Colorado River Monsters (fishing)

All week the CLP has been good times... Follow new regs for everything past Kelly flats re the burn area. Stimulators yellow/orange or a cicada either one with a green caddis dropper has been productive... Listen for the cicada in the trees for best results. Also I've seen some large green hummingbirds munching the hatch. Cool to see. Sorry no pics just my anecdote and experience to live vicariously through or encourage you to get out .... Going to head to the Thompson next week much as I can before we head to Montrose Thursday with Rochelles Aunt for a trip to the Gunnison... Gonna make a few stops myself along the way again.....

 

Took the day off Friday to hike-n-fish. Targeted brook above tree line since I've never caught them that high up. No problem catching them - they were very active rising. Elk Hair Caddis was their favorite. Once I was satiated, I was peeping the creek that ran from the lake. It was running high and fast, but I found a wide spot where I spied something that did not look like a brook. Broke out the 1wt with 7x and a size 22 purple zebra midge emerger I tied... and it nailed it first drift. Turns out it was a cutthroat. Love finding fish in those little creeks!

 

Looks like a greenback

 

Maybe. The only "greenback" I've caught was in Herman Gulch, but I feel like I read somewhere there was controversy over them being greenbacks or colorado river cutthroats. I've not researched stocking reports, etc. for this area to know what it may be.

 

I caught a BC sea monster this week

 

Wow! The colors are amazing on this fish!

 

I helped remove the trout from Herman Gulch so they could stock Greenbacks several years ago.

Of course, there are various genetic "versions" of Greenbacks and I think the most pure strain was discovered after this down by Durango. I remember a big operations by CPW to get them out ahead of the big fire they had a bit ago

 

voluntary closure on Colorado River - Kremling to Rifle https://theknow.denverpost.com/2021/07/07/colorado-river-fishing-closure/262288/

 

Total bummer. I feel like the floating season is already coming to an end.

 

Thanks for posting, I missed that notice.
Also in there
A voluntary closure may be declared today on the Yampa River in the Steamboat Springs area

Weird that it seems to be a full closure over the usually afternoon closures. Also says Fraser valley (upper CO & Fraser rivers) are also getting close to a closure

 

Caught this one today, coloring seemed like it was really weird… Cuttyrainbrown.

 

lol - yah thats a head scratcher ..

 

Picked another brook trout lake at tree line to check out. Took my oldest boy to try to get him his first fish on a fly rod, which he got for his birthday five weeks ago. He ended up landing nine in total; I only managed eleven. This was the fourth time he's been on the water (he's with me every other week) and everything went well (for once!). So glad we broke the ice. He now understands the magic and pleasure of fly fishing.

 

Thats awesome!

 

That's awesome happy bday to him

 

Checked out for the first time one of the few spots with genuine greenback cutthroats. I covered a little over a half a mile in five hours scrambling and bushwhacking my way upstream. It was a blast and I'm looking forward to going further up in the future.

 

Heads up, the Upper C is open to fishing from Kremmling to State Bridge. They're releasing from Green Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake. Go snag a few while you can!

https://theknow.denverpost.com/2021/07/14/colorado-river-fishing-closures/262763/

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CROTGv_p_w_/

Looks like I need to add Prince Edward Island (PEI) to my list, supersized Brookies, yes please.

*said it measured 22”

 

Popped over to Urad Lake after doing some wheelin' to catch tiger trout this year. Only managed two, along with a bunch of rainbows and several brook. The rising was on fire! Even during the light rain you could see all the activity.

 

I caught a few fishies over the week. There's one spot on the San Miguel where you can catch a fish every cast. Managed 30 fish in the net in 30 minutes. 3 doubles too.