As a kid there isn't a part of the Rio Grande between Creede and South Fork that I haven't had a line in. I might have a chance to fish the upper Colorado river this summer. Its been 25 years and three kids raised since I've been able to do any fishing. So, what's changed in that time? What is the go to floating line this days? Anyone have any pattern suggestions for the area. We'll be staying in the Granby area sometime in July.

Welcome back. Twenty five years is a long time to be away.
Lots of awesome products at equally awesome prices
Check out Scientific Anglers for floating lines.
Their Amplitude Smooth Trout line is pretty fantastic.
AvidMax and Flyfishfood.com are cool sites, Avidmax
being in Colorado will have advise on patterns.
.

Watching this, as I want to get back into fly, my gear is now 18 years old, my floating line is disintegrating, and I wouldn't trust my tippets at this age.

Y’all are talking my language

— dry-fly

There are a ton of good lines out there, I have some extras. What weight are you looking for? An instant Karma. Email in profile. Get back into the fishing! Getting ready to start year 27 of guiding fishing.

Not current myself..but their are all kinds of neat items...sink tip, double tapper, you name it. I'll bet if you look around you can find a local TU trout unlimited chapter or similar and get some good info there.

I'm try to figure out Boyd Lake in this new to me boat. So far all I've caught is trout. I'd like to land some walleye, but haven't got dialed in yet on how to make that happen

Go out the with your 18 year old gear Artie. Doing so will surely guarantee a trophy sized linker!

I was with my grandson fishing for Sunfish or anything else to hit his dime sized bit of a hot dog. We brought in an 8 + Largemouth.

quote:

Originally posted by Outfitter33:
There are a ton of good lines out there, I have some extras. What weight are you looking for? An instant Karma. Email in profile. Get back into the fishing! Getting ready to start year 27 of guiding fishing.

Outfitter, you're a better class of person than I'll ever be to make it 27 years of guiding. I can barely stand 27 minutes of fishing with some one who I didn't bring along (on purpose) for free. I guess I'd much rather choose my fishing partners than have them choose me. Your patience must be off the scale - on the tolerant end of the spectrum...
s.

I'm a bait casting kind of guy but fly fishing sure looks like fun. It is an art form.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
As a kid there isn't a part of the Rio Grande between Creede and South Fork that I haven't had a line in. I might have a chance to fish the upper Colorado river this summer. Its been 25 years and three kids raised since I've been able to do any fishing. So, what's changed in that time? What is the go to floating line this days? Anyone have any pattern suggestions for the area. We'll be staying in the Granby area sometime in July.

Have fly fished those waters myself. It's been a while though. Lovely area. Enjoy it!

I'm still a fan of Rio fly lines but Scientific Angler is right up there. Orvis makes a fine fly line, as well.

I was actually out on the river today.

I have SA and Rio lines. I think Temple Fork Outfitters (TFO) really gives you a lot of bang for your buck if you start looking for a new rod or three.

I like any of the aft mentioned lines. I use weight forward. Fish with 5 & 6 weight equipment. If you need a guide referral, let me know. I also carry a variety of flys and nymphs. San Juan worm usually produces results.
Colorado Hunter. Nice boat, I believe I have seen it on HWY 34 in Loveland.
No matter what, have fun.

Found this on a local web page.
Summer

The Rio Grande is best known for two of the early season hatches. The giant stone-fly, or salmon-fly, starts its upstream migration around the first part of June. Anyone who has ever 'hit' a salmon-fly hatch will most likely begin to shake with anticipation of this annual event. Imagine the opportunity to cast giant stimulator's, sofa pillows or a Chernobyl anything to giant browns and rainbows lying beneath the Willows along the rivers edge.

Shortly after the salmonfly hatch has moved on, the green drake, a large dark mayfly, will start to emerge each day by mid morning and produce some of the most explosive dry fly takes to be found on any river. Prolific hatches such as caddis, dark stones, yellow sallies, BWO's and PMD's continue through the month of July when they give way to warmer, lower water levels and the start of the terrestrial season.

A 'hopper hatch' is an almost daily occurrence on the grass-lined banks of the lower Rio in August. This is also when many of the guides will choose to throw giant woolly buggers or streamers in the deep holes and under-cut banks. Each year this method produces some of the largest fish of the season.

Tight lines!!!

quote:

Originally posted by sorenson:

quote:

Originally posted by Outfitter33:
There are a ton of good lines out there, I have some extras. What weight are you looking for? An instant Karma. Email in profile. Get back into the fishing! Getting ready to start year 27 of guiding fishing.

Outfitter, you're a better class of person than I'll ever be to make it 27 years of guiding. I can barely stand 27 minutes of fishing with some one who I didn't bring along (on purpose) for free. I guess I'd much rather choose my fishing partners than have them choose me. Your patience must be off the scale - on the tolerant end of the spectrum...
s.

I am very spoiled with longtime clients, more like great friends that come back every year at this point. I am probably unemployable now, work every day for 5 months and then glide the rest of the year. Kind of.

Just came back from my annual northern Michigan spring steelhead camp. Got to fish my 8 wt Sage Pulse for the first time. It was a bit of a learning curve with the new rod as it's a lot softer than the St. Croix ultra legend I've been using the last several years.

Somebody say walleye?
walleye by Kent Matthew, on Flickr

On the Rio Grande I think its the salmon fly hatch that my Dad called Mayflies. Fair sized orange bug that came from the hellgrammite. Nasty looking worm like thing. My uncle used to spend hours turning over rocks looking for those things. This hatch usually happened a few weeks before we would get there. And, the stonefly hatch happened too. My Dad used to like conditions low and clear. Most of my luck on a Blue Dun, Adams, Renegade, and Orange Asher. I've tied my own since the 6th grade. Used to tie most of my stuff on 16 and 14 size hooks. In my old age I can't tie them that small anymore. I caught this 8lbs walleye out of Lake Pueblo many years ago.

Nice walleye goose. Maybe if I keep at it I'll eventually land some sweet ones like that myself. It isn't for lack of trying.

bgouker, that most likely was me. I take 34 to Boise to get to Boyd. Honk next time. If I don't see a middle finger I figure it was you

Been doing it since I was 16... haven't caught a single fly yet. If I do I'll post on to see about cleaning and cooking them.

Thanks coloradohunter44. I caught this fish using a football shaped rattle trap. Cast out and let it sink for a few minutes. Thought I snagged something. Just a gentle resistance until about 10 feet from shore, and then the fight was on.