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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 21:49:06 GMT -6
I was fortunate enough to get to spend 36 days in SW Colorado this summer. The runoff was still producing flows close to 1000 CFS the first week I was there. So I threw the 8w with some big streamers and had limited success on the bigger water. The local watering holes benefited most from these high flows, a beer was waiting for me on the bar whenever I walked in by the end of the first week. I got to fish with Pete, Kevin and our friend Ryan, who all guide out of Lake City Co in the summers, and we hit several smaller creeks and tore up the brookies, native cuts, and browns. When the flows got down into the 700 range the second week, I switched over to my 5w and threw nothing but dries the rest of the trip. Flows continued to drop and by the 3rd week, it was on. Pete and I got into a crazy caddis hatch one afternoon, after a quick rain shower, and we quickly lost count of how many fish were landed. My go to flies for the trip were Rubber leg Stimulators, size 6-12, orange, yellow, royal, and purple, depending on cloud cover and available light. The stonefly and salmon fly hatches were sporadic and lasted almost my entire trip. Average water temps were around 55 degrees. Air temps were around 75 degrees most days, and we had the daily showers with a few severe thunderstorms that forced us to take cover in various caves and under overhangs. I slept most nights in my hammock and am very glad I brought my bug net; mosquitoes were out in force this year. I had a few close calls with death, loose rocks while driving on a steep mountain road, a cougar in the middle of the night, and a massive tree falling 5 yards from me, parallel with my hammock, in the early morning hours. But it was totally worth it. The last week of my trip, Coach, his friend David and Aaron came up and we fished around Lake City. We got into some pretty amazing hatches and everyone landed some really nice fish. The 25” brown that I was chasing didn’t ever materialize, but I landed some great cutbows, and tons of nice browns. I am sadly back in Dallas, but I am ready to get back up to the LMF to see the new river and start taking out trips again. Hope to see you guys on the water soon.
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 21:50:51 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:08:35 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:11:03 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:12:18 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:13:12 GMT -6
Pete landed that native cut that looked like somebody had thrown red paint all over it. One of the prettiest fish ive ever seen
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:25:07 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:35:15 GMT -6
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 22:53:25 GMT -6
 Kevin and I had to sit in this cave for over an hour while the lightning crashed around us. |
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Post by alv on Aug 9, 2015 23:18:56 GMT -6
102 degrees as I pursued the bass and crappie tonight at 7:35pm here in Texas. These photos cooled me down and brought back some great memories. Nice work on the fish and photography.
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Post by TAStockton on Aug 9, 2015 23:25:20 GMT -6
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Post by turfdawg on Aug 10, 2015 4:48:32 GMT -6
Beautiful photos
Thank you so much for sharing. It was greatly needed during these dog days of summer.
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Post by mirvc17 on Aug 10, 2015 7:40:45 GMT -6
Now that's a vacation! Thanks for the great photos--beautiful fish!
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Post by golferjeff on Aug 10, 2015 8:01:55 GMT -6
I wanna go there, too 
Great photos. Love that paint splashed cuttie. Big but skinny Brookie, too. As always, TA, well done. |
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Post by brandon on Aug 10, 2015 8:20:14 GMT -6
nice pics. thanks for sharing
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Post by slim on Aug 10, 2015 10:06:23 GMT -6
Some great whiskers there TA !!
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Post by dainw on Aug 10, 2015 10:52:06 GMT -6
Wow looks like a great trip. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I don't know about everyone else on this board, but for me, Lake City is next up on the list of cool places that I need to fish.
Also, nothing but dries for 3 weeks? That's epic.
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Post by mirvc17 on Aug 10, 2015 13:23:20 GMT -6
Yeah no kidding. Way fewer flies lost to the bottom, less tangles, easier casting, greater accuracy/distance and visible takes. Sounds pretty sweet.
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Post by underhillsbill on Aug 10, 2015 20:32:07 GMT -6
Amazing pictures, incredible trip. Thanks for sharing. 4-5 days would be epic in my book, can't imagine a month+.. Beautiful colors especially that cutthroat
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Post by breeden3 on Aug 10, 2015 21:21:22 GMT -6
T.A. man, another epic trip in the books. Looking forward to the fall. That big brown is still sulking under some log jam right now. His day will come on your streamer. Dain, I am telling you brotha, you will never experience another place like Lake City. If you want, you never have to tie on a nymph the entire time you are there, and you will still catch big fish all day long. I will be adding a few fish....all dry fly caught. The following pics are a few fish I have caught on dries.    |
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Post by breeden3 on Aug 10, 2015 21:32:22 GMT -6
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Post by breeden3 on Aug 10, 2015 21:33:27 GMT -6
A few more.    This is just a taste of what we catch on dry flies to whet the appetites. Come see us in Lake City! |
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Post by mirvc17 on Aug 10, 2015 21:42:53 GMT -6
Awesome. Peter...two words...new hat. :-)
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Post by dainw on Aug 11, 2015 14:44:51 GMT -6
Never have to tie on a nymph? Sold! Next big trip will definitely be to Lake City.
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Post by plastic worm on Aug 11, 2015 15:35:01 GMT -6
Wow, there are trips to take and those to avoid. I'm thinking this one should be avoided. It'll ruin you for everything else. Amazing trip!!
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Aaron up top with a nice brown by the waterfall
