Colorado Winter Fly Fishing ~ Christmas Holiday Vacation ~ 12/27/2019

Back to the summit of the US of A, and back to the roots of my youth. Pretty weird how knowledgeable of Colorado fisheries I am, yet so many waters I'm still learning out there. If you haven't figured out why my quest to return to "Colorful Colorado" is in the past mix, you soon will after this post. It's a special state to me, so many close friends that truly know me there, and support me, makes it SO pleasing to be immersed in. I'm proud and honored to be a native Northern Californian, and to have been fly fishing the northern state since 1972, but as I age, there are more important factors in life - Thus the future looms. Yep, back to CBC, the most ultimate base camp ever, and "Mission 1" was in the works - Recuperating from the long drive, making a big pot of Cat's Hearty Beef Base Camp soup, and tying flies. Tying is so special to me, I wish I had more time to do so. I'm not not a commercial tier, or a superior speed tier. I tie for myself, my friends, and my guests. Payed signature tier of patterns? Not likely, those special patterns of mine will only be available from a guide trip, or a personal fishing session. Jonny B. is not going sell himself out, or be cheesy - but I will always share the knowledge to the masses. Always.

Six straight days on the water, and the mountain. A flurry of fun awaited us. Full Cat Toy pace. That intensity of life is not welcoming to everyone, but very familiar to me. I bleed it, enjoy it, and I live it everyday. The Yampa River was the place to fish and the walk down the "no vehicle access" road is always a welcoming approach, "Mission 2" was going down. The brutally cold  conditions put me in my place rather quickly. Seeing the temp gage hit negative 22 through Kremmling did not go over well. Surprisingly, I was not that cold fishing in 10 degree weather, and I handled it quite well. You'll notice in the above picture how the river is in the shade until 12pm, way colder than the sun lit parking lot. When your catching multiple large trout though, you tend to stay a little warmer than the conditions permit.

The landscape of the Yampa River is nestled in a broad valley by Steamboat Springs, an area I'm all too familiar with in regards to my snowboarding days, and the legendary Quinn Sandvold, a fellow team rider on the factory Wave Rave Snowboarding Team that I filmed and rode with. The area is stunning... real cowboy country, FM Light & Sons, ranching, so genuine, so Colorado. Easy to appreciate being a Nor Cal Native and growing up in the tiny town of Paradise. The Stagecoach area is as rural as it gets. 

Once we made our way down to the banks of the water, the rhythm set in, we could feel it, and embraced the grand scheme of it all. So beautiful... it takes my breath away just thinking of it. It's like the Little Truckee special regs section except for the rugged pocket water on the most extreme upstream part of the river, but has three times the number of trout. Colorado manages their fisheries so incredibly well. This place is ridiculous.

Fly selection is critical during the winter months, think small ball. I'll let Cat explain the details of such with her new blog on fly fishing, and an accurate an honest report for the Yampa River HERE: https://flyfishingwithcattoy.blogspot.com/2019/12/yampa-river-fly-fishing-report-12262019.html 

Watching Cat work the water is so gratifying to me since she has only been at the game for a short time. Results do not lie. Cat is the upmost proficient student of fly fishing I have ever come across in my 23 years of guiding. I really can't think of another individual that has a better track record. It's the mojo, and more...

https://flyfishingwithcattoy.blogspot.com/

Our first two days on the water were extremely special, double digits and being the only anglers on the water was incredible. Days 3 and 4 would bring a different mind set: Chasing the fall line and the ultimate carve. Let it run...

"Mission 3". It had been since the spring of 2018 that I rode some chairlifts with the board attached to my feet, and the listed sponsors of my past that continue to support my quest on the snow. I can't ride the park railings anymore, or hit the kickers, knees are shot, and if snowboards had suspension like my Honda 04 CFR 250F, I'd launch 100 footers all day long. Known fact right there. The 21st and the 22nd of December did not disappoint. As Craig Kelley once said "Snowboarding is just fun!". Check out the Smooth Groove: https://vimeo.com/124039127 Craig influenced me heavily, and I will always make one more turn for that man, the dude brought so much knowledge and technique to snowboarding. Game changer he was.

Cat is a Patroller at Loveland Ski Area, and fully certified. Just like fly fishing, she takes her volunteer work very seriously. It's impressive to watch her work and ski as she is extremely gifted at both mediums. Lucky for me I got to ride for free, but those lift tickets are not readily available, every day Cat works the mountain, the company awards her with a pass to give to her guests. First chair, groomers, and epic corduroy. The smooth groove lives on...Le Carve. Thank you Cat!

Yep, that's me... Director of Snowboarding at Boreal Ridge, 1987 to 1990. Probably the best job I've ever worked in regards to being employed by a company other than my own. 6 days a week, 10 hour days, at $16.50 an hour. I was killing it back then. Watching Cat work the mountain brought back intense memories for me, I've been there, a professional, making damn sure the public received the best bang for their buck, and had a great time on the hill. My experiences at Boreal transcended into my guide service, and helped me immensely. Life skills...

"Mission 4". Back to the Yampa to close out the 2019 season. It was much warmer than the previous week, but also increased crowds, and bad angling etiquette. I watched a guide place 5 clients around two other anglers in a very short run without getting approval from those fishing the run. Being a long time guide, I was appalled. I nearly got in his face, but the older wiser Jonny B. took a step back, and listened to his local Yampa River guide Wendell, who told me to "move along".

Wendell is the man. The most knowledgeable fly fishing guide on the Yampa River. Obi Wan... Jedi Master. Kind, caring, and legit. The kind of frog you want to hang out with all day long.

Even when we missed a take, Wendell was soft spoken and encouraged us with sportive advice, and direction towards large rythmatic feeders that were just under the surface...

Wendell also informed us that the water temps were right at 32 degrees. That's the coldest water I've ever fished. Thank goodness the river has a good push of gradient downstream just below the Stagecoach dam where we were fishing or we would have been dealing with floating ice. 

Local Nor Cal fly guide patterns from Hogan, Adam, and Brian did well, it's really cool to see the actual evidence of an unknown fly being consumed by a large Colorado trout. They honestly have never seen the fly before, thus the take.

Wendall's fly selection was on point. #18 to #22, small tiny black shit...and light olive, purple, brown...all colors of Zebra Midges worked, and Cat proved them to be effective, hook up and after hook up.

SCOOP!

I caught and released so many nice fish every day I fished the Yamp River, like this bully above. After 48 years of fly fishing I'm completely content with just embracing the day and all that it shares. The catching, is the bonus jib. I like to fish, but even more I like to watch fishing buddies just go off. Watching Cat is so much fun. She is so intense, and so focused that I can feel the energy emitted from the tip of the rod. Photography - bugs, landscape, lifestyle shots, and more - Just recording the special experiences. What a way to live...

I've never witnessed so many hook ups in such little time. The Yampa River is amazing! This trip was the best experience I've had in decades - Totally serious. So much fun I can't even begin to try and explain it to you. Great company, good food, warm lodging, the best base camp ever, carving groomed butter, ropin' donkeys, and living life to it's fullest. Complete bliss. I'll be back in the very near future Colorado. 

Here's to a kick ass 2020 - Bring it! - J.