Mountain Fishing At Its Best

Simple steps to a great day of Colorado fly-fishing

By Janice O’Shea

 

On a workday, 6:00 am is too early; on a fishing day it’s not early enough.

            Whatever time you get started on your fishing adventure, the hours seem to zip by. Like no other sport, fly fishing provides us with an excuse to get away from the bustle of modern day and immerse our thoughts in insect life, strike indicators, split shot, leaders, tippet, water currents, selection and presentation of flies, and of course, the fish we are pursuing. This may sound like a lot of intellectual information on our day off, but amazingly, the mind seems more relaxed when it is thinking about these items. 

One of the first things an angler should be knowledgeable about is etiquette. A basic rule of thumb is don’t crowd and respect another anglers position. And that includes not fishing directly across stream from another angler on small or medium sized streams. Colorado has a large number of small and medium sized streams and rivers.

Upon approaching a river or stream, an angler must seine or go insane. Seine means to stick a white net over the fishing net and kick some rocks up while holding the net under water. Aquatic insects from the bottom will float into the seine. This is a primary step to becoming successful in fly-fishing. The insects gathered in the seine will tell the angler what imitations to use.

And speaking of aquatic insects, there are four kinds. One in particular, the case caddis, adheres to rocks underwater. These insects are fascinating to learn about. They build casings around their larva bodies by the saliva from their mouths. We are also finding that they communicate underwater with each other by making a clicking noise. This clicking noise may warn of predators in the area.

Another aquatic insect, the mayfly nymph lives about one year underwater. They send a chemical through the water that may also warn of predators.  Their nemesis is the stonefly, a prehistoric looking nymph that lives underwater from one to five years depending on the species. Certain species of the stonefly prey on the mayfly nymphs.

Trout spend most of their feeding lives underwater either on the bottom or mid-depth depending on the insects that migrate in the water.

Most trout are caught sub-surface. Nymphing is the name of the fly-fishing technique that we use to catch trout underwater.  Trout are found near the bottom of streams or rivers because that is where there is most insect activity and the water current is slower. As a trout moves toward the surface, the current may be faster.

There are different ways to rig your line to catch trout underwater. A 7 1⁄2 or 9 foot tapered 4x leader is a good length and strength to fish with in most rivers in Colorado.  Eight inches of tippet can be added to the leader to attach the first fly.  Twelve or fourteen inches of tippet can be added to the first fly to attach the second fly.  Two life stages of the insect can be imitated with two flies, increasing the chances of catching trout or possibly catching two at the same time.

Split shot is added to give weight to the flies to get them on the bottom or close to the bottom of the water. The amount of split shot to put above the first fly is determined by the depth of the water. 

Indicators are attached to the leader so that the angler can tell when a trout takes the fly. There is a rule of thumb in fly fishing that states that the indicators should be put on the leader at a point that is two times the depth of the water.  Even with polarized sunglasses, it is very difficult to determine the depth of the water.  Light refraction causes water to look shallower than it really is. Set the indicators about half way up the leader, and make adjustments by moving them down or up to get the fly near the bottom or where trout are feeding.  Using two indicators spaced eight inches apart will give the flies a better drift, and it will be easier to detect subtle strikes by the trout. Trout will take the fly in and spit the fly out in micro-seconds. Their reactions are said to be twenty times faster than ours.  Sometimes we can’t see the trout take our fly, so using indicators gives us an added edge.

A seine and polarized sunglasses are two very important pieces of equipment for an angler to have. Has hard has this may be, put the rod and reel down for awhile and observe trout moving and feeding underwater and near the surface.

Seine the water and watch how the insects move in the net seine, and in the water. Notice their size, shape and color. One of the most important keys to successful fly-fishing is to match the most predominant insect in the seine with what is in the fly box. If trout get selective, the angler will have to match the size, shape, color and behavior of the insects or terrestrials. Faster water may hold different insects than slower moving water. It is a good idea to seine each different fishing spot.

Many places in Colorado offer the opportunity to enjoy tremendous scenery, wildlife, and great fishing. High mountain lakes and streams are perfect getaways for those that enjoy hiking and fishing for native cutthroats, and brook trout.

Many destinations along the Front Range offer a variety of different types of fishing; trout, bass, pike, tiger muskie, carp, walleye, perch, crappie and many others. A drive of 2 hours from Denver can put an angler on trophy trout waters.

Enjoy the summer, and practice catch and release!

 

About the Author

Janice O'Shea is a native of Colorado and has fished since she was 8 years
old. She has fly fished more than 20 years. Janice is a veteran teacher
with degrees in elementary and secondary education. She has turned her
passion and commitment for the outdoors to guiding and teaching Fly Fishing
in Colorado. Janice established her company, Trout Trips, LLC, 8 years ago,
and is currently the guide service for 3 fly shops in the Denver metro
area. She is anxious to share her knowledge and provide a memorable
flyfishing experience for you. Visit Janet's website at www.trouttrips.com