River Casper, Wyoming Photo by Trent Tatum

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HCA Staff P U B LISHER S

J ac k Tallo n & Frank M ar tin

C O NTENT C ONSU LTANT L ando n M ayer

EDITO R IAL

Frank M ar t i n, M anagi ng Editor f rank@ hc am agaz ine.co m Landon Mayer, Editorial Consultant Ruthie Mar tin, Editor

ADV ER TISING

B r i an L a R ue, S ales & M a r keting b r ian@ hc am agaz i ne.co m D i rec t : ( 714) 944- 5676 K andily n M ar t i n, Ad S ales k andi ly n@ hc am agaz ine.com Cell: ( 719) 432- 8317 Ty ler B ef us, Ad S ales t y ler @ hc am agaz ine.co m Cell: ( 651) 323- 3028

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BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN...

Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Brian LaRue, Angus Drummond

STAF F WRITER S

Frank Martin, Landon Mayer, Brian LaRue, Bill Edrington, Joel Evans, David Nickum, John Nickum

Copyright 2014, High Country Angler, a division of High Country Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. Reprinting of any content or photos without expressed written consent of publisher is prohibited. Published four (4) times per year.

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Amazing Colorado Adventures

Hundreds of miles of scenic waterways and thousands of new fish released each year make Gunnison-Crested Butte a true mecca for anglers. The Gunnison, Taylor and East rivers offer some of the best fishing in the world for Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat and Kokanee salmon.

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HCA EZINE CONTENTS FALL 2014 VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 4

FEATURES 10 SEEING RED

BY LANDON MAYER 18

22

OPENING DAY ON HARRIMAN RANCH

BY A.J. SWENTOSKY

26

FIT TO BE TIED

BY JOEL EVANS

27

YELLOWSTONE’S LESS-FISHED WATERS

BY BRIAN LARUE

28

FIGURING OUT STEELHEAD--THE LEARNING CURVE

BY SEAN GALLAGHER

MEMORIES ALONG THE MIGHTY MADISON

BY BRIAN LA RUE

DEPARTMENTS 14 LET’S GO FISHING

BY BILL EDRINGTON

COLORADO TU SECTION 34

ONE YEAR AFTER THE FLOOD: REBUILDING BETTER, STRONGER FRONT RANGE WATERSHEDS

SPEAKING OUT FOR TROUT

BY DICK JEFFERIES

38 40

42

MENTORS IN THE OUTDOORS

BY GARRETT HANKS

RESTORING THE GREENBACK CUTTHROAT TROUT

BY KYLE PERKINS

DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE! Have High Country Angler delivered right to your mailbox.

Subscribe online: www.HCAmagazine.com COVER PHOTO:

by Landon Mayer

Find High Country Angler Magazine on

TOC PHOTO:

Baruch Rhea and his fishing buddy, Kaiden Vallelonga.

Photo by Alan Austin.

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Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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Seeing Red

by Landon Mayer

F

all is a promise of change as the foliage transforms, displaying the eye catching colors that offer anglers a chance at quality trout. Along with this change of seasons, the transition can be felt on the water with fewer bugs to entice migratory trout and salmon targets. This is when “seeing red” can help you select imitations that entice big fish to take.

Red is a magical color for fly fishers, especially when dealing with large trout. It triggers big fish to take whether it is used as an attractor or to mimic a natural food supply. The reaction strike you receive will instantly make you a believer when it comes to changing to such a vibrant color. Let’s look at a few go-to patterns, followed by techniques to fish them during your autumn adventures.

a piece of 4, 5, or 6x fluorocarbon tippet to the red Copper John at the determined water depth you want to fish, usually 2-3 feet.

I have become a fan of having an additional red dropper rig on deck. Use a second Copper John—one size smaller—attached to a piece of 18inch fluorocarbon tippet using a clinch knot at the eye of the hook. I keep one ready in the foam fly pouch of my Yampa Fishpond hip pack, leaving a two-inch opening between zippers at the top of the pouch. I can pull the pre rigged fly out and simply attach it to the bend of the first Copper John using a clinch knot.

Now the fish has to deal with a “double trouble” setup!

The Copper John Yes, this can seem like an obvious choice but one that you don’t want to forget. If you ask any guide working during the fall season to pick three of his favorite nymphs to use for catching fall browns, many will chose a Copper John. In addition to the color, this fly mimics the silhouette of rock crawling insects, while possessing the weight to reach deep, tight quarters where large browns are known to hide.

I personally think this fly shines as a dropper fly below a natural dry or terrestrial. Especially in heavy vegetation, when deepwater deliveries are not an option. As a general rule, the best pattern to use is one that matches the natural food supply. Using a clinch or improved clinch knot tied to the bend of the dry, trail 10

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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Midge Relief I’ve lost count of how many times I have gone through my fly box in search of the right Beatis imitation knowing that the trout are looking at the fall BWO bite with no success. Then when I thought all was lost, I reverted back to what has worked in the past and a light bulb goes off. I think, “Red Midge!” Whether it is a migrating fish from deep water, or a resident river fish, midges are on the menu year round.

Ju Ju Bee, Tube, Disco, and Rojo are my top red midge delights for the fall, ranging in sizes #20-16. If I am dealing with migratory trout out of still water, I go big to match the larger insects these trout see in their native non-moving water. For targets that normally live in the river, I downsize to match the real thing. To increase the strength of each midge, consider using heavy hooks on the vise (one of my favorite is Umpqua Teimco 2488 H). The heavy hook shank adds strength against strong fish and a straight eye for a better hooking gap.

Streamer Envy It is hard to beat the tug of a yellow alligator at the end of your line. Streamers are known to produce aggressive takes from large trout in search of prey. Adding red to the mix can increase this linestopping action. I have found a subtle mix of red can help your chances, whether it is adding a flash of red under the eyes to mimic gills of a baitfish, a few strands of red krystal flash extending into a rabbit strip tail, or wrapping the underbody with red flashabou, these additions can help get the attention of any hunting brown.

Over the years small streamers with a hint of red allow me to reach big fish in tight spaces. By using imitations one inch in size, like my Mayer’s Mini Leech, I can now dead drift into a rock cluster, allowing the fly to pulsate and ungulate leading into the structure, and if needed, a small twitch or strip to ensure a clear drift around or through any obstacles. This allows the trout to react and feed near the safety of cover.

Lastly, when setting on the hard take of a streamer try using the pinch and lift method. It is a common reaction to always www.HCAmagazine.com

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strip and set while in the motion of the retrieve. This can cause the fly to pull forward in the jaws of a large trout, pricking the fish and leaving you with a limp line.

By pinching your index (trigger) finger and lifting, you drive the fly into the corner or top the trout’s mouth, resulting in more connection with the powerful fish.

Finding fall trout is a true challenge that can lead to rewards of a lifetime.

While presentation is everything, there are times when you need the trout to see red and react. Try these flies and tips during your next trout hunting adventure and you too will be “seeing red” during the autumn season.

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Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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LET’S GO FISHING •

BY BILL EDRINGTON

Why Don’t You Fish Streamers?

W

orking in a shop on a great freestone river and working around an owner that spent most of his youth guiding in Alaska, fishing streamers comes as natural as floating down the river. It clearly amazes me that most folks, especially those who have learned fly fishing on Tailwaters using double nymph rigs, know virtually nothing about fishing streamers, and when you mention streamer fishing, they automatically ask which color Woolly Bugger you fish. So, the burning question is: “Why don’t you fish streamers?” The answer is usually because you don’t know how and have never really been exposed to streamer fishing.

Fly fishing is an habitual sport. We all have the habit and there is no cure, but we also have compartmentalized our fishing habits into comfort zones. I would venture to guess that most fishers are comfortable with nymphing

a Western system with a strike indicator because that is how they were taught. And they catch fish, so learning a new trick isn’t necessary. When I was growing up, nobody nymph fished. We all fished dry flies, and therefore that is still my comfort zone, although I do enjoy Czech nymphing and streamer fishing as well, and yes, even swinging wet flies occasionally. Bottom line is that I don’t want to play a round of golf with just a driver. It takes it all to round out the sport. The same holds true for fly fishing. You just need to step out of your comfort zone every now and then and try a new tactic. Put all of them together and you have a better opportunity of catching fish and enjoying yourself.

Okay, a Woolly Bugger is a streamer of sorts, but it is simply boring. There are great streamer patterns that truly match up size, shape and color of the forage base you are trying to represent. Fishing streamers does not mean that you are fishing a lure on a fly rod, even though at times that is how it works.

We also fish nymphs and dry flies that match absolutely nothing that has ever hatched in the water, so it is a non sequitur. Many forage fish such as Sculpins, Chubs, and Dace

are matched by a variety of great patterns, some old and some new. We can never forget

LARRY’S HOT HEAD LEECH HOOK: 6X LONG #8 OR 10 THREAD: 6/0 OLIVE CONE: HOT ORANGE, TO MATCH HOOK UNDERBODY: .025” LEAD WIRE, ONE TO ONE & A HALF LAYERS TAIL: CHARTREUSE MARABOU, HOOK LENGTH WING & TAIL TOPPING: GOLD VARIANT RABBIT STRIP BODY; ESTAZ, BROWN OLIVE HACKLE: PHEASANT RUMP

TRIK’R TREAT HOOK: 6X LONG #8 OR 10 THREAD: BROWN, 6/0 CONE: HOT ORANGE, TO MATCH HOOK UNDERBODY: .025” LEAD WIRE, ONE TO ONE & A HALF LAYERS TAIL: BROWN MARABOU, TIED FULL, HOOK LENGTH FLASH: GOLD OR ORANGE KRYSTAL FLASH LEGS: ROUND YELLOW, 3 SETS BODY: ESTAZ, ROOT BEER HACKLE: SCHLAPPEN, ONE GRIZZLY DYED ORANGE, ONE GRIZZLY DYED YELLOW

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High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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UNTAPPED • UNTAMED

BILL’S SKYLINE CHILI DOG The first time I was in Cincinnati, about 40 years ago, I discovered Skyline Chili. There, they serve it over spaghetti with chopped onion and grated cheddar. It is the bomb. I’ve been making Skyline chili on and off ever since, but I prefer it on a dog instead of pasta. This is a great fall sandwich to take along or make on a fishing trip.

• Bun of choice (something large or a hoagie roll) • ¼ pound hot dog. Hebrew National will do even though there are better, it is easy to find.

• Chopped onion, if you like • Lots of grated cheddar and Skyline Chili Skyline Chili

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• 1 ½ pounds of 80/20 hamburger boiled with salt and pepper and separated into small granules. Let set in the refrigerator overnight so you can skim the fat off easily.

• 1 tbs chili powder • 1 tbs cumin • One chopped onion • 5 cloves chopped garlic • 1 tsp paprika • 1 tbs of cocoa powder or about 4 pieces of baker’s chocolate • 3 cups tomato sauce • Simmer chili for about three hours and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Add red chili flakes if you want it hotter.

that most fish eat their young, especially Trout, so many of the great streamer patterns match up baby Browns, Rainbows and Cutthroat.

Matching streamers is much like matching the hatch. What is available for the fish to eat at the time we are fishing? All rivers are different but much alike as well. Some rivers do not have big populations of forage base fish, so you have to concentrate on fishing the small trout. Most Brown Trout eggs hatch in late April or early May, so fall streamers should emulate the Brown trout fry. That is why we have such great patterns as Autumn Splendors, Trik’r Treats, and brown Dirty Hippies. The darker olive patterns can be fished for small Rainbows in early spring.

Black or dark grey patterns can match a Dace all of the time, as can olive for Sculpins and Chubs.

The next great quandary for beginner streamer fishermen is where and how to fish them. Forage fish live in the substrate and along shorelines. Small fish of all species are going to be found where they are the safest and can still eat. That is why we continually pull big fish off cut banks and from submerged www.HCAmagazine.com

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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cover with streamers. That’s where the food is. Probably the best streamer fishing is done from a boat. Pounding a cut bank shoreline with a double streamer rig is money. That’s right, I said double. The best streamer is an articulated pattern or tipping a target streamer with a smaller one to prevent short strikes. I have watched Brown Trout stun Long Nose Dace by grabbing them by the tail and giving them a shake before eating them. That shake is what you feel on a “short strike.” A stinger fly puts a little bite in the shake if you know what I mean.

There are lots of approaches to fishing streamers, not all by boat. I don’t have the room in this article to teach you how, but lots of shops have streamer classes, and if yours doesn’t, I know some that do. You can fish streamers with the standard 9 ft. 5 wt. but don’t forget that a #6 long shank streamer will feel like a dead rat when its saturated, so consider a 9’6” 6 wt., or an 11 ft. 5 wt. switch rod. In rivers, I always prefer an aggressive weight forward floating line with a 5 to 7 ft. sinking leader with fluorocarbon tippet in the 2X class.

That is the smoothest system and is more pleasurable to fish than using split shot or a full sinking line. Don’t forget that line drag is not what you want even with streamer fishing.

Nothing substitutes for line control.

For this article, I have given you a couple of my favorite fall streamer patterns from my old buddy Larry Kingrey. There are lots of great one’s out there, including Charlie’s Dirty

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High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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MEXICAN MEATBALL SANDWICH When most of us think of a meatball sandwich, we think Italian. Well, never fail, one of my favorites is with roasted green chilies and onions.

Make this at home and wrap it up in aluminum foil to take to the river.

Mexican Meatballs: • 1 lb of 80/20 hamburger and 1 lb of ground pork • Salt and Pepper • 1 tablespoon chili powder • 1 tablespoon cumin • One finely chopped onion and 4 chopped cloves of garlic • 3 eggs • 1 ½ cups bread crumbs • ½ cup of milk Mix well and use a melon baller to make small meatballs. Fry the meatballs in olive oil.

Top your sandwich with roasted green chilis and onion strips sauted in olive oil and butter. Top with Queso Fresco and chili mayo if you like. Some folks prefer plain old grated cheddar. Both are great.

Hippie and Gonga, or John’s Slump Buster, but give these a shot. For a modest food offering, fall days call for a hearty sandwich and I’ve hit you with my version of a Skyline Chili Dog, straight from Cincinnati, and a kicked up Mexican Meatball Sandwich. Both are easy to make and will be a big hit on the river or at home. Have a pristine fall and fish a lot. Time’s a wastin’…

About

The

Author.

Bill Edrington is a retired sociology/ criminology professor who has owned Royal Gorge Anglers for over 20 years.

He has authored several books and magazine articles. You can follow his fly fishing and cooking adventures on his Facebook page at: Bill Edrington/ Tight Lines and Tasty Spoons. www.HCAmagazine.com

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Memories along the Mighty Madison I

wonder how many young daughters of fly fishermen are named Madison?

Yes, it is a beautiful name, and also a beautiful river, so the name works either way. The thought even crossed my mind before Samantha stuck with my little one. And what if I told you I’ve fished the Madison for 25 years, but have only fished about a quarter of it?

September through October are prime times, so plan a trip, and maybe you’ll see even more than I have!

I’ll start with the waters that draw me to the area every year. Beginning with the stretch from about Quake Lake to the upper reaches in Yellowstone Park. Here you’ll find quality streamer water, wideopen dry action, and plenty of hopper spots to shake your stick at. It’s not without its challenges, but worth the effort.

One traditional stretch for me from a young age has been the area from Riverside Drive up to the confluence where the Firehole and Gibbon form the Madison. I like to throw smaller streamers year round, but especially during high water in late May and June, and again in October when the big brute browns make their way up from Hebgen.

I’d get the latest cinnamon, black and maroon beadhead buggers from Bob Jacklin’s, or tug Umpqua Hare sculpins, Stanley Streamers, or white honkers, and pound the banks with a sink tip for some quick action. In June I’d often call the Madison Campground home and catch numerous 18- to 21-inch browns and 18

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

rainbows.

Many of the nicer browns have come on a size 6 Hare sculpin fished with a bit of a “dip-and-strip” method along the deeper undercut banks of the Madison. Dur-

by Brian LaRue

ing higher water, preferable tea-stained or clearer, I will cast the green, red and white weighted sculpin upriver along the bank and walk it back to my feet, feeling, if not seeing, the browns dashing out for a

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strike. Other times a downed tree or boulder in the water typically hold nice fish as they will often hit the streamers at the end of the swing. One fish I never got to see smashed the sculpin in front of a root ball during high water, instantly breaking me off. He must’ve been something special, since I had already released a half-dozen 18 to 22 inch trout--and I was using 10-pound fluorocarbon.

Some years, when the streamer bite was a bit off, or the water was low in the warmer months like July and August, I’d throw something like a Joe’s hopper along the deeper stretches on windy days and pull in good numbers of 15- to 17-inch browns.

I also like fishing some of the more well-known spots near the park entrance off the dirt road, and on up to the Highway 191/287 Bridge. Larger Montana stoneflies always did the trick along this stretch, with a mix of rainbows and browns. To this day I can’t believe how I rarely see that fly in a catalog, or how some of the “young” guys in the shops say to me, “You want what?” Man I feel old! Then somebody like Jacklin comes around the corner saying, “They’re over here. Not many anglers ask for them, but

they work year after year!”

The wade fishing only gets better the more you are willing to leave the “beaten path.” As you inch towards Hebgen Lake, especially in the fall months, you are always able to connect with a solid brown or rainbow ranging from 20 to 24 inches. One of the biggest rainbows I’ve ever caught hit near the bridge. I was using a gold-ribbed hare’s ear and thought I hooked another solid whitefish, then the rainbow jumped, showing me all of her 24 inches. That was about seven years ago when I lived in West Yellowstone for a short period of time.

Then you have the stretch from Hebgen to Quake Lake. This is another stretch perfect for wade fishing with all the above mentioned bugs. I’ve also had some great times here with most bigger trout hitting a selection of nymphs. Size 10 flashback pheasant tails, Princes and copper Johns are just a few of the bugs that have worked for me.

That brings us to a little mention of the fun to be had on Hebgen and Quake lakes themselves. Gulpers are where it is at on these lakes. You can often find pods of fish feeding on the surface and a wellplaced dry will always get eaten. Quake Located in historic downtown Idaho Springs directly across from Beau Jo’s Pizza

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Lake is an eerie spot with submerged trees looking more like a bass lake, but don’t be fooled, a hook-up with a monster here and it too might run you through some stick-ups just like a largemouth. It is also a great place to see the aftermath of the earthquake that formed the lake in the 50s.

Now that I’ve shared a little bit about “my Madison,” maybe about 30 miles worth, I would like to remind you of the Madison most of you have heard about in numerous fly fishing books and angler’s journals. This is the 53-mile stretch from Quake Lake to Ennis Lake.

This stretch gets rolling as a premier fishery after it leaves some five miles of white water behind and begins to flatten out on its way to the famous 3-Dollar Bridge and my friend’s cabin, The Caddis Shack. This water is notorious for great fishing for anglers tossing streamers, hauling big dries, and if you really have to, you can nymph as well.

This is a driftboat proposition, though there are numerous places where wade anglers can access the river and do quite well. This is the kind of water where it pays to drift, especially day one of your trip. After day one, maybe go back to a few spots and access some wade stretches.

In the next few months, things will really get going.

“The great thing about fishing on the Madison River in the fall is the active brown trout, I mean really large brown trout, coming out of Ennis Lake,” said John Way from The Tackle Shop & Montana Way Outfitters in Ennis. “This action usually occurs starting around the middle of September and continues until November.”

“These fish are big, aggressive, territorial and will actively chase a streamer, making for some fantastic action,” said Way. “If you’re in to throwing bunny fur for big fish, fall is the time to be on the Madison. For the dry fly guys, we have good hatches of blue winged olives as well as terrestrials such as hoppers and ants. We also have large size 10 October caddis. These are orange in color and the hatch is not as heavy as summer caddis, but when they are around, the fish really key on them.”

Fall anglers can expect to catch large browns running 18 to 24 inches, but don’t be surprised if a few over 26 inches show weekly. When you fish large bugs, chances are you will get bit by big fish, but again, the Madison requires a little know how 20

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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The Sportsman Outdoors & Fly Shop and caution.

“For a first-time angler, the Madison can be a hard place to learn,” added Way. “It features swift flows with a greased bowling ball bottom, which makes wading tough. The first day of the trip everyone should float with a guide. They will get you tuned in to what is going on and what type of water to focus on. If you are dead set on wading or you are looking for a different experience, I would suggest the channels section below Ennis where the river braids into many smaller channels and makes wading easier. I would also suggest the area around 3 Dollar Bridge for the wading angler.”

For another shot at some less fished water along the Madison, you could always venture out below Ennis Lake and tackle the other waters you’ll find as the Madison makes its ways to Three Forks, MT, where it joins the Gallatin and Jefferson to form the Missouri. Here you’ll find more than ample access, and another quality stretch of water I’ll leave untouched for you to explore. Log on to your favorite map site and see how much water is waiting for you. With picturesque spots like Bear Trap Canyon, you might just give the Madison an entire month. Total miles, roughly 183-- how many will you put under your belt in the next two years?

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About The Author.

High Country Angler contributor Brian La Rue enjoys giving fly fishers ideas of where to go for an adventure. His work can also be seen at his Examiner.com Denver Fly Fishing page. You can contact Brian by writing to brian@HCAmagazine.com.

www.HCAmagazine.com

Frank Drummond 303-810-4538 Frank Drummond frank@brushcreekcane.com

303-810-4538

Winter Classes Starting in November 2013 Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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Opening Day on

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Harriman Ranch

by AJ Swentosky

T

he Henry’s Fork river in south eastern Idaho is one of the most widely publicized fly fishing destinations in the United States. Although there are over 100 miles of tremendous trout fishing waters stretching from Henry’s Lake all the way to the confluence with the South Fork of the Snake River near Rexburg, ID, it’s the legendary Harriman Ranch section that most people think of when referencing this river. Characterized by glassy water that at first glance looks more like a channelized stillwater than a moving river, closer observation reveals hundreds www.HCAmagazine.com

of microcurrents that make drag-free drifts a serious challenge for even the most experienced anglers.

Flowing through Harriman State Park, this section of water provides blizzard hatches that bring large and selective rainbow trout to the surface. These elusive ‘bows have the ability to rise in a manner that’s almost unperceivable to most fisherman. It’s these characteristics of the “The Ranch”, along with its’ wild and pristine backdrop, that has lead to the allure and mysticism associated with the Henry’s Fork.

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Opening Day Although the other sections (e.g., Box Canyon, Warm River to Ashton, Below Ashton Dam) of the Henry’s Fork are already open to fishing, it’s not until June 15 that diehard dry fly anglers can start chasing hatches and stalking trout on the 7 mile Railroad Ranch. The fishing season “out west” is usually well underway at this point, but opening day on the “Ranch” marks the official commencement.

Saying that June 15 is simply the first day of fishing here is a gross understatement. Opening day, and the festivities preceding it, is more of a surreal feeling. Ranch fanatics experience an itchy excitement and anticipation that is finally relieved upon walking the hallowed banks for the first time each year. There’s an adrenaline rush that can almost overwhelm these anglers when the first snout is seen breaking the surface. There’s a camaraderie that is developed between anglers, some which hold legendary status within the fly fishing community, as socializing in parking lots, campgrounds, fly shops, and restaurants precedes and coincides with the big day. There’s an emotional euphoria that can give anglers the impression that they’re in the midst of fly fishing nirvana.

Festivities A day or two before June 15, the momentum starts build24

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ing in the hometown of the Henry’s Fork, which is Island Park, Idaho. The Henry’s Fork Foundation (HFF) is usually hosting a number of activities, which may include breakfasts, dinners, casting competitions, auctions, and members’ meetings. The TroutHunter fly shop, lodge, and bar and grill is usually the place to be on the evening of June 14th as live music, good food, local and traveling anglers all come together to celebrate the opening day of this unique fishery. Walk into Henry’s Fork Anglers and you’ll feel the vibe. Nearby lodges and hotel rooms have no vacancy, parking lots are filled well beyond capacity, and Island Park becomes the center of the fly fishing world (if it wasn’t already).

As for the fishing, it can be utterly amazing on and after this fly fishing holiday.

The Fishing Cloud-like hatches can create a top layer of protein on the river’s surface, which is part of the reason that the Ranch has reached such an exalted status. Although there can be marked variations due to streamflows and water/air temperatures, anglers can hope for and even expect good to great Pale Morning Dun (PMD) hatches on opening day. Depending on how long the hatch has already been occurring, PMD spinners may be dropping on the water at dawn. Within a couple of hours, size 16 PMDs should begin hatching. Even a light hatch will bring some www.HCAmagazine.com

trout to the surface. A heavy PMD hatch, which was the case on opening day in 2013, will have trout boiling on emergers and sipping on duns everywhere. In these cases the angler must resist the urge to cast to every fish around him and, instead, target a specific trout. Before committing to a single target, the angler should consider the consistency and aggressiveness with which each trout is feeding, the number of microcurrents between the angler and the trout, the direction and intensity of the wind, and, most of all, the relative size of the trout. If a fish is put down due to a poor cast, too many casts, clumsy wading, or some other unforeseen variable, it will often come up again after several minutes. This is a trout behavior that will eventually end by July after the fish quickly become re-educated.

Dependable caddis hatches and egg layers are also present by June 15, although the precise subspecies of caddis hatching and dancing on the water is a little less predictable. A few Grannoms may be around, but different Sedge caddis in the 12 - 16 range and the much smaller size 20 - 22 Glossosoma are most likely to be the most important caddis present at the time. Although dead drifting and even skating caddis patterns can lead to hookups, fishing pupa patterns in or right beneath the surface can be equally or even more effective. In most cases, carefully observing an individual trout’s rise will tell the angler whether or not her pattern should be below, in, or above the surface.

Despite the PMD and Caddis hatches being the most dependable on opening day, the Green Drake is certainly the most sought after by anglers. Although this hatch is rarely dense on the Ranch, the presence of just a handful of Green Drakes can justify the use of a Green Drake emerger, cripple, or low-riding dun. Because these trout haven’t seen an artificial fly in over 6 months, they may be a little more willing to gamble on a large

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meal. In some cases trout will be selectively feeding on PMDs or caddis, yet refuse multiple commendable offerings from the angler. A drag free Green Drake pattern can sometimes be the difference maker in these circumstances. It’s not always that simple on the Ranch, however, as a big size 12 fly may just as likely send these wise fish running.

Although PMDs, Caddis, and Green Drakes are the most prevalent aquatic insects at this time, it’s possible to find occasional BWOs, Brown Drakes, and midges. Some larger and smaller stoneflies drifting downstream from the higher gradient Box Canyon section may also be sparsely present in low numbers. Finally, terrestrials, especially beetles and smaller ants, will be present on the river’s banks. When the mayfly and caddis hatches dissipate mid-day, casting beetle patterns to the occasional rising trout is a great way to obtain a bent rod.

Opening Day on The Ranch is a special event within the western fly fishing community. There is an undeniable aura that can only be comprehended by those who are able to be present and experience it first hand. The fishing, the fisherman, the environment, the river, the bugs, the large persnickety trout, it all contributes to an unforgettable and much anticipated fly fishing atmosphere.

About The Author.

A.J. Swentosky is an addicted fly fisherman and upcoming fly fishing photographer, primarily fishing and photographing the Rocky Mountain Region. He is the creator of the Frog Water website, a place for those interested in fly fishing and fishing photography. You can visit his website at www.thefrogwater. com.

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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FIT TO BE TIED

•

BY JOEL EVANS

H and L Variant

L

iving in Colorado, I am surrounded by magnificent terrain that gives birth to many tout waters.

There are many other equally incredible waters throughout the world. I’ve visited a few.

H And L Variant Hook: Thread: Tail: Body: Hackle: Wing:

#10 - 16 dry fly Brown, 6/0 White calf tail Peacock, partially stripped Brown or furnace White calf tail

Recently, a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park put me on some of our nation’s fabled waters. Of particular note was the Yellowstone River. To understand the river, one must first know something of the lake. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest natural lakes in the country. The native trout of Yellowstone Lake is the Yellowstone cutthroat, a unique strain of cutthroat.

On a side note, the Yellowstone cutthroat is threatened by an invasive species, the lake trout. Lake trout are a welcome and prized trophy fish in other waters, but not here. They eat the cutthroat and threaten to decimate the fishery.

But back to the cutts. Being lake fish, they grow 26

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

big. Much bigger than a similar river fish. While one can fish them in the lake, for river fishing, the window of opportunity is short. In most lake situations, trout migrate to the lake inlet and travel upstream to spawn.

In Yellowstone, they move to the lake outlet and travel downstream. To protect the spawners, the season is closed at the beginning of the spawning season, which is June into July in the short seasons of Yellowstone.

But come July 15, most of the lake fish have returned to the lake, so the season is opened to river fishing. But there are still lake fish, big fish, in the river for a time. And I was there at the right time, the day after opening day in the middle of the week. So July 16 found me on the river at Buffalo Ford with a few other fishermen with the same intent.

I could write the fishing details of the day, but to get to the fly tying part, fish were visible in the clear, braided current and an occasional riser verified their holds. But what would they take? In between changing flies, I observed among the other anglers a similar frustration as my own. Many casts, an occasional looker, a few hookups up and down the river, but nothing steady.

My vest fly patch was like a fly box unto itself – big and small, wet and dry. Then came the H and L Variant. Bam! The tussle was on. These fish go well over 20 inches. Quickly leaving the pocket water sanctuary, my cutt delved into the adjacent current and gave the rod a significant, I can’t do much bend. But graphite flex, a worthy drag, and a secure knot prevailed.

There are many patterns in our ever expanding encyclopedia of fly patterns. In my early fly fishing experiences, there was a local discount department store, not a fly shop, going out of business. On clearance, I bought several dozen H and L Variants, not having fished them before. Also called House and Lot, history refers to the originator selling flies to buy a lot and a house to live in. I had some great days with that pattern. So full circle, I returned to that pattern on the Yellowstone. So should you.

About The Author.

Joel Evans is a fly fishing writer, photographer, and longtime member of Trout Unlimited from Montrose, CO. You can contact him via the HCA editor at frank@hcamagazine. com.

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Yellowstone’s Less-Fished Waters

by Brian LaRue

I

love Yellowstone and all it offers. Before starting a family, my wife and I would go to the park early and late in the season.

Now with a couple school-aged kids, vacation windows are more limited, so we find ourselves joining the herds of summer vacationers each year, but you know, you can still find plenty of “less-fished” waters if you think out-of-the-box and put on a pair of hiking boots.

After eleven days in the park, I found myself on numerous out-of-the-way or even popular waters, but I put a little tread between myself and the campsites and pullouts and found myself alone on some of the park’s best waters.

My family and I camped a couple of nights at Pebble Creek on the NE end of Lamar Valley. I passed the Lamar and Soda Butte and saw numerous anglers trying their luck, but the smaller, more secluded Pebble Creek turned out to be a great alternative, allowing me and my 8-year-old more than 30 fish in about 2 hours of fishing. They couldn’t pass up an Umpqua yellow rubber-legged crystal stimulator, or an Orvis tan Elk Wing Caddis. Nothing was very big, but fishing from the Pebble Creek Campground to the junction with Soda Butte was entertaining, to say the least.

Another spot a lot of folks target is Slough Creek. Again, we passed the trailhead loaded with about 20 cars as most run over the hill to the first or second meadow. I like to fish the campground stretch to the boulder-filled valley to not only put my youngster on fish, but to have the place to ourselves. Same story here, lots of smaller fish on the stimulator, including a 17-incher

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and a few 12- to 14-inch cutthroat. No shortage of takes with 30plus fish hitting here as well in a matter of a couple hours.

Lastly, we planned to go swimming at the Boiling River along the Gardiner near Mammoth. Same thing, tons of cars and a river full of swimmers, so we simply decided to have lunch below some Rocky Mountain sheep. I threw the big yellow stimulator for about an hour and managed numerous grabs, including a couple of 14- to 15-inch browns.

My son joked about being in everybody’s vacation photos because I took him to the Lewis River as well. We managed 30-plus little guys there. They couldn’t pass up the elk wing caddis, with fish hitting multiple times in every pool that was deeper than our knees. As we fished under the bridge and up to the waterfall, we felt like all eyes were on us as numerous spectators had a bird’s eye view of each strike on the proven caddis pattern.

To round out the fun, we watched huge cutthroat at LeHardy Rapids. There is no fishing here, but we always hope to see running cutthroat going up the rapids. Though I’ve seen plenty of pictures, I’ve personally never seen one jumping up river here, but from the boardwalk, we saw about six 22- to 25-inch cutts eating stoneflies. What a treat to watch them eat!

About The Author.

High Country Angler contributor Brian La Rue enjoys giving fly fishers ideas of where to go for an adventure. His work can also be seen at his Examiner.com Denver Fly Fishing page. You can contact Brian by writing to brian@HCAmagazine.com.

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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Figuring Out Steelhead:

The Learning Curve

by Sean M. Gallagher

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Excerpted from Wild Steelhead—The Lure and Lore of a Pacific Northwest Icon. By Sean M. Gallagher (Wild River Press, Mill Creek, Washington) Reprinted by permission of Wild River Press.

THERE ARE ONLY TWO ABSOLUTES when it comes to hooking steelhead: Fish have to be present, and your line has to be in the water. Any other rules are sure to have exceptions. When we think we really know it all, or—heaven forbid—how steelhead think, our assumptions become thwarted. We’re brought back to earth. It is fun to discuss, though.

Over the years my angling partners and I have enjoyed many spirited campfire discussions about steelhead behavior. These days we are just as likely to discuss how ocean-based nitrogen found its way into the tops of 600-year-old spruce trees. Or how the lack of young maple trees sprouting on the Olympic Peninsula might be related to the extinction of wolves. Or what the Columbia River really looked like when Lewis and Clark arrived.

Occasionally the subject of steelhead behavior will crop up, especially when someone new is in camp. That is when the bottle comes out, talk is lively, and everyone sprouts an opinion. The following assumptions are my own, but it is fair to say that they have been influenced by many campfire discussions with some highly capable, seasoned anglers.

Let’s start with temperature.

Experienced steelheaders know that water temperature affects the freshwater behavior of adult steelhead. That is why we switch from dry fly to sunk fly when temperatures drop. It is also why we choose one river over another when temperatures are warm.

There is clearly an optimal temperature range at which steelhead respond best to fly or lure. As a general rule it is anywhere in the 50°Fahrenheit range. As temperatures drop into the 40s, steelhead often become less aggressive. When it dips into the 30s they can appear downright lethargic. There are exceptions, though. I have heard of anglers claiming success while fishing dry flies for winter steelhead, and even know one reputable angler who has done it. I’m all for this—without experimentation the level of our sport wouldn’t be where it is today and campfire stories would become monotonous, but it is still a low percentage game.

This is not to say that a person can’t find good, or even exceptional, success under cold water conditions. After a long cold spell, it often takes only a slight warming of the water to activate steelhead.

One year in late December, Howard Johnson and I made one of our annual trips to Spences Bridge, British Columbia on the Thompson River. The river had been blanketed by Arctic air for two weeks but the forecast was for warming and we were optimistic. It also helped that there were a fair number of fish around. When we arrived the first morning, I probed with the thermometer and found the mercury hovering near 35°F. The sun came out and by late in the day the temperature had nudged to 37°. That’s when we caught our first fish. The next day we caught a few more on wet fly and floating line, and moved a number of others. The temperature had now reached 39°.

Our third day was one of my best days ever steelheading. Around midday, exhausted after just landing a huge buck, I turned to Howard and said, “I quit!” It was my third fish that day over 20 pounds, all on the floating line.

Later, while sitting on the bank in the Grave Yard Pool, I marveled as the sun dropped below the horizon and watched the two anglers silhouetted against a spectacular red sky. Howard lead the way. Following behind was Ehor Boyanowsky, Thompson regular and noted steelhead conservationist. Ehor was using his Thompson River Rat, a variation of the Miramichi Bomber. I tracked it as it waked across the smooth surface. There was a boil—Ehor saw it, too—then nothing. He calmly picked up the line and delivered the next cast.

Again the fish showed but didn’t take. Ehor remained undeterred. www.HCAmagazine.com

(I have seen other anglers crumble at this point.) On the third rise the steelhead grabbed the fly. Ehor looked like Cool Hand Luke, showing no emotion other than a smile as he let the fish spin a few yards off the spool, and then tightened. It was a handsome buck around 10 pounds—small by Thompson standards.

I took the water temperature. It was a balmy 41°F. This was not an anomaly, especially on desert rivers. During long cold spells, sunny afternoons can often be the best time for steelhead. Rocks begin to warm.

The sun seems to wake up the fish. Although the slight creep up in water temperature may seem insignificant, it does make a difference. * * * One cool, soggy December I felt the need to escape to the east side of the mountains, to dry out. With only a week before Christmas I decided on a quick three-day trip to the Grand Ronde. My plan was to take a short hike each day and also allow a few hours for fishing. I had never fished the Ronde that late in the season and admit to having low expectations. The forecast was for cool, sunny days and below-freezing nights. Water temperatures were sure to be cold.

When I got there I didn’t take the temperature—it wasn’t necessary.

I chose a large pool with slow current, good structure and enough depth for steelhead to winter over. It was also exposed to a few hours of sun during the day.

The “tank water” was still in shade and appeared lifeless. I took occasional casts shaking ice off the guides. There was no hurry. Sunlight was invading the canyon and every glimpse brought it closer. Soon after the sun bathed the pool I saw a fish roll. And then another. For the next few hours they remained active. I had a number of aggressive grabs resulting in hook-ups. The next two days I stuck to the same routine of fishing between 11 am and 2 p.m. and enjoyed the same results. Now, I know there are anglers that could have found them before the sun came out, but I still believe that it was the slight warming that made a difference. It sure had a soothing effect on me!

Early winter-run steelhead have a reputation for not moving far for the fly, especially hatchery fish. But in glacial rivers such as the Squamish in British Columbia and the Sauk in northwestern Washington, cold most of the year, fish move a fair distance to intercept a fly or lure.

I think that these wild steelhead are simply better suited genetically for the conditions, and for that reason they tend to out perform their hatchery cousins. As days become longer, though, during late winter and early spring, rivers warm and fish become more aggressive. This is a good time for the fly fisher.

Warm water is a different situation. When the temperature reaches 70°F, steelhead may become so stressed after a long battle that they will not survive. My personal choice is to reel in and stop fishing for steelhead when temperatures reach the upper 60s. It is time to hike or search for another river.

Steelhead, if given the opportunity, seek out water closer to that mid-50° range even if it is not their home river. The Clearwater River in Idaho is a good example. Steelhead begin entering the Clearwater from the Snake River in late August and September. Most of these early fish are actually headed to other Snake River tributaries—Grand Ronde, Salmon or Imnaha. The reason they favor the Clearwater is because the Snake and other tributaries often have temperatures close to 70° while the Clearwater draws its water from the depths of Dworshak dam, keeping it cool. In effect, the Snake above the Clearwater becomes sort of a thermal block to migrating steelhead until temperatures begin to moderate in early fall.

This is not unique to the Snake. Steelhead all up and down the Columbia River system play this temperature dance, darting in and out of tributary streams. I even saw it on the Dean River one year. It was early August and air temperatures had been in the upper 80s and low 90s for a number of days.

Water temperatures on the upper river were running into the high 60s and fish were just trickling by. Yet below the Sakumtha River, a glacial tributary, the river ran in the 50s and good fishing was reported. * * * Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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Theories about steelhead behavior provide me with a great excuse when fishing is tough: • The water is too cold • The barometric pressure is on the drop • The river is too high • The river is too low low • The fish are on the move The latter is my favorite because I have seen it happen way too many times. It usually occurs when a river is on the rise and fish begin to migrate en mass. I only need to go back to the Grand Ronde to illustrate.

My friend Pat Blackwell and I drove the caffeine-fueled red eye express to the Ronde early one November. Fishing was only half our madness for driving eight straight hours across the state. It had been raining non-stop for a string of days and we were both looking forward to the drier desert environment. Rain persisted throughout the drive until we finally arrived in the canyon and saw the first stars break through an ink-black sky. Stepping out of my camper with the pungent fragrance of wet sagebrush filling the air, I remember telling Pat: “This is the perfect scenario. The storm has passed around us and the weather should be improving.” Without even mentioning it, this also implied that new steelhead had moved in. Anticipation was high. All we needed was a clear river.

After a couple of hours sleep we awoke to a calm, dry day. A quick glance at the river put any lingering reservations to rest. It was clear.

And there were no other people around. Perfect! We decided not to hurry. Enjoying our coffee in leisure before heading out sounded good.

Then I looked out the camper window and saw a fish roll. This in itself was not unusual since we often see steelhead roll on the Ronde, but then it happened over and over until we finally saw two and three at a time.

Slamming down my cup, I told Pat, “I can’t stand it any longer!” We raced to jump into our waders.

Targets were everywhere. My adrenaline pumping, I began casting before even leaving the riverbank. I covered multiple fish with a waking fly without a touch. One occasionally boiled but a follow-up cast was futile—they had already moved on.

Frustrated, I forded across and tried the next pool below. Again steelhead were showing. I hooked one while stripping in, but it was likely an accident, a “lined fish,” I guessed. The canny Bob York arrived across the river and scanned the pool. He saw the bent rod and all the backs out of water. “It looks like the mother lode!” he cried. Neither Bob, Pat nor I hooked another fish for the remainder of that day. In fact, with the exception of one taken by Bob in the Snake, we didn’t hook another fish in four days. So what was our excuse? Even though the river maintained fair visibility and it had stopped raining, the storm we experienced on our drive across the state had also found its way into the headwaters. The river was on the rise, drawing a large number of fish in from the Snake. The fish were on a mission. Unfortunately, it did not include a holdover near our camp.

This has happened way too many times to consider it unusual, but there are enough exceptions that I would have been remiss to have given up. Of course I’m going to chase the fish. On too many occasions we have also had good sport both during and after the migration.

One afternoon on the Dean, I found myself standing in a pool with steelhead rolling all around me. Despite a couple of chases, none actually took the fly. Later, as evening approached and the migration appeared to be over, I had two fish come to the fly solidly. I hooked and landed both.

Obviously, some of the run had pulled over to rest, and I think that’s the answer. Steelhead stopping to rest are more likely to take our offering. When they are migrating quickly through a system they are like a flock of migrating geese. Their focus is singular and not easily distracted. When they do pull over, though, even for a short period of time, it is as if they have become territorial and more aware of their surroundings. This is not unique to steelhead. Salmon also display similar behavior.

Dave and I were on a float trip in Alaska one year during the begin30

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ning of the coho run. Early on we experienced pretty good fishing from a relatively small number of fish. Then we had an eyeopening experience.

One day while floating we saw schools of fresh fish swimming by.

We pulled over to give it a try. As we stood there casting the run continued to build. Soon we saw not dozens of silvers—we watched hundreds swim by. Not one of these ghosts showed the slightest interest in our flies. Humbled by the experience, we moved on.

Later that day we came across a gentle quarter-mile bend in the river. We climbed the steep bank and looked down. Just to the inside of the current we saw a dark, thin line extending the full length of the pool. The line was no more that two feet wide. It appeared stationary, as if it had been painted there on the bottom of the river, but it was clear what we were looking at. They were coho salmon, packed two or three abreast. Judging by the length of the line there had to be hundreds of them. This was their resting spot before continuing their journey to their spawning grounds. Starting at the top, we worked down the length of the pool and found a number of willing takers. At one point I even witnessed two salmon competing for my fly as I stripped in and took them both on consecutive casts.

This does nothing to explain why steelhead do sometimes take upon first entering a pool. I think it’s because some of them have stopped to rest, even if for minutes, while others forge ahead. It also seems the more leisurely the upstream migration, the more opportunities the angler gets. Which leads us to the ageold question: Why do they take?

When I was young, I remember asking this question repeatedly.

Some of the old bait fishermen believed that, because the bite was so soft, steelhead actually picked up their eggs because the fish were trying to protect them. This “maternal theory” was soon dispelled the first time a steelhead swallowed my roe. Then there was the thought that steelhead often exhibit a trigger response to lures, a behavior they learned during their ocean feeding years. Some fly fishermen held the notion that it’s a remembered feeding response learned by steelhead during their premigrant years, when their diet consists mostly of insects. This perhaps bodes well for the nymph fisherman trying to match the hatch. But it doesn’t explain why steelhead, after being pushed off their lie by hot shot lures dragged below a drift boat, often turn and attack the lure.

Maybe it is because one answer does not fit all that we differ so in our angling methods and techniques. One thing we do believe is that, when steelhead pull over and hold, they are extremely aware of their surroundings and are often territorial.

In my interview with Harry Lemire, he gives a great analogy of the spider crossing the table as to why steelhead take. When I asked this same question of John Farrar he gave me his trademark Farrar grin and answered simply, “Because they like it!” and then jumped into a story about Chief Joseph.

This is why I love campfire discussions. Now off to Lewis and Clark or the mystery of broadleaf maple trees in the rainforest. * * * We are all on a learning curve. We gain knowledge through mentors and the people we meet along rivers, but something also has to be said for experience. During the gear days of my youth, I first learned about steelhead holding water from my mentors and from strangers I met along the river. It wasn’t long before I began experimenting, looking for different and more challenging waters. With experience came success and, with success, confidence—the steelheader’s most important asset.

My early experiences as a gear angler taught me much about steelhead holding water. As a result, I think that is why I pushed the limits so much when I took to the fly for steelhead. I had accumulated a vast number of “secret” spots and now the game had changed. When steelhead fly fishing really started gaining in popularity on local rivers, certain “fly-friendly” runs commanded more attention from the fur-andfeather anglers. On the Skykomish, it was the Ben Howard drift where many of them congregated, the Graveyard Pool on the Thompson, or the Mixer on the Skagit. For the most part, I avoided those places, unless www.HCAmagazine.com

it was a Saturday evening run down to the Mixer Pool on the Skagit with Canadian friend Jerry Wintle in his aluminum skiff. By then the gang had usually cleared. Jerry was not concerned that the run might have been hammered during the day. He loved fishing evenings and so did I. One day we arrived just as the sun began to set. Jerry insisted that I go first. “There has got to be one in there, Sean,” he said. I refused. Jerry is one of the most respected anglers I have ever met, a real gentleman.

He is also a seasoned and polished steelheader. “I think I will just sit back and watch tonight,” I said.

Jerry with his wife, Jean, have a long history of steelheading. I love to listen to their stories that date back to the late ‘40s when he began steelheading on the Capilano and Seymour rivers north of Vancouver, British Columbia. Jerry hopped on a streetcar or rode his bike through Stanley Park to reach the river. It was a “smaller version of the Dean” is how he once described the Capilano. He and Jean also spent 35 years flying their 172 Cessna with floats all over the north country in search of trout and steelhead. It was always a pleasure to share a camp, especially when it was along the banks of the Thompson, Dean or Skagit.

That fine evening on the Skagit, I sat back and watched the master. Slowly and methodically, Jerry waded out like a great blue heron. A bulge developed as water bent around his body and he blended into the river. Cast, mend, adjust—a subtle, almost undetectable mend. The fly swam slowly into the slick below him. Before long his slender cane rod began humping and then a splash 30 yards below. There was no visible reaction from Jerry. No glance up at me, no holler, only the piercing sound of his Hardy Perfect. But I could feel that he was enjoying the moment. I gripped the chrome 15-pound buck just long enough to pull the large dark Practitioner, then let go. Jerry never touched it. That evening I chose to be the spectator, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Arriving back at camp, we had a fine meal prepared by our favorite camp cook, Jean. Then a story from Jerry, talking about Buzz Fiorini.

Jerry: Oh, he flew that plane just about everywhere. It was also modified with a really big engine. He would load it up with people, then slap a boat on the outside and land on the Victoria Run. He would bring in Harry Lemire or Bob Stroebel.

Jean: Even when he was on crutches he would fly that plane around.

Sean: Did you ever clip a wing or have any problems?

Jerry: Oh, yeah, we clipped a wing one time.

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Jean: We shouldn’t have been doing that. We broke the keel dragging it into shore.

Sean: What was that like?

Jerry: Oh, we got away with it so I guess it was all right. The one story I like to tell is about Jean on the Bella Coola. We used to land on the river and then walk to the store to shop. That way we didn’t need to bring three weeks worth of supplies to the Dean. There used to be a float right on the river that Wilderness Airlines used. Anyway, we landed there one time and the water was high which it often is. There were some logs sticking out from the ramp on the float so I untied the boat and handed Jean the rope. I wanted her to pull it around. But, anyway, she couldn’t hold it. And it slipped away.

The plane started to go out in the river so I jumped in. I have a habit of always leaving the keys in the ignition so I sat down and they weren’t there. Below me was a rapid and at the bottom was a big log jam. I was floating down the river and Jean was yelling: “They’re in my purse! They are in my purse!” So, here I was dumping all this stuff out of the purse and thinking, I should dive out. I was going to drown anyway because the water was so high. I found the keys at the last minute, started it up, and was able to steer around and move back upstream. It was going to wash up on this big pile of logs. That was close!

From Jerry I learned to relax and be patient—to just let things happen. And sometimes it’s okay to show a little emotion. Some mentors teach us in ways we aren’t expecting.

During the day it was more fun to explore what some might consider less- likely fly water. But then that was often where I found Harry Lemire—alone, fishing some high-bank pocket tight against the shore, often hooked into a fish. It didn’t escape me that, unlike many of us, he had never had to rely on gear- fishing experience.

Harry had always fished winter steelhead with a fly. Watching him reinforced what I already knew but didn’t always practice: fish close to shore. All too often we fly fishers focused on casting as far as we could.

Often this meant sacrificing line control, as well as passing up or even lining fish hugging the inside bank. As an early gear angler I was taught to cast short then gradually increase the distance, eventually sweeping the run. Pick up the close fish first. I don’t recall ever seeing Harry cast beyond where he could fish effectively. Harry made it look easy. But he fished on his own terms. He had high standards.

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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* * *

* * *

Things really opened up when I discovered the new high-speed high-density sink-tip fly line. At first I started with a full-sinking line for winter fish. It had been well proven, after all—George McLeod used one and still does when fishing a sunk fly. But when Scientific Anglers came out with their 10-foot HD sink-tip weight-forward line, it became a game-changer for me.

It was all about directing my fly in and around boulders. This became possible by using the thin, fast-sinking tip that could be controlled by manipulating the floating section on the surface. Now it became possible to explore those pockets I knew held fish, but had little confidence in when using a full-sinking line. Line control by mending became a bigger part of my fishing. Sure, there was experimentation with homemade lead-core tips, but I didn’t like them much. They didn’t cast well and, even more, I hated leaving broken lead line on the bottom of the river—not to mention my flies. It was effective, though, and is still used today.

Then there was the very popular 24-foot fastsinking-head line designed by Jim Teeny. I bought one, used it once, then cut the head into shorter tips. Again, it didn’t feel like I had much control, especially when it became wrapped around boulders next to shore. But it had landed probably more steelhead than any other line at the time and is still popular today, especially with the singlehanded rod.

My first real workhorse was that 10-foot sinktip manufactured by Scientific Anglers. But it was no fun to cast. Larry Hirschkorn from White Rock, British Columbia, a very close friend and keen angler, set me straight: “It is not a casting line, Sean, it’s a fishing line.” He ought to know. At that time he was having remarkable success using it with a single-hander on the Squamish River north of Vancouver.

For a short time SA came out with a 13-foot HD sink-tip line, my favorite length on the Skagit and Skykomish. But it was essentially a sink-tip at the end of a thin running line—not only difficult to cast, but impossible to mend. Cut and splice became the answer.

After receiving my first double-handed rod in the mid-1980s, the only option available were double-taper floating 10- and 11-weight lines. The Hook and Hackle Company in New York had a clearance sale and I bought a dozen lines for between $5 and $7 apiece. Half of them went to my friends. We simply cut about 12 feet off the taper then spliced in 13 feet of HD line. Eventually, we sewed the Dacron core into a loop and whip finished it so that we could use a variety of tips between nine and 15 feet.

Other friends such as Gorden Olsen and Jake Gulke from the Snake River country began making lines with famous rod designer and tournament caster, Jim Green, at his home on the Grand Ronde. They meticulously weighed everything in grains and kept records. At the same time this was going on, it was also happening on the Skagit. Soon, out of necessity, these anglers developed better-balanced lines that included smooth welded splices. This eliminated much of the hinging we had experienced, making my early attempts look sloppy in comparison.

When it came to distance casting, the long rods could deliver. I remember Jim Green showing up in camp with a short, heavy shooting head attached to monofilament line—we took turns rocket launching it into the desert, once flushing a flock of wild turkeys sneaking back to their roost in trees nestled along the river. None of this fit my personal requirement for a line that could not only cast well, but allow for subtle line adjustments.

Today’s lines are are miles ahead of where they were 25 years ago.

You can attribute that to the many anglers who took time to experiment, and were not afraid to cut and splice. The newer Skagit-type lines popular today are designed well for both casting and fishing. Although I still cling to the longer belly for fear of loosing any mending ability, there is no denying the success anglers are having using them. Many of these fly fishers are new to the sport and years ahead of where I was when I began.

As soon as we think we have figured it all out, we stop learning. We become lazy. We lose our edge.

The other day I walked a section of river...?

Frank Valenta, an old friend and expert gear angler, handpainted his own clown bobber lures back in the late 1960s and ’70s. His favorite he called the Pink Floyd, named after his favorite rock band. I liked the name—and the music—and adopted it for a new pink tube fly I created.

Like most of my new creations, I considered it experimental. Soon subtle alterations were made, blending shades of pink marabou, and then the newer version was dubbed Think Pink.

Both patterns ended up in the fly bag. The problem is, when I pull one out of the bag today, I can’t tell you if it is the Think Pink or a Pink Floyd. And you know what? The fish can’t tell the difference, either.

Thirty years ago my fishing companion Dave Johnson from Bellingham turned me onto the Pink Shrimp. The fly had its origins with two other noted Bellingham anglers, Ron Abbott and Jerry Wells. It was incredibly simple to tie (we were known to tie fresh ones on the gravel bar using a cheap Herters vise) and they were effective. The dressing required only a few materials: A No. 4 or 2 Mustad Sproat hook, light pink chenille body with matching pink hackle palmered, and the most important ingredient: red craft fur. We called it Sesame Street fur. A thin two-inch long piece was secured using thread at the head, then pulled over the back and secured again just above the bend of the hook to create the shell back. We left a good inch-long tail to give it special action. The chenille and fake fur could be purchased at most craft stores, although, like Big Bird, this material was facing extinction a couple of years back when Congress threatened to cut funding for PBS. Equally effective, for variety, we also tied them in purple. There was a time when these simple steelhead patterns filled our fly boxes.

On one of our earlier Dean trips, Dave and I had experienced fantastic fishing one morning on the camp water before retiring for a siesta.

When we awoke and exited the tent, we saw Peter McVey, the proprietor of Corbett Lake Country Inn, and at the time, camp chef at Stuart’s upper camp. He had taken the afternoon off and hiked a couple miles below his camp to fish our camp pool. As he stepped out of the water he addressed us: “G’day mates,” he said “I took the liberty to fish your camp pool since nobody seemed to be around.”

“No problem, Peter,” I said. “Did you find anyone home?”

“I caught three on this pink fly I found on a rock over there,” he said.

“Nice fly—after I cut the tail off.”

Neither Dave or I carry Sesame Street flies anymore. In fact, I haven’t used one for 25 years. The other day, Dave said, “You know, Sean, the fish never stopped liking them—they just went out of fashion.” Yes they have, but I still have a couple patches of Big Bird in my tying room. And if you look real close, you might even find a pinch in the tails of my flies today.

A steelhead fly is continually evolving. Even old classics like the General Practitioner Atlantic Salmon pattern so fondly adopted by Northwest steelheaders has dozens of variations—and counting. Sometimes an original pattern performs exceptionally well and seemingly shouldn’t be changed, but we continue tweaking it. We just can’t seem to leave effective alone.

Occasionally, we come across a pattern that defies alteration.

When Harry Lemire developed his signature fly, the Grease Liner, it was an immediate success. The key to its success was the tuft of deer hair (the butt ends) he left sticking out after tying in the wing. But if you go back and read Trey Combs’s early book, Steelhead Fly Fishing and Flies (1976), Harry describes a wonderful trip he and his partner Mike Frith made to the Dean in 1974. Their fly of choice was naturally the Grease Liner. But they had made an “improvement.” They saturated the stubble with head cement to stiffen it so that it would flitter more on the water. They believed this made the fly even more effective. This didn’t go unnoticed by Dave and me. Years later we stopped to visit Harry at his camp on the Dean. We each carried a box of Grease Liners in which the heads had been smothered with cement. More is always better, right?

Harry peered into Dave’s box.

“Nice flies,” he said. “But I don’t do head cement on the stubble. I found it causes the head of the fly to sink in the water.”

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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this. That’s because I told her it doesn’t make a difference—I still catch the same number of fish. Besides, I must rely on strangers to say what color they are hitting, and information traveling around a lake is not always reliable. What if they are speaking in code. And my friends?

Well you can see what kind of fun they can have. Light, dark, size and shape have become more important factors in determining which trout fly I use. Black, purple, or dark brown? They all come out of the same compartment. This, however, that is not how I treat my steelhead flies.

It is called color deficiency, not color blindness. I see colors—just not like most people—but I’m learning. When I hear someone describe something using color, I listen, then picture it as I see it.

For instance, if you describe the sun dipping below the horizon as a blending of the colors red, yellow and orange, I picture the glow of a radiant warm ball as it becomes slowly extinguished. That is because I can see it; it’s in my memory bank. So what if it looks different? Who knows? It might even look better. For years my tying materials have been labeled for color, but I am getting better at distinguishing them. Black, purple, blue, red, orange, pink, natural or dyed—I use them all. And I mix.

When Ken and George McLeod invented the famous Skykomish Sunrise in 1942, they wanted to capture the colors representing a river sunrise over the Cascade Mountains. By blending the colors red, orange and white, they may have inadvertently mimicked the iridescence found in sea creatures like the Commander squid—a favorite of ocean-traveled steelhead.

There are a lot of opinions on flies.

We were crushed. Dave said, “I thought I read….”

“Oh, we did that one year, then decided we liked it better without the cement—haven’t changed it since.” * * * I have a confession to make: I never learned my colors. My wife knows this better than anyone. That is why, at the end of the trout season, she patiently picks through my chironomid box, rearranging flies according to color and putting them into properly labeled compartments. Well, it’s actually been a few seasons ago now since she’s done www.HCAmagazine.com

Bob York used to say bright was best on the Skagit. Peter McVey once said, “Any color as long as it’s black.” Adam Tavender believes fresh lower Dean fish favor big, bright flies more closely resembling marine creatures. Harry Lemire wanted his flies to represent a bug or sculpin, and favored natural darker materials.

They are all right. Your fly should have a function. Do you want it to wake, sink, ride upright or undulate? Do you want something colorful or a silhouette? That is the fun part—and the most important.

Satisfy yourself first.

I look forward to fall when steelhead become more trout-like. When they chase and boil at the fly. When a dry fly represents a bug and a spider is my follow-up patern. There is no way I am tying on a five-inch marabou or flashy bunny leach. There is a time and place for everything.

Your favorite steelhead fly is up to you.

If over time a fly seems to grow stale and its productivity diminishes—I search my box for something different. And if that works? I’ll have a new favorite. It’s all about the confidence. What is my favorite pattern?

The last one I caught a fish on.

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

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One Year After the Flood

Rebuilding Better, Stronger Front Range Watersheds

S

eptember 9th, 2014 marks the one year anniversary of when the rain began to pour in Northern Colorado, causing one of the greatest natural disasters in Colorado’s history. It is now being called a 1,000-year rain and a 100-year flood.

In addition to the roads damaged, houses destroyed and lives turned upside down, the rivers and habitat that existed before the storm were so changed as to be almost unrecognizable in many places. In the face of such an enormous disaster it can be hard to know where any one person or group can fit in to make a difference. At Colorado TU, our business is rivers and we quickly realized that our niche was to help communities with recovery of their rivers and watersheds.

The flip side of challenge is opportunity, and that was clearly true of flood restoration. As Governor Hickenlooper said, Colorado “made a commitment that we’re going to rebuild and we’re going to rebuild better, stronger than we were before.” In the case of rivers, rebuilding better than before includes some unique opportunities – re-establishing fish passage as structures are replaced, highway rebuilding that works more naturally with rivers, helping communities to engage with and conserve their watersheds. These are the opportunities that Colorado TU, our local chapters, and other partners have worked to advance in the past year.

From the beginning Colorado TU was at the table with federal, state and local governments, and other important players in the flood recovery. In the initial days, the primary concern was public safety – helping rescue those who needed help and ensuring the safety of all involved. Next came the assessment phase, as communities scrambled to assess the damage and start developing plans to move forward with recovery.

As the dust began to settle, it was very clear that a lot of the rivers and streams were not where they were “supposed” to be. In other words, they moved out of the banks we created for them and did what rivers do in nature – migrated within the floodplain.

There were some reports of streams settling almost 3 miles from where they were before the flood. While the process might be natural, it posed real challenges for people – whose homes or properties were damaged by the power of water, or who depended

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High Country Angler • Fall 2014

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Thank You Colorado TU Auction Donors!

Thank you to our 2014 River Stewardship Gala donors, whose generosity helps Colorado TU make a difference for Colorado’s rivers and trout

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w w w. r oc hes t er hot el .com • R oc k y Mount ai n A ngling C l ub w w w. r mangl i ng.com • R oc k y Mount ai n P ark Inn, Es t es Par k w w w. r ockymount ai npar k i nn. c om • R oc k ey R i v er R es ort, Gunni s on w w w. gunnisonc abi ns . c om • Sy l v an D al e R anc h, Lovel and w w w. s y l v andale.com • Wi ne C ount r y I nn, Palis ade w w w. c ol or adowinec ount r y i nn. c om I D A H O, U TA H & WYO MING • J ac k D enni s F l y F ishing w w w. j ac k denni s f l y f ishing. c om • R ed C any on Lodge, Dutch J ohn, U T w w w. r edc anyonl odge. c om • Spi nner F al l Gui de Serv i c e, D ut c h J ohn, UT www. s pi nner f al l . c om • Sunr i s e Pac k St at ion, Yel l ow s t one N at i onal Park w w w. s unr i s epac k s t ation. c om • Tw o R i v er s Emporium, Pi nedal e, WY w w w.2rivers. net MON TAN A • F r ont i er Angl er s , Dillon w w w. f r ont i er angl er s.com • Madi s on Val l ey R anch, Enni s w w w. madi s onvalleyr anc h. c om • Mont ana Tr out f i t t ers, Boz eman w w w. t r outfitters. c om • Tw o Leggi ns Out f i tters, H ar di n 406- 665- 2825 ALASKA & INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS • Af r i c an Ey es Tr av el www. af r i c aney es t r av el . c om • Al agnak Lodge, Alaska w w w. al agnak l odge. com • Al as k a’s Legend Lodge w w w. l egendl odge. c om • D i s t ant Wat er s Angling Adv ent ur es i n N ew Zealand w w w. di s t ant w at er s nz.com OT H ER U . S. D EST INAT I ON S • Bat t enk i l l Lodge, New Yor k w w w. bat t enk i lllodge. c om B OOK S & A RT • Angl er ’s Book Supply w w w. angl er s book s upply. c om • Ant hol ogy F i ne Ar t www. ant hol ogy f i near t . c om

• Eldridge Hardie www. eldridgehardie.com • Fish by TC 303-921-3776 • Frank Amato Publications www.amatobooks.com • G usterman’s Silversmiths 303-629-6927 • Krieger Enterprises www. melkrieger.com • Pink Fog Studios www. pinkfogphotography.com • River Light Images – Mark Lance www.riverlightimages.com • Stackpole Books www. stackpolebooks.com • Troutmap www.troutmap. com • W ildlife by Dan Andrews www.feathercreations.com CULTURAL ATTRACTIO NS • Adams Mystery Playhouse www.adamsmysteryplayhouse.com • Arvada Center www.arvadacenter.org • Boulder Philharmonic O rchestra www.boulderphil. org • Budweiser Events Center www.budweisereventscenter.com • Colorado Symphony O rchestra www.coloradosymphony.org • Denver Art Museum www. denverartmuseum.org • Denver Center for the Performing Arts www.denvercenter.org • Denver Museum of Nature and Science www.dmns. org • History Colorado Center www.coloradohistory.org • The Wildlife Experience www.thewildlifeexperience. org FISHING G EAR AND APPAREL • Alpine Tackle Supply 303-680-0661 • Angler Sport G roup www. anglersportgroup.com • Bass Pro Shops www. basspro.com • Cabela’s www.cabelas. com • Dr. Slick Company www. drslick.com • Elkhorn Fly Rod & Reel www.elkhornflyrodandreel. com • Fishpond www.fishpondusa.com • Hatch O utdoors Inc. www.

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High Country Angler • Fall 2014

stream. The ditch companies are providing resources directly and working to round out funding for these model projects through grants from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and local Basin Roundtables.

With key highways paralleling the rivers, TU also recognized that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) would be a key player. Initial efforts to quickly reopen highways and restore access to homes and communities understandably focused on getting the roads opened quickly, and that was a daunting challenge with 486 miles of state highway closed at the height of the flooding and more than 200 bridges and culverts damaged. Through an amazing collaborative effort, the final section was reopened

by November 26.

But just because the roads are open doesn’t mean they are done. Emergency and temporary repairs were just the first steps,

The Boulder Flycasters chapter has also focused on partnership projects within their home waters. The chapter is participating – including providing seed money support – for three different projects including rebuilding the Boulder community kids pond, stream/channel improvements on Boulder Open Space property along South Boulder Creek, and additional improvements further upstream at Eldorado Canyon State Park.

ORIGINAL & DAMAGED TYPICAL SECTION EXISTING GRADE

DAMAGED ROADWAY SECTION ORIGINAL ROADWAY SECTION MASS FAILURE

MASS FAILURE 24’

100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN 2-YEAR FLOODPLAIN LOW FLOW

BEDROCK

CONVENTIONAL REPAIR TYPICAL SECTION EXISTING GRADE

36’

REVEGETATED BANK

10’ MIN.

3’

on water for irrigation and found their diversions damaged, or no longer connected to where the new river channel flowed.

These human needs created a real sense of urgency to get streams back into their “right” channel. At the same time, there was also recognition that a thoughtful approach to restoration was needed if we were to rebuild “better, stronger than we were before.”

So while many initial restoration efforts proceeded rapidly – reopening roads with major, but still temporary, fixes; re-establishing water diversions – the Colorado Water Conservation Board also provided funding to encourage watershed coalitions in “master planning” to engage stakeholders and help guide long-term restoration in the various effected basins.

There were four Trout Unlimited Chapters in the heart of the flood area - Alpine Anglers (Estes Park), Boulder Flycasters (Boulder), Rocky Mountain Flycasters (Ft. Collins/Loveland), and St. Vrain Anglers (Longmont). “Our chapters have been putting their noses in the right places,” says Larry Quilling, a Boulder Flycasters volunteer and member of Colorado TU’s board.

“We’re there to listen, offer a hand, and add our voice.”

Funding was also a major need, and TU members with The Greenbacks stepped forth with one of their trademark events to build community around conservation – a film showing in three different communities on one night, with all proceeds going to support flood restoration through the newly minted “Restore the Range” campaign. With major support from local businesses like Front Range Anglers at the Boulder event, they were able to raise nearly $10,000 to assist with restoration projects. Local chapters also held fundraisers to help address restoration efforts within their home watersheds.

Often the best results come from bringing the right people together and encouraging collaboration. “We’re working on relationship building,” said St Vrain Anglers President Barbara Luneau. “We’re trying to be a catalyst. What really helps is that some of our members work in local government and agencies involved in the rebuilding effort.”

This relationship-building is paying off in a major partnership with the South Meadow and Ledge ditches on the South St. Vrain. The ditch companies have voluntarily foregone diversions in 2014 in order to take the time to develop a more river-friendly approach to rebuilding their structures. TU is providing support, including facilitating a six-figure grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s fish passage program to help replace the damaged structures with a new design that delivers water effectively while providing for natural river processes to operate and fish to move freely up and down-

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100-YEAR FLOODPLAIN 2-YEAR FLOODPLAIN

FILL

LOW FLOW

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EXISTING GRADE

NON- GROUTED RIPRAP TOE PROTECTION GROUTED CLASS 8 RIPRAP 36’

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CLASS 2 RIPRAP FILTER

LOW FLOW 5’

ROOT WAD BANK STABILIZATION

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M

IN

GEOTEXTILE TYPE IV-B .

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12” SOIL DEPTH

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REPAIR SITE OPPORTUNITIES US 36 MULTI-PURPOSE RECREATION CORRIDOR

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and rapid reopening of roads allowed little time for a thoughtful approach to river stewardship. So TU was pleased to meet with CDOT and learn that their next focus was on building permanent roads back better than before. That includes designs that pull the road away from the river and out of the 100year floodplain, helping to make the road less vulnerable to future floods while giving room for the river to move as rivers naturally do and allowing people access to the river. US 36 from Lyons to Estes Park was the first permanent recovery project and is expected to be completed by later this fall, while US 34 will be next up with work expected to begin in late summer or early fall of 2015 following public meetings and stakeholder input.

Through all the planning and restoration efforts, a broad partnership approach has been vital. Rocky Mountain Flycaster’s Dave Piske explains: “We have learned that the limited capabilities of a TU chapter can be multiplied many times over by taking an active role in a voluntary coalition such as the Big Thompson River Restoration Coalition.”

The Big Thompson Coalition has drawn together the diverse but inter-related efforts of individuals, non-profits, local businesses, and government, and with impressive results so far: coordinated restoration that avoided further damages during 2014’s runoff, removal of tons of debris, a master plan that provides resilient solutions to prevent future flood damages, and conceptual designs for improved aquatic and riparian habitats.

Under an additional fish passage grant, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is also working with TU on designs for the Big Thompson near the canyon mouth that will be integrated with the overall coalition effort.

“With ardent support of riverfront property owners, the Coalition with TU included are poised to proceed with site-specific designs and projects but for one major uncertainty,” notes Piske, “the sources of enough money to pay the costs.”

While design and restoration are moving rapidly forward in some areas, other more remote sections of the watershed are still in need of careful assessment. With vast landholdings within the watersheds in need of assessment, the US Forest Service has turned to Colorado TU and the local TU chapters as partners in citizen science, to help assess damage and provide the foundation for developing restoration plans. In August 2014, a group of nearly 40 local TU volunteers has undergone training on the USFS river assessment protocol. These volunteers will be going out in pairs over the next couple of months, collecting data that will be essential in guiding watershed restoration. All the parties hope this will be the beginning of a multi-year collaboration to bring back health and stability in these valued public land watersheds. www.HCAmagazine.com

Land and Water Conservation Fund: A Source of Help and Hope As devastating as the 2013 floods were – it might have been even worse. A new Colorado TU report documents the story of the 1976 Big Thompson flood and the important role that Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) dollars played in enabling local government to buy 80 at-risk properties in the floodplain – providing important county parks and angling access while giving flooded landowners resources to help rebuild in safer locations. Had those properties been redeveloped instead, the result would have been an estimated $16 million in additional flood damages when the corridor was flooded again last year. Following the 2013 floods, LWCF dollars are again playing an important role – funding restoration work in riverfront park and trail areas for flood-ravaged Lyons and helping that community begin to recover its recreation-based economy. The full report can be found at www.coloradotu.org.

Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

37

Speaking Out for Trout

By Dick Jefferies

I

n 1969, farm life was a fairly simple and busy life for a thirteen year old. During the summer life was pretty straight forward growing up on a farm on the plains of eastern Colorado. Get up, have breakfast, do your chores and begin another day of work on the farm. At thirteen I was old enough to participate fully in all farming activities, and I did. Water? With the exception of the water we used in the house, water was a commodity on the farm. It was owned and regulated. Misuse of water could become a very contentious issue. Water’s primary purpose was to irrigate crops when there wasn’t enough rain. Believe me, there was never enough rain! Water was also used extensively in the care and raising of livestock.

My Dad liked to fly fish and while we didn’t get a lot of chances in the summer to cast a line, we always managed to make a few trips west to the “high country”. On those trips to the mountains my Dad would always talk about how important it was to take care of the water that we fished in as it was headed downstream to our farm and others like ours.

He also taught me that just like the land, if you take care of the water the water will take care of you. I don’t believe he thought of himself as a conservationist. The idea that you take care of what takes care of you was as much borne of necessity as it was a higher calling. Back then it was simple common sense.

I began my story in 1969 because of the years’ relevance to my recent trip in July to our 38

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nation’s Capital. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio caught on fire. Although it was the thirteenth time in recorded history that the river had burned, that particular incident caught the attention of Time magazine and subsequently the country. I remember asking my dad about the cover picture on that issue of Time and his response was pretty straight forward: “That’s what can happen when you don’t take care of the water”. I could not imagine for the life of me how a river could catch on fire. Even today the thought of a moving waterway in flames is mind boggling.

That fire in 1969 was a seminal event that helped lead to the passage of the Clean Water Act and establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Beginning in 1972, all “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) were protected under the Clean Water Act. In 2006, a Supreme Court ruling in the Rapanos case raised new questions about the definition of WOTUS and the extent of federal jurisdiction. The Court issued a rare 4-1-4 ruling in which the one “controlling” opinion, from Justice Kennedy, indicated that to be considered “WOTUS” a waterway needed to have a demonstrated “significant nexus” with traditionally navigable waters. There was general agreement that perennial waters qualified, but for those headwater and feeder streams that only flow seasonally there was much uncertainty – and those smaller streams make up 70% of Colorado’s stream miles.

This spring and summer the EPA has been working on a revised definition for WOTUS based on the Supreme Court ruling. Those efforts have caused a flurry of activity by many affected interest groups. Some environmental groups are fully in support of anything that can further define, protect or expand WOTUS. Some industry and agriculture folk are vigorously opposed to a rewrite of regulations that they fear increases the reach of the federal government. Some municipalities are concerned that without well-thought-out language, new regulations could have a costly impact on both ends of the pipe – providing potable water and treating wastewater. Finally, there is the pure politics of the issue. There are those that want nothing more than to see EPA’s rewrite efforts stopped for no other reason than to showcase it as a failure of the current administration.

On July 15th and 16th, I joined 13 other sportsmen along with our “DC guides” to discuss with elected officials the importance of not allowing politics to win out over sound science and accepted procedure and policy.

There is widespread agreement that action is needed to clear up the confusion created by recent Supreme Court cases on WOTUS. The decisions and subsequent legal battles have left extremely muddled and ambiguous guidelines that are difficult and expensive to navigate through or use efficiently in project planning.

On March 25th of this year the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers proposed a rule for public comment. That proposal makes a strong effort to more clearly define what waters are covered and equally important, what www.HCAmagazine.com

waters are not covered.

It is a good start, but the EPA needs to do an even better job of providing clarity in all of the descriptions, classifications and definitions. Furthermore it is vital that flexibility be incorporated that allows for regional considerations. Water issues and water law in the Western United States force us to address issues in ways that can be entirely different than those found in States that have an abundance of water and do not manage water through a prior appropriation system.

Allowing politics to win out by gutting the efforts to rewrite these definitions is the wrong approach and the worst outcome possible.

Unfortunately, that is just what some in Congress are trying to do. Let’s hope that common

sense can overcome politics. After all, it’s true that some things don’t change. Take care of the water and it will take care of you! It will also prevent it from burning.

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are taking public comments on the new WOTUS rule through October 20th. You can visit the Action Center at www.coloradotu.org to learn more and lend your voice in support of maintaining Clean Water Act protection for headwater streams in Colorado and nationwide

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39

Mentors in the Outdoors

by Garrett Hanks

Y

oung people today experience the world in a very different way than a generation previous. Time once spent exploring neighborhood fields, splashing in the creek down the street, and strolling through a nearby forest has been replaced by time spent navigating online worlds, diving into the latest season on Netflix, and scrolling through Facebook.

Friendships and adventures now are built out of online interactions rather than shared journeys in nature. The people who care about and protect our fisheries and watersheds came to care about them by spending time in them with other people who also care. If youth lose their connection to the outdoors, it has repercussions for our tomorrows which cannot be ignored even in our successes of today.

Be it through a family member or a friend, it is likely somebody else introduced you to the magic of the natural world. That connection usually won’t come as a single moment of insight but rather as an ongoing path, eventually leading to the love of the places you have been and the desire to protect those places. Imagine what your life might be like had you not had such experiences. Colorado Trout Unlimited has developed a program to reach youth who otherwise might not have those experiences, and giving them the chance to fall in love with Colorado’s outdoors, fish, and rivers.

Outdoor Mentors is a coalition of conservation organizations, state agencies, youth development organizations, and other key outdoor recreation stakeholders coordinating their efforts to expand opportunities for disadvantaged youth to participate in outdoor recreation and learn the importance of our conservation heritage. Based on a successful model from Kansas, Outdoor Mentors in Colorado now involves multiple youth mentoring groups, from Big Brothers Big Sisters to Denver Kids Inc. With two large festivals held annually, as well as individual programs offered by sportsmen’s groups, Outdoor Mentors continues to get kids outside. Colorado TU’s participation includes fishing days, science camps, fly fishing day trips, and overnight outings.

On August 16, the coalition held its Outdoor Mentors Festival at Barr Lake State Park, drawing participants both from mentoring organizations and individual 40

High Country Angler • Fall 2014

families. The event featured the brand new archery range at the Park. As hosts for the festival, and by providing a central point for sportsmen’s groups to coordinate efforts, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been a leader in the ongoing success of Outdoor Mentors. At Barr Lake, kids and their mentors had the chance to try archery, birding, flycasting, fishing, geocaching, and target shooting. The Park and the festival pro-

vided a great opportunity to showcase the fantastic outdoor resources on our public lands.

Sports Buddies of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Denver have been a partner in Outdoor Mentors since its beginning. Each year The Greenbacks and Colorado Trout Unlimited have hosted a two day Stream Explorers program with the Sports Buddies. The first day is an exploration of a loOffer Expires 11/30/2014

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cal waterway in which kids and mentors are both educated on stream ecology through bug sampling. Using experiments to gain insight to the aquatic world and trout behavior the students were asked to design and tie flies to imitate their findings. These flies are put to use during the second day where participants learn casting skills and get to put them to practice on the water.

This year a new program was developed with Sports Buddies to provide a next step for kids who showed particular interest in fly fishing. With generous help by CTU volunteers we were able to host two Big-Small pairs of for a full day lesson. In order to have the experience be more than a singular outing, the focus was on educating the pairs so that they could continue to enjoy flyfishing together. “A project like this was a real confidence booster for Kyler,� said Jim Moore, a Sports Buddies Mentor. “We really appreciated the expert guidance we received from Colorado Trout Unlimited.

Both Kyler and myself had never gone fly fishing before and we were total rookies.

But by having them right next to us all day, we felt like seasoned pros!�

Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation is one of the newest partners to Outdoor Mentors. Their first trip with Colorado Trout Unlimited brought them on an overnight excursion along the Cache La Poudre River. For most of the kids it was their first time camping, or being on a river, or fishing, which made the day at Bellaire Lake that much better. Dusty Teng from Colorado I Have A Dream said, “It was the first time fly fishing for all of us and we had a wonderful time. I appreciated how our fishing trip was framed within the context of conservation efforts in Colorado‌ Being able to actually catch fish was an added bonus!â€?

Fly fishing is just one way for kids to experience the outdoors. Colorado Trout Unlimited is hopeful that Outdoor Mentors will be the vehicle for many youth to find a new hobby or passion in our state’s wild places. Whatever it may be which interests a youth in your life, I encourage you to be a mentor in your own way. If you care about the amazing places in which you fish, hunt, and recreate, there is no better way to care for them than to pass on your passion.

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Fall 2014 • High Country Angler

41

Restoring the Greenback Cutthroat Trout

by Kyle Perkins

I

t’s quite the haul up to Zimmerman Lake from Denver, but a few members of The Greenbacks (TheGreenbacks.org) made the almost threehour trek to participate in something we’ve looked forward to for a long time. As we arrived at the trailhead, staff from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service were poised with trucks containing 1,200 pure greenback cutthroat trout ready to be introduced to their new home.

In the 1930′s the greenback cutthroat was thought to be extinct due to overfishing, pollution, and development. However, in the 1970′s, scientists discovered what they thought were populations of greenback cutthroats. They began using these populations as the brood stock for spreading the fish around the Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park and other watersheds. In 1978, the trout was downlisted from ‘endangered’ status to ‘threatened’.

In the 1990s the greenback was officially named Colorado’s state fish.

But through recent genetic testing of present-day fish and historic museum samples from back in the 19th Century, scientists at CU Boulder found that the were more related to the Colorado River cutthroat trout, rather than being the native fish of the South Platte. They did find a small stream outside of Colorado Springs - Bear Creek - which did hold a very small population of ‘true’ greenbacks. Sample fish were taken, and a new brood stock was created.

Finally, on August 8th, after hard work in raising the fish at the Leadville National Hatchery, 1,200 of these state fish were ready to be reintroduced to the wild at Zimmerman Lake in the Cache la Poudre headwaters.

“We were very excited to be a part of this significant day in the return of the greenback cutthroat trout to the South Platte Basin”, said Nick Hoover.

“It’s one of the most amazing experiences we’ve done in conservation, and I’m excited for the future of the greenbacks here in Colorado. I’m thrilled we will be taking on an active role in their reintroduction in the months and years ahead”.

The schedule was tight, and our volunteers got down and dirty by helping with the actual process. All of us had an opportunity to help with fin clipping and releasing these fish into the water. Some of the fish were measured, weighed, clipped, and documented for further analysis in the future. The fish will be monitored and checked next summer to see how they’re doing in the wild.

So the greenback cutthroat trout has found a new home. Stay tuned for more, as this won’t be the only place we’re helping to reintroduce our state fish!

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High Country Angler • Fall 2014

Photo courtesy Joshua Duplechian/Trout Unlimited.

Photo courtesy Joshua Duplechian Trout Unlimited.

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Because the Fishing Season in Colorado is Never Over...

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