Sunday 2-23 on a High Country River Section

Epilogue: When I made fishing plans for the weekend on Monday, the weather forecast was filled with nothing but sunshine and perfect conditions. By Friday we were staring right into a cold front and falling snow. The forecast flipped 180 degrees and so did the expectations. It’s amazing how 15 degrees will turn the day from possibly OMG-Fantastic to “just get through the day”. On with the report…



Hit a river section up in the high country under cold conditions. Parked the truck and put on the waders with a starting temp of 3 degrees. The nostrils froze up, eyes watered and the skin stung for those first few minutes. Mist rose up from the river and the grass was covered with a layer of heavy frost. The sky was clear and the sun was rising. What a welcome sight this was and a huge contrast to just a few hours ago in the metro region where there was falling snow.



The first cast or two was met with a follow, a flash and then ice. Ice covering the rod and line can be a bit grueling to fish through so a lot of perseverance is required. A few adjustments and WHAM! Don pulls out a quality brown. This is a good sized brown trout for this gold medal section.



I move ahead of don and cast through a pool of water with a cutbank and a lot of wood structure. First cast I run the spinner along the edge of the current near the cutbank. I was casting upstream so my hand was reeling fast to keep action on the spinning blade. Wham! It was a beastie brown. Fighting him in the current was tricky but not near as tricky as trying to get a photo where I was standing. Rather than messing around trying to get that perfect shot I decided to simply take one quick vertical shot.



A lot of trout aficionados say a vertical hold is hard on the trout and poor form. Rather than agree or disagree, I only vertical hold the warm water species 99% of the time. In this case, it was my only option for a picture with minimal handling. This is something I wrestle with mentally quite a bit as I love to get fish pictures but not out there to hurt the fish. Any handling hurts trout so I definitely try to handle a fish as least as possible with capturing one picture of the bigger fish caught that day.

Don found a decent hole that was holding a number of fish including this spectacular rainbow. This may be the same rainbow trout that has haunted him ever since the first trip to this section. So this fish meant a lot!



We fished through the day hoping that the sunshine would spark an explosive reaction from the fish but it just didn’t happen. You can have 100 fish days on these gold medal sections and then there are days when you get one good fish. On this day we hit just below the middle…big fish were the norm but you had to hunt them down.

Colors that worked well for me were once again the brown and silver patterns that resembled the brown or rainbow trout that inhabit this river. The brown colors were far more successful than the silver or rainbow colors. Brown trout also happen to be the dominant species in this section. One thing that was a bit surprising is that I did not get a single fish on the rapalas. I don’t know what to think of this as there is always a few fish willing to chomp on the 1/8oz brown trout lure. Everything was caught on the spinner (blue fox, panther martin, mepps…pick your flavor as they all work well for this method and I pretty much use them all at various time of the year).

The new camera has some serious white-wash in most of the pics that I took. Guess I will have to dial into the settings a bit more. It kills me to see fish this good messed up a bit by a poor quality picture. Don did much better on his end with his camera. Thanks again Don for backing me up on this trip. I would have called this off on Thursday had it not been for the constant gut-check throughout the week.

Ice up tip: Something that can difficult to fish through is ice up. I found a few simple things that help combat this while I was fighting frozen water on my pole most of the day.

1. Bending your rod tip will break the ice that forms along your rod. This layer of ice will compound the problem by anchoring the ice that forms on your eye-lets. Breaking the extra layer of ice from your rod makes it a bit easier to manage the ice that forms on the eyelets.
2. Shake the extra water off of your rod when you retrieve the lure. This simple tip reduced my ice up in half. I would retrieve my lure about a foot or two from the tip of my rod.

Shake off the excess water before bending the rod tip. I could then dip the tip of the rod back into the water (this adds a layer of lubrication) before casting and then shake the rod again after casting. Occasionally I would have to dip my rod tip back in the water as ice re-formed constricting on the line.

Note: Gold Medal waters are artificial fly/lure only and in most cases the trout or certain species of trout must be released. De-barb the treble hooks for less damage to the fish and handle the fish as minimally as possible.



Good luck and good fishing!

Sunday on the Creek

This is my first post/report in a while so please forgive me if my jubilant enthusiasm doesn’t come through. Its been several months since I have caught any fish of quality. My trips have been far and few between compared to the usual 2 or 3 times a week. Paying bills and a new gig have kept me driving past water rather than fishing it. On with the post…

Sun was melting the ice flow on a nearby creek. It was one of those unexpected bursts of heat that knocks the ice down in heavy sheets or small clumps. As more water flows the entire sheet seems to break up and clear water is open for fishing. The chain reaction of melting and shifting ice will often drop trapped or dwelling creatures into the water. The fish will often react by feeding more aggressively than they did just a week or two ago.

At least that is what it felt like when I approached the water last Sunday with that sunshine beaming on my face. I could see where water was coming out of a culvert in volume and tossed my spinner out a few times. Third cast was perfect landing right in the riffle with the bail of the reel flipping over all by itself to manage the slack instantly. As soon as my hand started reeling there was a heavy tug on the end. It was a spastic flurry of action that was almost foreign but so familiar. My heart was pounding as the fish ran upstream in a quick burst of speed.



“Let him run…don’t try and horse him.” echoed the voice in my head. Even though this was a small fish by most standards, the principles are pretty much the same. Once it got into the shallow pool next to me it was finished. One quick shot and release. A quality rainbow (cutbow actually) for this slip of water and man it feels good to get the skunk off my back. Seriously…I have been carrying this thing around since October 2008.



The rest of the trip got a little tougher. A small brown trout and two more smaller rainbows (we are talking 6, maybe 7-inches tops here guys…if you want to brag about big fish you don’t fish here) was about all I could muster out of many pools, riffles and cutbanks. Some areas were blocked with ice or had chunks to fish through but most of the creek was open in the lower section right there in town after being locked up for most of the winter season. Beautiful day to get out and get in a few casts. This guy had the same plan, different attack and working a gorgeous section of water.



The fish seemed to be under medium to mild pressure and willing to hit the smaller spinners and rapalas. Getting very close to the structure was most crucial. Even though I saw signs of small hatches, surface strikes seemed to be nil and all of the fish were locked tight to the bank or other structure. Fishing the areas that receive the least pressure were the only areas that seemed to cough up any fish of size. A few spots really surprised me.



Patterns that worked the best were the 1/8 and 1/4oz spinners in silver as well as the small rapalas in brown or rainbow trout. I didn’t notice any preference between the two lure types other than what was tied on when I threw the first few casts. The main factor here was going with as small of a lure as possible and getting it to run through the spot as best as possible. Had to try a lot of spots but effort is often rewarded.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Pueblo Scouting mission

With so much local water and never enough time, it seems that I am never able to explore the southern region of the state. This weekend I finally made the effort to scout some water in the Pueblo region. Open water gets a bit scarce in Colorado as we roll into January. Southern regions like Pueblo offer open water virtually all year round.

First on my list was the nature center area below the reservoir itself. Water was very low and the action was nil. I didn’t see anyone getting fish but I did see numerous anglers. Much lower water flow than desired and much more competition than expected. I spent quite a bit of time plinking here and there with not so much as seeing a fish let alone getting a nibble. I think these would be much better fishing conditions with more water. Wrong place, wrong time.





Pueblo Reservoir is mouth wateringly fantastic and better than I ever had ever hoped from such big water. One look and I could tell that this good water for so many species. The real trick would be beating the pressure.





The area below the spillway was locked up with anglers and still dreadfully low. I was amazed to see the number of anglers piled up on the best sections. Everything from serious fly guys to bait dunkers.



There are some ponds in this area that looked like they are worth trying when warm weather comes back to the state. Smaller ponds with heavy vegetation are some of my favorite. These particular ponds seemed to have plenty of that but also showed signs of baiting pressure and trash. Empty worm containers and whiskey bottles on the shoreline are the signs of pillage and destruction. Our waters should not suffer from this any longer.




All in all it was a good trip and just getting acquainted with new areas was an adventure in itself. Special thanks to Wyngate at Windon Hotel and their staff for accommodating the team while we explored this region. Wyngate is one of the better choices of accommodations for the price in this area. Their ratings and comments on expedia and priceline.com prove that.

Wingate by Wyndham - Pueblo
4711 North Elizabeth
Eagleridge and Elizabeth
Pueblo, CO 81008 US
Phone: 719-586-9000

Matt’s note: If you live in this area and willing to share some local info, I would appreciate it greatly. Anything from fishing tips to great places to eat in this are would be helpful. If you like this blog or the website, please shoot me an e-mail or add a comment on the page. Good luck and good fishing.

Back to Fishing

I decided to take a moment away from fishing and various fishing venues to focus on a temporary contract. This contract was fairly lucrative and in the interest of national security. These two things are hard to pass up…even when it comes to fishing. It hasn’t been all work and no play so here is a quick recap of what ol Mattsabasser has been up to these few months (roughly September 2008 thru January 2009)

The job was pretty taxing. Flying back and forth from Denver to California sounds like more fun than it really was. Tight deadlines made this a very stressful gig especially at the start when I knew very little about the project itself. All I have to show for those trips are this photo of a surf board hanging up in the terminal at John Wayne Airport.

I also took time to get reacquainted with one of my other outdoor loves…hiking (and just plain hanging out in the wild and open Colorado wilderness). Mount Evans, RMNP and even nearby Roxborough Park were excellent retreats done in areas without any fishing whatsoever. It was very hard to do but the time had come to let fishing take a backseat. The nervous twitch in my casting elbow had turned into involuntary swings at my former boss and the night terrors of lost fish were making sleep impossible. It was time to step away from the fishing. It was possibly the toughest thing for me to do but it was much needed. Here are some picture highlights.



It's amazing some of the places that you can find in your backyard. This non-fishing place has been on my dusty scout list of hiking places close by.

http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/roxborough



Mount Evans is a spectacular place with breathtaking views. At the very peak a person can literally feel like they are on “top of the world”.

http://www.mountevans.com/

Rocky Mountain National Park is a real slice of paradise. So much of this area is unexplored by me since I left Loveland Colorado and moved closer to Denver a few years back. On a whim, I took a quick drive through RMNP. It's an excellent trip and not near the travel time time that I had thought. I hope to fish more of this area in 2009.







But the main point of this post is that now things have settled down with the job, fishing may now return with some ernest. Conditions right now don't favor my bass game so tailwater sections and hard water will have to do.

Fading of the lucky hat

Ever have something so comfortable that you felt a bit lost without it? My hat is that way and there have been many a fishing trip that went completely awry without it. As I look at the ragged edges and the fading fabric it exposes two fatal flaws in my fishing. One being that I am far too superstitious and the other is the fact that I am unable to reproduce this hat.

The story of this hat is quite adventurous as there were actually two of these ADC hats that fell into my possession over time. (ADC is a maker of fiber optic products and a supplier of ours) Both have been on some amazing adventures and appear in my photo gallery with no difference at all. I have later models but the make, the fabric and everything else is so different that all the magic is lost. The original models for some reason have everything a good hat has: protection, comfort and doesn’t make a person look like a complete dork.

It didn’t sink in how important this “lucky hat” was until I lost the first one. After several failed attempts at replacing that hat a second one fell into my hands. I had fallen into a bit of a slump at the time and fishing had gotten poor to downright miserable. When the second hat came along the spark was rejuvenated and fishing became spectacular once again. Funny how something like a simple hat could change things.

Now the hat is literally falling apart in places and the dye is way beyond faded. The brim shows a few abrasions and the fabric is torn a bit. Even with the best care this hat’s time is limited. As much as it pains me to admit…the old “dog” won’t live forever. I treat it a little bit better and its still ready to go whenever I need it. One day it will go on the wall of other great fishing items that earned their way to my trophy case of sorts. Even lucky hats don’t last forever.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.

Never S.O.L…

The MAD Show hit the lake with tubes in tow. We decided to take one vehicle, which meant that we would need to load the tubes deflated and inflate at the shoreline. Well we get there and after a few pumps I hear a snap, crackle and pop. Then the pump goes dead. The top was taken off and as I tip the pump to one-side plastic pieces fell out. It was kaput.

Miles and miles away from a replacement, going back was not an option. We could shorebang the lake but that was not what we had planned. Looking at the pump and our deflated tubes we almost admitted that we might be S.O.L on this run.

“Never S.O.L.” We said taking the air tube out of the pump and filled the tubes up manually. Staying positive and keeping your wits about you is very important in stressful situations. A solution may be possible and complaining will only slow you down.

It took a bit longer but we both made it out there to catch some fish. Action was good early and the tubes made all the difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b60ia3n9FSg

Me and Old Mr Snappy

Fishing a pond a while back and I came across Old Mr. Snappy. Well I reached in, pulled him out and told him a joke about a turtle and a rabbit. We just laughed and laughed. Good times!

Filamentous Algae

One of the most common aquatic weed problem in ponds is filamentous algae. Its presence can degrade water quality and recreational enjoyment. Excessive algae can cause an oxygen depletion leading to fish die-off when it decomposes in excessive amounts. Early and regular control measures will help reduce the problems associated with filamentous algae.

The Plant

Filamentous algae, also called "moss" or "pond scum," forms dense mats of hair like strands. Its growth begins on submerged objects on the pond bottom. As it grows, the algae gives off oxygen that becomes entrapped in the mat of strands. This gives it buoyancy and causes it to rise to the surface where it frequently covers large areas of the pond. Filamentous algae is often a persistent problem because it reproduces by plant fragments, spores and cell division.
Types of filamentous algae vary in texture and color. Microscopic examination is usually required to make an exact identification. Some of the more common forms are: Spirogyra is bright green and slimy to the touch; Cladophora has a cottony feel; and Pithophora is often referred to as "horse hair" algae because its coarse texture resembles that of horse hair and it may feel like steel wool.

Various methods of control are listed below and offer varying results depending on the characteristics of the lake and the species of algae. These methods are listed in order of least possible damage to the water system. The downside is that the least damaging methods are also the slowest to take affect. I recommend using chemical options as a last resort if at all.
Mechanical Control

Filamentous algae can be controlled by physically removing large floating clumps with a rake. This will prevent the algae from decomposing in the pond and consuming dissolved oxygen. Algae that has been removed can be piled for composting or used in a garden as mulch. This material dries quickly once out of water.

Steepening the sides of the pond to achieve a 3:1 slope will eliminate shallow water areas so that sunlight cannot reach bottom-growing algae. However, if the entire pond has filled in as a result of sedimentation or decaying vegetation, a dragline or dredge may be needed to deepen the pond.

I have also had some success in a few ponds with periodic increased water flow. The extra water movement breaks up the clumps and strands. Draining just a few CFS for a few hours can remove far more algae than you can rake in the same amount of time. The only downside here is that you may not have fresh water to re-supply your pond. Too much drainage will greatly hurt you in the long run so pumps and natural filters may be your only option here. Shoot me an e-mail if you have interest or knowledge in this arena.

Biological Control

Biological control involves disrupting plant growth by modifying the aquatic environment through natural manipulation, or it can mean introducing a living organism that is capable of controlling aquatic vegetation.

One method of biological control is maintaining a fertility level that fosters the development of a microscopic plant and animal population, which prevents sunlight penetration. This requires intense management and more time than the average pond owner may wish to devote to the pond. Sunlight penetration to the pond bottom where the algae begins to grow can also be reduced by introducing an inert dye (usually blue). I have never tried this option although a few private property managers swear by it. It also requires routine testing and maintenance with fertilizer or solutions.

The addition of triploid white amur (a vegetation-eating fish) as a biological control measure may have mixed results. Filamentous algae is not a preferred food, but will be eaten if no other vegetation is present. If other aquatic plants such as water milfoil or coontail are readily available, the filamentous algae may be ignored and continue to flourish.
Chemical Control

Copper Sulfate

Most species of algae can be controlled with very low concentrations of copper sulfate. It is available in crystalline nuggets the size of rock salt or as a finely ground "snow" grade (Figure 1). The recommended treatment rate is 2.7 pounds per acre-foot of water. [Acre-feet is a volume measurement of the pond. It is determined by multiplying average depth (feet) X surface area (acres). For more information on calculating measurements, consult Pond Measurements (Natural Resources Facts A-2), available from county offices of Ohio State University Extension.] When uniformly applied, this will result in a 1 part per million (ppm) concentration throughout the volume of the pond. For very hard water (more than 12 grains or 200 parts per million of hardness), this rate should be doubled.

The method of application will determine what size of copper sulfate crystals to purchase. The important principle to keep in mind is that actual contact of the copper sulfate with the algae is necessary in order to achieve satisfactory control. For best results, dissolve copper sulfate in water and spray it directly on floating algal mats or on the water surface above submerged algae. Finely ground, "snow grade" copper sulfate is best for this method as it dissolves easier. Mix the desired amount of copper sulfate with enough water to cover the area to be treated, and apply with a sprayer or bucket and dipper. Because copper is corrosive to galvanized metal, application equipment and mixing containers should be made of plastic or stainless steel.

In large ponds and when spray equipment is not available, it may be easier to treat with copper sulfate by placing the larger crystals of this chemical in a burlap bag and towing the bag through the water until all the crystals have been dissolved in the area to be treated.

One application of copper sulfate is unlikely to provide season-long control. Re-treatment may be necessary at 3-4 week intervals.

There are no water-use restrictions associated with the use of copper sulfate. When applied at the proper rate, the water may be used immediately for swimming, drinking, fishing, irrigation and livestock. However, since copper sulfate has a metallic odor, pond owners may want to suspend drinking, swimming and livestock watering uses for 12 hours.

Copper Chelate

Copper is also available in a chelated, or buffered, formulation, which is manufactured as a liquid or granule. This provides some advantages during application. The liquid form needs only to be mixed with water and sprayed out over the pond surface; there are no crystals to dissolve. The granular formulation consists of a clay granule impregnated with copper chelate. As the granule breaks down, the copper is released into the water. This formulation is especially useful when spot treatment is desirable. Granules are best suited for application early in the growing season because of the time required (2-3 weeks) for them to dissolve and release the chemical. There are no water-use restrictions associated with either formulation of copper chelate.
Special Precautions

Fish are extremely sensitive to Hydrothol 191. To reduce the hazard of a fish kill, start application at the shoreline and move outward so that fish can escape from treated areas. Select another product if fish toxicity is a concern.

Copper sulfate is corrosive to galvanized containers. Therefore, the solution should be mixed in wooden, earthenware, plastic, stainless steel or copper-lined containers. If a sprayer is not available, you may broadcast the solution with a plastic watering can or bucket and dipper.
If the algae is so abundant that it covers more than half of the total pond surface, a complete treatment may result in an oxygen depletion and fish kill. This hazard is greatest during very hot, overcast weather. When these conditions exist, treat only half the pond and wait 10-14 days before treating the other half.

Copper compounds applied at the recommended rates are lethal to fish eggs and some species of newly hatched fish. These materials should not be applied during spawning periods, unless it is desirable to destroy the eggs and the new hatch.

Reference

Lembi, C. A., S. W. O'Neal and D. F. Spencer. 1985. Pithophora. Aquatics 7:4, p. 8-9, 22.

Additional Pond Management Information

Pond Measurements; Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet A2.

Controlling Filamentous Algae in Ponds; Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet A3.

Chemical Control of Aquatic Weeds; Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet A4.

Ohio Pond Management. Ohio State University Extension Bulletin 374.

Controlling Weeds in Ohio Ponds. 41-minute videotape. VT50.

Visit your county office of Ohio State University Extension for copies of these resources.

Disclaimer

This publication contains pesticide recommendations that are subject to change at any time. These recommendations are provided only as a guide. It is always the pesticide applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. Due to constantly changing labels and product registration, some of the recommendations given in this publication may no longer be legal by the time you read them. If any information in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the recommendation must be disregarded. No endorsement is intended for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not mentioned. The author assumes no liability resulting from the use of these recommendations.

Sun Factor Follow up: a little "I told you so"

People still look at me strange when I fish in the summer wearing my hooded sweatshirt pulled over my baseball cap. “Aren’t you hot?!?” is what I read from their faces. A few people have actually pointed.

What they may not understand is something that sounds a bit like a conspiracy mixed with some universal truth. The sun is hot and sunscreen does not work anywhere near as well as you think it does. This is not the first article you may read on this subject by bonified scientists that confirm what I have been telling anglers for years.

(shameless self promotional article link re-post...can you believe this article was rejected so many times that I quit sending it out?)

http://www.coloradocasters.com/SunFactor.html

Excerpt from article:

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington-based research group and habitual gadfly to the business world, has found that 4 out of 5 of the nearly 1,000 sunscreen lotions analyzed offer inadequate protection from the sun or contain harmful chemicals. The biggest offenders, the EWG said, are the industry leaders: Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena.
Sunscreens do not offer blanket protection from the sun and do little to prevent the most deadly form of skin cancer; reliance on them instead of, say, a hat and protective clothing, might be contributing to skin cancer; and the Food and Drug Administration has yet to issue any safety standards, mysteriously sitting on a set of recommendations drafted 30 years ago.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/mostsunscreensfailtoprotect

Cooler of Goodness

ColoradoCasters promotes better fishing in Colorado and some of our viewers have expressed an extreme disgust over the “cooler of death” pictures often tossed up on the fishing forums. Fishing for some is not what it is for others. I am not the person to draw the line and start judging people’s actions out there on the water. But in an effort to balance the scales against the fish takers and the trash leavers, I offer “Cooler of Goodness”.



See? You can leave with a full cooler, catch fish and still have a good time. But as you see here, there isn’t any fish going home with me. Taking fish is not necessarily a bad thing. It can actually be a good thing if populations of that species are getting too crowded. Some species need to be thinned out often (like perch and crappie) to keep the prolific breeding from doing harm. But yeah…a sink full of bloody dead fish is not my idea of “sportsmanship”. In my view, these are the same guys that put that trophy elk on the hood of their truck so they can watch little kids cry as they roll down the highway. It also creates a bit of negativity for the sport by conservation groups. Don't give them more fodder for their cause by posting your pics of pillage.



Of course, I actually caught fish. But some fish are just too pretty to end up in a sink or a cooler. Putting big fish back is key to preserving the quality of fishing in Colorado. If you absolutely have to take something from the lake…why not take some trash? There’s no limit on refuse and there seems to be quite a bit of it at the lakes these days.

P.S. A quality fish fillet and a shot of the final product served attractively on a plate is a completely different matter in my view. There is a lot of skill and maybe even a bit of artwork in creating a masterful dish. Not everyone agrees with this view but for me a work of art is much more pleasing to the eye than looking at a mess of dead fish.

Still Giving Back

Keeping the momentum going this year on a few projects that are intended to help the lakes that I fish, fish better. One lake is fairly small, under 5 surface acres and seriously weed choked. I have been manually raking two sections, one at each end, to open them up a bit as well as dig down to the original gravel bottom. Now the biggest bluegills are battling for those spots to use as spawning areas. And bass are always cruising by looking for a snack. How cool is that?


(After one raking, this beautiful bluegill moved in and spawned.)

The results from the manual raking have been so good that more areas will be selected and worked next year. An even earlier start will commence in 2009 with a goal of manually raking 25% of the weed matte.

The next project on the drawing board for this place was a viable port in. The steep ledges make it a bit treacherous to enter and leave the water with small watercraft like a belly boat. The area people use now to get in and out is causing erosion and gets very sloppy. You could easily pop the tube on some of the sticks poking out around the area as well. One slip and so many bad things could happen.

“No more complaining about this.” I said last weekend. “Let’s do something for a change!”

So utilizing some old landscape material that was just sitting there, I crafted a small stairway into the steep slope. This is so much safer and pleasing to the eye. It may just save me from having to replace a tube sometime so it’s a complete win-win from all sides. Hopefully I get a better picture from the front on my next trip.



The rock on top was added because it was smaller and more natural looking. If I had more of these rocks, I sure would have used them. Instead I used some square concrete blocks and placed them as needed. Very solid and should withstand the elements for at least a few years. Some shoreline backing will be added over time as well to eliminate some potential erosion problems.

Add one water bottle, one Heineken can and two glass beer bottles to the trash tally. This spot I visit frequently enough that I can gauge the “ill Pressure” by how much trash I pick up each trip.

Still Fishing and The MAD Fishing Show

After watching some of the fishing shows on cable TV, Don and I thought,”Man, we could do this.” So we started accumulating pictures and video footages of our trips and putting them into full feature episodes. Nothing too serious but another medium to share fishing exploits. They both will have the same look and feel for the most part but there is a difference between the two formats.

“Still Fishing” will be the solo trips and property of ColoradoCasters. Some of my solo adventures are pretty entertaining and I am only limited by the fact its just me with one camera. I tend to push the limit a bit in regards to spoof sponsors on some of these but its all part of the fun.

For the currently released “Still Fishing” episodes, click on the links below.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=38ryPDN95zM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xY3KxJtxZ6g

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lP4g8ybC2s4

“The MAD Fishing Show” will be with Don, occasionally special guests and myself. The MAD Show has tested better in focus groups and the two person dynamic is much more entertaining than just me all smackity smackity. MAD stands for Matt And Don…too clever. The MAD Fishing Show is property of the MAD Fishing Show by the way.

For the currently released “The MAD Fishing Show” episodes, click on the links below.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hQ3v-vM-N_s

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JrGVxhVKZQM

Eventually, we hope to grow these into a more professional format with actual sponsors and some really cool guests. We are looking for camera assistance and other technical support so if you want to be involved, shoot us an e-mail with your desires and qualifications.

If you are a professional guide, outfitter, fishing resort owner or otherwise fishing entrepreneur, we would love to hear from you. Let’s sit down and talk about getting your name on youtube via Still Fishing or The MAD Fishing Show. We are not looking for financial support necessarily as much as we are trading what we do for what you can share. Knowledge, fishing access, discounts, supplies, or even trading services are just some of the possibilities. As we grow in popularity, and we will, you will gain more visibility on one of the fastest growing platforms today (youtube/interent).

Feel free to repost these youtube links on the forums or fishing websites if they allow it. We could really use the extra support as well as any feedback you can provide. If you are a subscriber to youtube, please favorite our videos as well as rate and leave comments.

More episodes are on the way so stay tuned!!!

Wyoming and the God of Wind

[late post material-Late April 2008]

It seemed like every time that I stepped outside this season to fish in Colorado the wind would pound on me like a big willowy hammer. Taunting me and torturing me, the wind would block my casts as well as destroy my aim. Distance was tough and accuracy was even tougher. If I moved to one side of the lake, it moved with me. It seemed relentless and with only an hour or two in the morning with glassy waters, it was hurting my desire to fish. If I looked out the window and saw any wind at all, my thoughts went to chores rather than fishing.

“Snap out of this funk!” I slapped myself. “We don’t have to fear the wind…embrace the wind…it can be your friend.” The words fell on my ears and onto the floor. “Wind?…ugh! No thanks.”

So when Don offered me a spot in the GMC for a Wyoming-Miracle Mile run…well I pondered it for a moment and thought to myself, “Now there is some real wind. Maybe that is exactly what I need right now…Extreme Wind!” I gave the nod and before I knew it, gear was loaded and we were on our way. For those of you that have never experienced Wyoming in the spring, understand that this place is wrought with constant gusting winds of 30 to 40mph on a calm day. Some parts of the state are better than others but Laramie to Casper can get windblown pretty badly.

We fished the canyon from where you can legally enter upstream and moved down to various holes. We caught fish but at 1200cfs we were lucky to get what we got. These fish see a lot of pressure so showboating for pictures was not allowed unless someone got into a monster (for this area +5lb trout is what we are gunning for)…My biggest was a little over 20”…this shot will have to do.

The real story was having to face the unrelenting wind all day, every cast from the moment you open the truck door to the time you get back in. Wind so strong that you stand at an angle and almost fall over when the wind changes direction. I found myself timing the gusts as it couldn’t hold that 70mph rate all the time. It would bluster and backfeed on itself creating little gaps you can cast through. Once you let go it was a battle of current. It was by far the toughest wind that I have ever had to face and it made me truly appreciate the weather I have here in Colorado even if it is only slightly different than Wyoming compared by most standards. But now I can face any amount of Colorado wind and still feel like I can fish through it.

“I have faced the God of Wind and it lives in Wyoming.” I said later casting through what felt like a subtle afternoon Colorado breeze. “This is soooo fishable.”

For the rest of the story on the Wyoming Run, check out the latest The MAD Fishing Show videos...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hQ3v-vM-N_s

First Cleanup for 2008-Catch of the Day

As soon as the snow fades, I like to go in and clean up a few of my favorite fishing spots. Now is a great time for this as foliage is still in its winter dormancy and bugs are not very active, if at all. The fishing was an absolute “no-go” anyway with the 99.9% ice lid so picking up some trash was pretty much the only way I was going to “bag” anything.



Today’s catch was a bit more than I expected and pretty good for a first scrub. Most of the time, one good cleanup a year goes a long way. Subsequent trips should be trash free or very light cleanup at the most.

Most of this trash was blown in by seasonal winds. People left only a fraction of this debris and I don’t want to give the impression that people are dumping their trash in fishing lakes. It just looks that way sometimes. Taking the hands on approach can help reverse this trend on the lakes, ponds, rivers and streams that you fish. It does make a difference.

[Re-posted material from Feb-2008, Some people talk trash...I'm picking it up.]

RMA opener/fiasco 2008

What a zoo this place was for the first hour. The crowd was insane. Even with a 3AM alarm set, 4AM gate show up, I was third at the gate. At 6AM the gate rolled open and the place turned into a fiasco. A lot of folks rolled right past the check in booth altogether. The system just gets worse every year. No traffic control for 50+ cars at the gate and virtually no crowd control for the 100+ people fishing. One ranger with a truck isn’t going to be able to cover this entire facility. The mention of law enforcement that I don’t think anyone actually saw added no help to calm the insanity. This could very well be the Keystone Cops of fishery management.

This sounds abrasive, but this was once a trophy bass and pike fishery that you had to see to believe. Now its a run of the mill public fishery with obvious signs of abuse. Is this typical for a wildlife refuge? I don't know but its a far cry from what this place deserves.


Here is a shot of the parking lot at 5AM. The gates open at 6 and the link below is a vid shot of the madness about 15 minutes before they opened her up.



Ladora was a free for all. People were practically climbing on top of each other to fish. This is just crazy combat fishing and something I am not a big fan of. The crowd and slow action literally pushed me off the big lake and onto Lake Mary. There I caught my “skunk beater” bass on a jig-grub combo. I saw a few pike caught that were the standard 24-26”. A far cry from what most anticipated.



(Boy, was I glad to see this fish. Nothing seemed to work except this off the wall jig-grub combo. Maybe I just needed to find a fish that wasn’t scared for its life.)

So what does the future hold for the RMA? It’s not hard to quantify “the best is already over” statement spoken by most who know the property’s history. This may be true. I also think some major factors are in play right now for the arsenal that tell the rest of the story. Fishing workshops were allowed in before the regular crowd and they worked the fish pretty well. This kept the opener action down to a dull roar.

No Memorial Day Madness at Ward Pond

[Over the next few days I will be migrating some notes from earlier in 2008 to the journal. I will do my best to put a date of reference on these. Let me know what you think.]


So I am driving by Ward pond on Memorial Day and I see one single lonely beat up pickup truck in the parking lot. I had the belly boat and the rods ready to go from the other day. I didn’t have a reload on some essential gear items (like the pliers that I dropped in the water…DOH!) but it was 9AM under mild cloud cover. Hardly any wind was present. The water was warm even though the air temp was dropping slightly hour by hour it seemed.

“Matt, you would be stupid if you did not fish this place RIGHT NOW!” as the words echoed in my brain my heart started pumping and without even realizing it, my hands were turning the wheel and I was flipping a U-turn on Ward Rd.

After the gear up and walk down the staircase walled with olive tree branches, I looked for signs of nesting fish or pressure. I found neither save for one shore banger on the northeast end. Rather than brave the perilous entry closest to the parking lot, I decided to walk over and port in on the southwest corner. Note: People still try to use the northwest corner for entry and it can be pretty tough. Funny story to follow in a bit.

The tactic choice for me has always been hit or miss here but I am working on it. Sometimes I find myself switching up far too much. This day I just stayed put with what I had been throwing all week: jigs and fantastic plastics. The only thing I was missing was the grubs.

See those trees in the background? That is where this guy was hanging in less than a foot of water. Pitched close to shore and the fish clobbered the plastic stickbait.

Shallow water just down a few hundred feet from the first one. These guys were hitting the stickbait-junebug color from Maniac Lures…(gotta use up this surplus before the ban is lifted. Non-scented but seem to work ok. I don’t even notice a difference most of the time.

Now for the funny story…the northwest cover is overgrown and perilous, as I had mentioned before. Canoes are especially prone to a piece of hidden structure just off the shoreline. It’s not really a safety hazard as the water is fairly shallow but I imagine it could be quite disheartening to carry a canoe down here only to tip over on the way out. It happens time and time again. They shove off a bit too hard, hit the structure and “plop!” right on the side. So when I saw the trio carry the beige canoe down the stairway, battle the trees to get her at the water’s edge…well then I wish that I was a lot closer. Then I could have warned them. Shouted out something like, “Easy in! There are rocks in front of you.” At the very least I could have gotten some video footage.

They had life jackets and even matching gear. Even after facing wave after wave of thorny tree branches, they still looked very excited to get in the water. The guy even seemed to check the path in front of them by pushing the boat ahead and bringing it back.

“Oh…this guy has been here before.” My lips muttered and I went back to fishing.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw them shove off, hit the structure and tip right over. Everyone went in the water and you could see them get right out and onto shore quickly. Then they took a minute to rethink things. It was a while before they made it back out and they hugged the shoreline as they went along.

“That’s a good first trip out.” I thought to myself. Better learn a hard lesson now and walk away than learn to one that you can’t. It was hard for me not to chuckle a bit…and then went right back to fishing.

From here I worked my way to the northeastern cove. My game plan was to finish up the coves and bail from the water victoriously. Switching from the plastics to the jig, I started working the rock structure under the trees. I tossed out a total “flub cast”. The line caught my finger sending the jig off at an angle and smack into a nearby tree trunk. My fingers were getting cold and I was struggling quite a bit. It was one “goof-cast” of many that day I assure you. Somehow the lure bounced off the tree and onto a flat chunk of concrete that is pretty common material out here. The jig just sat there on the concrete like a frog waiting to jump in the water. I cleared the line from a small overhanging twig with a quick snap of the rod, which sent the jig into the shallow water with a small “plop”. A few inches of retrieve and WHAM! The battle was on.

This fish was not huge by most standards but good sized and all fight. He ran twice on me and tried to go deep! It was a few hard fought moments until I could turn his head back at me. Then he ran right at me. This pretty much closed the deal for Mr. Bucket.

Ever catch a fish and have to sit there for a minute to catch your breath? I love it when a fish is worth every inch of the battle. This was a good fish.

Once the wind started up, the temperature started dropping. I could literally feel my core body temp dropping one degree at a time. I hit my pinky finger on the bail a bit too hard and it went completely numb. I could still bend it and there was no color change but the light damage and the cold made it something to be concerned about. The weather didn’t help either and seemed to get drearier by the second.

“Get out while you are still alive.” I chuckled talking myself out of several more hours of wet, cold and rainy fishing. I wouldn’t die but it made it sound better.

First Blog

We are trying this new format out. (by we I mean me and a few fishing pictures hung up on the wall along 7 or 8 fishing rods) The idea is to give me something that I can update daily with pictures and text without having to run all the edits through my web staff.

Break one webpage so bad that you have to start over and they never let you hear the end of it.

I really think this will give readers the best of both worlds. My insanity can come unleashed at a moment's notice. Viewers, fans and the occasional reader needs to see this stuff aside from the webpage. Once the webpage goes "glossy" with actual sponsors and prime time material...well the blog Will be the only place that I can rant, rave and go off at the things that really make me mad.

This blog will be updated at least once a week as where web page edits take longer to develop. So don't be afraid to check in regularly. Hopefully I can figure out all the formatting to make this look really sweet.

My name is Matt and I'm a fishaholic.