ColoradoCasters

Thank you and thank you, Veterans of America

2012-01-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

When there is something precious that you love in this world, it must be protected. Otherwise someone will surely take it from you. This is the reality of humans shaped by a history filled with conflict. Many a brave men and women in this country stand firm on the wall of protection that guards this country from those who wish to destroy our freedom and way of life. The United States of America flag flies high to this day in large part due to the security our armed forces provide. To all veterans past, present and future I want to express my deepest thanks. Your sacrifice does not go without immense admiration and much appreciation. For all members of our armed forces…thank you.

Secondly I want to thank Veterans Benefits GI Bill for nominating ColoradoCasters as one of their top blogs in 2011. I am amazed when my blog gets any accolades whatsoever but this award is extremely humbling for me. Truthfully it should be giving them an award as their sacrifices allow me to live and fish in this great country. I am proud to accept this award and even more proud to show my support for all veterans and armed forces of this country.

Once again, thank you.

Mattsabasser Drive to Fish Tips: Turn signals, just a vehicle accessory?

2012-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

Depending on where you live good fishing can require a bit of driving. That statement is true for Colorado as well, particularly for those that live in the Denver Metro area. There may be a lot of fishing tips out there but few that cover the aspect that may help minimize trouble while traveling from Point A to Point B. I shall make an attempt to fill this void with random advice that may make that journey better.

Don’t be a stinker. Use your blinker! (Guess I am still working on the title for this one)

Driving up the highway to the fishing hole and the vehicle in front of me comes to a dead stop before making a leisurely right hand turn without using a turn signal. I dump my coffee over reaching for the gearshift while eyeballing the ditch for a soft place to land. Luckily my reflexes and a couple car lengths between us were enough to avoid a crash. (Really I just slowed down and swerved around the vehicle, as the other lane was empty.) Shaking my head in disbelief my throat yells out…

“Where’s your blinker, pal?!?”

Was there was a memo that I missed stating certain people with lower intelligence didn’t have to use turn signals any longer? Are these folks trying to add a little mystery and even excitement for other motorists by making random turns with little or no warning? If so, this could it be some sort of sick anti-turn signal movement. Something is definitely up because it seems like very few people are using these things anymore.

This isn’t the only close call I have had like this and doubt it will be my last. Countless close calls, bumper bumps and fender benders could be avoided if more people simply used their turn signals. If we could make this happen I might actually get to the fishing hole with a full cup of coffee…minus one or two sips.

Good luck and good fishing.

Double Gut Check Run

2012-01-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

The trip was penciled in on Monday with clear skies and metro temps in the +60 range. The plan was to leave work Thursday after the whistle blew, drive a really long time, grab a few hotel rooms and then hit the water Friday morning. By Wednesday things had changed from a forecast of bliss to the point where I was pricing dog sleds. Getting over the divide is always a gamble in January with bad weather but the second pass would be even worse. Thursday morning rolled around and more than a few people were looking to call the whole deal off including me. The no refund situation on the accommodations pushed us all forward.

Driving up was more or less what we expected. Heavy wind on the east side of the mountain and then snow as soon as we reached the higher altitudes. Not 100% white knuckle but close. Three hours later we arrived at the far away HQ for the night. Grab some grub and a few beers and watch John tie a few flies. I tried to get as much info on the water as I could only to receive the very basics followed with “you’ll just have to see it”.

Friday morning arrives and snow is falling in big fat flakes. The back roads were snow covered and icy. The only way in was slow go under four-wheel drive. Finally Park the truck and gear up in a flurry of white. No one talked about the drive back home or even calling the whole thing off at this point. Most dialogue was based around how everyone was setting up their rods and the walk in.

(Above: You think after all of this work we would be fishing by now. Nope. We still have a two-mile hike in.)

Reaching the water was a mix of euphoria and desperate anticipation. Everyone quickly moved down the hill and then stepped into a spot as slow as their self-control would let them. I moved further downstream into a series of smaller pockets while the main trio stayed in the big slow flat. It took me a while to find a rhythm and pattern that a few fish seemed to like. The minnow pattern was the only thing getting any attention on my part.

(Above: This fish may be as gorgeous as any rainbow that I have caught. Glowing pink color and a few big dots on its face give this fish a lot of personality in my book. Stocker fish may look all alike but older, wild trout can be vastly different from one another.)

(Above: The only salvageable shot of the brook trout caught in a very dark spot. Sometimes the flash cooperates and sometimes it doesn’t. Truth be told I flubbed a lot of shots on this trip.)

Within the first few hours I had released a small brown, a decent brook and the beautiful rainbow trout in the picture above. I was feeling pretty good with the results and keeping up with the big boys in the fish count situation. Numbers are not a contest or anything because there is no prize at the end. On the other hand I don’t want to come off as a non-fish catching goober either. This was my first trip with Don’s brother in-law John and the infamous “Pauly”. These guys have been fishing Colorado for a very long time and take their fly-fishing very seriously. The fact they let me tag along at all is nothing short of a miracle in my book.

(Above: Paul with one of many gorgeous rainbows caught and released in the stretch. This was one of his smaller fish but a real beauty worthy of the photo op. Part of me wanted to just stand by him and take fish pictures most of the day.)

I rejoined the trio to watch the spectacle of fish holding in the trough and mostly laughing at my presentations. By sheer luck I get one of the bows to tackle my minnow setup. The fish was small for this section and not as colored as the rest, which saved it from the shameless photo op. But the fact that the rookie caught a fish in the midst of such prestigious company meant a lot me. A few minutes later I landed another. This one was fairly magnificent and possibly my largest fish of the day. Unfortunately this was but one of the photos that didn’t turn out well.

(Above: Oh man. Why did I turn the flash bulb back on? Some of my best shots end up at the bottom of the pile once I get back home. Good light, bad light…it is what it is.)

These fish were fairly educated and I found myself more mesmerized by watching them rather than fishing. Sure I would cast at them once in a while but the fish would just laugh at me. We were minutes away from the cut off time (which we extended two hours from the originally set time) so I decided to take in more of the sights and roll with photo support when needed.

(Above: Don with one of the darker colored rainbow trout. I am sure Don bribed his brother in-law extensively so I could go on this trip. Dude…seriously…huge thanks.)

Seconds later John gets a big bend on what I am guessing was a 4 or 5wt and a large trout makes a run for it. At first I think this is a really smart fish by running to the bottom of a deep current flow. All it needed to do was hunker down on a big rock to bust off. Instead the fish keeps moving up the current in what looked like an attempt to clear out of the stretch altogether. John stayed a steady hand and followed slowly behind the fish while it wore itself out in the heavy current. Once the fish turned its head the fight was over. Being led into a shallow pool the fish found itself in the net and going through a quick photo op

(Above: Beastie bow in the hands of John and but one of the great fish these guys caught. This was a trip we could have taken pictures all day long.)

Around noon the weather was clearing and sunshine was peaking through clouds of white in a small area of sky directly above us. Off in the distance a wall of black was slowly moving in while the surrounding mountains blocked the previous storm from escaping. The respite from falling snowflakes would help us in our exit and even brought of a decent January hatch for a moment. It sparked a flurry of action that somehow made the smile on our faces even bigger.

“RS2’s!!!” One of them would yell out after netting a decent trout. “#20 baby…RS2’s!!!”

If it were really that simple. I changed up a few more times, took a few pictures and almost wished it would start snowing again. All in all I have to say it was really good to dig into a longer trip. Just seeing fish like this makes every white-knuckle mile worth the effort. At this moment I feel very blessed on many levels. Great start on the 2012 season and I owe a lot of thanks to Don, John and the infamous Pauly.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Been a lil buried…Please Stand By

2012-01-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

Apologies for the lack of fishing posts lately and I am going to admit that I have been a bit buried with the work situation. This has kept me from digging into the January fishing scene with my usual focus. Add the fact a few smaller trips with haven’t gone very well with the results even worse than ho hum, my fishing blog is less active than usual.

Rest assured the shameless fish bragging will be back on track as soon as I save myself from drowning a bit at work. I may have to lean on some extra “filler” posts to get me through this dry spell just so folks don’t confuse me with news reports of people recently lost in the wilderness.

The good news is that I have managed to keep from going completely under water at the office while still getting in a few casts (if even on the skunkalicious side of things). Also replaced the 95 Pathfinder with a 2000 Xterra that I hope not to completely destroy in a few years. The new rig will help me extend my fishing range while keeping me from throwing a few extra grand into the old vehicle.

Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for a less than amazing start. January is rarely my best month but admittedly this one is more difficult than usual. Hopefully the extra diligence pays off at work while the fish enjoy a slight reprieve.

Good luck and good fishing.

2012…I’ll fish it!

2012-01-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

It is amazing how fast 2011 went by. My plans were fairly grandiose and unfortunately I fell slightly below the mark on a few fronts. Not getting a large catfish and a few failed trips that didn’t happen only scratches the surface. Seeing how things went last year it may be foolish of me to try and make even more elaborate plans for 2012. But between workdays and digging underground bunkers I intend to fish.

A few things left undone on my 2011 list include making a few blog layout tweaks, doing a few interviews and making longer treks to those far away places that I dream about. I have no crystal skull telling me secrets of the universe and will have to simply make the best of every day from here on out. Sounds a lot like my game plan from last year. If a devastating calamity does hit I will only be mildly prepared depending on the situation. If things go very badly I can at least say that in this life…I fished my ass off.

There is always room for improvement and even though I only gave my blog a B- grade for 2011 there was still a lot of quality fishing. A few things I am looking to do more of in 2012:

Quality fishing. More trips at new locations while still checking in on a few old ones. The further the distance, the harder the planning and that is always an obstacle with the workaday\responsibility scene. Some day I may be a fishbum but for now I still have to feed the dog.

Be a better blogger like TexWisGirl over at http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/. This means commenting more on the many other blogs that I read and maybe even buying a real camera. Her photos are superb and I could place more focus towards mine.

Follow up on a few offers that I failed to complete in previous years. This is a longer list than I like to admit.

A few things I am going to avoid in 2012:

Organizing a large event that will most likely backfire on me horribly. The luncheon I planned for the staging group is but one example of my terrible failures of 2011. I am finding that trips with even three people are difficult to plan. Make no mistake that folks who pull off large events with any degree of success are pretty amazing in my view.

Posting up stuff without at least one or two edit cycles. Last year I submitted a few posts with some egregious spelling errors and omitted words that could have easily been avoided. I don’t claim to be highly edjumakated but with a little more effort I could look far less illiterate.

Being my own worst enemy. This is a goal of mine every year as no one hurts my chances of success more than me. Looking before I leap and not talking myself out of larger trips would be a good start.

Admittedly this may not be the most riveting fish post that have ever put up. My goal was to put up an introduction for the year while more or less apologizing for some failures in 2011. This is something I say every year as I purposely set the bar too high for me to reach. The amount of disappointment from last year equates to how much harder I need to try this year. Sincerely I wish the best to all of my followers, readers and viewers be the very best in 2012.

The calendar was done in AutoCAD 2011 and then later rendered using the material library features in 2002. I am not promising my imaginary graphics team will do better in 2012 but they sometimes come through in a pinch.

Mattsabasser on hard water…sign of pure desperation

2012-01-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

Every inch of open water within a thirty-mile radius of my HQ is looking rode hard and put away wet. So many muddy footprints on the trail make it difficult to count the number of water-slappers that got in before me. Open water\tailwater trout seem exhausted and simply annoyed with my presentations. Running out of options I grab the ice gear and head north. This is clearly a sign of desperation.

(Above: The first Mattsabasser “ice fish” in a long time for no good reason. I still wet the hands and release these fish for others to re-catch or table. C&R is not a big deal for me here but would prefer the trophy fish to go back. Pickin’ my battles on this one.)

My plan was to break the ice curse that has plagued me for so long with only a few hours to work with. Guess you can say it was one of those “anyfishwilldo” days.

At first I was dropping lightweight jig and grub combos in 1\16oz. White, yellow and black were what I had on hand. White and yellow got a few taps but that was it. After about an hour and three drilled holes later I went to 1\32oz. Here I was able to stick the landing on a very small trout. The pond to the west was also scouted with a few drilled holes. I didn’t get so much as a nudge so the gear was moved back over to the other pond. Ice wasn’t stable enough for me to fish the big lake on this side, which was my original plan.

(Above: Small fish and a lot of slush but just enough fish to make it worthwhile. This fish nearly owned me on the photo op with an escape attempt. One point deduction for getting the sleeves wet.)

Over the next few hours I experimented with tube jigs, brown with black dots and a few other variations. The results were more or less the same. Small hits, missed fish and the occasional trout. As time wore on and the edge on my hand auger blades dulled I realized that my limited game was only working on the smaller fish. Funny how in the beginning I just wanted to catch any fish but once that was accomplished my heart started to long for something better. To make matters worse my time limit was exceeded beyond repair. An appointment was junked and the rest of my agenda in the real world was thrown out the window.

By 2pm I was completely regretting having to rely on the jig setups. Not bringing more of my trout ensemble left me with only a few options and my own footprints on my butt. Woulda coulda shoulda.

(Above: Here is an ice-hole shot showing the top snow layer and about four inches of ice. Easy work for the auger and just enough hard water to make me feel comfortable.)

Not all of the ice was stable. The north side had mostly solid frozen water around four to five inches. Other areas had a good deal of gray or soft ice with some open water depending on the pond you were looking at. The intense sun seemed to be baking the top of the ice in some areas adding yet another factor of danger. I would constantly look ahead of me for any anomalies in the top of layer of snow before approaching. Then I would brush the top layer of snow off to ensure solid ice was below me.

(Above: This is but one area where you could take a run and jump right in the water. Stable ice around 3-4” is roughly 10 to 20 yards towards the west of the lake.)

My mentality towards ice fishing needs to change as the hard water scene offers a lot of opportunity. If more focus was applied I am sure that larger more spectacular fish would be the result. That doesn’t mean a power auger and ice hut purchase is in my immediate future.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Denver's South Platte River rehabilitation plan designed to restore fisheries

2011-12-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

South-metro leaders and a growing number of fishermen are pushing to let the South Platte be more of a natural river as it flows down from the mountains through the Denver area.

They're planning to rechannel the river, revegetate and bring in boulders to rehabilitate the wide, shallow waterway into a deeper, meandering river that could sustain significantly more fish. Not just wily big-mouth bottom-feeders — but trout.

Enhancing the South Platte, proponents contend, will lead to a healthier metro economy.

"We are the custodians of the river. It is incumbent upon us to keep that river a viable, healthy source for the ecology of the area, the wildlife, migratory birds and for the community," Littleton Mayor Debbie Brinkman said. "We're not doing this for economic reasons. There may be an economic benefit."

The Littleton City Council this month voted unanimously to move ahead with an ambitious revitalization project that will let the heavily dammed South Platte behave more like a natural river but still be controllable because of its urban setting.

The $4 million project run by South Suburban Parks and Recreation, with support from Arapahoe County and Littleton, would scoop a deeper channel into a 2.4-mile stretch of the river south of central Denver.

A "riparian terrace," planted with native willows, dogwoods, berries, wild plums and buffalo grasses, would fall away toward the river. In the waterway, a dozen or so riffles and pools where fish can escape heat would be created, and eroding banks would be stabilized with buried rip-rap rocks.

The conservation group Trout Unlimited has embraced the cause of revitalizing the South Platte throughout the metro area. The anglers are mobilizing to create an early-warning network to alert authorities about pollution and ensure swift responses.

A recent carp fly-fishing competition netted $40,000 to launch efforts to put more fish in the river.

"If there was enough of a will within the city of Denver, the city could create a trout fishery through Denver," said John Woodling, a retired state fish biologist who for years ran sampling stations that proved trout exist in the warm waters of the South Platte.

About three years ago, Woodling, 65, went along with a state water-quality-control commission reclassification of the South Platte that resulted in relaxed standards for discharges by water-treatment plants — a decision Woodling said he regrets.

"Here's a resource that could be protected, a resource that could be far more important to our society than it is now," he said. "We've been sold — and I helped sell — a bill of goods for a long time which said that there is nothing there to protect."

A recent Sunday walk across a bridge over the South Platte to check out Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos' game against the Detroit Lions proved his point.

As Woodling crossed the river to enter Sports Authority Field at Mile High, he saw two men fly-fishing. When he left at halftime, in disgust as Denver went down, he noticed the two men still fishing happily, evidence that fish likely were biting.

The numbers and variety of fish in the South Platte dwindled with urbanization and flood controls installed after the 1965 flood that killed 21 people and caused $540 million in damage. Completion of the Chatfield Dam in 1975 tamed the river. Peak flows were reduced from 4,000 cubic feet per second before the dam to 650 cfs.

Today, the South Platte "no longer functions as a natural river system" that can support a riparian corridor, according to a report commissioned by Littleton planners.

The state's reclassification of the South Platte shifted its status from "cold water" to "warm water class 1" — which is defined as capable of sustaining a wide variety of sensitive species "but for correctable water-quality conditions."

Point-source polluters — such as the Littleton/Englewood Water Treatment Plant, just east of the river between Yale and Hampden — now have greater flexibility in the discharges they are allowed to release into the river.

The problem with cleaning up discharges is that plant upgrades will require more money than Littleton and Englewood can afford, Brinkman said.

Meanwhile, Trout Unlimited leaders are designing laminated cards to pass out to fishermen who volunteer to watch out for and report pollution while they fish.

Inspired by fisherman Trevor Tanner's recent effort to alert authorities to the spill by the Suncor oil refinery north of downtown, the idea is to distribute phone numbers useful for mobilizing swifter responses to future spills.

"The frustration is that it took a little long to really get the response moving" after black goo from Suncor was found to be seeping into Sand Creek and the South Platte, said David Nickum, president of Colorado Trout Unlimited. "In cases like that, the sooner you can respond, the better."

The cards will be mailed to Trout Unlimited's 10,000 members and distributed through Colorado Parks and Wildlife, at fishing events and at fly- and-bait shops.

Urban anglers often go to areas that high-speed drivers don't see, and recruiting them as sensors "could have a huge impact, and it could save the person who made the discharge large amounts of money," said Todd Fehr, president of Trout Unlimited's Denver chapter.

"What I want to do is make the river fishable for people. Not necessarily so that people can eat the fish but so that children could go angling after school," Fehr said.

Rivers that sustain fish "are the kinds of assets that in other communities around the state — Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, Aspen — are part of what makes those places special," Fehr said.

Anglers report healthy rainbow and brown troughs all along the river. And fly-fishing for carp continues to draw people who are following the advice of Chris Santella's new book "50 More Places to Fly Fish Before You Die" to the South Platte.

Fishing guides in Denver say they earn as much as $300 leading outsiders to the good spots.

The South Platte "already has gained a reputation as a carp fishery," said Will Rice, who submitted the recommendation to Santella. "But if the small-mouth species (such as trout) could be introduced, this definitely could be an economic draw for Denver."

Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700 or bfinley@denverpost.com

Link to Denver Post article:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19619646?source=rss

Photos from the field

2011-12-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

Through my adventures photos are taken that never seem to make it into specific fish posts. So much of my fishing goes unseen or heard. Even though these pictures may not be ready for prime time fishing posts, I have found a way to fit them in an excerpt called “Photos from the field.”

One dove will have to do

(Above: I know the song asks for two turtle doves but the best I could do for this excerpt of PFTF is one single dove and a few Christmas lights. Best wishes to all that follow my blog in 2012.)

Not one of my better mornings

(Above: This is #3 on my top 5 worst morning dig outs and the season has really just started. I prefer to deploy an ugly coffee cup on a morning like this and one that holds more than the one shown above.)

Snow Creek

(Above: A few flakes on the creek during a sneak a cast snow day. Threw a few casts and bailed. Nothing but ducks.)

Just Passin’ Through

(Above: When the heavy snow hits it may take a while to get a plow down the side roads. Getting to the fishing spot or even the main road takes a little trailblazing. That really is my truck under all of that snow!)

Thank you so much for your views, comments and rates. This blog is fueled by your support.

Good luck and good fishing.

Lucky Sunday

2011-12-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

One or two days can make a lot of difference in regards to Colorado fishing conditions and so does a few thousand feet of altitude. After a grueling Saturday with ho-hum results and near frostbite, I had to pull the Sunday fish card. Rather than brave the high country I chose to beat up a scrap of open water in the lowland. Before leaving the house I packed the tackle bag with luck and determination.

(Above: Beauty cutbow and I usually seem to get into the best ones this time of year.)

Battling a few of the areas near the parking and come up empty. Air temps already in the mid 40’s this early in the day made it easy to keep moving. Eventually I was tossing in 50-degree weather with not so much as a kiss of wind. Unfortunately the penetrating bright light also tends to make the fish wary especially in these low water conditions. After an hour of slop-walking the shoreline I get to the one deep pool on the stretch. Tiny noseeum bugs hovered over the water. It felt like one of those moments where everything could come together and a big fish just might take a swipe at what I was throwing.

Toss the spinnerbug a few times and come up empty. Not so much as a fin-slapping follow or gill-faced nudge. I run the minnow and get nothing on the first pass. My expectations start to crumble and the anticipation of blissful fish glory had faded to a pale realization of failure.

“At least the weather is good.” Words fall off my lips in shameless hopes to reassure myself. “Dang near tropical out here today.”

Throw a few more casts and backup plans start rolling through my brain. Once this spot was beat up there very little water would be left to try. Throw one more cast and the minnow lands on top of the boulder that creates most of the slack water on the far side of the pool. Lift the rod slightly and the lure drops straight down. A large silver roll occurred at the top of the water and the line goes straight.

At first I can’t see the whole of the fish but my heart races at the large silvery glow flashing back and forth in the deep section of water. The fish runs up to the riffle and then turns towards me. At first I brace for a dead run straight for me. This is the best trick in the book at times to spit a lure. Instead the fish runs into shallow water. I reel in the slack and wet my hands. Check and mate.

(Above: The fish was laid gently in the water with the nose facing upstream. If the fish tries to turn sideways I will support them long enough to get their equilibrium back again. This fish didn’t want any help and quickly swam from my hands into a small riffle where I was able to grab a quick shot before it took off.)

This was another one-bite\one-fish day and this time the fish made it look easy. All I had to do was walk all the way back there and throw a few more times than usual. Some folks brag about tremendous fish prowess and ninja-like angling skills. Most of my fish are caught on luck and determination. It just so happens that as I finish up this post the foothills are getting over a foot of snow.

“Sure glad I pulled the Sunday fish card.” I mumbled doing the whole photo adjust\save dealio. “This fish was pure luck!”

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

A holiday message from ColoradoCasters

2011-12-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

(Above: This “Mattsaclaus” illustration is probably the worst my graphics team has submitted. I am pretty sure they are trying to make fun of me with this one. Guess I could smile more.)

Sitting by the fireplace screensaver and sipping a cup of coffee I look out the window and see a bounty of falling snow flurries. My artificial fichus tree is decorated with a few lights and a handful of presents are wrapped below. To me it is more important to spend the holidays how you wish as opposed to bending to the will of political correctness. I want to take a moment to wish all of my followers, viewers and even the occasional negative Nelly out there a Merry Christmas, blessed holiday and Winter Solstice. Congratulations for making it through 2011. May 2012 find you and yours with happiness as well as good health. Thank you so much for putting up with me.

I would also urge folks that purchase real trees for the yuletide seek out drop off areas that recycle those trees into wildlife habitat. Check with your local community or wildlife agency for details and locations. This year the CDOW is collecting used but cleaned trees (you have to take the tinsel and lights off of course) for quail habitat. Other creatures will use the small dry trees for shelter as well. Details are listed below from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife “Insider” press release.

RECYCLE CHRISTMAS TREES INTO WILDLIFE HABITAT

PUEBLO, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife is setting up a Christmas tree drop off point in the Pueblo area to recycle Christmas trees into quail habitat. The trees will be used to create artificial brush piles to improve the small game habitat on local state wildlife areas.

Collection dates are Jan. 2 through 15 at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Pueblo Service Center archery range parking lot located at 600 Reservoir Road.

Wildlife officials ask that people remove all ornaments and tinsel prior to bringing the trees to the collection site.

For more information, call the Pueblo Service Center at 719-561-5300.

Directions to the collection site: From the intersection of Thatcher Blvd. (Highway 96) and Pueblo Boulevard, go west on Highway 96 for approximately 2.75 miles to Reservoir Road; turn right and travel 0.10 miles to the archery range parking lot and place the trees in the area marked by signs.

End press release

ColoradoCasters supports this effort so much that I am offering 1,000 Mattsabasser points for anyone who turns their tree in to be recycled as opposed to simply dumping it off on the curb for the trash guys. 5,000 Mattsabasser points will be awarded to anyone who donates their tree to a specific wildlife program like the one mentioned above. A whopping 25,000 Mattsabasser points will be awarded to any individual that organizes a group tree collection in their neighborhood, workplace, etc and manages to turn five trees or more into any recycling program.

Legal disclaimer: Mattsabasser points cannot be legally redeemed anywhere for cash, prizes or even fishing tips. They are pretty much worthless but people tend to be more motivated if they win something.

Good luck and good fishing.

Cold Casting Saturday

2011-12-20T07:28:00.000-08:00

Doing some early morning casting on Saturday with any open water I can find. The plan was to tackle a slice of tailwater before the reality of the warm weather report had a chance to materialize and play itself out. Weather like this in December can draw a heavy crowd. We could get in early and deal with some cold or have to deal with a bit of angling traffic. What Don and I didn’t expect was single digit temps for the start up.

For some reason the 40-degree high with very little wind forecast lulled me into a false sense of security and a mere two-layer setup. My eyes briefly glanced at the low temps predicted for this area but didn’t take notice. The bright yellow\orange icon on the Internet weather report suckered me in. It wasn’t until the morning gear up and ride up the mountain when reality set in.

“This is going to be a cold @#$%!”

The truck was parked in predawn light and left to talk to alien space ships (yes, I drove again on this trip). Our breath formed billowing clouds as we cursed Father Winter and wished for the sun to make an early appearance. Working the gear felt like reaching into a bag of pins and needles. Movement was limited and every cast came with some element of pain. Half the morning was spent with gloves on warming the fingers and the other half was spent fishing while wishing I had the gloves back on.

(Above: Sorry for the grimace. I would be happier if my hands weren’t dipped in the water before grabbing this fish. Not a trophy fin-slapper but it will have to do.)

The open water congregates ducks and there seemed to be a few hundred. These mallard and hen combos were churning up the bottom with their beaks in a complete fervor. At times the activity would brown up the water and foul up the rig. This would force me to pry off the gunk off with my fingers. At times the gunk would freeze up on the knot so hard that I would have to dig the pliers from my pocket.

(Above: Small cluster of web-footed waddlers. For the first part of the morning ducks were the only things active. Ten feet in either direction offered another group.)

In between duck clusters and cold weather curses I did manage to get a few nibbles and even a fish or two in the common slot. With more effort I could have tempted and most likely missed the big fish, which typically happens to me on this stretch for no good reason. Unfortunately hooking up with a fish also requires the release of said fish. In an effort to minimize handling damage my hands are wetted before touching the fin-slapper. This helps prevent the removal of the slimy layer on a fish’s body that acts a bit like an immune system. This small act of altruism may help the fish but this time of year it tends to make my fingers turn bright red with pain.

(Above: Quite a few shots on this trip turned out grainy from poor light and others unacceptable. Hopefully my one or two avid readers will forgive the shameless double posting pics of the same fish.)

By the time I reached the 18^th hole on this stretch my fingers felt like they had been smashed routinely with a meat tenderizer. Don and I had to take longer and longer breaks from casting. One of my rods was iced up like an icicle where as the other one was not picking up any bites. This is where I decide to switch up and put the hot creature pattern on the one working stick left. As soon as I trim the lure Don says something I have never heard him say before.

“Let’s go grab a cup of coffee. My fingers stopped working an hour ago.”

I didn’t even finish tying up. We rounded up our gear and the shards of our sanity before finding the trail that lead over the bridge and back to the truck. Turn the key, engine turns over and we head out to find a coffee shop. Stumbling across the Egg & I we roll in for breakfast. Wrapping our hands around a steaming cup of coffee helped bring our fingers back to life.

(Above: Here is a shot leaving with the sun looking like it’s all nice and perfect. This is how a lot of spots look as I am leaving and everyone else is going in. Sometimes my planning works and sometimes it doesn’t.)

In closing I have to admit that some trips are not planned to hit the water at the prime time but more towards avoiding a stampede. By noon this area is typically full and you have to wait to fish in some sections. Rather than taking a number and waiting we chose to brave the early conditions and froze our @#%’s off. An angler with better planning and more patience might have done better. The things I need most are not sold in tackle stores.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic

Best brown of 2011…almost didn’t post this

2011-12-15T06:09:00.000-08:00

(Above: A magnificent brown trout and one of my best. No tape, no weight and it went back after this shot. Possibly one of my best brown trout ever and my vote for best fish of the year. Caught this fish back in October and almost didn’t post it up at all.)

It was one of those moments when the fish came up from the deep to chase the lure and I could see the fish before he made the strike. My fingers were on the reel handle keeping just enough tension to keep the lure dancing in the strike zone while holding my breath in the October air.

Bump, bump. The fish is curious more than hungry and willing to play rather than commit. I lift the rod tip giving the lure a faster motion in the water. Just like some dogs chase cars, most big fish chase anything that runs. A slight tease on the lure makes the fish more interested and the next thump puts a heavy tug on the line. The fight seemed to last forever. Land the fish and Don is right there covering the photo op. Without a doubt this is one of my better shameless bragging fish photos…Don, you are the best!

This fish hit the bleeding gold spinner bug. One of the few that have even bothered giving this color a second look this year. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to hunt through the box looking for the hot pattern. All it takes sometimes is to throw that one pattern that one big fish is willing to hit.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

ST. Vrain…soon to be fracked up!

2011-12-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

There comes a point when you have to ask the question, “Are you managing parks or mineral exploration?”

I thought when we merged the Colorado Division of Wildlife with Colorado State Parks that the selling out to the mineral crowd would stop. Instead the proposals and projects are popping up all over the place.

Link and article from the Reporter Herald which is a local paper out of Loveland Colorado.

FORT COLLINS -- Colorado State Parks is considering getting into the mineral business with two possible oil wells at St. Vrain State Park near Longmont.

Officials are looking at the best -- and least harmful to the environment -- way to tap mineral resources under the state park before a private company beats them to the well.

"The resources are going to be drilled anyway," said Theo Stein, spokesman for the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

"Resources can be reached from outside the state park."

Instead, wildlife commissioners hope to permit two wells on the boundaries of the park with drilling only in the fall -- the least intrusive time to nesting birds and visitors.

"I think it is important folks understand we are looking at a unique situation here," said Bob Streeter, commission member from Fort Collins. "We're not making a broad recommendation about mineral development in state parks. We're moving forward to make sure we maintain control of the process."

St. Vrain State Park is located just off Interstate 25 at Colorado 119 on the site of former gravel mines. The 604 acres boast ponds, fishing, wildlife and camping.

And underneath the land is oil. Unlike other state parks, the state actually owns 439 acres of mineral rights below the park, giving it the opportunity to tap that resource and make an estimated $400,000 per year. The money, according to project staff, would help an already strapped state parks and wildlife system.

But, according to the wildlife commission at a meeting in Fort Collins this week, the proposal is about more than the money. It is also about drilling in the least harmful way to the environment because officials say if the state doesn't drill, a private company will.

The resources could be accessed from neighboring land, and if that happened, the state would have no say on when or how much or how to mitigate environmental issues.

The process itself, however, could cause some environmental concern. The horizontal drilling procedure the state is looking at entails fracking -- a practice the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday may have caused groundwater pollution.

Wildlife commissioners expressed concern about fracking, which experts assured them was safe, as well as harm to wildlife, water and the land. However, they authorized parks staff to keep looking at the possibility and how to mitigate any issues.

The state hopes to apply for a drilling permit within the next few months from the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission with hopes of drilling by next winter.

This would be the second state park to have wells drilled but the only one in which the state owns the mineral rights.

"It's unlikely this will set a precedent because (state parks) do not own a lot of mineral rights," Stein added.

Pamela Dickman can be reached at 669-5050, ext. 526, or pdickman@reporter-herald.com

St. Vrain is one of the state’s top 5 visited destinations in the cadre of Colorado State Parks properties that just so happens to have a sizeable oil deposit. Rather than have a private firm go through the permitting\public approval process, State Parks would prefer to run the show by contracting out to a 3rd party for control and maximum profit. The contracting agency will be labeled the bad guy if anything goes wrong and when fracking happens near water it is never the same again. If State Parks can do this here, they can do it just about anywhere.

Over the last few years I have seen State Parks sell out and do more harm in regards to the land they manage. I thought the merging of the parks would end this lunacy…now it seems to only have given them more power, more ambiguity and the public still is in the dark as to what this State Parks agency’s goal really is.

The power of Triangulation

2011-12-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

Triangulation is a method of defining the unknown by measuring parts of a triangle. Once upon a time I worked with a great engineer by the name of Eduardo that used what he calls ‘the power of triangulation’ as a philosophy for his engineering.

“Mattd, ju need to berdify eberything by as leasd thhdree pointds before ju can zay id iz tdrue.”

His accent was heavy and irresistible to a number of women. At times Eduardo resembled a younger, Spanish version of Sean Connery. He more or less elaborated on the basic premise of triangulation but I have since adopted this theory to my fishing.

Take a common fishing question such as “what do I target and where?” In Colorado there are many species of fish and a lot of different factors can control fishing success. Through the power of triangulation you can whittle down numerous opportunities to help identify the best species and location increasing your chances to catch fish.

Factoring in aspects such as time of year and varying species facts will help greatly in determining what type of fish to go after at any particular season. Cold-water species generally do better in water that is below sixty-five degrees and warm-water species generally thrive in water temperatures above that. Breeding cycles and feeding behaviors for each species will vary so the more knowledge you have about each species the more advantage you have year round.

(Above: My feeble illustration of this theory applied to fishing. If you wish to make the adventure more challenging, this triangulation method is reversed to provide the most difficult opportunities.)

The next unknown factor to be solved is “where do we fish?” A few basic location facts (the types of species that are in there for example) will go a long way in regards to making the best location choice. Comparing your location facts against items A and B will reduce a lot of the guesswork allowing you to focus on certain places, at particular times targeting a specific species.

This may sound like I am overcomplicating a very simple process, which is true at first. However, as you add more factors the triangulation becomes more intense. Let’s take a look at one of my triangulation formulas solving for a few unknowns on a recent trip. I am showing most of my work on this one and the trip actually went ok.

The point of this post is to help folks plan better trips by looking at various angles during the fish trip planning process. The better you strategize the better the chances even if things don’t go as planned.

Good luck and good fishing.

Fishin' the blizzard

2011-12-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

“Wind and snow blowing sideways I cast out and WHAM, big brown…big as a pirate’s peg leg and angry as all get out…” The yarn unfolds as my voice clamors on. For no good reason I love to exaggerate weather conditions even more than fish size. The weather wasn’t exactly a blizzard but after a few beers it just might be the worst storm I have ever seen.

(Above: Feet and hands shoved in freezing water for a big fish in blizzard conditions. Must fish.)

The moments are rare when I stick the landing on a large fish. More often than not my hands will make that crucial mistake at the worst possible time costing me the best catch of the day. However there are times when I get lucky and a decent fish comes to the hand. Thankfully there was just enough luck left in the bag to land this fish.

Normally I shorebang this stretch for small fish or nothing but on a sun shine only on a dog’s butt day I practically dive right in it seems. Both feet, both hands in the drink I somehow pull off a beauty solo photo op. Then cast at least four or five more times before reality and frostbite set in completely.

“…Didn’t need a net. I just picked the fish up with my hands after swimming around with it for a while.”

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic

Craziest story of 2011: My truck talks to outer space

2011-12-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

Reach the trailhead with my trusty Pathfinder vehicle, grab the gear, shut the doors and lock up. A faint ringing noise comes from the engine compartment. Don quickly looks up at me.

“You hear that noise? What the $%^ is that?”

“Oh that is just my truck.”

The faint ringing suddenly gets a bit louder and starts going “Brrrrrrr….wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii….yooooop…brrrrrrr.” (That is the best I can explain it using human language). This isn’t a very loud noise like a car’s alarm mind you but more of a subtle humming electronic sound. Then the door locks pop up for no reason unlocking the doors. Don thought I had installed a remote switch and was just messing with him. Of course I reacted like this was simply business as usual. A few seconds later the truck locks the doors again while I am carrying; two fishing rods, a tackle bag and what is left of my sanity from a hard week at the office. Don once again looks at me with question and concern.

“Are you sure that is normal? Are we going to make it out of here?” Don stopped gearing up as the level of concern grew in his voice.

“We’re good.” My head gave a steadfast yup-nod. "My truck just talks to outer space sometimes.” This is the only answer that my feeble skills and prodding have come up with. “The locking dealio is a short somewhere in the electronics. Replaced the door switch thinking that was it.”

Don gave me another concerned stare with his head cocked sideways and started moving down the trail. “If you say so. But you are carrying me home if not cuz I aint walking 70-miles.”

We fished the stretch and did “ok”, not great. Just ok. Get back to the vehicle and unlock the doors. The engine starts up with one turn of the key. Breathing a deep sigh of relief inside I give Don that nod of overwhelming confidence that was a complete façade.

“See? We’re good.” I said with a straight face. “One of these days though aliens are going to suck that truck up for no good reason and zip off to outer space.”

This was at one time a great 4wheel drive vehicle on many levels. Over the years I have more or less settled on finding as much value in the “already driven” section as opposed to brand spanking new in the 6cyl arena. This means scanning ads and sometimes subjecting myself to used car dealers. Then sadly over the years I beat the piss out of whatever I buy. Certain things I am strict on such as oil changes, new tires and fixing things before they become a problem. Nearly a hundred thousand miles have been put on this rig with roughly 6K and some change into it. The thing still runs great but getting too rough around the edges even for me. I am in the market for something else.

“This truck won’t run forever or maybe even another year.” I say with a bit of nostalgia in my throat. “Besides the fact aliens are probably going to snatch this thing up any minute.”

Good luck and good fishing.

Fishing the Wishbone and then some

2011-12-04T00:03:00.000-08:00

Some waters fall into my fishing calendar only on a seasonal basis. The wishbone is one of those places that I like to hit when conditions make things pretty darn difficult to get in. I call this section of water the Wishbone for the fact that two rivers come together at one point and sort of looks like a wishbone when you stand at the shoreline giving things a first look. There are a lot of water wishbones in Colorado and I do my best to fish them with high expectations.

(Above: Here is a shot of Don crossing the river in two-rod mode. One slip here can put a damper on the rest of your day.)

Conditions were crisp but reasonable for November. Ice formed on the edges of the river in some spots waiting silently to shred a pair of waders of the folks that don’t step lightly. Crossing the river and following the trail in you can’t help admire the snow-covered landscape. Reaching the water I throw a few casts and immediately start battling ice up in the twenty-degree weather. No bites, no follows so I start moving upstream. Similar to the T, water is very low making this section very difficult to hold fish. After a few no-go casts I decide to move down leaving this area for the hooded, ninja-style angler making his way down from the upper trailhead. Honestly I detest fighting for water and enduring the hard stairs of other anglers especially when other sections are available.

In the lower stretch I am casting at rocks and through any deep water that is present. A thick shelf of ice clung to the far side of the river. I toss a brown and yellow spinner bug onto the ice about a foot away form the edge. The bug is then retrieved across the shelf and dropped off the edge to the bottom of the river. The rod tip is raised and the art of retrieval begins. The rocks offered nothing but the ice shelf produced a few hits.

(Above: Respectable fish number one. This is not a huge fish mind you but respectable for this stretch.)

After an hour and two fish (yes, action was a bit slow) other anglers moved into the stretch all around us. Don and I had worked most of the section by now so we decided to move on. The next spot of water fished is often dubbed “The Front” and as water levels drop this section becomes more viable. I am sticking with my usual patterns but I look over to see Don in high experimentation mode. He would cast the spin, then cast the fly and then re-tie up both. Thirty minutes later he was into the fish. First one, then another and then another.

“Man, you are on fire! What are you slinging?” I ask ready to switch up in a heartbeat.

“Sandbar. The fish are stacked on it.” He replies with what almost looked liked a satisfied grin on his otherwise grizzled face.

With that tidbit of knowledge I cast at the tip of the sandbar and immediately get bit by a “lemonade” brown trout. It is fascinating how much the color can vary on this species of fish. For an extra bonus the fish was very docile for the photo op.

(Above: Sweet hold on a lemonade fish. This is one of my solo shots that turned out fairly well. Better late than never I guess.)

The fish goes back into the drink and a few minutes later the bite in this stretch goes to zero. With a lot of daylight remaining Don and I start going over the remaining options. With great pondering we choose a section deemed “terrible” by most. This is a stretch we have never tried before and just so happens to be the back door to the Orc section.

(Above: This is a shot of Don walking into the Plan B. The cliff dive is not as treacherous compared to what I am used to.)

The water for this stretch is typically shallow but even more so now. Hopefully we would be able to find a few fish in the scattered pockets. Travel on shore was difficult and a complete bushwack scenario. Wading was more or less a slippery mess with no action whatsoever. We did our best to walk our way into the Orc section but our legs didn’t have enough juice.

“I could probably make it in but not sure about the getting out part.” Don and I both spoke in subtle realization before making the long arduous hike out.

Our legs tingled from exertion as we removed waders and sat down for what may have been the first time in hours. Even though we didn’t catch any fish on the Plan B, being able to explore more of the area was greatly satisfying. Anytime you remove curiosity and the unknown, the closer you are to future success.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Race to stop South Platte River contamination North of Denver

2011-11-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

Three 2,500 gallon vacuum trucks are sucking up water and oily muck from Sand Creek north of downtown Denver, trying to keep more of the pollution from reaching the South Platte River.

"The biggest thing right now is to stop the flow of the material into the South Platte," said Curtis Kimbel, an Environmental Protection Agency emergency response manager overseeing the work.

Crews contracted by Suncor Energy, which has a refinery about a mile east of the confluence of Sand Creek and the South Platte, worked through the night setting up booms to pool the oily material before it reaches the river.

Water samples were taken today, and will be taken again tomorrow, to try to identify what the material is and where it's coming from Kimbel said.

Red crime-scene tape has been draped around a suspected source area, about a quarter mile up Sand Creek from where it spills into the South Platte directly across from the Denver Metro Wastewater Treatment plant.

Contractors also are dumping a white absorbent material they call "diapers" into the creek to soak up the oily gunk.

Kimbel said the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has been notified. State officials would be responsible for ordering the closure of any municipal or agricultural intake pipes downstream on the South Platte.

It is unclear how long the material has been leaking into the South Platte.

Link to full article from Denver Post below:

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19431452

Coyote Encounters

2011-11-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Many communities in Colorado are seeing a spike in coyote populations along with alarming signs aggressive behavior. This year there have been a handful of attacks in Broomfield on humans as they walked through various sections of open space. Most of these attacks occurred while they were walking the family dog. Complaints from the public grew and the Division of Wildlife stepped in. The coyotes in the area were removed but everyone was quick to acknowledge the fact that a new pack of coyotes eventually would move in. Hopefully the new residents won’t show signs of similar aggressiveness. I have been fortunate not to have any coyote troubles when fishing but using a little extra caution just in case.

Few wild animals have capitalized on human’s suburban existence as well as the coyote. Larger than a fox, the coyote is able to muscle its way into prime habitat yet small enough to escape the attention of humans. Finding shelter within the hedgerows and culverts the coyote dines on everything from rodents to refuse. This wily canine will even make a meal of the neighborhood pets if given the chance.

At first glance canis latrans resembles your family pet and in many cases folks mistake this wild canine for the domestic variety. In some tragic examples children have made a similar misidentification and actively try to engage the coyote for play. Thankfully most of these instances result in the animal running away. Human injuries from coyotes are uncommon but result in painful rabies prevention. The Washington Department of Wildlife has a great list of precautions as well as other facts on their Living With Wildlife page (link listed below). The list has been summarized for easy reference.

Don’t leave small children unattended where coyotes are frequently seen or heard.

Never feed coyotes in your neighborhood or the wild.

Use coyote resistant trash receptacles and never give coyotes access to garbage.

Prevent access to fruit and compost, as scavengers such as coyotes and foxes will use this as a food source.

Feed dogs and cats indoors. Coyotes and foxes will use this also as a routine food source walking literally to your doorstep.

Don’t feed feral cats, as coyotes will prey on them as well. Sources of food attract the animals into the area and more food sources allow them to linger for long periods of time.

Keep dogs and cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn as this is when predators hunt most often.

Modify the landscape around children’s play areas to remove possible hiding places for coyotes, foxes and other wild animals.

Build a coyote-proof fence to help protect small pets, livestock such as chickens, domestic rabbits and others if coyotes frequent the area.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html

Photo Acknowledgement: These photos were taken in Littleton Colorado and sent to me via one of my super fantastic followers. These photos are not to be copied, re-posted or used for any reason. Contact me via e-mail for more details.

Tasting T and fishing at the bottom of the cup.

2011-11-25T03:17:00.000-08:00

The cup is not half full or half empty when you can see this much of the bottom. It is simply ‘almost empty’. A recent draw down has forced the fish and anglers to play in only a few inches of water. Serious anglers get seriously concerned when water levels drop like this and I am pretty sure the fish aren’t too crazy about it either. Some fish become skiddish in shallow water hunkering down in deeper pools. Injured or weakened fish may become even more stressed and die if the situation is prolonged. In these situations I move slow and throw a lot of slow moving creature patterns.

(Above: One of the rainbows picked up along the dogleg section. Grab a quick shot and let them go.)

Visiting traffic is as heavy here as it is just about anywhere and the holes are numbered similar to that of a golf course. You have the front and back nine along with a few dogleg left fairways. However the low water levels turn the entire stretch from a par 4 to a par 3 resembling something closer to miniature golf perhaps. Not being able to control the weather or the water levels I fish what is available.

Starting at the top of the course I throw a few casts into the spillway plinking a tiny brown trout. Tee off at hole #2 and flub the landing on my first big fish of the day. The fish hit and held long enough for the head to come out of the water before doing a tail slap retreat as it spit the hook. It was a wide-bodied brown guestimated at 18-inches. Not the largest fish in Colorado but would have been quite respectable for the photo op on this day. I mumble a few short curses and sling a few casts before moving on.

Holes number 3, 4, 5 and 6 were very shallow with a few meager rocks. I passed these up and wrote bogey on my scorecard for each. Next up is a dogleg section with deeper water. Threw out a few casts and started getting into some real action again. The fish would follow or take a swipe about every other cast. Slicing the water into sections my fan casting would pick up a sturdy hit here and there. The result was a sturdy rainbow trout and a few average browns.

(Above: One handed brown trout and the average fish for the day. Too aggressive for it’s own good I removed my presentation and a micro-nymph setup broke off from another angler.)

Moving past the dogleg and onto a decent fairway stretch that cascaded not once but twice over sections of rock. First cast gets another plink from a standard brown and the second cast gets a soft bump off a submerged boulder.

“Phew.” I exclaim with relief. “Almost snagged it up there.”

Then a large orange flash comes from under the boulder and bumps the presentation ever so slightly. I could barely feel the tap on my line, which straightened less than half the slack out of the curve between us. The flash was orange like that of a goldfish and the size just seems to grow larger in my mind. Truly it was about the size of the first fish I lost but that is still a guess not getting a good view of the fish. Taking a deep breath I cast a few times and move on.

(Above: This is a decent shot of the front nine and the shallow fairway stretch. Wet ankle fishing.)

Towards the end of the stretch I am somewhere in the double digits of the fish count and my scorecard is marred with scribbles. Looking up at hole #18 and see it occupied by another angler. At this point I can wait my turn or scratch the hole altogether. The wind was starting to pick up and the course was getting more and more crowded. Maybe it was best to just pack it up and head home.

“Maybe I’ll hit the spillway one more time…”

Back at hole #1 I do a gear change switching from the short game to the long distance stuff. Kinda like dropping the irons for a solid 3 or 4 wood. A few decent follows and then a sturdy brown trout hits. The not too shabby battle led me to believe that this was a much larger fish. Once to the hand I shrug off any disappointment and appreciate the fish for giving 110%. The fish even goes easy for the photo op. Unfortunately my camera decides to lose it on the auto focus.

(Above: Another blurred fish shot, which has plagued me this year. My solo trout shots are a gamble to say the least.)

Loading the gear back up I was satisfied that I had not put on the waders and still managed to land a few decent fish. This was not my best day but definitely wasn’t my worst. This time of year that means a lot.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Photos from the field

2011-11-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

What again?

(Above: I almost never see these things but this year they are all over the place or at least along one or two rivers on the west slope. Knowing this caterpillar turns into a dull looking moth and not a dragon or a whisker-tailed butterfly is kind of a downer.)

Tree of Scrag

(Above: Some living things are simply a product of their environment. Wind and open space can play havoc with tree limbs that are thin and easily whipped. This tree has endured many years with the wind sculpting the direction of each branch. Half dead, half alive it looks definitely twisted and the most scraggily tree that I have ever seen. )

A peek in the snow

(Above: This sporty buck was nibbling on some leaves when I showed up to take the picture. He looked at me right as the camera went click and then back to his leaf munching.)

Ice Road Trucking

(Above: Guess it’s that time of year again where on some days my daily work commute resembles an episode of “Ice Road Truckers” This is the beginning of the season and it is every bit as slick as it looks. On these days slow and steady wins the race.”

Evil Bunny

(Above: There is a rabbit in my neighborhood that insists on loitering in a nearby parking lot and will even chase birds or rabbits off. No fear of humans it will generally scamper off only when annoyed. This rabbit may actually be an evil bunny of sorts with a bad habit of gnawing on brake lines.)

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Good luck and good fishing.

A little action on Snow Creek

2011-11-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

It doesn’t take much of the cold white stuff to turn things that were all blue, bright and twinkly into cold, gray and more dangerous. Tall canyon walls shield a lot of this area from sunlight most of the day. This allows snow and ice to linger even after the sun has warmed or melted everything else. Once you got to the water things weren’t too terrible depending where you put your feet.

(Above: This is the straightest line of water in the stretch and has “cold and steep” written all over it. I poked a few casts at the two pools in the middle and left the rest for the “maybe on the way back” list.)

Water this thin is extremely challenging for the spin gear. On this trip I am relying on small creature patterns and the smaller sized minnow presentations. Really I should be looking for larger streams or rivers but desperation for a trout fix has been nagging my fishing elbow for a while now. I had to hit some kind of moving water even if it wasn’t the biggest stream in town. What I do like about this slip of water this time of year is that I practically have the stretch all to myself.

The species of fish are mostly a mix of brown trout and introduced cutbows. The hybrid strain looks really close to the native cutt and a few specimens are well worth the ankle twist on the way down. Rumors say there are brook trout here as well. This may be true even though I have never seen or caught one in this lower rock section.

(Above: Not too shabby cutbow for this thin water stretch. Slight deduction for the splotch near the center of the photo. Tiny piece of something on the lens.)

At first the endless landscape of rock and small pockets of water seem treacherously disappointing. Moving from one section to the other sometimes requires the three-point crawl just to get around. Picking a good line of travel helps a great deal along with checking your footholds first before putting on all of your weight. Snow will often blanket gaps in rocks and hide leg breakers just waiting to happen. After a few small fish and a few close calls a subtle serenity lowers itself over me. Small pathways seem to unveil themselves as my eyes slowly adjust to everything around me. The natural beauty starts to settle in. Every falling ripple, each boulder and pebble has a story to tell. In these moments I find myself sitting or standing quietly hoping to catch of whisper of their tales. This is also a good time to rub a sore knee or do that ankle check I told myself to do nearly an hour ago.

(Above: A quick shot of a few cascading pools. These may be smaller in scale than others but just as magical to me. If you lift up the riffle of water and peek below you just might see a fish.)

Several hours into the day and I have plinked a handful of small cutt-wannabe’s and two tiny browns. This is what I expect and darn thankful for the one respectable cutbow earlier on. Towards the end of the stretch I reach the last few hot pockets of water worth the spin gear stick and move. The next few yards are shallow with very few large rocks, bends or even an undercut bank to hit. Beyond that is the end of the public access line.

“Guess this is it.” I mumble to myself feeling twinges of pain in both ankles by now and one scuffed elbow. “Work this and head out.”

I plink two small browns and one cutty hybrid right off the bat with the fast spinny blade thing in lightweight fashion. Switch to the other rod with the small tube jig and a solid thump grabs it. For the next few minutes I had an actual fish fight on my hands with a stocky brown trout that had so few dots you could almost count them on your fingers and toes.

(Above: What can I say here other than I am standing all wobbly in a not so stable spot. Just grab a pic and let the fish go.)

The big dot brown was the last fish of the day. For some reason I still hiked up to the property line before hiking back. There were only one or two sections that I didn’t cliff dive into and my legs were thanking me for that on the way back. These sections can be fairly gnarly factoring heavily into the give and take on how much water a body can cover within a certain amount of time. Had I not pulled out a few respectable fish already, these sections would have had a chance to really rough me up. Instead I was able to stumble out of the thin canyon with both legs and a whistle on my lips. The fishing jones was subdued…for now at least.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Mattsabasser Drive to Fish Tips: Just let them pass

2011-11-09T05:57:00.000-08:00

Reaching some of the best fishing areas often requires a bit of driving. The journey to and from the fishing hole can be quite perilous. There may be a lot of fishing tips out there but few that offer advice intended to minimize trouble while traveling from Point A to Point B. I shall make an attempt to fill this void with “Driving to Fish-Tips”.

Just let them pass

Some humans insist on being ahead of everyone else. For some reason this hell bent for leather and always have to be first place crowd seems to be trying to get to the exact same spot as me virtually every time I leave the house. Even if I set the alarm clock for the early jump and drive a few miles over the posted limit there is always at least one led foot hotrod Roger riding my tailgate and flooding my rear view mirror with monster truck headlights. Doing the ol brake pedal tap\stop check only escalates the situation or worse results in an accident. In my years of fishing and driving the best solution I have found is to simply let that crazy pedal to metal driver pass by you.

Just in case a few readers have never heard of the courteous pullover move, it more or less goes something like this. Typically my eyes will start looking for a good pull over spot or move to the right lane when I see a motorist coming up the road around 100mph behind me. If no pull out area exists it may be viable to move as far right as possible, slow down and wave the speeding douche’ on by. The reward is peace of mind and the chance to take things a bit more leisurely rather than all white-knuckled or hotheaded on the way down.

A good fishing trip will always benefit from fewer problems. Hopefully these Drive to Fish Tips help anglers reach the water and return home to fish once again. Good luck and good fishing.

COGO and what you should know

2011-11-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

There is a rush to drill in Colorado and oil\gas exploration has been a large part of this state’s economic development for some time. Let me state for the record that I am for domestic and energy exploration. However I am adamantly opposed to mineral and oil exploration occurring near active fish habitats. Unfortunately anglers have the smallest voice in this discussion.

It is my experience that when drilling occurs near water, the water gets $%^& up. This doesn’t happen all of the time but it happens far more than the energy crowd or even Hickenlooper likes to admit. Just talk to the folks in Ft. Lupton and other areas in Colorado where the aftermath is so bad that you can literally light your tap water on fire. Health regulators deem the water safe but refuse to drink it themselves. Incidents of contamination are piling up and in nearly all of these cases the companies deny responsibility as much as possible and walk away as soon as regulatory agencies give the green light. For years now I have read articles where residents, property owners and even anglers are left with stinky, milky looking water and told, “As good as it was and perfectly safe.”

Ask anyone in the business this question, “Has there been evidence of contaminated water in Colorado where drilling\fracking has taken place?” The answer is yes. “How often does this happen?” The answer you will get is this: “We are working on developing better regulations and have some of the toughest standards in the nation.” Look at COGO’s own statistics before approving and more importantly signing a piece of paper that allows drilling near fish habitat.

http://cogcc.state.co.us/

If you have a minute, please take a look at the information being posted on the COGO website (link listed above). Especially go to the homepage, then database and select the Inspection\Incident report. Spills and contamination are fairly common according to their own information.

The worst part is that while permits are being granted, the regulators and oil companies are getting more or less a free pass. Bruce Finley has done a great job of streamlining the incidents and fines associated with the companies that work in Colorado using the database described above. This provides a perspective based on numbers that may cause a few people to think twice about allowing oil exploration in areas of South Park and others where some of the state’s best fishing may be in jeopardy.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18881512

Drilling spills rise in Colorado, but fines rare

PLATTEVILLE — Colorado's wave of gas and oil drilling is resulting in spills at the rate of seven every five days — releasing more than 2 million gallons this year of diesel, oil, drilling wastewater and chemicals that contaminated land and water.

At least some environmental damage from the oil-and-gas boom is inevitable, industry leaders and state regulators say, with a record-high 45,793 wells and companies drilling about eight more a day.

But a Denver Post analysis finds state regulators rarely penalize companies responsible for spills.

This year, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has imposed fines for five spills that happened three or more years ago. The total penalties: $531,350.

Sorting out the numbers

The companies responsible for the most spills wield clout. For example, state records show Anadarko has contributed $43,450 since July 2010 to Colorado political groups and candidates, including $1,050 to John Hickenlooper's gubernatorial campaign. Other companies do likewise.

An analysis of spill data reported to COGCC regulators, and spill reports compiled by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, found the following:

• Of the 343 spills reported this year through Sept. 2, Kerr-McGee had 38, Noble Energy had 37, and Williams Production and EnCana Oil and Gas each had 36. Next closest were Chevron and Petroleum Development Corp. with 29 each, followed by Pioneer Natural Resources with 22 and British Petroleum America with eight.

Noble, EnCana, Williams, Kerr-McGee and BP on Aug. 3 received COGCC awards — despite 374 spills among them since January 2010.

• Colorado groundwater was contaminated in 58 spills this year. Streams were contaminated 18 times. Spilled substances overflowed berms designed to contain spills 204 times.

• Among the spills reported to state health officials this year, about 54 were related to oil and gas operations and released about 2.1 million gallons of "produced water" extracted during drilling, along with gas and fracking fluids, diesel fuel, oil and other chemicals.

• Among spills reported by companies to COGCC regulators, the most occurred in Weld County, 114, followed by 55 in Garfield County, 34 in Las Animas County, 30 in Rio Blanco County and 12 in La Plata County.

• Since March 2007, Coloradans have submitted 1,000 complaints to state regulators asking for enforcement against companies.

• The COGCC has 15 inspectors who are charged with overseeing 45,793 wells. COGCC supervisors say 17,075 field inspections were done in 2010, up 71 percent from 9,991 inspections in 2009.

• COGCC enforcers scrambled this year to reduce a backlog of cases and say they're nearly ready to handle this year's spills.

Wildlife and Natural Areas have little defense over people with money. The bad economy has all but washed away human’s concern over clean and air water versus jobs. Both are in precious short supply right now and an empty belly is difficult to argue with. The short sightedness of this problem will result in oil today with polluted water tomorrow. Areas of the state are already dealing with problems over contaminated wells and streams.

It may also be helpful to visit the COGCC website, select database and then view the inspection\incident page. Select the “spill\release” radial button (maximize the number of records to 1,000 for longer listings) and look at the frequency of contaminations to ground and surface water.

End article released from the Denver Post by Bruce Finley.

The process of fracking is a different subject altogether. Know that I don’t support this process for many reasons. Lawsuits over poor cleanup, leftover chemicals and possibly even seismic activity are coming to light and I have posted links to those situations below.

Drill baby drill…just stay away from the water. Good luck and good fishing.

http://dnr.state.co.us/SiteCollectionDocuments/News/COGA%20Baseline%20Program%20Press%20Release.pdf

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/lawsuit_hydrofracking_fluid_ru.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/19/dimock-pennsylvania-replacement-water_n_1019743.html

http://cogcc.state.co.us/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203804204577013771109580352.html

Hello Bucket

2011-11-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

This year is whipping past me like ski traffic on I-70. It seems like only yesterday that I was complaining about summer heat and here we are now dancing between snowstorms. The window of fall bass fishing is closing and targeting the warm weather trends has helped me make the most of the dwindling warm water season.

(Above: My solo shots have seriously taken a turn for the worst. Steep terrain doesn’t help things. Constantly a work in progress.)

Fish are cold-blooded creatures and warm water fish such as bass and sunfish have had to adapt to these high altitude environments further north. Even in the winter months you can find warm water fish feeding but it looks and feels like everything is going in slow motion. Big bass will generally reduce movement as water temperatures drop but those two or even three-day warm spells can spark a hungry bass from its slumber. The action isn’t great but its there. Sometimes.

Getting the lure as close to the fish as possible also helps greatly in the colder water temps. Bass will rarely spend precious energy chasing food this time of year. They more or less try to hibernate near a food source and ambush whatever happens to come by. Even during the warm spells these fish won’t move too far off their wintering areas. This means the spinnerbaits have to practically flutter in the water as slow as possible even bouncing off the bottom most of the time. Texas or Carolina rigged plastics are also a good choice for castability slow presentation. A 4” salamander (watermelon seed) rigged Carolina style with an 1\8oz weight was what I was running for the day. (Started with the plastic tube and then went to the salamander. The lure would be cast out and allowed to sink to the bottom. Then the retrieval would begin that was so slow it tested my patience and was excruciating at times.

(Above: Same fish, different angle. There was snow here just a day or two ago.)

In smaller ponds I will target the deepest areas of water that can be reached with the shore cast. It is even better when those deep areas are at the base of an earthen dam or contains submerged structure points. These points are easier to cover with more precision than a simple blind cast. These structure points are the most consistent during the hottest times of the year as well. Some structure areas you hit every time you are there because it is the best real estate period. This time of year I hit those spots with slow presentations and a lot of patience.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

And the nominees are…

2011-10-31T08:08:00.000-07:00

As usual it takes me a while to get certain things in life accomplished. It has taken me a while to search through a number of blogs and select the ones that I think fit the Versatile Blogger award. Please forgive me if I have missed anyone that feels they are worthy of this award. My blog doesn’t get much recognition and admittedly I will have to do much better at promotions.

Nominations for The Versatile Blog Award:

TexWisGirl http://run-a-roundranch.blogspot.com/

Run-a-roundranch is a great example of both a quality blog and blogger. Her photography is very impressive as well as versatile in subject matter. This is a blog that is vastly growing in popularity and well deserved.

CoFisher http://cofisher.blogspot.com/

I am selecting Cofisher because he is a heck of a good guy and an avid blogger. His interviews are great along with his unique perspective in regards to Colorado and fishing. The fact Howard even puts up with my blog at all is huge for me.

Bill Trussell, Fishing Through Life http://btrussell-fishingthroughlife.blogspot.com/

Bill is versatile in his fishing ability as well as the species he targets. Warm water bass, cold-water trout and crappie slabs doesn’t even scratch the surface. I recommend following Bill to get a glimpse of him fishing through life.

Little Messy Missy http://reveau.blogspot.com/

This girl does it all and is pretty kick ass. Her blog has everything from gardening, chickens and the occasional tasty dish mixed with artistic photographs. Even though I don’t comment as much as I should on her blog, the inspiration derived is as good as gold.

Venie http://venividivicy.blogspot.com/

Here is someone versatile in life as much as her blog. Family, food, humor and a positive word now and then are what make this blog worth the views.

It is highly encouraged that recipients of blogger awards follow the spirit of sharing with other bloggers. The Versatile Blogger Award requests the following:

Post your acceptance\acknowledgement of the reward on your blog. Adding the image to you overall layout is a nice touch as well.
Tell 10 things about yourself that your readers may not know about you and your blog.
Nominate 7 other blogs for this Versatile Blogger Award. This can be far more of a challenge than one might suspect. Hopefully no one is upset by my selections or non-selections as it were. All of the blogs I follow are pretty fantastic but may or may not be as versatile.

There were a lot of people that were contemplated for this award and I struggled quite a bit with the acceptance, selection and then awarding others part. Originally I said that I was only going to nominate 5 blogs but still reserving the right to award 2 more if they would check their e-mails for my accept or reject e-mail.

Bloggers may reject, refuse or otherwise not acknowledge this or other awards from ColoradoCasters. Blog award rules and regulations that are broken, disregarded or violations that arise from said broken rules will have to be settled in blog court I guess.

A huge thanks goes out to all that stop by and view my blog. Your comments, views and rates mean far more to me than you know. I wish you all the very best.

Bass of October

2011-10-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

Colorado bass action changes quickly in the fall months. Forage base in October dwindles along with water temperature. Most spawning in lowland lakes has run its course for warm water species and the clouds of fry have been hammered. Shad die off may be present allowing some of the largest fish to gorge on a bounty of easy fish. In fact this time of year is a do or die situation and 90% of everything born this year just flat out won’t make it through fall to see winter. Even less of these creatures will see spring in 2012.

(Above: Right before the camera takes the shot I look up to see someone throw a stick in the water for their dog to go splooshing after. Normally it doesn’t bother me but I hadn’t fish that area yet.)

October is generally the month where the lure retrieve slows way down and I rely on both baitfish and creature presentations depending on the lake. This body of water has sunfish and bluegill but crawdads, frogs or even salamanders are also on the menu this time of year. For this trip I had the 7’ fast action rod working spinnerbaits and crankbaits while the 6’-6” medium heavy was rigged with the jig combo. In this case, a 1/4oz skirted jig with 4” grub trailer was used after getting a light splash of scent spray. Scent spray is something I like to use on the warm water scene when temperatures drop and fish lips get a little frigid as well.

The fish pictured above hit a lazy jig combo that was given a bump, stop-don’t move, wait and then wait some more action on the dirt bottom. This lure received roughly 60% of the hits but the option the larger fish seemed to prefer. The RatL trap in darker colors was second in action but more or less slowed me down with smaller fish. I didn’t expect the spinnerbait in bass\greensunfish to zero out. This was supposed to be my oversize, go-getum pattern but they just weren’t interested. With more patience and experimentation I probably could have worked this out.

(Above: Bluegill and sunfish are moving deeper and getting more difficult to find. Still happy to see them though especially in October. Catching this fish reulted in me throwing a dark green spinnerbait for another hour.)

The weight of the fish also perplexed me as I generally expect to catch fish heavy in the belly this time of year. The fish above was 20-inches in length but only read 3.8lb on the digital scale I almost never use. That is a about a pound shy of where this fish should be and surprising considering the amount of forage available. Without a sufficient buildup of fat a fish may not survive the winter.

Weather for the day was about as good as it gets for this time of year. Wind was stable for a change and didn’t try to push me around too much. I would still find myself up against the tree line or hiding behind ledges that blocked the wind and left slack water behind them. The water was slightly stained which makes the fish less nervous under clear blue skies.

(Above: Probably could have lived without this fish picture in the post but my second largest fish of the day.)

All in all this was a not too shabby bass day. Numbers were good for October even if the fish seemed a bit on the light side. Hopefully they can step up their game and the things I learned on this day help me step up mine. There are a few fat fish in here and with a little more work and patience they just might make the next photo op.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Photos from the field

2011-10-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

Spikes of whisker

(Above: This furry leaf muncher looks like it is armed with sharp spikes. Sometimes nature gives creatures a defense that looks more lethal than it really is. Spikes of whisker may be more façade than reality but surprisingly the illusion works well until a bird is brave enough to take a taste. Not sure whether it is coming or going, Most eaters of bugs move on in confusion rather than gambling with a stab to make sure.)

Green Hopper

(Above: Stumbling along the trail on my way back to the truck I come across a stubby green hopper looking for a suitable place to lay eggs. Not the perfect light angle for the shot but the best I could do that the time. “Don’t press your luck, fella” was written all over her face.)

Deer don’t give fishing tips

(Above: I am not a big fan of spectators while I am fishing but will often ask a few of the locals for tips if the chance arises. Even though this local didn’t exactly fit the bill of an experienced angler I thought it would be worth the time to ask. “Struggling on this water today. No hits. What do you usually throw in this stretch?” She didn’t say a word. “I don’t blame you for not telling me. I wouldn’t tell me either.” Not so much as a grin. This just wasn’t my week with the ladies.)

Fish at my feet

(Above: There are moments when I am swinging to the fence for fish and they just laugh at me. If I would simply just take a deep breath and slow down I would often see that the fish are just below my feet. The next thing to remember is that they will often see me before I see them.)

Lost hero

(Above: Ok is it just me or does this rock formation look possibly like some sort of statue that was toppled or unfinished? Basically a torso but so well defined that it makes me wonder if this was from a wannabe Michelangelo on a field trip or Mother Nature just showing off a little. No photo shop trickery here either. Bad photography? Yes.)

Never got the epic fall shot this year. Standing amidst the 24karot gold skyline I could barely catch my breath enough to take the picture. Time is fleeting and before we know it the Cold Three will be upon us. I am doing my best to make the best of fall fishing while keeping everything else somewhat nailed down.

Thank you so much for your views, comments and rates. This blog is fueled by your support.

Good luck and good fishing.

Crisp Canyon Run

2011-10-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

Heading over the pass of the great vertical divide and the thermometer was telling me things that my brain just didn’t want to accept quite yet. Digital readouts of 18 and 20 degrees were met with scoffs or otherwise disbelief. I had seen the frosty situation reports of the high country but was still riding daily conditions in the lowland metro. This time of year there can easily be 20 degrees difference between the two. The recent high’s of 65 and lows of 40 in the valley seem downright tropical for Colorado in October. Now my butt is in the high country hoping my two-layer setup is going to handle the first few hours.

Rolling into the canyon I see heavy frost on the sagebrush and mist coming off the water like spirits of all the anglers that made this trek before me. The only thing saving the landscape from a blanket of snow right now is crystal clear blue sky.

“Oh things are starting out crisp.” I exclaim jumping out of the truck to grab an extra layer of neoprene waders knowing that trips will only get colder from here on out.

Hike in and start the search casting. First I throw directly in front of me and then to the sides before stepping into the water to reach the other shoreline. A decent fish hits the lure and I try to do the solo photo op thing. This is where I try to set the camera up on time delay and try to get the fish to cooperate for about 10 seconds. This may be a lot like diapering a baby after you both have had about 4 cups of coffee (analogies are something that I just come up with. Don’t question my parenting skills by what I write on my blog). Just as soon as I think things are going smooth…the fish flips its tail fin and gets the camera lens wet. This happens far more than I would like to admit.

(Above: First fin slapper on the bait and wait stretch. Photo op loses a few points with the water droplet on the lens. The fish probably chuckled a bit when I let it go.)

Work the first part of the stretch with ho-hum results. I start experimenting with colors and size of lure. Wandering around through the tackle box choices only lands me in no-luck city (Ideally I try not to work too much viable water without developing some sort of game plan before moving on). Eventually I have to stick with the brown trout patterns that are picking up bites here and there. The daylight clock is ticking. Hopefully I stumble on the flavor of the day later on.

“Lingered too long already in this stretch.” My lips murmur the words on frosty breath while eyeing the shoreline behind me for spot jumpers. “Stick and move.”

Get into the second stretch and sunlight is coming up over the mountains but not quite falling into the canyon surrounded by steep walls of rock, heavy pine or scraggly brush. Areas of lush grass where the water goes flat are rare here but they do exist. Trout prefer areas where they can feed in water that is not all fast and furious. Cast, cast, cast. Plink a little fish. Cash, cast, stick and move. Next rock I reach has a soft ripple behind it. The rock is actually submerged so you don’t exactly see it at first glance. The soft ripple isn’t obvious in the large section of flat water but too perfect to pass up. Cast a few yards upstream and pick my line of retrieve. As soon as the lure gets into the riffle I feel the heavy thump-thump of that tugalicious fish love.

Trout in rivers give a different fight than that of fish in lakes. River fish use the current of the water to add tension onto the line. At times they will use the current to burrow themselves more or less on the bottom making you work extra hard to pull them up. This fish used all of those tricks even though it is only 14 or 15 inches. Go for the photo op and what do you know? It starts flipping two seconds into it. At that point I just let it go along with a lot of other fish caught that day.

(Above: This fish will indeed be very huge one day if allowed to grow into its dot pattern. Sometimes you have to respect a fish for it would could it be.)

Sunlight finally graces the canyon. I hold my fingers in the rays to gather warmth rather than pulling out light gloves tucked in the top of my waders. This is the moment I had planned for. This is where I run the gold and red pattern knocking them dead. Things rarely go as I plan. No love on gold and flashy. Eventually I am falling on one pattern that is getting bites. Not consistent bites but the only thing that was getting any real action at the party. The rest of the day I go into full out “plink and go” mode with one color, one size on one rod.

“Run it top, middle and deep.” I mumble in a blur stepping to the next hole trying to solve the riddle of the water for big fish. “Cut through the front, run through the middle and drift long in the current. Wish I knew what they really wanted.”

(Above: Finally a fish willing to lay down and do the photo op. Some fish are ok with it but most trout don’t dig it whatsoever. Hurtin’ the fish aint worth it. Pick the right fish and play it gentle for the photo op.)

Once upon a time this run was somewhat of a secret to Frances and folks like Mountain Goat Keith. By noon there were several spot jumpers around me working for fish. Most worked the water in silence letting me pass by them with a quiet nod. One trail stumbler stops to zip up a few open pockets on what looks like a 3-Day backpack.

“What they biting on?” he asks with a crooked grin that is missing one tooth.

“Stick and move…” I reply making the slim corner on the steep trail. “That was the only thing that worked for me today.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

2011-10-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

ColoradoCasters receives “Versatile Award”

I am very much honored to receive this award from Priyanka over at http://grlonthemuv.blogspot.com/ and truly thankful. Getting an award from the blogger community is something that I have weighed with mostly anticipation but also a little dread depending on the award. The term versatile fits this blog really well making this award very appropriate and I can’t think of a fitting first blog award.

Let’s face it my blog would never receive “Most Advanced” or “Coolest Layout” accolades but you have to admit that for being such a fishing nut my blog is in fact very versatile in both material as well as fishing. And that really is the key to getting folks to stop by on a regular basis. If ColoradoCasters were nothing but shameless bragging people wouldn’t tolerate my lack of useful information. The sense of adventure, the occasional rant, bad artwork, crazy fish theories and random photos make it all just a bit more worthwhile. With the amount of effort put forth you would think this blog would crazy fishing blog would be far more popular. Unfortunately my lack of marketing and promotion more or less makes me my own worst enemy when it comes to things like format updates or even blog rolls. So when Priyanka gave me this award it was a most welcome sight. Once again, thank you.

Awards also come with requirements and this one is no exception. Being somewhat of a rebel I am going to have to alter the nomination amount to five blogs and name the selection in an upcoming post. To help make up for my lack of award nominees I will say 10 ten things about myself that people may be surprised to know (The official requirements are to nominate 15 blogs and say 7 things. Hopefully no one sues in me blogger court for doing something else).

For a living I am currently a Project Manager\engineer in the field of telecommunications. The job is demanding but the technology is something that makes it a fascinating challenge every day.
I used to hunt but now have chosen to primarily fish. I still defend the rights of responsible hunters in this country.
My fly-fishing skills need more work than even my own blog suggests.
I cooked my way through college at various restaurants in Colorado.
Besides working in Colorado I have spent two years working just outside of Salt Lake City Utah.
Born in Idaho and have lived in Montana, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado and have spent a bit of time in California, Washington, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and even Kansas. But spent very little time east of Nebraska.
My behavior is often reckless but for the most part I am neat and organized.
My claims of Blackfoot heritage are greatly exaggerated and completely unsubstantiated. But being born in the town originally named “Eagle Rock”, I sometimes try to acknowledge 0.02% Native American Black foot Tribe heritage with no government or tribal benefits. Some things you just feel.
Boxers over briefs.
I spend more time fishing than even my blog suggests.

If you get time, please visit http://grlonthemuv.blogspot.com/ and say hello. One of my favorite things about the blog format is that it helps you connect with so many people across the world with so many interests with more to say than just a tweet here and there.

My name is Matt and I just got the “Versatile Blog” Award!

Bought and sold-Christo’s crazy vision moves forward

2011-10-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

Two leases approved by the BLM brush aside a few of the last hurdles standing in the way of Christo and his art project. Basically it’s a done deal. When I first read about crazy Christo and this whacked out vision of his, it seemed absolutely laughable. He could have picked many other places with far less fragile habitat but he seemed hell bent on draping crap over a 45-mile section of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Christo along with a few powerful friends from the east coast had meetings with various agencies such as Colorado Department of Natural Resources and it was clear that any and all concerns could be brushed aside with money.

Colorado’s DNR apparently is willing to sell out to the highest bidder and catering far more to people with money than should be tolerated. I could list at least 10 sections of other water that would suit this project far better than here. A few of these areas were brought to the table of discussion but Christo pretty much stuck with this area saying something like, “Naw. I am pretty set on @#$& up this spot.”

There are a lot of reasons why this location is one of the worst choices Christo could make. Drilling and setting up all of those cables is just the start. The narrow canyon will have a tough time accommodating a large volume of construction and traffic. I expect this to become a nightmare for motorists most of the time. Sadly the cool canyon cruise will be reduced to a stop and go lookie lou situation for quite a long period during both construction and as long as the project is up.

(Above: The red circles indicate proposed areas for the project. Christo will tell you it is only 6 accumulative miles affected. However the entire project will take place roughly over a 50-mile stretch of canyon.)

Not saying this project couldn’t have been built in Colorado and 50 million bucks in overall budget (which will most likely run over that amount like all projects do) is very hard to turn down in this economy. The boost of commerce to the region is a huge blessing for the community with revenues that they most likely wouldn’t see otherwise. Um, 26,000 for schools though is pretty lame compensation in my view but the increase in sales tax will help fund education in this area further. That is the silver lining here and it would admittedly be hypocritical of me to overlook this aspect. Don’t get me wrong. There is a lot of good that will come out of this. It just stinks that some nutball from the east coast can come to Colorado and pretty much have his way with anything he wants as long as he has the money to placate. It’s not the worst thing that ever happened and heaven help the Arkansas if anything goes wrong. Like the goats and fish there is not much I can to do but ride this fiasco out.

In the meantime I’ll send a few e-mails and phone calls out asking for more in ways of fish remediation and habitat improvements. The only way I am going to feel better about this whole thing is if we kick this Christo guy so deep in the moneybags that he never does an art project around fish again.

Below are a few link references especially to the ROAR website. These folks have been centralizing the focus and putting up a great fight. There is a lot of information for those that want to read more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/us/26artist.html

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19066220?cref=twitter

http://roarcolorado.org/

Good luck and heaven help the Arkansas River

Big fish water-Ho Hum Expectations

2011-10-08T08:53:00.000-07:00

Colorado has a lot of fishing options with big fish potential. Reaching these areas may require some planning and a long drive. As we roll into fall a few of these “big fish waters” start nagging on my casting elbow. The lid was lifted slightly on one spot from two angles. The BLM fences were removed and a few signs were cemented in place that stated, “Hey! You can fish here!!! Go on ahead!” When these things happen a time clock starts ticking and true fishing quality in my view diminishes greatly. People start pressuring fish and taking fish out.

“Man, I have to get in there and fish that spot!” I mumbled through most of September.

Finally the planets align and things at work open a window for a weekday PTO (Paid Time Off) fishing excursion. Loading up the truck in the dark I make off for one of my few solo runs on the western side of the mountains. After three hours I arrive at the gravel road and then park at the faded trailhead parking area. The sun has cleared the mountains and I get a full view of the landscape where deciduous river basin meets cliffs of sage. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as my eyes surveyed the fish battleground below.

“Oh this is going to be sweet.” My lips mumble as daydreams of enormous fish run through my mind. “I’m going to nail something big out of here for sure!”

The cliff dive to the water edge is a bit extreme on this fishing spot so the walk in is done with caution or repelling gear. Making it to the bottom with both ankles deserves a pat on the back before moving through a small strip of dense foliage that guards the river.

Like most good fishing spots nature has hidden this one fairly well with it’s hard to reach location. I liken this to a naturally fortified position that is easily defended. Once you find the trail that leads to the back of hell’s gates there remains a light infantry of tall grass and a thick tree line that stands as strong as any heavy cavalry. The only way to wade through it is by small careful steps and well placed feet. Weaving your fishing rod through the myriad of branches almost resembles swordplay in some fashion. At this point I should mention there is also an easy-peasy trail to the right that takes you straight to the rollover once you reach the bottom of the cliff. There is a fence and field crossing that I am not sure is 100% kosher so I still take the “foliage front line” head on. The end result is the same and I wind up at the rollover with a better view of the small public access stretch overall.

“Made it.” That was all I said lifting the light pack off my shoulders, unzipped the top and pulled out the waders.

Dressed for fish battle I set the gear for recon mode. This means throwing out fall colors in yellow, brown or gold in two lure types. One rod is set with minnow and the other is set with jig. I work the entire water column within the first one hundred feet with three basic color patterns. Nothing.

“Guess I will cross the moat and battle the thicket.” The trepidation in my voice mixed with subtle disappointment was a little more than obvious. “Water is a little bit higher than I am used to.”

With that I stepped into water and barely managed to wade across the river to the other side. The water came up to where my stomach meets the chest less than halfway across. The current was swift and difficult to stand against. My only move was to literally go with the flow and aim for the shore on the other side before running into a large pool at the end of straightaway.

“Oh man. That was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. Going back my be real tricky.”

A few more steps and I am in what is called the “back section”, which is a bit presumptuous as the entire public stretch isn’t really large enough to have both a front and back section in my view. I simply refer to this area as “the thicket” due to the sometimes-overwhelming branch work that consumes this area. Moving through some parts is a lot like trying to push your way through a wave of hoplite spearmen. Rarely do I emerge on the other side without a scratch. But here is where I do catch most of the fish that have not been as battered as the ones on the front section. All of the fish caught were far smaller than I had hoped. It would be easy to blame the public pressure for this or even the bright, clear weather. But the blame game doesn’t put fish in my hand.

After working virtually every inch of the small section the window of time is swiftly closing. I could stay here all day but there is still a sizeable drive home and a bunch of things still on the “do list” for the day. As big as my fish expectations were, it was clear that now I would have to leave with only ho-hum results. Concern for the river crossing to get back seemed to overshadow the lack of fish bragging at this point. Due to heavy current of the river I would not be able to take the same path and would have to find another route across.

“I may have to start at the top of the stretch and wade down. Oh this could get ugly.”

Reaching the top of the stretch I can see two sandbars formed by the current. It looked as if I had a much better line of travel with the current than before. The only area of concern was the middle transition between to the two submerged sandbars (which were more gravel and rock than sand). My feet enter into the water for the second river crossing of the day. Everything is going well at first and my knees are barely getting wet. A few steps and the water is at my hips. The bar is fading in visibility beneath my feet. This is where I have to cross a deeper section to reach the bar on the other side. It looks about 3 feet, which is manageable, and after a few steps I am about 60% across.

“Almost there. Not too shabby.”

One more step with the current nudging me down the river it was as if the bottom dropped out from underneath me. I made the cut too soon and now found myself in a large hole. It was all I could do to hop on one toe keeping the waterline about a half-inch above the top of my waders. The backpack was providing buoyancy that I leaned against. This was a huge help for now but could become extra weight once it filled with water. Hopping along the river bottom at an angle I gave one last kick with my foot and barely reached the other bar. Below is a diagram that crudely represents both crossing paths and where I nearly drenched myself.

(Above: Ok so I am just going to come out and admit that sometimes my graphic’s team is really lame. They do one flashy picture for the Driving to Fish-Tips and then start goofing off again.)

When my feet touched back on dry land my lips nearly kissed the shoreline. My legs were shaking and my entire pack was soaked. My camera was dry and the river never tipped into my waders so everything was all right. Stripped off the waders, put on the semi-wet hiking shoes and prepped for the reverse cliff dive out. Funny how a vertical climb of a few hundred feet doesn’t seem to faze you after a near river dunk. The ho-hum fish results mattered much less at this point also. In the end I was satisfied with the solo trip that didn’t end up in disaster. On some trips that is about as good as it gets.

My name is Matt…still fishing.

We will miss you, Bonny

2011-10-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Water becomes more and more of a premium concern for Colorado as it grapples with its own needs and the contractual obligations of other states. As populations grow in the state it becomes more and more apparent that anglers and other water goers will be on the losing end of this battle. Bonny Reservoir and State Park has been on the front line of this water fight. Being located in a drought ravaged area as well as the eastern state border has made saving this body of water virtually impossible. When water demands for Nebraska and Kansas come to the forefront, Bonny takes the brunt. After years of struggling Bonny will offer its last gallons of water to the east and be closed.

Bonny was built in 1951 and quickly became a recreational oasis on the eastern plains as well as storing water for irrigation and many other aquatic needs. The lake was created on a floodplain of the Republican River. This area has been affected by drought conditions that continue to linger or worsen every year.

Fish salvage is underway making this loss a little less painful. But for me it signals a much larger issue than just Bonny. Now that this lake is drained, how will Colorado continue to meet the water demands of both this state and others without seriously impacting other fisheries. The haunting reality is this…Bonny today, what will be lost tomorrow.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19012682?source=rss

http://www.parks.state.co.us/Parks/BonnyLake/Pages/BonnyLakeHome.aspx

Fishing with Hookers

2011-10-04T07:25:00.001-07:00

One of my lifelong dreams is to have my very own fishing show on some obscure cable TV channel. How cool would that be to have a camera crew follow me around and receive a sponsor budget over the usual 20 bucks leftover from my paycheck at the end of the week. For some silly reason I think my fishing style and personality would bring a fresh new outlook to the TV fishing scene with a freestyle edge you don’t see on the big yawn shmackity schmackity bla bla bla fishing shows.

Then I come across a team of anglers that have produced a fishing video that is nothing short of amazing. These guys show some of the behind the scene details and inner workings of just how difficult it can be to produce episodes of such quality. Move over Bill Dance…now there is “Fishing with Hookers”. Huge congrats to Robert Bertrand and team for putting this together.

Fishing With Hookers from Brett Eichenberger on Vimeo.

These guys have been around for a while apparently and like me they have been shunned from most professional media sources. That is a shame to say the least and I feel their pain. At some point I have to give up on trying to be accepted in certain fishing circles. The fact that I throw spin gear at trout and have more of a “face for radio” doesn’t help things either. Maybe I am not submitting my material to the right venues. Maybe fishing a few tournaments would help (I might prefer a sharp stick in the eye to be honest). Maybe I simply wanted to post a funny fishing video before heading to a dentist appointment.

My name is Mattsabasser and I just want to fish.

Return to the land of orcs

2011-10-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Approaching the cliff ledge that hides the river and dense foliage below, a gut check is followed by a hard swallow. Then the descent slowly downward on a steep path begins. This path leads into an area I call “The land of orcs” for its remnants of mining equipment that could tell tall tales of times long past and a horrible stench. The horrible stench always lingers on the upper trail that follows the cliff base. This smell resembles rotting flesh, decomposition and possibly the defecation of something horrible. Every time I walk this trail it feels as though the entrance to some sinister hollow is not far off.

The trees are tall and deciduous compared to the majestic pine more common to the area. The dense foliage is quick to swallow whatever sunlight that tries to enter. Even in the early stages of fall the landscape seems to envelop. Pathways are difficult to navigate and trails vanish in the deep grass before my eyes. The wind shifts, I smell the stench of orcs and immediately look over my shoulder. I wait for the birds to continue chirping before moving on.

Mosquitoes hovered around my face and collected on my clothes. They bite at every bit of exposed skin until reaching the shore. Stepping into the water and wading a foot or two out was the only escape. Beat off a few straggling skeetoes and look for position on the river. One angler was on the sweet spot wearing a bright red cap so the only option was to work the water downstream. This wasn’t exactly terrible as there was the remaining 75% of the stretch virtually untouched and unoccupied.

“There is still the old bridge.” I said with a glass half full attitude, which is rare for me.

No sooner had I said these words that the one angler left his original spot and disappeared into the forest. Shortly after that I heard scrambling in the woods behind me on the upper trail. Part of me wondered if the red cap-wearing angler was being chased by orcs.

“Better him than me.” I tried to reason with my concern and continue casting.

Minutes later the angler with the red cap popped out of the forest and back into the river. This time it was right at the old bridge. He was first to sweet spot so I guess he felt it would be best if he were first to the old bridge section as well. This boiled my blood for a brief moment but I chose to make the best of it by moving directly to the sweet spot where I wanted to fish in the first place.

“Orcs may still get that guy.”

Brown trout presentations were thrown out on the first rotation and worked my way to the gold, then silver. After an hour I went back to the brown and started getting hits. Eventually it came to me that it wasn’t so much the color as it was where the fish were. Pockets of water on the far side of the river and sandy ledges wasn’t necessarily “action town” but they would cough up a fish here and there.

Throwing out into a deeper section of water and I get a heavy thump on the line. My hands barely felt the bite as the fish hit while the lure was dropping. The line started racing upstream as my fingers quickly brought it the rest of the slack under a bit of panic. This fish was in no hurry to be landed and had plenty of room to run. I expected to lose the fish at any moment. Instead the head turned and the fish capitulated to the hand.

(Above: Beauty brown laying down for the photo op before going back into the drink. Waders make those “in the water” shots so much easier. More photo props go out to Don for the fish pics on this trip.)

The sweet spot paid off with the beauty brown and several smaller trout. It seemed that the higher flows mixed with cloudy weather made fish more willing to bite. The brown trout moving into spawn mode didn’t seem to hurt things either. But during the brief moments where the clouds would part and the sun would bless the landscape, fish action shut down to practically zero. Bug activity was down as well. Once the clouds returned everything went back on as if someone hit a light switch.

Clouds seemed to help the fishing action but also turned casual shadows into menacing dark spaces where evil creatures tend to dwell. Even the songs of birds seemed less cheerful than usual carrying a dreary tone. Maybe it was a melody of caution as much as a tribute to others who might have perished in this stretch if hidden canyon. Moving along this stretch you see many signs of people that may have met a terrible fate running through here. Or it could be left over mining equipment.

Start making my way back to the bridge section and I notice red cap angler is no longer in the section. He may have slipped out while I was on one of the far reaching bends. He may have been eaten by orcs. One thing was certain and mattered most to me right now…the bridge spot was open. Carefully, quietly, I waded out of the shallow water and made my way to the high trail. In a few moments my feet cut back to the river and back into the shallow water followed by more mosquitoes.

Cast out to the far side and bring the lure across the deep drift. Rather than running gracefully through the pool I clumsily come in contact with a submerged rock. The lure stops and I deduce that the hook has caught up on some moss or the rock itself. The line stays in one position but is more or less fighting the current and somehow slowly taking drag. Then an enormous silver tail comes out of the water near the rock. It takes me a minute to figure it out but somehow for once in my life I have hooked into one of the larger bows on this stretch. I hold my breath for every fin slap, head turn and reel crank on a fish like this.

(Above: Great shot in less than perfect light. I am extremely honored to hold this fish.)

Working the old bridge section to the very end yielded a few more fish but nothing over the twelve-inch category. Moving beyond this fence line would most likely bring an encounter far worse than the imaginary orcs that dwell here only in my mind. Ethics and landowners with guns forbid me to go any further.

“Nothing left but the long hike out.”

Back on dry ground my eyes spot an opening in the trees. At first it looks like what could be a faded deer trail or an excellent place for an ambush. Grass surprisingly tall for this time of year mixed with dense tree foliage is deceiving at best and potentially treacherous the rest of the time. Rather than try to bushwack my way through I decide to reverse course and look for other options. A little backtracking reveals a more reliable trail. From there I make my way to the upper trail and follow that to the old gravel road. The same gravel road possibly carved by mountain dwarves or possibly miners back in the day.

The arduous hike out is far more painful than the cautious walk in. After ducking and dodging orcs or even red capped anglers for fish on this stretch a long hike out taps whatever fuel reserves are left in the tank. Reaching the vehicle is sweet bliss and at last I give a sigh of relief and let out air my lungs have been holding since fish one.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Panther Martin Photo winner

2011-09-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hold the pancake batter and put down the spatulas. Did these folks actually pick my photo for the monthly contest winner? Dusting off the inbox of my e-mail this morning I see a letter with “Winner” in the subject line.

“Clearly this must be a mistake or spam of some sort.” I mutter while working on my second cup of morning coffee. Upon further review it looks legit. Finally I get some kudos from the mainstream media even if it is a humble photo contest submission.

Public acclaim for my fishing exploits is virtually non-existent outside my blog for many reasons. A few fish pics and some shameless bragging is more than enough reward for me after the trip is over. One aspect of acknowledgment that I can’t resist however is the occasional photo submission. If you want to get in on this, check out the contest info and submit a few pictures with your favorite Panther Martin catch. Throwing a crimp down on those barbs is a nice touch as well.

http://www.panthermartin.com/TrophyFish/?keycode=em

Photo acknowledgement goes to Don. Beauty shot on this one, man!!! Thanks again to Panther Martin.

Good luck and good fishing.

Buckeye Bass

2011-09-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

(Above: Part bass\part butterfly? Maybe this fish is just showing a little wear from the last hook up.)

Another Saturday lake grind except this time it takes me quite a while to find the quality bass. Rather than working the old familiar structure spots I should have formulated the low water depth and the inlet letting fresh water in. Either it wasn’t letting water in when I was doing the early morning launch or I just plain missed it. After rowing across most of the lake through sun, wind and yellow perch there just wasn’t enough gas left in the tank to wait out the big fish that I had spooked when rolling into the sweet spot. That is just the way it goes sometimes especially on the few larger lakes that I fish. These waters test me the most. They take longer for me to learn and give the fish more area to move around. Unfortunately I still haven’t replaced the electronics burgled during the storage unit break in. The fish finder would have given me some advantage in the deep and murky water but the usual structure areas should have produced at least something. At one point I stopped and ran through the tackle box on a delicious clay incline that always has at least one fish. And that is what I got, one bite-one fish.

News you can use and it isn’t much.

Perch are starting to bring some serious anger. In some areas you could throw an engine piston and these fish would mob it with tiny bites. A few times I would think a respectable bass was putting a tiny bite on the bait when in reality it was a mere eight inch perch with a bad attitude. Tried my best to plink out a respectable fire tiger for the photo op but it wasn’t in the cards. Rather than fish the heavy murk, look for fresh water coming in. The lake begins with the letter Q…Oh no I’ve said too much. (small shout out to R.E.M. and their decision to dissolve the band.)

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Mattsabasser Driving to Fish-Tips: “Give a wave instead of the finger”

2011-09-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

Give a wave instead of the finger

We see it all the time where someone less courteous cuts another driver off in traffic or makes an egregious offense on the road. A few angry car horns are likely exchanged with a follow up yell of “Whaddayadoin’?” The situation goes DEFCON 5 when one driver or both display the middle-finger\pluck yew hand gesture. For some reason this act ignites rage beyond comprehension and next thing you know people are trading paint or punches. While the cops sort things out ol Rusty the dog in back of the truck is thinking…

“We should be fishing right now.”

This type of thing could be avoided with a small concession of good will and a civil gesture before things escalate. Rather than flipping the bird and crashing your vehicle into the other driver, give them a friendly wave instead. This small act of forgiveness or admission will most likely diffuse the situation or at least keep things from evolving into a hostile entanglement.

A good fishing trip will always benefit from fewer problems. Hopefully these Drive to Fish Tips help anglers reach the water and return home to fish once again. Good luck and good fishing.

September Buckotage

2011-09-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

September rolls across the landscape like a quiet hush dreaded by youth but met with subtle anticipation by the more serious anglers. For now the masses return to toils of books and agendas while leaving memories of summer behind. Crowds in our national forests subside along with the serious weekend traffic that urban areas may typically endure June through August. As parks and other wild areas breath this sigh of relief a much more complicated ballet takes place. Leaves fall from their graceful green and descend into the deep hues of fall. Colder nights and frosty mornings beckon the coming of winter. September is a time where older beasts move first into fall mode. Elk start to rut and fish will look to put on a serious feedbag before ice and snow lock everything up.

(Above: second picture try with the fish in one hand and me trying to keep the oar out of the shot with my knee. Some guys get a camera crew. I just want to fish.)

Fall bassin’ offers a fickle bite and the water will remain mostly flat compared to the hubbly-bubbly top water action of summer. The fish for me right now seem tight-lipped one minute and almost desperate the next. My guess is that the tight-lipped fish has just eaten. The desperate fish will hit almost anything. Maybe the real trick is finding that big fish before it fills the belly. This may be one special day of the week or it may simply be as easy as “it eats when it can”. Rather than trying to dial in the perfect day or even hour to fish I try to get out and cast.

(Above: Another open mouth-in the water shot. Sometimes a quick grab click and go is the best photo op option.)

Normally I rely on the big baitfish pattern in fall. I run the spinnerbait in sunfish or even bass colors before resorting to cranks and Rat-L’s. Cast and rip. Then I cast and slow flutter the situation with some loosey-goosy raise and drop. Here I am raising the blade to the top of the water and then letting it drop straight down. I typically miss a few hits here and there but this time I get nothing on the wiretap from fish city.

“Damn…”

Grab the second rod with the black\blue creature pattern. This is a skirted jig combo with a delicious plastic grub trailer. Really this thing resembles nothing in the natural world but catches that one or two fish by surprise. These are fish that may have seen just about anything else and willing to give an ugly creature presentation a go. When a heavy bucketmouth bites down I hold my breath and fight a battle of distance and strength. One mistake could make the difference between victory or defeat.

(Above: Looks like I got a little too close to the camera on this one.)

September also offers the last public access for some places, which is important for the spots that may have received a lot of focus early in the season but almost forgotten in fall. These are the times I dust off my spring schedule and make a cast in places possibly for the last time of the year.

Fall is not exactly my best time for bass (I’m just being honest) but it is the season where I have the chance to land fish in their heaviest condition as well as land that one big monster fish looking to bulk up. On the right hour of the right day…wow, you may pull fish out of places you never thought possible.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Photos from the field

2011-09-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Lonely Caboose

(Above: One day a train comes and drops off the tail end and chugs off into the distance leaving this little caboose lonely in the cloudy sunset. My heart goes out to this little green caboose left all alone. “It’s okay BN-278397” I say with the tiny soft spot in my heart “They will come back for you. Until then you have an awesome view.”

Amanita muscaria

(Above: Commonly known as fly agaric to people who know a lot about mushrooms. This is a toxic shroom that can be found in coniferous forests all over the world. Considered inedible it can be consumed after parboiling. Deaths from consumption are rare and this variety is somewhat famed for its toxic yet hallucinogenic properties which I don’t expect to be testing anytime soon. These examples are slightly discolored and usually exhibit bright red colors instead of the slightly brownish hues you see here.)

Stowaway Scallywag!

(Above: Doing a deck check on my floating vessel and stumbled across a stowaway scallywag! Actually I pulled him aboard while retrieving a skirted jig combo with a morning splash of Crawbug scent. Guess this clawed bugger got a little frisky as most guys do in the morning. Maybe I grabbed the wrong scent as my lure was not violated by anything other than this clawed Don Juan.)

Perfect cast

(Above: Most anglers are in constant search of the perfect cast. For me that means getting the tip of the line into a tough spot. Here Don is showing how it is done flipping a small fly under an overhanging tree branch. The fly landed perfectly with the line straight behind it. Had I attempted this cast the next half hour would have been spent digging the rig from the branches.)

Lex Luthor…home away from home?

(Above: Throughout my career I have worked on some fairly sophisticated communication projects. Some have been for the military and even government entities but I know very little about these two arrays sticking out of two suspicious looking earth domes. My guess is this could be a vacation home for Lex Luthor or some evil genius. Not a full fledge base or anything but more of a home away from home used to get away from that whole world domination scene once in a while.)

Thank you so much for your views, comments and rates. This blog is fueled by your support.

Good luck and good fishing.

West Nile Virus found in Lakewood…don’t panic.

2011-09-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

If they find West Nile in one pond…it just may be in the pond right next to it and say the 6 or 7 more ponds within a mile radius of this one. Funding for west Nile Virus control has been put on the chopping block for most communities despite the residents’ concerns of more local ponds testing positive for West Nile Virus.

Sanctuary Park is an area routinely tested for West Nile and now that it has turned up positive for the germ, more areas will likely be tested. Hopefully these other areas test negative and we avoid an epidemic of some kind. My concern is partly because I fish this area a few times a year. Most of the ponds are situated in park settings where a lot of children play. Kids are far more susceptible to the harmful effects of this virus than adults which should definitely create some serious concern for parents.

Here is a map with the lake and the other pond just across the street. This area contains many parks with small ponds, irrigations and even swimming pools. Below is the news blurb from the Denver Post that makes this positive finding for West Nile Virus sound like something that “pops up” like a distant relative or something much less serious followed up with “…these positive tests shouldn’t alarm residents.” I’m thinking this is just the sort of thing that would alarm me if I frequented this area…and I do.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18815113

The fact that a small percentage of mosquitos can survive winter leads me to believe that we should look immediatey to treatment and additional testing of this area heavily populated with children and elderly which are more suceptible. Otherwise next year could see a spike in folks reporting West Nile Virus occurences.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Mr. Brown and the muddy details

2011-09-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

It just so happens that I might do a little bit of fishing now and then. Casting at any spot that looks like it has a chance my casting elbow knocks on a few fish doors with hopes of pulling in a big fin slapper. Once in a while I actually do catch a fish that is not from the ho-hum section. This is a recent account of one of those times and the muddy details that go along with it.

(Above: No one gets tired of my small trout photos more than me. This is not a “huge” trout by Colorado standards but definitely not as Ho-Hum as folks are more or less used to seeing on my blog. If I catch fish bigger than this on a regular basis I might actually have to tone down the heavy forward holds…maybe.)

This fish came about by checking out a different stretch of river on the eastern slope. Just when I think every scrap of good water has been fished on this side of the big ridge, someone or some water shows me how wrong I am. As soon as I saw this place the pain of a hypothetical boot kicking me in the posterior was strongly felt…”Why haven’t I checked this place out before?” It’s not even on my list even though this Mattsabasser has driven by it many times.

Step to the early morning water and start the exploration casting with almost no wind and clear summer skies. I pull in a 4inch brown trout on the third cast and a 6inch brown trout a few casts later. This is what I more or less expected to happen the entire day and I moved down the stretch wandering between open spots and tall, lush summer grasses. Expectations were set on low and I was ready to play tag and let go with small fish all day long. The stretch wasn’t crowded and there was plenty of shade. Watching small hatches and herds of hoppers I stuck to my game plan ready for anything.

Maybe an hour or so into the day while throwing out one of my usual presentations a heavy thump comes out of nowhere. My rod bends down and the line starts moving upstream into the current. Right away I knew this was a big fish (meaning I panicked the whole time) and held my breath with every turn of the reel handle. At any minute I expected the fish to spit the hook and my left hand adjusted the drag not once but twice during the battle. In and out of the current this fish surprisingly seemed easier to control than the tiny sporadic fish that most consider “bait” (but what I am used to catching most of the time). The weight of the fish kept it from leaping out of the water or diving under rock edges like a smaller fish would. Finally get the fish to hand and roll with the photo op. The photo does the fish justice for once, which makes me friggen jomama-jubilous!

As for the details of the what, how, when and where I have to stick to my usual tradition of muddy details. Wind speed, water temp and even presentation statistics are all things I try to work into the story as opposed to the streamline copy\paste chart that might accompany an actual fishing report. Location is the hardest for me to divulge. A good water hound with determination in their tackle bag will find good fishing in Colorado considering all of the research tools they have at their disposal. Aside from location, most folks in Colorado would simply argue with me on the details anyway. Others might tell me that I am wrong for throwing me some spin gear at trout now and then. Instead I suggest readers soak up the adventure because that is where my writing focus is aimed. Hopefully there is enough adventure, conservation material and other elements that help readers swallow my shameless bragging. It is a work in progress.

Special thanks goes out to Dan (whom I met through a former co-worker) for the invite\tag along situation. It is greatly appreciated. My personal code for fishing other people’s water or the water they share with me is as thus:

E-mail before visiting the location a second time.

Keep the location tight lipped unless otherwise specified and even then a person should think very hard before going all bla bla bla on the location someone offers to you.

Be willing to share a few hot spots with the same quality or better or at the very least return the favor with a follow up trip somewhere else. If they are willing to put up with me again that is.

This is just my personal code but find these rules help smooth out any wrinkles and spare any harsh feelings in regards to something that I view as precious as good fishable water. This is a special spot for Dan and it would be extremely bad form of me to think otherwise.

My name is Matt. If you must take, take from the lake. What is caught in the creek stays in the creek.

Lake John…back on the board September 3rd

2011-08-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

(Above: B&W photo from 1999 to give this article that rustic feel. Or maybe the Google satellite shot had a big #$%^ cloud over the lake right when I need a good screen shot.)

Once again I bring you news of another northern Front Range lake getting some much needed attention. Lake John is a fishery with an abundance of potential. Unfortunately common carp that entered the system began to overcrowd the situation and the stocked trout survived at a fraction of the quality that we regularly see here. Water turbidity and other elements that too many carp can bring to a water impoundment made it difficult for sport fish to reach their optimum.

Removing the carp and better controlling the water source could quickly remake Lake John a premier trout destination as the high level of plankton that exists here fatten the trout up quickly. It also sounds like they stocked a few serious brooder trout making a few of these catches in the OMG section. The summary stocking breakdown goes something like this…

130,000 rainbow trout in the 4-5inch range

50,000 snake river cutthroat 5-8inch range

40,000 rainbow trout in the 6-9inch range

35,000 cutbow\bowcutts in the 10inch range

1,500 trout in the 3-7lb range with most of the fish averaging 4pounds and 16-22”…that is what I am talking about!!!

Lake John is managed as a bait and take fishery with primitive camping sites on the shore. Boating is allowed and ramps are located at north and south ends of the lake. Species are mainly rainbow trout that are routinely stocked but the rumor of a few brown trout still persist. The keep is limit is 4 fish but I highly encourage everyone to cut this in half and only take out two trout especially if one or both is adequate size. If you see a stringer with four-7lb trout take and send me the picture so I can ridicule that fish monger on my blog. Legal don’t always make it right or the best thing to do and Lake John could use a little moderation now for future trout development. Just sayin’.

In my view Lake John is a great family\weekend destination but mostly for the folks that don’t mind a primitive camp setting and looking primarily for a stocked trout\baiting scene with big fish opportunity. Lake John also takes some of the angling pressure off of Delaney Buttes, a premier trout destination in the state managed as Artificial Fly and Lure only with very limited take restrictions.

Here is a peak at the news blurb from Colorado Parks and Wildlife Insider. To get these updates and more, go to their announcement website and enter your e-mail address into their DOW Insider feature.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/DOWInsider/Pages/DOWInsider.aspx

Start entry-

WALDEN, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife has completed a reclamation project at Lake John, setting the stage for a rejuvenated fishery that will be open for angling in early September. Lake John is located northwest of Walden along CO Road 7A.

“The success we have had with the reclamation is like a reset button for Lake John," said Kurt Davies, aquatic biologist for the northeast region. "The lake will be back online by the first week of September and back to growing fish at its maximum potential. The fish we are planting now will see tremendous growth before the lake is even iced up and with the large brood fish we are putting in there, there's the possibility someone will hook into a real trophy.”

-End entry

Good luck and good fishing

Squeezing the last drops of August

2011-08-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

August in Colorado tends to resemble a typical summer month but signs of fall start to creep in as we draw closer and closer to September. The transition from lush greens to dry browns is slow at first and I feel it sneaking in already. Sure things may still look and feel like July but the subtle changes such as dried grasses and brown leaf edges remind me that summer doesn’t last forever. The clock is ticking and I need to get in those last tastes of summer and look forward to fall.

(Above: Not too shabby bucketmouth swindled off of a patch of August cattails with weightless plastics.)

Bass fishing can change with the season in a few ways. The fish are more educated by the end of August and a large percentage of fish will become wary. On the other hand existing forage such as shad, other baitfish, frogs and even insects will start to drop off. Spawning has stopped for most of these fish and predation will have taken a big chunk out of the equation. Once overnight temperatures fall below 45degrees a lot of smaller fish will die, as their bodies are not developed enough to withstand the fluctuation. Large fish will start to run out of those plentiful summer food options on a lot of Colorado waters by the end of August.

Shallow water this time of year will contain a few baitfish and smaller bass still cruise in and out looking for prey. Larger fish however move to deeper ambush points which was not only the case on this day but more or less the trend on most of the smaller ponds that I fish with consistent shoreline fishing pressure. Cattail sections that are still thick and healthy provide excellent ambush cover as well as oxygen. These are great congregation areas for fish both large and small. It pays to key on these sections casting as close to the edge as possible. For this situation I like a 4” weightless green or dark colored tube jig fipped with a 7’ rod and 6-8lb line.

(Above: Hybrid sunfish\bluegill leaning more to the sunfish side of things with amazing green hues on the body and bright fin markings.)

My late August lure patterns are still the spinnerbait or other baitfish presentations. Baby bass fluke run weightless or Carolina rigged depending on the cover is one of my more reliable backup presentations. Creature baits like crawdad, lizard and stickbait will get more attention as things get colder. One lake is always different than the other so this isn’t exactly written in stone. I find myself experimenting far more in late summer\early fall than any other time of the year simply because the fish have seen a lot of the standard fair.

The key to August in Colorado is getting that last taste of summer and beginning the transition into fall. A lot of things will change as we roll into September and beyond. Not being able to control the seasons I more or less try to roll with whatever comes.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Attack the trash! Annual cleanup on the Colorado

2011-08-26T06:11:00.000-07:00

Truth be told I might do a little trash pick up now and then. The idea is to pick up the areas you frequent and pick up the trash you see when and where you see it. Just a little bit here and there goes a long ways. When the momentum is sustained year after year nature has a chance to flourish or at the very least sustain itself and the myriad of organisms that may rely on the many microcosms that dwell within. These microcosms are the foundation for any ecosystem and can often make the difference between good fishing and none at all. Keeping a good ecosystem thriving these days is a constant battle it seems.

The good folks of Grand Junction wage a war against refuse annually along a section of the Colorado River that astounds me year after year. With the help of local rafters they manage to pull out a good deal of trash left by less than scrupulous humans, wind or even wildlife scavengers. The final amount of refuse they retrieve is measured closer to tons than pounds along the Colorado River.

This trash haul attack was launched from three ports; Fruita, Grand Junction and Palisades covering every scrap of refuse that could be found. They filled up three city dumpsters during this operation making my minor trash hauls look like mere skirmishes. Well done CDOT, Mesa County, local sponsors and over 150 volunteers that help make a real difference.

Janelle Ericksson over at KJCT8 covers the story with some local flavor along with some live footage of the cleanup project itself. No dumpsters were hurt during this trash cleanup excursion and we love the media support.

http://www.kjct8.com/news/28858121/detail.html

Organized trash haul whoopdee doo’s on a one-time basis are ok I guess but getting those that care engaged routinely is where victory stands in regards to overall long term fight to save whatever scraps of good earth are left. Draw the line now my friends. Fight to the last breath. Warriors of the earth rise to meet the challenge as they hear the call.

Good luck and good fishing.

Gray morning bass

2011-08-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

Drive out to take a slice of some early morning summer water under cloudy conditions. This has to be one of the few times where the weather forecast actually matched what the talking heads said was going to happen. Rather than being a near 100-degree scorcher like the day before, the weather was a fall-like 60-degrees to start the day.

By 6AM I was on the water with the tooner after an hour drive. Circles formed on the water from smaller fish cleaning up some of the bugs that had fallen during the night. Most of these fish were bluegill, sunfish and even small bass. Occasionally there would be a large boil of a predator fish attacking one of the smaller baitfish. If this happened close by I would give out a toss and wait for the strike. Buzzbait was used the first thirty minutes before switching to the spinnerbait. Second cast with the spinnerbait got clobbered. That is kind of shame as I really wanted to land a big fish on the buzzbait this summer. Spinnerbait buckets on a gray morning will just have to do.

This particular lake has a decent population of aggressive bass in various sizes. In this situation to avoid wasting time in dink city it helps to start with oversized baits and downsize only if needed (I have more or less the opposite view on heavily pressured water at times). In this case I am throwing 1/2oz spinerbaits and 5-6 inch plastics. A few swimbaits in the 4-5 inch section are ready to go if the other stuff fails. Luckily enough hits came on the yellow\green double blade keeping me from having to reach for other options.

By noon the morning clouds of gray surrendered to the now fully risen sun. The circles on the top of the water ceased and the boils vanished as well. Moving to the shady areas was a likely place to search but this came up empty as well. It was as if the fish had moved to deep shelter to await the next feeding shift. Just like the gray clouds of the morning…I chose to surrender as well.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Silly Kids…Saturday is for fishing

2011-08-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

Saturdays in my book are almost always reserved for fishing. There are a few exceptions however and two people in this world (my daughters) get veto power over my planned fishing excursions. Admittedly I may be terrible at relationships but my kids are downright awesome. We always try to plan at least one whoop dee do in summer to celebrate this awesomeness as well as wreck one or two of my fishing Saturdays.

Rather than do my usual bla bla write-up I decided to toss together a video montage of sorts. Just a few tidbits here and there from our trip to Elitch Gardens. It has been a while since I have been here and they tricked me thinking that we were going fishing.

(Apologies for the few bad sound splices on the outdated mix track.)

Concession prices were a shade below extortion but this is pretty much what I expected. Still managed to get a beer and some food after paying for tickets getting into the place. The kids had a great time and that makes it all worthwhile. Please know that I was only crazy enough to pay for one beer and the designated driver was in full deployment on the way home. After all...the 10-year old has to learn how to drive sometime.

Another thing that I noticed is that nearly every person above the age of 10 had to do an update\check-in maneuver of some time on their cell phone immediately after getting off of a ride. While waiting in line for rides they would check in at 5-minute intervals with friends or simply update a status of some sort in various social network platforms. I can’t help but marvel at how advanced our collective “Borg-like” society has become. It really looks quite fascinating to me and would be more appealing if it didn’t seem like it would cut so much into my fishing time.

I want to say special thanks to the kids for putting up with Dad and his fishing obsession. Normally I spare them any embarrassment and adhere to their many requests not to post about them on my fishing blog but this trip was actually a lot of fun. Hopefully my one or two regular readers are willing to endure a few filler posts when the kids pull out the fish plan veto.

Good luck and good fishing.

Photos from the field

2011-08-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

Isabell…the fickle mistress

(Above: High altitude fishing is often a gamble of timing and luck. This photo was taken on a trip that was heaping with visual splendor but the fishing was very tough. Sometimes the view is worth more than catching fish. All things considered a fish would have made this a prime time post as opposed to a mere photo splash. Next time.)

Taunted by fish

(Above: A shot of the 2-pound-ish looking rainbow trout that followed the lure but wouldn’t strike on the Platte. Most of the fish here come with a master’s degree and are highly educated. Usually they just laugh at me staying low in the current. This one literally taunted me by coming in and out of the trough once or twice shaking its head in disgust.)

Some fish are just a blur in the back of my mind

(Above: Brown trout slipping back to the water. The motion evidently was blurred in the shot resembling all of the fish my feeble mind can barely recall. Some fish barely stand for the photo op and one picture like this is all I get.)

Big Splash

(Above: White water rafting this year has seen some decent CFS action giving the seasonal industry a bit of a boost and a few extra smiles. Not too shabby.)

Going Overboard

(Above: Not everyone made it through the set of rapids and the rafting guide had to be Johnny-on-the-spot in order to rescue one of the rafters in the smooth stretch. Good thing I had already covered that spot with a few casts.)

Thank you so much for your views, comments and rates. This blog is fueled by your support.

Good luck and good fishing.

Musketcreek interviews Mattsabasser

2011-08-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

My blog doesn’t get a lot of attention from the mainstream media so when anyone takes notice and reaches out to me it really means a lot. When the good folks at Musketcreek.com asked me for an interview it was a welcome surprise. It gave me the feeling of being slightly famous like those more prestigious fishing\outdoor blogs. I highly recommend taking a web surf over to http://www.musketcreek.com/blog/ to check out their exceptional site.

While you are there you might also want to check out the interview\write up Adam put together on the ol Mattsabasser. Great stuff.

http://www.musketcreek.com/blog/interview-with-matt-from-colorado-casters-blog/

Adam over at Musketcreek has done an amazing job in regards to layout for this interview along with the site’s look and format. I imagine my blog would look something along these lines if I knew what the heck I was doing.

Once again I want to extend a huge thanks and message of appreciation to Adam and Musketcreek for stopping by Coloradocasters. The interview opportunity was really cool and pleasantly unexpected for this curmudgeon in the making.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Crowd on the hot tip

2011-08-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Who let the word out on the hot tip? Maybe it is just seasonal traffic but typically I have to share this section of water with hikers rather than anglers. Not that I am opposed to sharing the water…this was not at all what I expected.

8AM arrival and the parking lot were full. Fishing spot #1 was taken by Billy Bobber and his buddy in a wife-beater\vest style shirt. Fishing spot #2 was occupied by a couple having a picnic on one of the few flat sandy areas near the water.

“Just head straight up and work our way back…maybe this will be open on the way back.”

The hike up is a little over a mile with the morning sun bringing air temperatures even with my frustration in regards to the unusual level of traffic. Reaching the top of the section it is evident that I only have a few anglers to shuffle around. Grab a small slice of water and go to work. Second cast through and a small brown trout comes to the hand.

Climb up the steep bank and my feet are once again on the main road. Move up about a hundred feet and have the sweet spot all to myself. Cast, cast, nothing. Clearly the sweet spot has already been worked. No time to despair even though I want to. Nothing to do but move on to the next spot.

The area is green from summer rains and the wildflowers are still busting out all over the place. As much as I try to stay frustrated with the crowds the beautiful splendor can’t help but sweep my anger away. Of course people are out enjoying the wild in droves. I would be foolish not to take advantage of open spaces and lesser-known waters.

Water clarity was good but not perfect and can vary by the day right now. Heavy rains can make the water murky in an instant so clear skies were a welcome sign. The extra light helped with the photo quality, which is rare for me. Flows are strong so the fish tend to hide on the edges, behind rocks and wait for those slack water pools to form later in the year.

No love on the minnow spin pattern. I flipped a few fly casts with the ant pattern but the current would rip the presentation past me at high speeds. Switch to a beaded nymph and spent the next few minutes digging it out of rocks or picking off moss. Most of the fish today came on a no name, low down and dirty spin pattern.

Talking with the ranger he stated that no one has EVER suggested this area be AFLO\C&R. This was surprising, as I have sent several e-mails, a few phone calls and made my usual half-assed attempt at changing bureaucracy. This is the second time in a month that a ranger has told me this. Either management is trying to stifle attempts to change regulations where we fish or anglers are not being nearly vocal enough. According to a lot of wildlife officials…80% of Colorado fishing license holders are bait and take. Waters will continue to be managed as such if this perception continues. Where is your voice?

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Improving Mayhem for better fish habitat

2011-08-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

(Above: Stock photo of the creek. This is not from the Mayhem section but looks very similar in regards to terrain. I don't have time to run up and grab a shot before going to work...this will have to suffice.)

Trout Unlimited once again steps in to improve fishery habitat where no one else seems to care. Even in troubled economic times T.U. is being the CAN DO solution. Just imagine if PETA and other pretend-friend to animal groups made a fraction of the attempt.

Wildlife conservation starts with improving habitat and such projects are not easy no cheap. Where others reach out for legislation and taxpayer dollars…T.U. comes to the table with their own volunteers and donated funds.

Mayhem gulch is formed by a small seasonal drainage that empties into Clear Creek. The section just above this is little more than a chute offering very little in regards to healthy fish habitat. That being said I still find fish refuge here when all other stretches are crowded. Improvements will include forming roll over dams and holding pools that are more ideal for fish habitat particularly in low water periods.

Clear Creek has taken a lot of abuse starting with the gold rush days. Now the creek suffers sewage spills, tailing washouts from old mining areas and that occasional driver who misses the road and lands smack dab in the middle of the creek. This isn’t the first Clear Creek project from T.U. and it definitely won’t be the last.

PETA has tried to stop fishing in recent years but offers nothing for the fish in return. T.U. projects are always “Fish First”. Before supporting an animal or nature group ask “where is the money going?” If they tell you it is for commercials or shock and awe campaigns say, “No thanks…my donation is going to T.U.”

Link to source article from the Denver post:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18636222?source=rss

Pack Your Trash…coming to an outdoor area near you.

2011-08-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

As the integration of Colorado State Parks gets underway more locations are likely to fall under the “Pack Your Trash” management style. This is nothing new in Colorado and means the removal of trash receptacles along with the costly upkeep at certain outdoor locations. The visiting public will be expected to do their part or ultimately lose access to the wildlife area.

(Above: As you can tell, this sign has been around for a long time. Most adhere to the low budget solution but a small percentage couldn’t care less and still cause damage to natural habitat. That small percentage is a large part of the problem.)

We see these signs currently in many remote areas were it isn’t feasible to maintain routine trash pick up. Trash cans also tempt scavengers such as raccoons, bears, ravens and even squirrels into developing bad habits. These creatures simply empty the contents back onto the ground anyway when given the chance. It makes sense in a lot of wildlife areas to remove the trashcans for many reasons. There is only one catch…the public has to cooperate.

Some locations during this handover will be given one chance and one chance only to become more in line with budget needs. If the public does not cooperate, these places will be shut down temporarily or altogether. We have lost fishing spots due to poor behavior even in the best of budget years. Now management will have more of an itchy trigger finger to shoot down public access and the cost that goes with it if all they see is trouble. Access to these locations is literally in the hands of the public and many of these areas are hanging by a thread right now. Lack of cooperation and excessive littering will be the deathblow.

More cost cutting measures undoubtedly will be on the table. Some jobs will be cut and some places will be closed. Maybe they will return in better economic times but for now my mode is going into “brace for impact” in regards to Colorado’s natural areas.

In closing I urge that we all cooperate with the “Pack Your Trash” signs along with being more vigilant about litter in our wildlife areas. Packing out your own trash is a common philosophy shared by most Colorado outdoor recreationalists and in a lot of areas you simply have no other alternative. The majority of the recreational public in Colorado is very respectful. In most cases it is a very small few that have little or no regard for rules, signage or other people’s outdoor experience. The majority can compensate by zero tolerance and picking up what others leave behind. Future visits may depend on it.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Almost magically delicious

2011-08-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Flows are still high but the water is clearing. This makes conditions almost magically delicious and I can’t wait to get out there. Saturday plans were already booked so for this trip I was looking for a low-pressured Sunday venue on the creek. Everyone is practically chomping at the bit to get into some clear moving water action and my guess is that everyone may or may not have already worked the best sections of the creek the day before. So I dusted off one of the lesser quality but also less pressured areas in Greenway Park in Georgetown.

Slack water would is in short supply along the creek as the CFS flow is running through most sections like a raging bull. This area starts out with a huge slice of flat and smooth water unfortunately it is clobbered by the bait and take crowd. The good news is that most of the area above this is untouched. The bad news is that there is about half the pockets to fish compared to normal flows.

Moving my way up I pick behind rocks and run the presentations along the side edges. These are the areas that provide refuge for fish from the flowing torrent of water. First I run the minnow pattern and then I sort through the various colors in the PM collection. Gold started to get follows, a few bumps and then this little guy.

A couple more patterns were tried and eventually I decided to stick with the brown trout minnow presentation in 1/16oz. This worked great to attract attention from the fish but they seemed to bully it more than commit to the strike. Fish that did commit would come off in the current or just before reaching the hand. It is a roller coaster of emotions as you feel that thump, work to get the fish in and then the sinking feeling when it slips away. This adds to the excitement and drama of fishing.

Then I find a section of shoreline with a slow moving pool of water and sand bar running the entire length. One cast in and a decent brown trout takes a solid swipe and gives up a fairly good tussle for its size. I step into the water for extra gentle handling before the release.

This pool had a few fish holding up and I managed to pull out two smaller ones as well before moving on. We are not talking huge fish here, just some decent fin-slappers on the cold-water side of things.

Cross the bridge and work the last few open sections between business establishments long the water. I miss a few more fish that were possibly in the 14-inch range and try my best to shrug it off. A few minutes later I pull in a quality creek fish. This brown trout had that spectacular yellow tint that can be quite striking visually.

The real trick for in-town sections on the creek is fish the areas that are obviously open and respect property owners’ privacy in the process. Private areas are well marked for the most part but you don’t want to proceed in areas that could be questionable.

It wouldn’t break my heart to see this stretch become AFLO\C&R. The change would go a long way to help support better fish populations. Folks can still harvest fish from the frequently stocked lake but what is caught in the creek should stay in the creek.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

The battle over wildlife areas and the economy

2011-08-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Matt’s Rant: Where do I start with this one? Bad enough that every scrap of open space is being reviewed for possible mineral and oil exploration but now reporters and political groups are trying to label wildlife conservation agencies as “environmental groups”. This language whitewashes the effort of organizations such as Trout Unlimited with the likes of PETA and Earth First movements that dwell on the lunatic fringe. In my view this is meant to weaken the fight and open the door to exploitation. “Save the children” has now turned to “Do it for the economy”.

Outdoor sport groups and wildlife enthusiasts are losing a lot of ground in this fight. I see the tables turning in this country like they never have before. In some instances politicians and journalists will skew the labels to make hunters, anglers and even bird watchers look like they are part of the problem. Go after the EPA if that is your gripe but stop eyeballing protected natural areas to hand over to the mineral and oil crowd. There will be no going back once these areas are all #$%^& up. Even the managing agencies both at the state and federal level oppose this new measure and consider it a serious blow to wildlife areas.

Bottom line: I am not against domestic exploration but have seen too many instances where the environment suffers greatly as a result. Limiting (or effectively ending) a state’s control over wildlife areas is an extremely dangerous move. Some things you have to fight tooth and nail. Otherwise what you love becomes nailed and toothless. Colorado has so much to lose.

Below is the actual article that got me all fired up:

Colorado hunting, fishing, bird- watching and other environment groups rallied Friday to oppose federal legislation that they say would hurt Western economies and natural resources.
The legislation — a spending bill pushed by House Republicans and up for a full House vote next week — would allow uranium mining on public lands near the Grand Canyon, limit the government's ability to set standards for controlling greenhouse-gas pollution and grant exemptions from laws to protect air and water. It would cut $2.1 billion from Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Interior programs that heavily affect Western states.

"What we have here is a recipe of toxic ingredients that'll make for a very foul stew," Colorado Wildlife Federation director Suzanne O'Neill said at the event in central Denver.

Colorado Trout Unlimited president Sinjin Eberle said the bill would weaken protection for rivers and landscapes, including the Black Canyon, just when they need greater protection. "This is a giveaway of our great outdoors," he said.

Supporters of the bill have targeted the EPA, in particular, accusing the agency of regulatory zeal that kills jobs. They contend the legislation is necessary to reduce spending, increase certainty for companies and encourage creation of jobs.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18534177?source=rss#ixzz1Sv7TtEIU

Me and Red-Still Toonin’

2011-08-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

Guess I am still having a hard time giving up my Fish Cat Streamer XL. Nothing wrong with the Sport LT as a kickboat but when I need more of a tooner, “Red” is always ready to hit the water…with a little extra TLC of course. After many years of use the red tooner is showing signs of wear. Eventually I will have to move on to something else but until that day comes Red and me will continue to give all we have in search of fish

Reach the parking lot and do the morning Saturday gear up. Accessories for this run include umbrella, PFD, front rod holder, camera holder unit, flat deck and wagon unit. A bungee cord was added to the wagon to replace the top of the handle that was lost on a previous trip. This modification is actually more functional than the metal handle and I actually kicked myself a little for not trying this sooner.

Once I reach the water there is a second gear up phase required to transition the tooner from wagon-roll mode into pre-launch status. A more patient person wouldn’t lament the gear up\roll\gear up again action but as fish rolls and swirls in the middle of the lake made my patience vanish faster than stocked trout at a kid’s fishing derby. Pulling rods and other items from the wagon and setting up the tooner was torture as precious seconds of morning ticked by.

Finally I am out on the water. There is still a large shallow flat that I need to row over before the casting can begin. The gears in my mind start cranking with the first row stroke.

“Do I search cast with spinnerbaits through the big open pool a few yards in front of me?” Mumble words from lips scanning the water for signs of fish activity. “Or do I go straight for the weed beds with the fantastic plastics?”

The decision is made to search the pool and then work the weed edges. Searching the open water turned out to be a no go so I moved to the weed bed. Right off the bat I stumble into a cloud of perch. The entire bottom of the pond seemed to move underneath me in this one area. After a quick change up to the 1/8oz jig in chartreuse I was bringing up samples in the 6 to 7-inch range. I spent the next hour harassing these prickly-fin fish in bite size length hoping fat Betty bucketmouth would stop by. Rarely things go as planned.

“Can’t waste my day with you little fellas…” I said pulling up anchor and moving on.

The thickness of the weed structure often determines my approach. For thick areas I work the weedless presentation with a slim profile that glides more effortlessly through weed cover. Open areas that I pick a line to retrieve through will get a toss with the spinnerbait. Generally I like to work the outside edges of the weed bed before running the lure over the top. The premise is here to pick the easy outside fish before going into the heart of the weed bed for the trouble fish.

The top slide more or less represents the weed bed as I approach from deeper water. Fishing the outer edge before moving in and then working the area slowly avoids spooking fish. Flipping the lightweight plastics close by and using the heavier baits to search far distances maximizes the advantage of each lure type.

The fist cast will often get a surface run over the weed bed at just enough speed to keep the lure above the weed line. Making the fish look like a slightly panicked or fleeing fish tends to get a reactive strike near the water’s surface.

When this fails to provoke any results I will run the same presentation deeper into the weed structure. Sometimes the fish just don’t feel like chasing the fish and other times they do especially in summer. Varying up the speeds really makes a difference for me in summer.

As the day went on the numbers started to add up with a bass coming from about every other patch of weed structure. Sometimes the fish came from the outside and sometimes they came from the center. The ones in the center generally put up a ruckus within the weed matte and more difficult to finally pull up to the hand. Maybe that is why I fish the edges last.

Most of these fish are the 14’er common slot and most fish over 15-inches get hauled out of this place. But just as I take off my hoodie to vent some perspiration a huge thump echoes through the line to my hand. After a slight tussle in the weeds I get a solid 19’er brute. Really the fish was closer to 18-inches and about 3 pounds but still not too shabby for this place.

With the seasonal monsoon pattern underway I find myself attacking the early sunrise shift and then fishing until the heavy dark clouds roll in. Conditions are picture perfect summer time weather for bass action in the AM. Very little wind makes the water flat and a lot easier to read. Water temps are hanging at 70-degrees with air temps ranging from 60-degrees in the AM to a sizzling 95-degrees by noon. Bass are moving out of post spawn sluggishness and feeding on a more regular basis. All of these elements combine to create that fabulous fin slapping bass action that I love. Not sure how long these conditions will last so I try to make the most of it every weekend. I know anytime I need to get offshore “Red” is willing to answer the call.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Flower Walk on the Creek (not my best work)

2011-07-30T05:37:00.000-07:00

Conditions are far from perfect but the clearing water is good enough for me to take a first stab. Going back to the areas scouted last year I hit the “walkabout” section. As soon as my feet hit the trail my senses were overwhelmed with the multitude of wildflowers. This blissful summer weather of daytime sunshine and afternoon showers has caused the area to explode with a bounty of floral. (Sigh) I only wish my feeble camera skills and beat up camera equipment could do this natural splendor justice.

This plant has a common name of “butter and eggs” and almost impossible to find when I am looking for it. Grab a photo snap and get back on the trail. Every step seemed to unveil another wave of flowers that varied in color and type. Below is only one of the patches of daisies that have found an area to soak in the sun while not being completely taken over by the various grasses. White daisies, purple asters and so many more painted an almost surreal tapestry along the trail.

“Oh wait…I am here to fish.” A voice in my head reminds me of why I am there in the first place. “Stop worrying about these silly flowers.”

Cast and follow, cast and follow. It seems the fish are curious but not willing to commit. A quick change up in color and nothing. Going back the other direction I lose the silver and go straight to gold. Bam! A little fin scrapper gives gold a go. Grab a picture, release the fish and move on.

Cast a few more times and then move on. The areas worth casting were far and few between so after a few throws I would move on. Back on the trail was another immersion in the endless spectacle of natural beauty. You would have to search hard to find a square foot of area without a flower it seemed. Below is a patch of flowers in the aster family-hoary aster would be a decent guess on my part.

A few more nature pictures and then a few more casts. There aren’t any large pools to run through or huge smooth flats to run the lure across. I mean you have to literally pick at small spots here and there. What really helps is being able to see the bottom even if only a foot or two away from the shore. This helps me identify deeper water as opposed to what may be only an inch of depth. Feeling my way blind on the bottom of the murky brown was a struggle for me in earlier weeks

One spot was a shallow slice of flat water on the edge of the creek. The rocks and submerged sandbar seemed to break the current providing a perfect slice of castability. Pulled a couple small browns out of this spot. Had it been just a little bit deeper I am sure a larger fish might have been holding out there.

Are you getting tired of these flowers yet? Hope not because it just keeps going and going. The shot (blanketflower) above reminds me of two eggs on a plate sunny side up. No toast, no bacon and no coffee…two eggs sunny-side up. That must have been the trailside special.

Here is some Horsemint sporting their amazing flowers. This stuff is all over the place but I rarely see the flowers in this quantity. In fact, I don’t remember having a fraction of the flowers seen on this trip. My timing is a little earlier which helps but the additional rain is probably a major factor in these flowers being at this lower elevation so late in July.

Take a picture of some yellow flower (Gumweed) and move towards a large rock in the water. This sizeable boulder held the current back creating a perfect resting place for fish. Looking closer I can see a few smaller fish dart in and out of the white riffle that clings to the outskirts of the rock. Toss in and get a quality thump. Land the fish and struggle to get the photo on a very difficult shoreline. Turns out that the best fish of the day is of course the worst picture.

Move down a few feet to another rock and get struck by a sporadic cutbow. This was a stocked holdover from who knows where. This fish was very stocky and not the happiest fish to have its photo taken. Unfortunately the auto-focus targeted the weed branch in front of the camera instead of the fish.

Numbers were racking up and even had a few quality fish to count in the mix. Finishing up the stretch I can’t help myself but to continue taking pictures of the vegetation along the way.

One last cast and another fin-slapper photo op. At times the fish wouldn’t cooperate and sometimes they just wanted to lie there in my hand for a few seconds. With each and every click of the camera I am thinking, “Oh these pictures are going to sweet!”

It wasn’t until my tired feet got home and the material was downloaded before I could assess the actual quality of the photos. Ironically the photos that I wanted to turn out the best ended up being much less so. It doesn’t bother me so much except for the fact my pictures don’t compare to other blogs that provide far more exceptional photos. When I flub the best photo opportunities I feel a bit like the “William Hung” of fishing\photo blogs. Rather than try to pass off lame excuses or blame the beat up camera gear I will just admit that I have had no professional training as a photographer. Of course not dropping my camera in the water would probably help a little too.

There are so many reasons that my fishing blog material is overlooked by the mainstream. Lack of high-resolution pictures with a far more professional look is just but one of those aspects. If my camera work gets any worse I am going to have to start calling them “piktors” and describe what is going on with blurry images put into the post. Maybe I will read the settings manual one day. Or I could destroy more expensive cameras. Most of the time I just want to fish.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Special thanks to WildFlowerChild and Wildflowersofcolorado for their amazing flower identification websites.

http://www.wildflowerchild.info/

http://wildflowersofcolorado.com/

Cabela's pulls out of Wheat Ridge retail development

2011-07-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

A long-delayed retail development in Wheat Ridge lost its marquee tenant Thursday as Cabela's announced that it is withdrawing from the project.

The outdoor-goods chain said the project, in the works since 2004, no longer fits with its revised retail strategy. Cabela's is reducing its "involvement in the land development business," said chief executive Tommy Millner in a prepared statement.

Cabela's owns 80 acres near Interstate 70 and Colorado 58, where it initially planned to build a 185,000- square-foot retail destination showroom. The company now wants to sell the property and consider other Denver-area locations.

"It's an overall shift in retail strategy," said Cabela's spokesman Joe Arterburn. "We're better off concentrating on what we do best, which is retailing outdoor goods."

Matt’s Rant: Looks like I will be shopping online for a few items from Cabela’s stock rather than cruising the aisles of a new store in Wheatridge. There are some mixed feelings about this in my view and I wish there were a few extra million in the bank for me to purchase this piece of property. The views are outstanding with an onramp to I-70. Cabela’s has done most of the ground breaking as well as built in a small pond.

Cantankerous people like me cringe at any development even if it is a quality sports retailer. This is an amazing piece of land that deserves a lot better than say a strip mall but sadly I have no control over this. The land will go to the first buyer with the cash.

Link to full article from the Denmver Post below. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18572543?source=rss#ixzz1TV04XhQ1

Rank of Rookie

2011-07-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

When developing this unofficial angler ranking system I knew that eventually a confession of sorts was due to come out about my own skill level or lack thereof. The competition in Colorado is pretty stiff and as soon as I think I am getting close to perfection…someone or some fish shows me just how much of a rookie I really am. Other times my overconfidence after a big fish will drench my next trip in failure causing a big dose of humility to my fishing ego. At the end of the day all I have is lessons learned and honesty.

Rookie: (‘ru-ke) A person who is entering the first year of a sport or lacks professional experience. Even though I fish a lot my skills are nowhere near what I would like them to be. Still a work in progress.

Sure I may run a fishing blog and catch a decent fish once in a while but that does not make me an expert on fishing by any means. Truth be told, my fishing style comes with many bad habits that seem downright reckless at times. I continue to make mistakes here and there which could cost me my life at some point. These are all signs of a rookie or novice blinded by a lack of patience.

Mentality of fishing is just as important as actual fishing skill or knowledge. Many aspects of fishing come from within more than the things brought to the water. A patient angler with a few basic patterns will always out fish an impatient person with many more patterns. Flubbed casts, dropped items and stumbles on the trail are often derived from a lack of focus. Lack of focus is often the doom of people in the outdoors. Improved focus is something I work on constantly and still not quite there.

The fish gods love humility and maybe they follow me on my fishing adventures more for comedy relief than anything else. One good fish…only as good as my next fish…must fish.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishahoic.

Photos from the field

2011-07-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

July has come with much rain. The runoff and high country snow has pushed my planning off quite a bit. Rather than hitting the prime time river sections I find myself picking a cast at this pond or that. Some months are easier than others and as always I am thankful for every cast.

Along came a spider

(Above: Walking the trail to an open space pond my eyes notice a black creature with eight furry legs about the size of a quarter. It was a jumping spider poised to attack. Its eyes were a glowing emerald green as it sat perched on a thick blade of grass. Curious, my feet stopped and I snapped a couple of photos. On the third picture my ears heard a faint raspy voice whisper, “Just a little closer…”)

Colorado Saguaro

(Above: Colorado is considered for the most part a mountain desert with an arid\high altitude climate. The common mullein often gains the appearance of a saguaro cactus even if only in silhouette form reminding me of a much drier form of terrain.)

Moving upstream

(Above: Taking a tour of the creek the other day looking for any scrap of slack of water to fish. Everything was moving fast and furious including a few really really big fish. I tossed a few things at them but they wouldn’t take.)

End of the rainbow

(Above: Chasing rainbows looking for the pot of gold is fruitless. However, due to real estate development and loss of habitat in mystical forests, Leprechaun’s have been forced to come up with alternatives for their pot of gold.)

Train keep on rolling…

(Above: After a few years of blogging I have seen writers\posters come and go. Some folks get bored after a while and posting drops off. Other bloggers may become frustrated with the realization that blogging didn’t result in big fat checks from Google. Know that I am going to do my best to keep my fishing blogilicious train rolling.)

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Good luck and good fishing.