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Paul Arden
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Re: Newb

#11

Post by Paul Arden »

Which part of Colorado are you in, Carol? I fished a few places when I was there. I really liked the Gunnison and some of the fishing around Telluride. Mostly I fished Montana around West Yellowstone but Colorado and indeed the whole Rockies is an exceptionally beautiful place.

Sounds like you have an excellent mentor there. Do you have a test date planned?

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Carol
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Re: Newb

#12

Post by Carol »

Summit County, Ski Country USA, 1/2 mile from Dillon Reservoir, 3 miles from Keystone Resort, 15 miles from Breckenridge as the truck drives (5 miles as the crow flies). The Blue River is 5 miles away, but the best fishing on it is is more like 25 miles away and much is private. It's where FIPS Mouche was held in 2016 on The Jones Ranch. The Colorado River (fka Grand, aka "The Raddy") is about 35-40 miles away, as is the Upper Arkansas and Eagle rivers. But our absolute favorite place to fish in Colorado is east of Telluride and requires some hiking. The Gunny is a great river, though we've not fished much of it -- some places are just too hard without a boat. However, the Lake Fork of the Gunnison is fun.
Carol
Because it's painful getting flies out of spruce trees.
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Paul Arden
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Re: Newb

#13

Post by Paul Arden »

So many options :D That’s great! I had good times fishing there but everywhere I went it seemed to snow :D

It’s funny, I don’t know what it’s like now, but I used to fish the lakes instead of the rivers when I had the choice. On Hebgen I would often be the only person fishing. But if I went to the rivers they would be full! I could never understand it because the lakes were superb. It was fantastic!

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Carol
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Re: Newb

#14

Post by Carol »

That's pretty much true, and some rivers and places on them are worse than others. Because of that, more anglers are hitting the lakes. PLUS there are pike in a few of the reservoirs around here. Although one of the guides at Cutthroat Anglers (my home shop) caught a 42" pike in the lakey water around Pumphouse on the Colorado River year before last. He figures it took a ride down the outlet out of Williams Fork Reservoir and ended up down there, 20 miles away. Another one of the guides there was fishing the Williams Fork tailwaters and saw a pike swimming downstream toward the Colorado.
Lake Dillon is oligotrophic. It has some huge browns (fed by the semi-annual stocking of rainbows) that are very hard to catch, and some arctic char. Once in awhile we fish it from shore just to practice casting in the wind and stripping streamers.
Mid-June to October are the best times to fish here, with early-to-late June typically being the best because of the stone fly hatches where the fish get really careless. The Lake Fork of the Gunnison has an amazing Golden Stone hatch that we were fortunate to hit "just right" once.
Come on out when you can. As mentioned, you and your wife have a home base here, though I'm sure you have many many places you could stay.
Carol
Because it's painful getting flies out of spruce trees.
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Paul Arden
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Re: Newb

#15

Post by Paul Arden »

What I loved about Hebgen was finding wild ~2lb rainbows running the windlanes in the evenings. It was very similar to my UK stillwater roots, although I chased them with a sit-on-top kayak. There were some good browns too -4-5lbs. For me I love stillwater dry fly - although of course I’ll strip streamers if that’s the game. But so often it isn’t! I would probably still be there if I hadn’t got kicked out for “paraphernalia” - but it’s good that I did or I wouldn’t he here. :D :cool:

There are few places in the world that offer this type of fishing. Mid-West is one and Tasmania is another. Those and the UK are tremendous.

Mind you I’ve done so much of that fishing now I’m happier doing something else. But I still do it now and again - mostly it brings back a flood of memories :cool:

I never really got into Pike. I think that’s because they were always a disappointment when I was a kid. It was either a big trout of a pike. As in an 8lb trout or a 20lb pike. And of course I wanted the trout :D

A mate of mine had a 32lber on a black buzzer once. Landed because it was hooked in the scissors. I’ve caught many pike 20-30lb by accident. The reservoir I grew up on held the British Record for many years 44lbs.

We will meet and fish together somewhere. I do plan to get back at some point :D

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Paul Arden
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Re: Newb

#16

Post by Paul Arden »

As mentioned, you and your wife have a home base here,
And thanks! Same goes for you and your husband of course :pirate:
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Carol
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Re: Newb

#17

Post by Carol »

You really wouldn't want to fish with me because I suck, but I can introduce you to some guides who absolutely do NOT and who have boats. ;)
Carol
Because it's painful getting flies out of spruce trees.
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Paul Arden
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Re: Newb

#18

Post by Paul Arden »

Of course I want to fish with you. Social fishing is social fishing, ok at 2m distance nowadays. 😷 I’m not going all the way to whatever lake it was, Dillon?, to fish with someone I don’t know or am “introduced to” :D I wouldn’t even go to Colorado for that. In fact I wouldn’t go anywhere for that.

I fish hard on my own. Between me and you I fish very hard on my own. I have a few close friends I fish hard with too. Ronan for example. He goes hard, very compatible. He is nuts and a stuntman. (He blew himself up a few years ago).

I have some other friends who are exceptional too - undoubtedly world class. Zjelko for example. Zjelko can still cast after half a bottle of Rakija at ten o’clock in the morning, which is why he was European Champion a few years back.

When I’m not fishing on my own then I’m fishing with friends. And quite frankly when it comes to US rivers I suck too. Complete beginner. A few hundred days if that. You’ll be way in front.

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Carol
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Re: Newb

#19

Post by Carol »

I haven't blown myself up yet. That's pretty friggin' funny, even for a stunt guy. As for half a bottle of Rakija at ten in the morning? What can be said? There needs to be a 'bat crap crazy' smiley just for your friends.

I'm going through the masterclass videos one at a time. I've watch many of them before, but it's not the same as going through them all. There is always something to be learned that maybe was missed before. COVID stay-at-home is good for something. :)
Carol
Because it's painful getting flies out of spruce trees.
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Carol
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Re: Newb

#20

Post by Carol »

I haven't blown myself up yet. That's pretty friggin' funny, even for a stunt guy. As for half a bottle of Rakija at ten in the morning? What can be said? There needs to be a 'bat crap crazy' smiley just for your friends.

I'm going through the masterclass videos one at a time. I've watch many of them before, but it's not the same as going through them all. There is always something to be learned that maybe was missed before. COVID stay-at-home is good for something. :)
Carol
Because it's painful getting flies out of spruce trees.
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