Fishing Colorado: High Alpline Creeks

trout texture. photo: jp, 2007
Another trout image by request!
jp has got these down. check them out here.


Creek Fishing. photo: jp, 2007
I am fishing the small, deep pool across the creek with a mosquito size #22. The fish are hitting the fly (like a semi I might add) as it swirls to the left of the center rock and enters the smooth water. You can see the different textures at the threshold.

How I present the best dead mosquito;

With less than 10 feet of line out, I float the dry fly down stream from just below the white water at the inlet. The fly has a bumpy ride as it leaves the chop, keeping the rod tip pointed up helps the fly keep a natural flow as it slides and whirls towards the pool. You don’t want extra float line in the faster moving water pulling the fly across the current, so be sure to take in any extra line as the fly approaches the darker water. The fly will float out of the creek current and slowly drift up river as it enters the depths (where the lurkers dwell). Be ready, watch for the flash!
Use a "flip" cast to reset fly.

Beaver ponds. photo: jp, 2007

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Brook trout. photo: jp, 2007

Human - Mosquito - Trout

Today’s itinerary:
Leave home at 6:00am.
Get to trail head by 8:00am
Start walking at 8:15am
Reach target waters by 10:00am
Bushwhack and fish creeks till 1:30pm
Reach target lake by 2:00pm
Fish lake till 4:30pm
Start walkout by 5:15pm
Reach car by 7:00pm
Home by 9:00pm

Some totals on the day:
Miles hiked: 11
Fish caught and released: 20+
Trout variations: 4 (Brook, Borwn, Greenback Cutthroat, Rainbow)
Flies destroyed or lost: 5 (1 ant, 3 mosquitoes, 1 wooly bugger)
Litters of water consumed: 3
Odd looks as JP and I walk out of the trees on to the trail: 3 (and 1comment)*

* In amazement and with a little attitude one guy made a comment about me not having any hiking boots on in the mountain terrain, I was wearing my Chaco sandals, and he looked like something out of a REI catalog.

To which I replied, “My feet are grizzle.”