The Fishing Thread

Will do.  Here's a fatty rainbow from February right in Silverthorne.  I'll try to take some pictures next time I'm out.

That is one nice fish.

Fishing and skiing..Wow very nice!!

is it mostly catch and release out there?

Yeah- mainly catch and release, at least in the spots I go to.  This fish came from the Blue River, right in Silverthorne.  Not the prettiest guy...but it's a thrill sight casting to a 6 lb rainbow on 7x tippet with size 22 midges and mysis (a freshwater shrimp in the reservoir , which is the reason the fish get so big in that tailwater).

Fishing in the morning is my way of beating the I-70 traffic.  Go fish an hour or two..then ski.  I love winter fishing..and despite it's urban location, I love fishing the Blue.  Sometimes, I feel bad because the fish get so much pressure, however.  You'll catch one late in the day with no fight, because he was probably landed an hour earlier.   That said, there are some bright, beautiful, and ferocious rainbows in that stretch.  10 lb plus for sure....I've hooked many over 24 inches...only really landed one or two in that category.   The one in the pic isn't that long or bright...just really really fat.  I had to do some acrobatic around plunge pools to lang that guy.

This catch, if I were to guess, was a retired brood stock that did not hatch in the river.

Now that it's getting a bit warmer, I'm fishing in different spots.  I don't fish as well as I do on the Blue River tailwater, just because I don't know other waters as well.  About 35 minutes north (downstream), there is another tailwater below Green Mountain Reservoir.  I just started fishing this place.  It is wild, and totally different.  First, you have to use a rope to lower yourself down a steep sketchy hill into a canyon, basically.  The scenery is unbelievable, and the river is pretty fast.  The fish down here are so strong and healthy.   Access is tough, because some billionaire own a majority of the river, a few miles down.  You can float it, but cannot wade.  I'm told this guy puts food in the river for the fish.  This is where the state record rainbow of like 25 lbs came from.



Either way, this place is wild.  I caught the prettiest and longest rainbow of the season there this past Sunday...turns out I had lost my net earlier in the day, so I even landed this beast without a net.  Unfortunately, a fellow angler did not do a great job capturing a photo.  However, you may notice that I am wearing my Ski the East hat!

And you want to move back East because???
Just joking,  fantastic stuff!!

I actually was back east this past week.  Had an awesome time fishing the Battenkill with my Dad.  Also threw in a few nights down the road from our house on the Mohawk and Vischer Ferry Preserve.  Super fun.

Battenkill is a super fun spot to fish.  Was getting some fish on dries too.  Water seemed fairly warm and low.

Got back to CO on Saturday.  Had an awesome day yesterday fishing the Dream Stream and Spinney Res.  Here is a beautiful cutthroat I got yesterday while nymphing the res.





I will say, I really miss upstate NY.  It's my home.  The people are great and down to earth...and I'm just a small town guy.  However, that large cutthroat helped ease the pain of leaving.