Fishing Bug

The fishing season has begun here in Colorado. Spring is in the air and maybe even a little bit of summer.

With Blue River Angler’s Guide School wrapping up last week. I got a good opportunity to be on the water floating the Colorado for five days straight. What a great way to spark my fishing and floating interest! We worked on skills, both student and instructor and just had a good old time fishing, floating and putting new skills to the test. Really couldn’t of had a better time. 

So now the fishing bug is here, but so is the run off in some of our streams. Notice I said ‘some’. We do have some streams running clear and fishing good. Look for dam releases below reservoirs. 

One locally that is fishing great is the Blue River. The water is high, but the fish are right on the banks. Look for a slow pocket, sneak down next to the bank and peer into the water. I bet you see a ‘Lunker’ right next to you. We have been catching some big ones lately.

Last week at the Guide School, the Colorado was running about 2600 cfs (cubic feet per second) and while there was a little stain to the water and the water was cold, we still caught fish every day. As the week warmed the fishing got better as did the Blue Wing Olive hatch.

The Colorado has since came up to around 3600 cfs, which usually means off color conditions. This can change any day while reservoirs releases are fluctuated for the run- off. One day could be muddy and the next can be clear.

The caddis have been moving up from Canyon City and should be in Salida any day now. The hatch brings some great fishing, but also a lot of fishermen. I recommend trying to stay in front of the hatch and maybe the fishermen.

In a few weeks, we should also see the Salmon flies moving up the Colorado River. There is nothing quite like seeing these huge insects crawling all over the bank and then seeing a trout suck one off the surface. Most years the water is a off color for this hatch but most days the trout still have enough visibility to eat these large insects above and below the surface.

By the time the Salmon fly hatch has come and gone, we will be in full swing of fishing season. Hatches will be numerous and the trout hungry.  Make sure you get in the weeks to come and get a little of the ‘rust’ off.

Give us call for conditions and make sure you get your guide trip scheduled for one of these hatches or the summer season.