High Country Angler | Spring 2016

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SUSIE Q RANCH

CASCABEL

TIMBER CREEK RANCH

SUN VALLEY, IDAHO

NORWOOD, COLORADO

ALDER, MONTANA

The 537± acre Susie Q Ranch, 40 minutes from Ketchum, is one of Sun Valley’s premier fishing properties.

The ranch features tasteful improvements, lush pastures, and nearly 2 miles of world-renowned Silver Creek.

Twenty-eight miles northwest of Telluride lies a world class fishing property situated along three miles of a key stretch of the San Miguel River. A lodge, home and guest cabins create an ideal family retreat.

South of Alder within the national forest, featuring comfortable and attractive improvements and two+ miles of both sides of a spring creek-influenced section of the Ruby River and immediate access to user-friendly mountain country.

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LAZY E BAR Z RANCH CONDON , MONTANA

MOOSE CREEK RANCH

SUMMIT SPRINGS RANCH

MACKAY, IDAHO

CLYDE, IDAHO

The snowcapped peaks of the Mission and Swan mountain ranges flank the Swan River as it flows through this 165± acre property with two log homes situated next to a trout pond. Includes an airplane hangar, two barns and a landing strip.

Beautiful 503± acre ranch with 140± acres of irrigated cropland and two attractively furnished fishing cabins on one of the best reaches of the Big Lost River located an hour and a half from Sun Valley.

Stunning 3,785± acre mountain ranch bordering national forest and featuring a custom-built fishing cabin and two miles of a trout-filled spring creek. Located approximately two hours from Sun Valley and Idaho Falls.

$3,100,000

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$1,900,000

SA LES | AUCTI O NS High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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MA N AG EMEN T www.HCAmagazine.com

Dedicated to Land and Landowners Since 1946

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3K RANCH

THE FARM AT MCCAULEY BUTTE

GREAT FALLS, MONTANA

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Including over 2 miles of fly fishing on the Smith River 35 miles from Great Falls, this 6,500± deeded acre unimproved ranch rises from the river to encompass rock walls, timbered slopes and lush grassy basins.

Best of both worlds with architecturally significant home

by Cutler-Anderson and unique location. Fifteen minutes to downtown Missoula, 1.25 miles Bitterroot River frontage, protected viewshed and outstanding wildlife.

Spring creek and wildlife enhancements on these 285± acres along the East Gallatin River offer sporting opportunities for pheasant, waterfowl, whitetail deer and trout fishing. Superb home sites, minutes from Bozeman, MT.

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WHITE RIVER OVERLOOK

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MEEKER, COLORADO

WILSALL, MONTANA

MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA

This 35± acre property is highlighted by a beautiful stretch of the coveted White River and a nicely finished newer home with shop/storage garage overlooking the valley. Located 30 minutes east of Meeker.

144± acre scenic retreat along the upper Shields River. The trout fishing is excellent and the 120± acres of irrigated hay meadows provide significant yields. A barn and pond add to this otherwise undeveloped river acreage.

One of the finest privately owned fishing ranches in North America.

Located in the Eastern Sierras with 8± miles of trout stream on 2,000± acres and only 25 members. Membership includes the right to build one cabin.

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$700,000

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I N FO @ H A LLA N D H A LL.C O MSpring | 4 2016 06 . 5 8 7. 309 0 • High Country Angler

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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

DESIG N

David M ar tin, Creative Direc tor & Graphic D esigner w w w.reimaginedesigns.com

P HOTO G RAP HY

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.

To add your shop or business to our distribution list, contact Frank Martin at 719-265-4082, or email frank@hcamagazine.com.

D i str i buted by H i gh Countr y Publi cati ons, L LC 730 Popes Valley D r i ve Colorad o Spr i ngs, Colorad o 809 1 9 T E L E P H O N E 7 19-265-4082 FA X 719-593-0040 Published in cooperation with Colorado Trout Unlimited 620 Sixteenth Street, Suite 300 Denver, CO 80202 www.coloradotu.org

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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HCA EZINE CONTENTS SPRING 2016 VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 2

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DEEP CREEK AREA

BY JACK BOMBARDIER

21

RAISING DAUGHTERS RIGHT

BY HAYDEN MELLSOP

FEATURES 8

COLOR CREATIONS

BY LANDON MAYER

12

YELLOWSTONE’S BECHLER RIVER

BY BRIAN LA RUE

DEPARTMENTS 22 NEW & NOTABLE

BY BRIAN LA RUE

FIT TO BE TIED

BY JOEL L. EVANS

23

COLORADO TU SECTION

24 FROM THE CTU PRESIDENT

26

30

34

BY MARSHALL PENDERGRASS

CTU HONORS DENVER WATER AT GALA THE SOUTH ST. VRAIN CREEK

BY DANIELLE ADAMS THE LAST CAST

BY JOHN NICKUM

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

Subscribe online: www.HCAmagazine.com ON THE COVER: Mike Bastian, photo by Landon Mayer

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TOC PHOTO: Ashley Nagel

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Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

www.HCAmagazine.com

by Landon Mayer

C

olor is a great way to trigger a take. By changing a fly’s wardrobe, you can prevent your imitation from getting lost with the naturals, and capture a trout’s attention. For example, when trout start to gorge on a film of adults on the surface, they get more bang for their buck consuming a spoonful of insects with every gulp. Often the fish lifts to the surface while taking three big gulps, and then rests a few seconds in between. Many times the only way to break this pattern, or encourage the fish to take one more sip, is in surprising it with a color creation.

When rigging color I will always start by giving the fish a selection to choose from. Through trial and error with two or three fly rigs where each fly is a different shade, you can figure out the best springtime productive colors by how the fish react. Some of my goto contrasts are purple, red, pink, orange, and white. Whether you are delivering the mail with dries, nymphs, or streamers, matching www.HCAmagazine.com

color to reaction can result in a take from the wariest of targets. Let’s take a look at some options that will help add to your bag of tricks as we transition into the season of change.

Shades in the Film I personally enjoy playing with topwater color spectrum in the winter-spring and late fall seasons, when midges and blue winged olives can blanket the water’s surface. As both of these insects are known to remain on the surface longer than other egg-laying or buzzing bugs, timing this bite is best with cloud-filled days and minimal wind. Once a storm settles in, producing insulated and calm skies, the air and water temperature will increase, thus triggering the trout to rise.

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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Two great examples of this are taking a classic like the Parachute Adams and changing the body dubbing color or wrap—like on the #18-22 Carlson’s Purple Haze dry fly.

A second design tweak is to take the go-to #18-22 Griffith’s Gnat dry fly, and replace the standard peacock body with red, or other bright materials. This will still allow the Gnat to contrast against the sky when the fish looks up, matching size and silhouette, but now also adding color to entice the fish.

You will be able to see the midge from what seems like a mile away as well. This simple change will truly produce more looks and takes for every drift. After delivering different colors on one rig, you will quickly learn what shade the fish prefer that day, and eventually have a two-fly rig representing the productive color in both flies.

Hot Heads The first color that comes to mind with springtime’s nymphs is orange and pink.

While trout are used to seeing bright food supplies like eggs and worms drifting down river with increasing flows of spring, these bright shades can also be an effective way for trout to see your bug in dirty water. By simply adding a dash of color with a bead or collar on the fly, it can and will give you a new look at the term “hot head!”

Three of my favorite ways to add a twist to nymphs is 1) Hot beads on leeches. By matching the bead on the fly to a size 4mm egg, you can take a simple leech pattern #12-14 and truly make it a double whammy with an egg and leech in one bite.

2) Orange collars or thread heads like that on a #14-20 Egan’s frenchie; #14-18 Soft Hackle Ray Charles can capture a trout’s attention, especially in deep water while the rest of the fly still remains natural in its appearance, with just a dash of color.

3) Adding a spot can add just enough color and also match a natural color change like the egg sack in a scud #14-18 Hunchback Scud (pink spot), or a dead scud that has turned orange like Pat’s UV Scud #1218. Try these subsurface wardrobe alterations the next time you battle the spring’s low or high water!

using two streamers on one rig to find out what fly shade will produce a strike. This can change day-to-day or year-to-year, so try different tints in clean and stained water. This year’s combo for me has been bright flies in clear water, like # 4-10 Lawson’s Cone Head Sculpin (tan), # 2 Bennett’s Lunch Money (tan), # 2 Chocklett’s Game Changer (white) and dark flies like # 4-10 Barr’s Meat Whistle (rust), and # 2 Craven’s Double Gonga (olive) in off-color water conditions.

ward. Keep the left-to-right movements of the rod tip to 24 inches or less so that you don’t redirect the line and flies.

Delivering these flies is not only about a unique presentation, but also the position you cast from. From upstream of the trout, you can present your flies with a natural drag-free drift by adding “S” curves in your cast. Your line and leader will look like a slithering snake when they land on the water. In addition to supplying natural mends for drifting dries, this presentation will also supply slack-free line for achieving depth with drifting nymphs, or depth for your streamers before the retrieve. To create the S curves, stop the rod at 10 or 11 o’clock on the forward casting stroke. Then as your rod releases the stored energy from the rod flex and your line begins to un-roll in front of you, make three or four side-to-side movements with the rod tip as the line moves for-

Try these color creations tips the next time you are trout hunting in springtime conditions! The result could leave you looking for new fly designs during the changing season.

In this presentation, the fly approaches the fish before the leader and fly line. With a long leader (10 feet or more) and presentations from a 45-degree angle, you can make many casts without drag—and with drag—to feeding fish using dries, nymphs, and streamers. The goal is staying out of the trout’s viewing lane while it scans for food.

About the Author.

Landon Mayer is a veteran Colorado guide and author of several books, including 101 Trout Tips: A Guide’s Secrets, Tactics, and TechniquesStackpole/Headwaters Books. He has co-produced 2 fly fishing DVDs with John Barr, both available from Mad Trout Media. Visit Landon’s website at www.landonmayer.com.

VISIT

OUR W GUID EBSITE TO DAY E PHOT D TRIPS OGRA VIDE O & M PHY ORE!

Night and Day I am a big believer in simplifying the details in this sport for the best results. When selecting streamers, I prefer the dark and light approach (night and day)….that is, 10

High Country Angler • Spring 2016

Landon’s books and DVDs are available for order on his website

W W W. L A N D O N M AY E R . C O M www.HCAmagazine.com

THE ICE IS GONE AND SPRING IS HERE! Come to KREMMLING, Colorado for Some of the Best Fishing in the Rockies Drift Boats & Fly Fishermen Welcome!

• The Upper Colorado by Parshall • Gore Canyon • Pump House • Radium • State Bridge • The Blue River • Williams Fork River & Reservoir • The Muddy Creek • Wolford Reservoir

Navigate the waters yourself or hire an experienced fishing guide

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www.HCAmagazine.com

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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N

ow that I call Eastern Idaho home—Victor to be exact—I’ve been taking more side trips, targeting offthe-beaten-path waters that cater to my preferred walk-and-wade approach, along with my desire to get away from a crowd. I like to put a few miles between me and any roads, yet still like to have a shot at a sizeable fish. I live close to one of my favorite waters, the Bechler River, and I’ve become quite attached, but I’ll warn you, its rewards only come if you’re willing to go the extra mile.

“The Bechler lies in the Southwest corner of Yellowstone, in an area called Cascade Corner,” said Shane McClaflin of Sunrise Packstation, www.sunrisepackstation.com/. “The area is famous for its numerous waterfalls and abundant tributaries 12

High Country Angler • Spring 2016

which are full of trout. Cutthroat and rainbow trout are the most common in the area, but it’s the larger ‘bows caught and released in the meadow stretch of the Bechler that really put the river on the map.”

The Bechler can be divided into two sections: the waters above Colonnade Falls and the waters below. Upstream of the falls, smaller cutthroat are the norm, while bigger fish seem to be more prevalent in the meadow stretches down from the falls.

Shane mentioned some big rainbows. Yes, the rumors are true: the Bechler is said to house the largest trout in Yellowstone National Park. They will rival any monster cutthroat in the Lamar, Slough, Yellowstone, or any fall-run browns that www.HCAmagazine.com

Go the Extra Mile for Bechler Rewards

by Brian La Rue

www.HCAmagazine.com

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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run up from Hebgen in the Madison.

Not to mention the Yellowstone-Gardiner browns. Rainbows to 30 inches have been caught and released. Fish over 20 inches are seen daily—that is, they are spooked daily, so bring your A-game.

I mentioned going the extra mile?

Yes, before I dive into what flies you should carry, let’s talk about what it is going to take to get to the Bechler. For starters, you’ll need to follow the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway out of Ashton, Idaho until you come to E 1400 N/Cave Falls Road. You’ll be leaving the Henry’s Fork area...but don’t worry, it will be worth it! Cave Falls Road turns into a dirt road just past the fun little Timberline Golf Course. The dirt road takes 20 to 30 minutes as it winds to the least accessed entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Here you have two choices: turn north to the Bechler Ranger Station and take the trail from there, or follow Cave Falls Road to the dead end. Either way, you’ll have to get a YNP fishing permit!

From the dead end of the road it is about 1/2-mile to the Bechler/Falls River

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

Western Fly Fishing on Wyoming’s Green River

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confluence. Don’t be fooled by the gorgeous Falls River as here it is only good in my opinion for small trout. Walking the foot trail along the Falls River, you will come to a shallow, spread out terrace with a treed island in the middle.

This is the only spot here I’ve done well with yellow Kaufman’s stimulators for cutthroat to 15 inches. Simply hit this area where it is obvious where the fish are for about an hour, but the rewards lie further up the Bechler, so get moving.

Look at Google Maps with me. You’ll see where the island is and where the Bechler comes in on the west side of the Falls River. Instead of spending much time here, follow the Bechler to the left to where the river flattens out a bit after the first waterfall you come to. That’s where I’d really start fishing, moving up the river for hours or as long as you have energy and daylight.

The other access point for the Bechler is if you plan to leave from the ranger station. The trail cuts over land for about 3.5 miles before coming to the Bechler at Boundary Creek, a tributary. So this over-land course is an alternative if you

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Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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plan to do some backcountry camping and you just want to get to camp, set up a tent, and branch out from the campsite to access the river. Again, the Bechler Meadows is your ultimate goal either way. At about 3.5 miles, how much time would it take you to go in and out in a day? I’d highly suggest fishing up the river your first trip, then camping in the backcountry on a future trip if you become sold on the river like me.

Another option is teaming up with an experienced backcountry guide like Shane and his team from Sunrise on horseback. He will lead a group of eight folks into the Bechler region for five days setting out Tuesday Sept. 13, 2016.

His trips are awesome with everything included. Just ride one of his horses, eat his great food and sleep in a tent---all you have to worry about is how to catch one of those huge rainbows or fight brookies and cutts all day with an attractor pattern.

“The Bechler offers big, deep slow bends which offer great habitat for the large rainbows that lurk in its shadowy depths,” said McClaflin. “In late summer, float a grasshopper over these glassy waters, which at this time of year are hopping and flying everywhere, and you’ll have the fight of your life on your hands.

If you want to fish for more than rainbows, you might cast a line for a brookie in Mountain Ash Creek, or fish for a cutthroat up in the Bechler Cascades, near the famous Ferris Fork Hot Pot. “Besides fishing, the Bechler region is filled with swimming holes for you and a couple of close friends,” added Shane. “There are hot springs, warm waterfalls, and comfortable pools to swim in.”

Okay, Shane stole a little of my thunder when it comes to bugs. I mentioned Kaufman’s stimulator, he mentioned hoppers, but you might have to drop down to something smaller to catch one of the educated rainbows. One popular trick is to sight fish with tiny midges or pheasant tails. Maybe even try a size 12 yellow stimulator and drop a Prince about three feet off. Other hot patterns include a variety of green and brown drakes, golden stones, PMDs and BWOs. Now comes the time of year ques16

High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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tion. Yellowstone’s season only runs from Memorial Day to early November, but the Bechler offers even a shorter window of opportunity. The Southwest corner of the park is a soggy mess well into June, so most targeting the river head out in July, August, or even later like the Sunrise Packstation trip in September. The earlier you go, the more chances of flooded, high-water conditions and lots of mosquitoes. By late July, the river is fishing well but bugs will still be around. By August things are drying out, the river is in its banks and the mosquitoes will be slowly dying off.

As with any YNP trail, I’d advise anglers to go in groups of two or three, make plenty of noise and carry bear spray. I’ve only heard of one bear encounter on the Bechler Trail in the last 30 years of writing: one man got nipped while playing dead. I remember the story stating he had taken awhile to get his spray out, moving a bit, getting bit, but once he got the spray out, he let the bear have it and the bear left and the men hiked out without further instance.

You can also reserve backcountry campsites as they are available along the river if you wanted to try a trip with friends or on your own. If a trip with a pack outfit sounds more your speed, book Sunrise Packstation early as the trips fill up fast. They have a full run of trips for 2016 listed at www.sunrisepackstation.com/. You will also find the Fall River Campground just outside the park if you prefer to pull into a spot and camp.

As for fly shops in Idaho/Wyoming with their staffers on the ground in Southern Yellowstone, try Three Rivers in Driggs, World Cast in Victor, come see me at Orvis in Jackson Hole, or try Idaho Irresistibles in Ashton.

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For those who cannot attend in person, this will also be a

About

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Author.

High Country Angler contributor Brian La Rue enjoys giving fly fishers ideas of where to go for an adventure. Feel free to reach out to Brian in person if you travel to Jackson Hole. Swing by Orvis in Jackson, or simply contact La Rue at Brian@HCAmagazine.com. www.HCAmagazine.com

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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Deep Creek Area Being Considered for Wild and Scenic Status

Y

esterday, I went to a public meeting sponsored by the BLM, US Forest Service, and American Rivers putting forth a proposal to list the Deep Creek as a Wild and Scenic Area. Deep Creek is in western Eagle County, and the idea of giving it some level of added protection has been bandied about for at least twenty years. When I first heard about this latest proposal last spring, I was slightly skeptical despite being generally in favor of protecting our wild western landscapes.

The reason for my skepticism was twofold. The first is that the there’s currently no existential threat looming over Deep Creek. Though the potential for mining operations or water resource development exists hypothetically, no one is talking about doing it, at least not at the moment. So what exactly are we protecting it from? The second reservation that I had was thinking about what might happen to the area by listing it as “Wild and Scenic.” Why draw attention to an area that sees very little human traffic as it is? It is extremely rough country, with no real trail running through it. It’s as close to impassable as you’ll find in Colorado, and so is already self-limiting by its very nature.

Would making it “Wild and Scenic” have the unintended consequence of making it less wild and scenic, by encouraging more people to visit the area? www.HCAmagazine.com

by Jack Bombardier

This summer I made several trips up into the Deep Creek area to better know it. I’ve tried to access it in the past, but have been rebuffed by high spring flows. This time I went in late summer with a fly rod in hand, often using the creek itself as a means of egress. It is an extremely wild and scenic place—a point which everyone agrees on. The fishing can be tough but rewarding. It is a perfect place to take a tenkara rod, working your way up the pools, fishing each from the one below. I caught a few small but extremely colorful and feisty brown trout in the bigger pools.

Deep Creek is a pretty amazing area, dropping from subalpine fields of wildflowers at over ten thousand feet to high desert at six thousand in just under fifteen miles. There are bighorn sheep, a sizable arch, wildflowers aplenty, and one of Colorado’s best views from its easily accessible overlook. It is also home to one of the most extensive cave systems in Colorado, and already under federal control, with Forest Service land on top and BLM below. No private property is affected. But is a new federal designation right for Deep Creek, and is the time to do that now?

I’m a fishing guide who lives beside the Colorado River, and Deep Creek is practically in my backyard. At the meeting yesterday, many of my neighbors who ranch in the area showed up, and most had levels of skepticism that were much higher than Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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mine. They had concerns that such a designation might impact the ranching operations they’ve conducted in the area not for just years, but for generations.

They know this area better than anyone else, and their worries and opinions need to be seriously considered.

As for me, after chewing this proposal over in my mind all summer, I’ve come to the opinion that I am in favor of the new status for Deep Creek, with the caveat that the interests and concerns of the local ranching community are addressed to their satisfaction. I’d also like to see the BLM and US Forest Service leave the area just as it is to their utmost ability. That means, no bridge over the creek near the bottom switchback, no trail improvements, no fancy visitor center and a minimal amount of new signage. In other words, if the purpose of the new designation is to preserve the area just as it is, than they need to leave it just as it is, to the greatest extent possible. And now is the time to get it done, before some potential threat to the area becomes manifest. Keeping out a mining operation with its associated issues, and leaving as much water in the creek as possible to support the truly unique riparian ecosystem is a noble goal. Keeping out good ranchers who’ve spent their lives working and living in that landscape is not. But in the end, having such a wild and scenic place our backyard is worth protecting.

So let’s move forward with recognizing and protecting the Deep Creek area, and then try our best to just leave it alone!

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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A GUIDE’S LIFE

•

BY HAYDEN MELLSOP

Raising Daughters Right

“

We need to go fishing more often, Dad,” she said. We were sitting stream side, eating sandwiches, our feet dangling over the bank, mine dipping the water, hers a little shy. My heart swelled against

my chest. I was in no hurry to finish lunch. Who knew how much longer it would be cool for her to hang out like this with her Old Man? She was calling me “Dad” more often these days, rather than “Daddy”, as her perception of the world, its workings and her place in it was changing daily.

“How’s the blister?”

She looked down at her casting hand and flexed her fingers.

“Doing OK. I want to keep fishing.”

Normally, she’s a drama queen when it comes to scratches and scrapes, but she’d battled on stoically all morning, even when the wind blew her fly anywhere but on the water, once even sticking it into her cheek.

She’d laughed in surprise at a fall into an unseen, chest-deep sinkhole. She’d had two or three fish on her line for varying lengths of time but not long www.HCAmagazine.com

enough to land one. High mountain fish hit with incredible speed, and hooking one sometimes relies as much on luck as technique. I was hoping she’d hang in there.

“I want to keep going until I’ve caught one.”

It was early afternoon, the late summer’s day passing as quickly as the season itself, the meadow in the first throes of yielding its greens to autumn hues. A breeze ruffled the surface of the pool before us, sighing through the willows and blowing an errant curl across her face, which she tucked back behind her ear before continuing.

“This is much more fun than lakes. Lakes are boring.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re boring, but there’s a lot more to have to pay attention to on moving water - drag on the fly, mending your line. You have to concentrate. That’s why I like it - it’s hard to be thinking of anything else if you expect to catch one.”

“I hope I do,” she replied, gazing up the valley toward the Maroon Bells in the distance.

“You will. Just keep on doing what you’re doing.... If you’re not going to finish your sandwich, I will.” My life as fishing guide and walking garbage disposal.

I tied on a fresh dry fly. “OK. See the head of the pool up there, where the water is calm on the inside?” She nodded. “I bet there’s a fish waiting in there. See what you can do.”

“Next time we do this, I want to camp out for longer.” She took the rod and began wading toward the pool, casting where I’d suggested. There was a fish in there, but it too proved too fast for her reactions.

We next came upon a beaver dam, broad and shallow, its berm creating a perfect stream-wide pour over.

“There’ll be a fish up there.” I pointed to the base of the berm. “Cast up anywhere at the foot of the bubbles.”

The wind from earlier in the day had, thankfully, abated, and only a gently swirling breeze played on the surface of the pond, making casting much easier. On the third cast or so a fish took the adams. She set into a lovely brookie that leapt and made for the pour over, her three weight bending in protest.

“Keep the rod high! Don’t let him swim into the sticks.” She battled the fish, leaning back with the rod and applying the brakes. Soon the brookie rested in my hand, a lovely eight incher, fat and orange and spotted.

“Ooooh, he’s beautiful,” she gushed. “Now quick, put him back.

Poor thing. Don’t hurt him, quick!”

My palm cradled the fish in the water for the two or three seconds it took to get reoriented, then with a flick of the tail it was gone, along the bottom and into the dam.

We high-fived. “You wanna catch another?”

She nodded enthusiastically, and we switched out attention upstream to the pool beyond the dam.

About The Author.

A native of New Zealand, Hayden has fished and guided both Down Under and in Colorado for over twenty years. He currently resides in the mountain town of Salida, CO, where he still guides, works in recreational real estate, volunteers in local land and water protection, and is in the throes of writing his first book.

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

21

New & Notable B

ooks are great tools to help one learn more about a fishery. Whether you need a little motivation, extra help on pattern selection, or have decided to go it alone and need some ideas on access points, a book like Fly Fishing The Bighorn River by Steve Galletta (Stackpole and Headwater Books), is a great place to start. Galletta, who is co-owner of the Bighorn Angler Fly Shop and Lodge, serves up in-depth knowledge of the river, its hatches, fly patterns, access points, and seasonal information that will help any Bighorn–destined angler get better results on their next trip.

This new full-color, 230-page tell-all— if you will—is Galletta’s baby. He doesn’t mind sharing guide secrets due to the fact that he wants his readers to connect with the Bighorn’s prized trout, and maybe even stay with him at his lodge. Steve highlights specific fly pattern recipes complete with full color photos, and also offers chapters tackling dry fly fishing, streamer action, and nymphing. The stretches of the river are highlighted as well, giving

by Brian La Rue

you enough information to help you hit the river on foot and do well—even your first time out. Steve also shares in-depth seasonal information. There’s a wisdom of guides’ chapter that will also help you become a better fisherman, whether you are going to run to the Bighorn or simply the South Platte. Lastly, the book is well written, easy to read, and the photos alone will get you stoked to load up the car for a day on the water.

As with any good book about a specific river, Galletta talks about the future of the river and challenges it faces. Throw in some valuable information about the Bighorn in Wyoming as well, and you’ll see this book is a must-read for any Rocky Mountain fly fisherman, or anyone planning a trip to the Bighorn anytime soon.

To Learn More.

For more information on Fly Fishing The Bighorn River, go to www.Stackpolebooks.com or www.Headwaterbook.com.

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FIT TO BE TIED

•

BY JOEL EVANS

Tying with UV Materials

S

ome of my earliest recollections of things that glow in the dark were childhood Halloween costumes. Masks that glowed were really creepy.

Fast forward to fly tying and ultra-violet or UV. Although not really the same technique as glow in the dark costumes, UV is similar.

UV dyed materials and liquid Jailed Rabbit cure goos are a Hook: Trailer – scud 6-1x short, relatively new fly

Front – streamer 2-4x long tying technique.

(cut off at bend when done) Common belief and science don’t Thread: Rust Brown 3/0 strictly match.

As to science, Trailer: Hot yellow medium wire ribbing, there are wave Dark olive UV2 dubbing, lengths of light.

Olive UV2 rabbit strip Humans see visible light and color Front: Hot yellow medium wire ribbing, in wavelengths at

Dark olive UV2 dubbing, 400nm (whatever

Fire Tiger UV2 jail rabbit strip full length Throat:

Light rust marabou UV2

Head:

Dark Olive UV2 dubbing

material, which may account for its fly tying popularity. Without knowing why it works, we just know from experience that it does.

UV is commonly available in dubbing, feathers, rabbit strips, and chenille. Spirit River is one materials company with a broad selection of UV. Spirit River calls their products UV2, an indicator that the material has been dyed to produce both reactive and reflective UV. So does UV make a difference catching fish? Hard to say. There are so many variables in actually catching a fish, that there is no real way to test UV and non-UV side by side. Most evidence is anecdotal. The best example I’ve heard is to compare two fishermen floating a river with identical nymph rigs and just drifting, not really casting.

But I do know this: fishermen are always looking for an edge, and while there may be some negative aspect to it that we don’t know, it can’t really hurt so we might as well try it!

I’m experimenting with multiple proven patterns, substituting UV. Otherwise, the recipe and tying technique are the same. But tyers are creative. Try my new articulated streamer called the “Jailed Rabbit”— named after Spirit River’s UV rabbit strips of the same name.

About The Author.

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

that is) and above. Violet is the color at this low end of 400. Below 400 is “beyond violet” or “ultra-violet”. Humans cannot see UV. After that, science and belief begin to part. It is believed that insects, birds and fish can see UV. So if they can see UV, why is this? Perhaps insects use UV to find each other and to mate. Perhaps if birds and fish can also see that UV, then they can use it to locate and feed on those insects.

Then there is the puzzlement of… well…since humans cannot see UV, then what is it that we see with a UV light? UV has both a reactive and a reflective quality. Reactive is what we see somewhat with the UV of sunlight or intensely with a UV light. The material, natural or man-made, is reacting to the UV light, creating a glow or fluorescence, which fish may pick up on.

Hot spots are an example.

Reflective is absorbing the UV and increasing the intensity of the UV, which is unseen by us but perhaps seen by fish. Peacock is an example of a reflective natural www.HCAmagazine.com

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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FROM THE COLORADO TU PRESIDENT • MARSHALL PENDERGRASS

2016 Rendezvous women in your life who might like to take part - come join the fun! The future of trout fishing and coldwater conservation won’t be strong and secure without the participation of 50+% of our population. To get more involved, or if you have ideas on how we can strengthen

our women’s programs, please reach out to me, your local chapter president, or to our staff coordinator for the women’s initiative, Stephanie Scott (sscott@tu.org). I hope to see you on the water and at a TU event!

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s I write this, we’re preparing for the CTU Annual Meeting and Rendezvous on April 22 - 24 at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. The Rendezvous is a great opportunity for current and prospective TU members to catch up on what all is going on in Colorado related to cold-water conservation and protecting/restoring trout fisheries. A lot of fun and informative events are included.

This year, we have expanded the Women’s Program as part of the overall TU Women’s Initiative to provide more opportunities for women to be a part of CTU’s mission and activities related to cold-water fishing and conservation. Our Rendezvous Women’s events kick off with an inspiring session by Kerri Russell - National TU’s past chairwoman on the Women’s Initiative program, followed by fun events such as Tenkara instruction, Canvas & Cocktails (raising funds for Casting for Recovery), and Fly Fishing Film Tour movies. The next day includes motivational talks, fishing trips and cooking classes and then closes out the weekend with a Women’s Sunday brunch.

Getting more women as TU members and active involvement in our 24 chapters across the state is a high priority for CTU. Many of our chapters have established programs specifically to better engage women – from fishing clinics and classes, to fishing trips, to other social gatherings.

So if you are a woman who has been thinking about getting involved – or if you know

About

The

Schedule a Trip Today!

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Author.

Marshall Pendergrass is President of Colorado Trout Unlimited. You can contact him via the Colorado TU website at coloradotu.org.

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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Protect Ou r Rivers, Colorado!

When you hit the road for you r next fishing trip, show you r su pport for Colorado’s rivers by displaying this ultra-cool license plate on you r vehicle.

Trout Unlimited Colorado Denver 1536 Wynkoop Street Suite 320 Denver, CO 80202 Office: 303-440-2937

Donate just $25 to Colorado TU, and you are eligible for a “Protect Our Rivers” license plate (plus standard state specialty license plate fee and registration).

Proceeds support on-the-ground river conservation and education programs through Colorado TU – your dollars go directly back to helping the rivers you love.

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Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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Colorado TU Honors Denver Water at Gala

Photos courtesy of Joshua Duplechian

By Colorado TU Staff

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

www.HCAmagazine.com

A

t its annual River Stewardship Gala on March 10, Colorado Trout Unlimited honored Denver Water with the 2016 River Stewardship Award for their work in urban water conservation and collaborative efforts in river stewardship.

25 years after the Two Forks Dam battle- a plan that would’ve constructed a 615′ tall dam along the South Platte, Denver Water has now engaged their former adversaries as partners in an effort to conserve our state’s watersheds.

“That’s a remarkable and encouraging sign of progress in protecting the rivers that help sustain Colorado’s wildlife, communities and recreation economy,” said David Nickum, Colorado TU Executive Director. “In the years since the Two Forks veto, Denver Water has truly changed its culture…. Colorado TU is pleased to recognize Denver Water for its leadership in promoting partnerships that not only supply water to Denver citizens, but also promote stewardship of Colorado’s rivers as well.” www.HCAmagazine.com

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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“Part of what makes Colorado an amazing state are our great cities, variety of recreational opportunities and beautiful natural environment. Denver Water is committed to continuing to collaboratively work together with partners from all sectors to keep our rivers healthy,” said Jim Lochhead, Denver Water CEO/manager. “We’re honored to receive the 2016 River Stewardship Award from Trout Unlimited and look forward to continuing our work with them in the future.”

As part of working with conservation organizations like TU, Denver Water has incorporated Learning

by Doing (LBD), a monitoring and adaptive management program to maintain and restore or enhance the aquatic environment. Under the LBD project, Denver Water has agreed to be flexible in delivering flows of water as well as invest in habitat and water quality restoration and conservation efforts.

Denver Water has also worked on river stewardship through the South Platte Protection Plan- an alternative to designating parts of the South Platte as a Wild and Scenic River after the Two Forks Dam veto. The South Platte Plan promoted collaboration to protect flows, support investment in river-related values, and improve water quality and watershed health. The Plan also inspired the creation of the Coalition for the Upper South Plattea group that has helped direct millions of dollars into watershed restoration efforts.

Denver Water has also made great strides on water conservation. Denver currently provides water supply to about 25 percent of Colorado’s population with less than 2 percent of all the water used in the state. They have worked with customers to reduce water use by more than 20 percent over the past 10 years, despite a 10 percent increase in population over that time.

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Back from Disaster: Fish Passage & Partnership on South St. Vrain Creek

By Danielle Adams

W

hen fierce flooding destroys not only a town, but also the town’s primary resource, it becomes an extreme challenge to bounce back.

However, when St. Vrain Creek experienced 500-year floods in 2013, the small town of Lyons rebounded in a big way. In the process they showed how a community can come together for the sake of their river.

From September 10th to 13th 2013, multiple days of severe rain pummeled the Front Range, and caused catastrophic flash floods. The small town of Lyons received the brunt of the storm’s might, receiving more than 17 inches of precipitation. Unparalleled rainfall caused the otherwise tame St. Vrain Creek to rise to around ten times its normal water volume.

Lyons sits precariously at the center of two canyons.

The North and South St. Vrain Creeks flow down their respective canyons and confluence near the heart of Lyons. This confluence forms the St. Vrain Creek Basin, a tributary to the South Platte River. When the rain fell relentlessly, the two St. Vrain sub-basins channeled raging water directly into Lyons.

The flooding caused immense damage to dozens of irrigation diversion structures throughout the St. Vrain Valley and surrounding watersheds. Consequently, the initial reconstruction and restoration efforts began to take shape in the form of stream diversion and fish passage methods on the South St. Vrain Creek.

The imminent need to rebuild local irrigation and diversion structures took precedence in the area, at times pushing the needs of the aquatic environment to the back burner. Post-flood discussion focused on the needs of the community members, though environmental activism shone through. Thus the engineering strategy used was incredibly vital to promote a healthy riparian and aquatic community. A post restoration report prepared

by Crane Associates described the process of changing 30

High Country Angler • Spring 2016

the point of diversion, and moving it upgradient, as a design approach called “chasing grade upstream.” This means essentially that the point of diversion is moved far enough upstream to direct water into the existing ditch with only the use of gravity. This proved to be—by far—a more cost effective and natural way to repair the flood zone while maximizing irrigation efficiency.

The ultimate goal of the fish passage project was to stabilize the creek and improve the aquatic environment by creating a low flow channel. According to the Lyons Recovery Action Plan, the $364,000 St. Vrain Creek restoration includes the addition of rock formations and re-vegetation, in order to reintroduce wetlands, slow the flow of the river, and create natural areas for fish and plants to thrive. Twelve root wads (large trees with a 20 to 30 foot trunk attached) were donated and delivered

by Boulder County Parks and Open Space. Installation of these root wads adds habitat complexity to the stream bank, and provides fish cover during medium to high flow events. Several boulder clusters were also installed both upstream and downstream of the intake structure to provide additional vital aquatic habitat.

The St. Vrain Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited (SVATU) contributed $2,500 to cover the cost of outreach and education efforts, which demonstrated how this project would serve as a viable model for future diversion reconstruction projects. Colorado Trout Unlimited secured a $120,000 fish passage grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help rebuild the diversion in a manner that preserves passage of trout and local native fish. The Colorado Water Conservation Board contributed another $170,000 through the Water Supply Reserve Account grant program. Additionally the South Ledge and the Meadow Ditch companies transported and stockpiled more than 300 cubic yards of large rock with an approximate total value of $30,000 ($50/cubic www.HCAmagazine.com

Before

yard), as an in-kind donation.

In hopes that the wider community will view the passage project as a pivotal example of what is possible, SVATU Chapter President Erik Wilkinson describes the project ultimately as an important demonstration, and strong foothold on the road to post-flood restoration. “The team and their approach exemplify the strength of a creative design process that considers the needs of all the stakeholders,” explained Wilkinson.

“The team did not simply fall back on obsolete, damaging, and easy solutions, but took the time to explore beyond the traditional, identifying new designs that support the broad stakeholder community along the South St. Vrain.”

The Meadow and South Ledge Ditch Diversion Reconstruction and Fish Passage Demonstration Project was completed in May 2015. The project included reconstruction and merging of irrigation diversions, removing hindrance of passage to www.HCAmagazine.com

After

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Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

31

trout and native fish, and delivering a full decree of irrigation water to the contributing ditch company shareholders.

The St. Vrain Creek Coalition, a nonprofit assisting in flood recovery along the St. Vrain, will study whether diversion structures and fish passages similar to the Meadow & South Ledge model could work up and down the entire St. Vrain.

Looking forward, the restoration of the St. Vrain Creek carries on.

In association with the North St. Vrain Creek Restoration project, the focus turns to the next phase of permanent repairs. The City of Longmont and Boulder County are working jointly to coordinate restoration work at the Button Rock Preserve, in conjunction with Longmont Dam Road reconstruction.

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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Longmont Dam Road, which experienced a great deal of flood damage, is also being refurbished.

Boulder County completed temporary repairs soon after floodwaters receded and is currently working on permanent repairs. The collaborative restoration will enable 1,800 feet of river below the Button Rock Dam to rehabilitate—functionally and ecologically—for future generations.

As exemplified in the South St. Vrain Creek fish passage project, the goal for continuing projects remains the same- stabilize the creek and improve the aquatic environment by creating a low flow channel. Lyons was awarded a Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery for restoration of the St. Vrain Creek.

In late 2014, SVATU partnered with South Creek Ltd. to co-sponsor the 2015 Cane Conclave. Proceeds from the event and the auction were in excess of $28,000, dedicated to the restoration effort. According to SVATU “the philosophy of the planned work is to keep the river as natural as possible, minimizing changes to the current geometry.”

The Saint Vrain Fish Passage Demonstration project has the ability to be one of the most crucial examples for Colorado to showcase its leadership nationwide for meaningful flood recovery. In the face of destruction and detriment, maintaining meaningful fish habitat must remain at the forefront of restoration efforts. This project demonstrates that it is both possible and economical to improve trout, vegetation, and stream ecology, all while rebuilding the safety and strength of our infrastructure and communities.

To Learn More.

To learn more about this story and Colorado Trout Unlimited, visit, www.coloradotu.org. www.HCAmagazine.com

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THE LAST CAST

•

JOHN NICKUM

Are Trout the Next GMO?

Q

GMO fish are back in the headlines; especially since the announcement last November when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an announcement officially approving genetically engineered Atlantic salmon for human food. What’s next? GMO rainbows, cutthroats, brookies? Should anglers be worried? What would happen to the “balance of nature” that has developed in our lakes and streams over eons of time?

A

Regular readers may remember that I addressed a related question a couple of years ago. Those readers may also remember that I am generally supportive of modern genetic research and practices that result in more efficient and more reliable production of healthy human food. Extending genetic engineering to the production of fish to be stocked in our streams and lakes is a different situation. I’m not ready for that… and probably will never be ready for stocking genetically engineered fish. Stocking genetically engineered fish just for the purposes of enhancing the numbers, catchability, and performance of fish headed for an angler’s creel is not worth the financial costs and potential environmental costs. I do not foresee resource management agencies getting into genetic engineering. Genetic modification based on traditional animal husbandry practices is a different story.

It’s important… very important… to remember the distinction between genetic modification and genetic engineering; something some food-safety and environmental activists either don’t understand, or choose to ignore. The general public ends up in a state of perpetual confusion caused by claims, counter-claims, and belief-driven pseudoscience. Genetic engineering is just one form of genetic modification, albeit a rather extreme form. The genetically engineered products (seeds) from Monsanto provoke different concerns than Aqua Bounty’s “super salmon”.

Genetic modification from generation to generation has occurred naturally throughout the history of life on earth.

The genetic makeup of each generation is slightly different from that of the preceding generation–except for those simpler 34

High Country Angler • Spring 2016

species that can reproduce asexually, and even there, mutations occur. The changes caused by mutation and genetic recombination result in variation among the populations that make up a species. If populations within a species are reproductively isolated, major changes can develop over time. It is important to remember that these natural changes are not driven in a particular direction; a sharp contrast to the human induced changes from “artificial selection”. Chance is a very important factor in nature. A state of “détente” exists among the genes found in natural populations… a state that we call “the balance of nature”.

Chance variations that do not improve the species ability to survive and reproduce are “weeded out” over time–we call this “natural selection”. Those changes that have “adaptive value” in ever-changing environments will be represented in greater numbers in successive generations and are the basic process for evolutionary change.

We tend to think of natural environments as being permanent, but keep in mind that most habitats now inhabited by trout were buried under huge ice sheet just 15,000 years ago.

When humans manipulate genetic selection (“artificial selection”), we are attempting to promote those characteristics that we want in each species, whether or not that is good for the species in its natural environment. We have been practicing artificial selection to produce crops and domestic animals that have traits we like, ever since the beginning of agriculture thousands of years ago. Crops such as wheat, rice, oats, and corn are very different from the plants they were derived from in the ancient past. Likewise, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, horses, and hogs have undergone serious modification by human interventions. Look no further than the various breeds of these animals for proof of what can be done by way of artificial selection.

Genetic engineering speeds up changes desired by humans, usually by transferring specific genes (DNA) from one species into a different species so as to incorporate characteristics that were never known in the species receiving the new genetic material. Such transfers are nearly impossible in nature; therefore, in the eyes of some

critics, geneticists who conduct genetic engineering activities are “playing God”.

I had a long conversation recently at an international aquaculture conference, with Dr. Ron Stotish, the CEO of AquaBounty, the company that developed the genetically engineered salmon approved by the FDA for human consumption. I can assure readers that Dr. Stotish has no “God envy”, nor is he another Dr. Frankenstein. He is a dedicated scientist, who is committed to improving the production of an important form of human food, the Atlantic salmon. The race between global food production and human reproduction needs all the help it can get from advances in technology; including genetic engineering. Dr. Stotish and his colleagues are just as concerned about keeping those genetically engineered salmon in captivity as are the anti-GMO activists. Given the design and siting of the farms where the salmon are, and will be, produced; there is virtually no likelihood of anglers encountering them in the wild.

Given the costs of developing and producing genetically engineered fish, I do not foresee trout farmers launching an effort to develop genetic engineering. The probability of resource management agencies developing, and stocking, such fish essentially is zero. If the resource agencies do anything to increase numbers and performance of hatchery reared fish it will be focused on changing hatchery methods and feeds to produce fish that look and act more like wild fish, or (as with whirling disease in Colorado) to incorporate disease resistance.

About

The

Author.

John Nickum, is a retired PhD. fishery biologist whose career has included positions as professor at research universities including Iowa State and Cornell University, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s fisheries research facility in Bozeman, MT, and science officer for the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Mountain-Prairie Region. He was inducted into the National Fish Culture Hall of Fame in 2008.

www.HCAmagazine.com

www.HCAmagazine.com

Spring 2016 • High Country Angler

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High Country Angler • Spring 2016

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