RMNP 2012 07 03

This was the day I was finally able to get back to my favorite creek in RMNP's Wild Basin. I was waiting for this day more than 6 months... Don't get me wrong, the two previous Sunday's family trips to the Alluvial Falls were great and the 2nd time around, I was able to catch 8 or 9 greenback cutthroat and a brookie (!) in less than an hour, in the midst of tourists. My friend overheard a woman say "... there are no fish in that trickle..." just when I hooked one of those wild colorful jewels. But Wild Basin is my personal fly fishing heaven.

I hoped all day for a Colorado Grand Slam and the first fish of the day was a brown trout so I got all hopeful, but alas, I only got two shots at a rainbow trout and both times the strike was too short.   

the first trout of the day, a brown trout...

... came from the the calm water on the far left.

Moving upstream, I hopped from pool to pool, trying to find water I could get into and fish - the water was a bit high at 80cfs and ripping particularly in the steeper sections. I sure was glad I had my wading staff with my that day. I caught brookies left and right, upstream and downstream. It felt like they were hitting anything that looked like food. I caught so many brookies (I really wanted to catch more greenback cutts) that anytime a brookie took the fly I was a bit disappointed. But by the end of the day I got two greenback cutts and I was a happy camper.

brookie - underwatershot (I need more practice!)

 first greenback

brookie chunk

brookie with orange butt sakasa kebari

greenback no. 2

Overall a great day, lots of willing fish, no other fisherman on the river, what do you need more?

I got home tired but very happy! Can't wait to get back up there soon!

River Statistics:
Weather: sunny, very light breeze, afternoon thunderstorm
Air Temp: 58F @8.30am, high 79F, 67F@5pm

Water Temp: cold!
Flow: around 80cfs
Day on the water in 2012: 14
Fish landed: 1 brown trout, 2 greenback cutts and 52 brook trout
Equipment: Daiwa Soyakaze 31SR, TenkaraUSA old geen fc level #3.5 9.5" with 6" amnesia, various sakasa kebaris only (no nymphs or dry flies!)

Some shots of the creek: