Challenge Accepted

Releasing a great Blue River rainbow!

This rainbow ate a size 24 blue poison tongue variation that I tie.

Greg with the nicest fish of the day!

As most western anglers know, the true challenge of trout fishing can come in the dead of winter. Due to colder water temps and unpredictable weather in the Front Range of Colorado, the available tail-water fisheries can challenge any angler. Greg and I spent a cold December day chasing some beautiful tail-water rainbows.
The Blue River in Silverthorne, CO offers some of the most challenging trout fishing in Colorado. With water becoming limited due to low flows, we hoped to apply our site fishing techniques that naturally develop while guiding in R.M.N.P.  The drive from Estes to Silverthorne gives you enough time to drink plenty of coffee, while discussing the days tactics and game plan pursuit of these "highly fished" waters.
I like to be one of the first anglers on the river. Although temps can rarely enter the double digits before 9 a.m., its always beneficial to get the polarized glasses on with hopes of spotting some nice red-sided rainbows. At this point in the year, the hope is that we can truly "hunt" some of these big fish. We rarely blind cast, and often we work a spotted fish until we dial in what their eating on.  I'm a firm believer in setting yourself up for success. Many anglers don't have the patience to work a fish for 20-40 minutes.  That being said, our patience truly allowed for us to have  a great day on the water. Having fished the Blue over the last five years, I've had some high number days, but never hooked and landed as many big fish as we did. Before the regular lunch break at a local burrito joint, we both had landed about three fish that were considered "above average" for the Blue.

These fish were found in groups of 2-4, sitting in slightly faster water, while feeding about 6-8 inches from the bottom of the river bed. Using a tungsten lead fly, with a #6 non-toxic split truly got the flies down quick. Without a strong midge hatch occurring its always important to get the flies down fast and in line with where the fish are holding.  Strong movement towards flies can be limited this time of year due to water temps and low flows. The 7X fluoro did its job, and we were encouraged that these trout were willing to eat our bugs. From dead drift streamers, to sz. 26 midge pupas, we felt very encouraged with our results.  As fly anglers, the joy of getting out should precede the amount of hook-ups, but once in a while you just stick em!

Getting to fish with a fellow guide is always a positive experience.  We always learn something new, with the hopes of getting to come back and try it all over again! Thanks Greg for a great day of fishing and friendship.

Tight Lines,

A.J.