Blue Ribbon Waters

[JohnScott]

In the opening post on an interesting thread on the Fly Tying Forum yesterday, there was a reference to Blue Ribbon waters.

Just wondering what your thoughts / opinions are about that phrase and how you use it, if at all ??

John

[ducksterman]

I pretty much use it with Pabst...even though it is Easter ...the devil made me do it

[Longs for Cutts]

Blue Ribbon Waters: waters where tourists go to fish shoulder to shoulder in parts of the country where it isn't usually necessary for nice-sized fish and is counterproductive for numbers. See for example Soda Butte Creek next to the road or the Madison at $3 Bridge.

Incidentally, Soda Butte is almost certainly in the top three destinations for people visiting my shop, and I've guided on it a grand total of once since 2009. It's just too crowded and the fish are just too scarred.

[herefishy]

Our favorite river in Colorado has been considered for "gold medal" designation a few times and the locals all try everything in their power to keep it from happening with the resulting crowds - hope they always succeed.

[Icemanxxxv]

Blue Ribbon in Missouri is wild unstocked trout. Less presure than the Red and White ribbon areas. Less pressure than the Red or White because they are artificial unscented methods and small wiley trout. Heading to Rolla Thursday night to fish the Little Piney and Mill Creek.

[whatfly]

Not an expression I use. It is a common expression used to characterize destination waters by people who are in the business, almost exclusively.

[Zonk]

Blue Ribbon Waters: waters where tourists go to fish shoulder to shoulder in parts of the country where it isn't usually necessary for nice-sized fish and is counterproductive for numbers.

I'd agree with and am also guilty of your statement above. When I hop on a plane to tourist fish I'm always fishing the "Blue Ribbon Waters". When fishing local (ie driving less than 4hrs) I rarely fish the "Blue Ribbon Waters" and instead opt for the less well known but equally productive streams.

[DUB]

Yes I hear the term Blue Ribbon used aswell. Like a poster said in a previous post, here in Colorado a river gets Gold Medal designation. It has a very strict criteria:

The official criteria for Gold Medal Water is 12 trout per acre over 14" or 60 lbs. of trout per surface acre.

When a stream or river meets that criteria it pretty much gets the Gold Medal label whether anyone likes it or not.

[mnklagoon]

Blue Ribbon Waters= a place with bluegills