Big Thompson River, Colorado
Spent a few hours on the Big Thompson mostly downstream from Estes Park, CO this past weekend.
Saturday was a gorgeous day. Warm and sunny. Brought out LOTS of anglers. Almost "combat fishing" conditions. Not much luck.
Sunday was cooler and cloudy. Not as many people on the river. Better luck. Got in the middle of one of the best feeding frenzies I've ever seen. Never had rising trout that close to me as I was standing in a river.
Once I figured out what they wanted (Baetis and BWO's) caught some nice 'bows. Mostly in the 10" range.
Oh, and by the way, the Estes Park area is LOUSY with elk this time of year. Seems the local law enforcement spend most of their time trying to keep idiots from seeing how close they can get to a bull elk for another photo op!
Had a great time.
Re: Big Thompson River, Colorado
Quote:
Originally Posted by Royce
Spent a few hours on the Big Thompson mostly downstream from Estes Park, CO this past weekend.
Saturday was a gorgeous day. Warm and sunny. Brought out LOTS of anglers. Almost "combat fishing" conditions. Not much luck.
Sunday was cooler and cloudy. Not as many people on the river. Better luck. Got in the middle of one of the best feeding frenzies I've ever seen. Never had rising trout that close to me as I was standing in a river.
Once I figured out what they wanted (Baetis and BWO's) caught some nice 'bows. Mostly in the 10" range.
Oh, and by the way, the Estes Park area is LOUSY with elk this time of year. Seems the local law enforcement spend most of their time trying to keep idiots from seeing how close they can get to a bull elk for another photo op!
Had a great time.
Jasper National Park, in Alberta, has the same prob with tourists, getting to close to Bull Elk in the fall, but they turned into a spectator sport for the locals. Sometimes they even give the them (Tourist) bags of popcorn for the elk and bears.
Just Kidding about the spectator sport thing, but they sure do have the same prob, with the elk and tourist.
Re: Big Thompson River, Colorado
I've only had one oppurtunity to fish the Big T., a year ago in May. It was beautiful there below the lake. Prior to fishing it, the only real trout river fishing I had done, was a month before, on the Ark during the caddis hatch,(mother's day hatch). I spent four or five hours on the Big T. that day, trying to figure out how to catch the trout there. I suffered many refusals to my dries and nymphs alike, until hour three had come and gone, and I hooked up with the one and only fish that day. Finally, that fish ate a #18 Micro Mayfly,(Mercer's). It took out toward the current, and I would never see it again. Looked to be a decent fish, 12-14" maybe. Now that I have learned much more about fishing Colorado's rivers, i.e., Arkansas and Conejos anyway, I feel I need to go back in the spring or summer to the Big Thompson and redeem myself! Glad to hear that you did well!
