Blue River Anglers announces its NEW Ski and Snowboard tuning shop~ Tunes on the Fly!
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Blue-River-Anglers-announces-Tunes-on-the-Fly.html?soid=1102045959367&aid=tYxw0-kUZ0Y
Friday, November 25, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Time to Diversify
We have all heard to adage to diversify in your investments for smart security and growth and in the past few years this has definitely been something to really think about and live by.
For the past few winters Blue River Anglers has added an online store, e-mail marketing to try and keep off-season business streaming, by offering specials and keeping our customers informed. This has been fairly effective but still has not allowed Blue River Anglers to have enough cash flow through the winter months without running a deficit.
So for the winter of 2011-2012 we are getting into the Ski and Snowboard tuning business. We have cleaned out the back room, put in a workbench, bought a Grindrite Snowboard/Ski grinder and all the necessary equipment.
With the necessary equipment comes twenty some years of experience from being a part owner of a shop in Washington State to managing a couple ski and snowboard shops before starting Blue River Anglers in 1997. This is nothing new to me, it was just time to diversify and utilize the space and many snowy months we have in the High Country.
I am very excited to offer my skills to all of you this winter, so please bring in your equipment and let me clean it up, make you go fast and stop on a dime!
With all this being said this is also a time of year to diversify your fishing.
Fall and early winter is a big transitional period, with the streams low and clear, Browns, Brook Trout and Salmon spawning, Blue Wing Olive hatches and cold fronts on the move. What works one day cannot even get a fish interested the next.
This is where having a diverse arsenal of fishing techniques comes into play. If you have all the bases covered your fishing will be more effective and fun.
To have a diverse arsenal make sure you can Nymph fish, Streamer fish, Dry Dropper, Triple Trouble Dropper fish (shallow water nymph fishing) and Dry Fly fish. If you have all these techniques in your arsenal and more importantly are willing to give a different technique a try, you more than likely will have a successful day on the water.
Happy Fishing and Now Skiing!
Please come in and check out the shop, I will comp your first Quick Tune! (Rates are below)
Are Off-Season special is book your trip for 2012 by 12-31-2011 and receive 15% off
.
Trips must be used by 10-31-1012!
Ezekiel Hersh
Ski and Snowboard Tuning
Rates
Quick Tune - Side edge and buff wax - $10
Hot Wax - Hot wax, scrape and buff - $10
Quick Tune Plus - Side edge and hot wax - $20
Basic Tune - Base grind, machine edge and hot wax (no p-tex work) - $30
Full Tune - Base grind and edge, p-tex base (possible estimate), hand file and hot wax - $40
Six-Pack – Buy any 5 tune punch card receive the 6th for free
Monday, September 12, 2011
BWO Season is here!
With the last week of cooler weather in the High Country the fishing has been getting "HOT" after a brief "Dog Days" period we experienced.
The float and wade fishing trips we have been putting out have had some great reports, especially the float fishing trips on the Colorado.
We have also been seeing some good Blue Wing Olive or Baetis Hatches on cloudy and rainy days. Get up here on those cold and nasty days for some "Hot Fishing"!
The Kokanee Salmon are also staging at Green Mountain Reservoir and getting ready to enter the Blue River. Get here while they are fresh!
Lastly this is also the time of year to catch some "Monster" Brown trout on the S. Platte, Colorado, Blue River and more!
Get up here and remember are fall special!
10% OFF trips booked in from 9-6-2011 to 11-21-2011
The float and wade fishing trips we have been putting out have had some great reports, especially the float fishing trips on the Colorado.
We have also been seeing some good Blue Wing Olive or Baetis Hatches on cloudy and rainy days. Get up here on those cold and nasty days for some "Hot Fishing"!
The Kokanee Salmon are also staging at Green Mountain Reservoir and getting ready to enter the Blue River. Get here while they are fresh!
Lastly this is also the time of year to catch some "Monster" Brown trout on the S. Platte, Colorado, Blue River and more!
Get up here and remember are fall special!
10% OFF trips booked in from 9-6-2011 to 11-21-2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Great Late Season
This year has been a challenging one for anyone in the fly-fishing business or just a fly fisherman for that matter. With record snow pack in the high country, the run off lasted well into July. This made for tough fishing! Our trips were having success through this tough season, but if you were not a guide or fishing with one the fishing could be tough.
Late July and August has brought some great fishing to the high country. We may have missed some of the key hatches, such as the Green Drake on the Blue River and a few others, but we have found healthy trout and plenty of bug life. This year’s dry fly fishing has not really lived up to expectations but the nymph and dry dropper fishing has been excellent with plenty of plump fish eating nymph patterns.
The next two months bring my favorite fly fishing and float fishing season to the high country; the fall. The fall brings cooler temperatures to the low and warm waters of late summer. The cooler temperatures kick the bug activity back into action and of course the fishing with it. This year will be no different except that water levels have not even been close to low. What this means is fat fish, good hatches and great levels on all the rivers, whether floating or wading. This also means less spooky fish and with the higher water levels we should see hatches lasting well into October and even November on many rivers.
Everyone at Blue River Anglers is talking about the great fall season about to hit here in Colorado. We are very excited about all of our wade fishing rivers that will be fishing great, deep into the fall and early winter. We are most excited about the great float fishing season we are about to encounter. Fall is probably the best season for float fishing here in Colorado and not only will we be floating the upper stretches of the Colorado, but we also have a permit for the Lower Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers in the Glenwood Springs area. The lower Colorado and Roaring Fork sections of stream have fishing and float fishing seasons that last a good month or two longer, with warmer temperatures lasting early winter. This means float trips up to Thanksgiving, some years!
I know I am going to enjoy this fall fishing season for my missed spring season and I hope you all will come out and take advantage of the great fall fishing season here in Colorado and make up for your missed fishing trips from the spring.
To help encourage you to get out here and experience the Fall season, we want to offer a SPECIAL FALL DISCOUNT- All trips booked on dates between 9-6-2011 to 11-21-2011 will receive 10% OFF.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Now is the time, get there!
The summer fishing season in the Rocky Mountains has been quite challenging in the past couple of months. With record snowfall in the mountains from Canada to Colorado our rivers have been swollen to record levels. With all this high water the fishing has been challenging, but our trips have been quite successful in these challenging months.
The past couple of months I have heard many times, that the water was too high to fish from many customers. Most the time, they were told from someone who had heard from someone who heard from someone, that you couldn’t fish this time of year. The fishing can be challenging, but also very rewarding! I always would recommend fishing with a guide this time of year, unless you fish often and know the local areas well. That is what we are here for, to get people into fish even in the toughest conditions!
The good news is that the streams dropping to perfect levels, the hatches are happening and the fish are hungry. We are planning on an amazing late summer and fall of fishing.
Many people have also asked and speculated on how the health of the streams and trout will be after such a high water season. The answer is the rivers and trout are going to benefit greatly! This means clean rivers with abundant bug life and of course that means healthy streams and fat healthy trout.
The fishing is getting better and better every day! The Arkansas River is “Hot”, the upper Colorado is fishing “Hot”, the South Platte is getting good, The Roaring Fork is “Hot”, the Blue is fishing “Great” and many other streams are fishing “Good” to “Hot” in Colorado. Now is the time, get there!
So book your trip with us for the “Hottest Fishing” we have seen in many years! Stop in for the hot flies and talk some fishing.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Colorado Fly Fishing about to Explode
On most of the Colorado Rivers the flows have been steadily dropping and clearing over the past week. With the exception of some afternoon thunderstorms dropping large amounts of rain in some areas causing some rivers to run off color for a day or so.
What this means is with the clear water and flows dropping the fishing will be getting better and better with each day of dropping flows and rising water temperatures.
The last few days that I was able to wet a line, we caught fish in the pockets and edges. Where the fish should have been! Now the fishing I cannot say was super hot, but we managed plenty of hook ups and fish to the net. The only thing really lacking was a little less water and some warmer temperatures to kick the hatches and fish activity into high gear.
With the dropping flows we should see this activity ramp up in the next week or two. So this means get out and fish daily. This is the time of year you can hit one of the “Hot” days on the river.
Fish will be aggressively hitting dries and nymphs alike and as long as the pattern is close I highly doubt you will have many refusals.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Colorado Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing
Colorado Rocky Mountain Fly Fishing
Wow, July is here and it really does not feel like it. For many weeks I was thinking that we were just a couple weeks off of normal, for this time of year. As I look up to the high peaks however, it seems like it may be more like a month.
This has definitely slowed the fishing here in Colorado but we have been being selective on trips and finding some great fishing.
I really think that this is a great way to look at fishing this time of year and in these conditions. You have to be selective of where you are going to fish, selective of the bugs you are going to use and selective of the techniques to present your flies to the fish. If you get these aspects right you will have some great success.
We all love to have easy days with bugs flying and fish gobbling your flies. We will be having these days and I believe they will last all summer; it may just be a couple weeks to a month behind schedule. Now when it does happen hold on! I am talking weeks if not the whole summer with plenty of cool water in our rivers, to keep the hatches popping and fish chowing.
All that being said, don’t hesitate to go fishing right now. These are great days to be on the water, you may be the first one to have that “magic” day; when you can do no wrong and every fly you put on gets chewn to threads. Just remember it is kinda like winning the lottery if you don’t play you can’t win.
So get out and fish! You may be surprised on how good it actually has been.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Late June Fishing Opportunities
Late June Fishing Opportunities
With the substantial amount of snow pack in the high mountains and the extended winter we saw here in Colorado, the hatches and stream flows are about two weeks behind schedule.
Now that does not mean we are not having some good fishing, it’s just that you will have to be picky on where you will be fishing and what flies you will be using. We are still not seeing many hatches if any here in Summit County; like I said before we are just a couple weeks behind schedule. So keep fishing and looking for bugs starting to fly.
Where we’ve been fishing, we have been having some good success. The Blue below Dillon reservoir has been fishing great! We have been nymphing using Mysis shrimp patterns, San Juan Worms, Real Meal nymphs, Soft Hackles and other attractors. Some “Big” fish have been caught!
The upper Blue in the Breckenridge area has also been producing some decent fishing. Attractors nymphs like the Crystal Pheasant Tail, Bubble Back PMD and Prince Nymphs have been doing great.
Another great opportunity is Dillon Reservoir and all the inlets. We have had some great reports of lots of Brown Trout being caught in the current as it comes into the reservoir. Again try attractor nymphs: Crystal Pheasant Tails, San Juan Worms, Prince Nymphs and other attractors.
The upper Arkansas River outside of Leadville has been up and down as of the recent cooler temperatures and then a warm up. The local lakes have been fishing good and the hatches should be happening any day now, which will cause the river fishing to heat up. Down stream below Granite the flows have dropped out of Twin Lakes and this could spur some good action below Granite. Go look for it!
The South Platte upper sections are up and off color, but should be clearing soon. The Dream Stream has been fishing good; look for Caddis, Yellow Sallies and soon the Trico hatch, if it’s not already happening. Spinney and Antero Reservoirs have also been fishing great and if you have not done any Stillwater lake fishing, these are where you should wet a line!
All in all we are on the way to a great summer of fishing, we are just a week or so behind schedule for the hatches. This is a great time of year to get out and do some exploring; you may be the first one to stumble on one of the first big hatches of the season and have the day of your life!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Summer is here!
I have used the photo above before, but it always says so much to me about summer in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
The winter seemed to drag on forever here in Summit County, but finally we broke free of the cold, almost overnight.
This warm spell has brought our streams up to flood stage level, but we have managed to have some great fishing locally and around the state.
The name of the game at this time of year is tail water fisheries and reservoirs. Luckily here in Summit County, we have one of the best year-round tail water fisheries within a five-minute drive from the shop. Fishing the edges and pockets have produced some large trout.
The Spinney and Eleven Mile reservoirs have also been fishing tremendous, with big days and big fish.
Many of the other streams in the area have been on somewhat of a roller coaster ride, with temperatures climbing in the daytime and dropping at night. Some of these rivers have been un-fishable, but many have had good windows of opportunities to wet your fly. Many of these have managed to run clear, even with the high flows. The upper Blue in the Breckenridge area and Williams Fork below Williams Fork Reservoir would be a couple to name.
Summer has definitely hit here in Summit County; the stream flows should start dropping soon and the summer hatches will be on their way. Get a jump on these and get out on the water to brush a little of the rust off!
With the Frisco BBQ coming up this weekend we are looking forward to the un-official start of our summer and hopefully yours in Summit County.
We will be offering some good deals to participants (25% Off anything in the shop) and all visitors (15% Off anything in the shop), so stop in and pick our brains for the best fishing opportunities and flies to use; and pick up a new rod, reel or pack.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you this summer!
Check out our fishing reports!
Ezekiel Hersh
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Colorado High Water Fishing Reports
Most the rivers here in Summit County and Colorado for that matter are on the rise and reaching flood stage, but we are still having some great success on some rivers and reservoirs around the state.
The Williams Fork River below Williams Fork Reservoir has been fishing good. Even with the high flows the water is clear and the fish are eating. We have been using San Juan Worms, Crystal Pheasant Tails, Bubble Back PMD's and more. Check it out!
Upper Arkansas River, upper South Platte people fishing the edges, pockets and banks are catching fish in big attractor patterns.
The South Platte between Spinney and Eleven Mile Reservoirs has been fishing good. Look for Yellow Sallies on the move. Fish the nymph patterns. Also look for Caddis hatching; there can be some great fish activity.
The Blue River in Silverthorne, Colorado has been fishing good. Fish the edges with Skimpy Scampi Mysis Shrimp patterns, San Juan Worms and attractors. Use heavy tippet (3 and 4X) so you have a chance of landing one of the big guys.
Spinney and Antero Reservoirs are fishing hot right now, with non-stop action. If you have tried Stillwater fly-fishing, this is the time to check it out. Book your Lake Float trip with Blue River Anglers now!
So even with high water we have been having great luck and have been hearing of many other people having great success as well. Just make sure you pick the right water and flies. How do you do that you might ask; ask a professional!
Stop in or give a call for the most up to date conditions!
Zeke Hersh
Blue River Anglers
970-668-2583
www.blueriveranglers.com
zeke@blueriveranglers.com
The Williams Fork River below Williams Fork Reservoir has been fishing good. Even with the high flows the water is clear and the fish are eating. We have been using San Juan Worms, Crystal Pheasant Tails, Bubble Back PMD's and more. Check it out!
Upper Arkansas River, upper South Platte people fishing the edges, pockets and banks are catching fish in big attractor patterns.
The South Platte between Spinney and Eleven Mile Reservoirs has been fishing good. Look for Yellow Sallies on the move. Fish the nymph patterns. Also look for Caddis hatching; there can be some great fish activity.
The Blue River in Silverthorne, Colorado has been fishing good. Fish the edges with Skimpy Scampi Mysis Shrimp patterns, San Juan Worms and attractors. Use heavy tippet (3 and 4X) so you have a chance of landing one of the big guys.
Spinney and Antero Reservoirs are fishing hot right now, with non-stop action. If you have tried Stillwater fly-fishing, this is the time to check it out. Book your Lake Float trip with Blue River Anglers now!
So even with high water we have been having great luck and have been hearing of many other people having great success as well. Just make sure you pick the right water and flies. How do you do that you might ask; ask a professional!
Stop in or give a call for the most up to date conditions!
Zeke Hersh
Blue River Anglers
970-668-2583
www.blueriveranglers.com
zeke@blueriveranglers.com
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Warmer Temps
The temperatures have finally started to rise here in Colorado and this means that the rivers are on the rise as well.
The fishing has been blown out on a few local streams, but we are still having great success fishing the Blue River below Dillon Reservoir in Silverthorne, CO. We have been fishing the edges with San Juan Worms, Mysis Shrimp and larger attractor nymphs. Make sure and fish with a friend to help you land the "Big Ones" and use 3 and 4x tippet.
We have also been fishing the upper Blue River in the Breckenridge area with some success as well. Try using larger attractor nymphs on the edges and look for fishing rising in some back waters in the evenings.
The upper Arkansas River in the Leadville and Buena Vista area was fishing good on Monday, but the flows have came up in the last couple of days. I was fishing using a large attractor dry and fishing a long dropper to a #12 bead head stone fly with some good success. Try it out and give me a report.
Check our reports here and stop in the shop for early season deals!
The fishing has been blown out on a few local streams, but we are still having great success fishing the Blue River below Dillon Reservoir in Silverthorne, CO. We have been fishing the edges with San Juan Worms, Mysis Shrimp and larger attractor nymphs. Make sure and fish with a friend to help you land the "Big Ones" and use 3 and 4x tippet.
We have also been fishing the upper Blue River in the Breckenridge area with some success as well. Try using larger attractor nymphs on the edges and look for fishing rising in some back waters in the evenings.
The upper Arkansas River in the Leadville and Buena Vista area was fishing good on Monday, but the flows have came up in the last couple of days. I was fishing using a large attractor dry and fishing a long dropper to a #12 bead head stone fly with some good success. Try it out and give me a report.
Check our reports here and stop in the shop for early season deals!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
The official kick off weekend for summer is here!
The official kick off weekend for summer is here!
Come out and do a little fishing this weekend. We have been having great success on the Blue River in Silverthorne as well as the Blue in the Breckenridge area. The Blue in Silverthorne is high but the fish are on the edges and eating. The Blue in the Breckenridge area is running at a perfect level and clear. Look for Blue Wing Olive hatches and some great fish activity.
We also have been having great days on the upper Arkansas river, with Blue Wing hatches and some great nymphing.
Enjoy the weekend on the water and stop in the shop and visit Ryan!
Monday, May 23, 2011
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/We-need-your-help-to-keep-the-Colorado-River-alive.html?soid=1102415620861&aid=xbj0e0vY9RE
Check out the link below and help keep the Colorado River a River!
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/We-need-your-help-to-keep-the-Colorado-River-alive.html?soid=1102415620861&aid=xbj0e0vY9RE
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/We-need-your-help-to-keep-the-Colorado-River-alive.html?soid=1102415620861&aid=xbj0e0vY9RE
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Blue River in Silverthorne
With many rivers rising or many reservoirs releasing water in anticipation of the spring run off; the best fishing has been found locally on the Blue River through the town of Silverthorne.
We have been having great success on a Mysis shrimp pattern (Scimpy Scampi Mysis) that we custom tied for us. Use the the Scimpy Scampi as an attractor and then try Stalcup's midge larvae in black or red as the dropper. We have also been having success with San Juan Worms, Pheasant tails and more!
The Blue north of Silverthorne has also been fishing good; but no Mysis. Here you can use larger mayfly nymphs, caddis and Stonefly patterns. Maybe even throw a streamer.
The Blue from Dillon up to Breckenridge is also fishing decent; with the report of some Blue Wing Olive hatches.
Get out and fish! Come in the shop and check out some of the new gear. The weekend of 5-14 and 5-15 we are offering 20% off 2 and 3wt rods in stock; from R. L. Winston, Scott Fly Rod Co. and Redington.
25% off Smith Optics in stock, 15% off Wachter Nets and 10% OFF everything else in the store.
We have been having great success on a Mysis shrimp pattern (Scimpy Scampi Mysis) that we custom tied for us. Use the the Scimpy Scampi as an attractor and then try Stalcup's midge larvae in black or red as the dropper. We have also been having success with San Juan Worms, Pheasant tails and more!
The Blue north of Silverthorne has also been fishing good; but no Mysis. Here you can use larger mayfly nymphs, caddis and Stonefly patterns. Maybe even throw a streamer.
The Blue from Dillon up to Breckenridge is also fishing decent; with the report of some Blue Wing Olive hatches.
Get out and fish! Come in the shop and check out some of the new gear. The weekend of 5-14 and 5-15 we are offering 20% off 2 and 3wt rods in stock; from R. L. Winston, Scott Fly Rod Co. and Redington.
25% off Smith Optics in stock, 15% off Wachter Nets and 10% OFF everything else in the store.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
You can't fish high water??
You can’t fish high water
With record snowfall in the mountains of Colorado, the question about runoff and the fishing possibility has been coming up frequently. This is always a question that plagues fly shops in the productive yet forgotten spring fishing season. Many anglers often dismiss April thru June as too cold or too muddy to fish. This can be true on some days, especially this last April, with so many cold and snowy days up in the mountains.
The reality however, is the rivers are coming to life with bug activity and spawning movements. These are the months in Colorado, that give us some of the most famous and prolific hatches of the year; the “Mothers Day” Caddis Hatch; the Salmon Fly Hatch; and Blue Wing Olive Hatches on many rivers throughout Colorado.
Cold days are of course always a deterrent and will keep most inside dry and warm, but the statement that you cannot fish in the high water season has always bothered me. High water does cause problems fishing your favorite hole, like you always do, but let me promise you there is always somewhere to fish!
In high water times, the rivers are swollen and wading, let alone crossing, is really out of the question. Your best option is walking the bank and fishing what is right in front of you. If you fish often, you may know that troubles in the high water season can be found, but the reality is that there are many great fishing opportunities right at your toes and I do mean toes. With toes in mind, I mean short casts and fishing at your feet, along the edges of the river, in back eddies, pockets and behind rocks. There may not be many of these, but each one will hold fish and to quote from and article I just read “I don’t mean a few fish; I mean all of them. Every cotton-pickin’ one in the river.” These little pockets hold many fish in a small area and should be worked until every fish has been caught in the pocket. Make sure you take your time and don’t move on after the first couple of 12-inchers, there may be a hog waiting for the right presentation.
This kind of bank fishing means presentation and rigging are also not very special. I typically use a short nymphing rig, dry dropper set up or if I want to move more water maybe a streamer. I usually like to fish a large dry fly attractor; then drop a large stonefly pattern behind it and maybe trail a third smaller nymph. This time of year, there is a lot of food in the water; from stonefly nymphs, mayfly nymphs, caddis and more and with the water off color, you can usually throw larger patterns.
A comment I hear a lot from people visiting or new to the sport; is that they heard from “someone” that the fishing was not good this time of year, because of the run off. I always ask who told them that, and they often say their waiter, bar tender, etc. This always amazes me; and I usually ask if they would take my word about a profession I knew nothing about. So as we get into the high water season, please take the time to ask your local fly shop of the fishing possibilities, or take a guided trip and take it from the professionals, that this is truly a great time to be fishing! You wouldn’t ask me for a haircut; would you?
Ezekiel Hersh
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