I am on my annual trip to the Wet Mountain Valley in southcentral Colorado. It’s only an hour and a half drive from my cabin near Salida, Colorado, but a world apart. The people population in Custer County that covers most of the valley is 5,000, dwarfed by the number of cattle grazing in the scenic meadows. There’s great fishing to go along with the scenery, rugged soaring peaks of the Sangre de Christo and Wet Mountains, and a distinctly different vibe.
I am staying in my mobile fish camp at the fine Grape Creek RV Park just south of Westcliffe, the county seat, and will be here from Friday to Monday.
Mobile Fishing Camp–Roughing It The Civilized Way
My plan is to sample several of my favorite trout streams like Grape and Medano Creeks…and maybe score a coveted grand slam—catching (and releasing) four different species of trout. I will also take in some of the sights in this historic valley and chow down at several of my favorite restaurants après angling.
Custer County was named for the famous General Custer. Like many mountain communities in Colorado, it owes its start to silver and gold mines in the late 1800s as witnessed by the name of the biggest town in the county, Silver Cliff, which abuts Westcliffe, and which sports a population of 747. Westcliff, population 435, was a railroad town serving the mining and cattle businesses. But ranching has always been a big part of the picture, some early spreads boasting over 10,000 cattle that helped to feed the miners. While the county has grown and Westcliffe sports artist studios, antique shops, and good restaurants, overall the valley maintains much of its old West atmosphere as witnessed by the fact it has been the of location of many western movies such as How The West Was Won featuring John Wayne, Cat Ballou with Lee Marvin, and Comes A Horseman with James Caan and Jane Fonda.
Day 1: Grape Creek At Bear Gulch
I decide on my first day of my grand slam quest to explore a remote section of Grape Creek below DeWeese Reservoir. The main stream in the valley, Grape Creek springs from the Wet Mountains and then flows north to DeWeese Reservoir. Deweese has been a fixture in the valley since 1896 when it was created by damming the creek to provide a steady source of water for fruit and shade trees over 20 miles downstream near Canon City where it flows into the Arkansas River. Bear Gulch, about seven miles downstream from the dam, and actually in Fremont County, is the only public access to just above Canon City and can be reached only by negotiating a rough 4wd road followed by a short but very steep hike down to the creek. Not for the timid!
I am on the road early, taking the Oak Creek Grade just east of Silver Cliff, a decent gravel road that takes about an hour to reach the turnoff to Bear Gulch. It’s a scenic drive often featuring deer and other wild critters, not to mention those of the bovine kind.
But things get a little baffling at the turnoff thanks to misdirection from Goggle Maps and some confusing signage. As illustrated in the photos below, the correct route is to turn north/left off Oak Creek Grade at the sign for Grape Creek Access then bear left (not right as directed by Google Maps) at the somewhat obscured “BLM Access” sign behind a big green electrical box, and finally to the right at the blue “To Public Lands” sign.
Sign To Turn North Off Oak Creek GradeNext Look For BLM SignThen Bear Right At Blue Public Lands Sign
Then buckle up and get ready for some thrills and chills on the several miles of rough road that follow. I suggest using a 4wd vehicle, one with good all-terrain tires, especially if the road is wet.
Buckle Up!Multiple Creek CrossingsView Into Canyon From Driver’s Seat!
Cars like a Subaru with all-wheel drive and good clearance can navigate it ok if the road is dry.
In about 15 minutes and 4 miles later, I come to the parking area on a bench above the creek with some descriptive signage providing information about the Grape Creek Wilderness Study Area.
Trailhead To Creek
I am the first one here today. I suit up in my chest high waders and head down the steep trail to the creek, using my trusting wading staff to prevent me from slip sliding away in the loose gravel. I am carrying two rods, an 8.5 footer-rigged with a #16 Chubby Chernobyl, a good hopper imitation, and #16 Dirk’s Delight green caddis larva, a proven favorite on Grape Creek. The second is a heavier 8.5’ nymph rod with a #14 conehead stonefly and #16 Psycho Prince nymph to probe some of the deeper holes in the creek.
Menu del Dia–Chubby Chernobyl and Dirk’s Delight Green Hotwire Caddis Larva
When I get down the slippery slope to the water, I have a choice to either go downstream where the fishing pressure is lighter but with fewer big fish or upstream into a canyon stretch that has some deep pools and stout brown trout. Today I opt for going upstream since I got here early and will be the first one on the water in the canyon. I walk about a mile, hoppers whirring about me in the deep grass, and then come to the first deep pool at the foot of a sheer cliff that also features a big back eddy where I have fooled some good fish in the past. But not today. After a dozen casts with both rods, I come up empty handed. The same story repeats itself in several more good-looking pools for the next twenty minutes. Puzzling. The water is cool and appears to be in good shape.
By 10 a.m., the sun has started to warm things up under a beautiful Colorado bluebird sky, and finally the fish get hungry. I fool a scrappy 11-inch brownie on the caddis larva dropper, but things then go quiet again.
Spunky Brown Starts The Day
I manage a long-distance release and a few more strikes, but nothing to the net. Puzzling. Soon though I come to a honey hole bend pool that has been a sure thing on earlier trips, and what to my wondering eyes does appear but a thick blue-wing olive mayfly hatch. What look to be big rainbow trout are cruising and dimpling the surface as they slurp down the mayflies. I try a few casts with the dry/dropper rig and manage a few half-hearted rises before the hatch subsides and things go dead. I was too slow in changing flies. Grrr. Okay, it’s noon and time for lunch and an attitude readjustment.
That seems to do the trick. On the first pool upstream, I trick another scrappy brownie in some fast water then a chunky 14-incher, both on the green hotwire caddis larva. Now it’s steady action the rest of the afternoon. In one pool a couple of feisty 12-inch rainbows gulp down the larva and a brownie falls for the Chubby.
Golden Brownie Gets Things GoingRainbows Add To The Fun!
The further upstream I go, the better the action gets along with bigger fish. I net two 14-inch browns where the creek splits around an island and 10 minutes later two more of the same measure in a beautiful pool upstream.
I am thinking that nice brownie is the last fish of the day, but see some good looking pools upstream. Who can resist?!? I work up another 20 minutes and get another half dozen browns in shallow stretches before heading back downstream towards my SUV. It’s after 3 p.m. and the hike back to the trailhead will take at least an hour even for this buff (creaky?) septuagenarian.
On the way back, I come to the big, deep mayfly hatch pool where I bungled things earlier. But now it’s calm and quiet. Worth a try after being skunked here earlier? Of course….and on my second cast my dry is yanked under as a big rainbow feasts on the Dirk’s Delight caddis larva. The battle is on. He has a lot of room to thrash back and forth. When he lunges and pulls to the right I apply pressure and turn him back to the left. Hither and yon we fight, and finally after a worthy bout a beautiful 15-inch rainbow slides into my net.
Big Rainbow Caps A Good Day On Grape Creek
He soon is finning back to his hideout. I decide that would be a good way to end the day, but then see a rise on the far side of the main current and of course decide just one more cast. The Chubby floats jauntily down the riffle into the pool, and the trout smashes it, is on, then thrashes free! I have to smile and shake my head. A good reason to come back. It’s almost 4 p.m. now and a good 30 minutes back to the trailhead.
On the easy jaunt back I enjoy the fall landscape, the soaring cliffs, the imposing thick stands of bristly thistle plants—some 4-5 feet tall, cholla and prickly pear cactus, and even a big wolf spider that I first mistake for a frog as he surprises me rustling through the underbrush. Be sure to watch out for rattlesnakes during the summer!!
I arrive at the trailhead around 4:30, just in time to be greeted by six campers, two whom are fisherman. All are setting up their tents in the shady camping area along the creek for the weekend. A reminder of why I come here during the week. And one couple has even made it in driving a Subaru!
The hour’s drive home is relaxing, featuring a series of beautiful vistas. Then I stumble on what may be the new secret Tesla product being tested in the backcountry, a travel trailer that appears to be a match for the famous CyberTruck. And I catch a glimpse of someone skulking inside. Maybe Elon himself?? Who knows in these days and times?!?
As the sun begins to drop below the Wet Mountains, I pull into my spot in the RV campground, stow my gear, and relax, soaking in the view and enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio. I’m contemplating Day 2 of the Grand Slam Challenge. Two different trout today–browns and rainbows–and two more to go–maybe a brookie and a cutthroat. But I am a tad tuckered out after a long day on lower Grape Creek and my right arm sore from catching so many fish, so I decide to take tomorrow morning off and do a little touring in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff. Then in the afternoon I will pursue some of the wily brook trout that inhabit upper Grape Creek that just happens to run right through the RV park. How convenient for an angler of senior vintage!
As my fishing friends and readers know, I am a small stream aficionado and devotee. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against big waters like the Arkansas River near my cabin outside Salida, Colorado, despite the float boat hatch in summers that is maddening for those of us who prefer to wade rather than row. I just prefer the solitude and wild nature of the small streams I like to search out, not to mention eager fish. Okay, Okay…being shallower and smaller, I must admit they are also easier for a shambling septuagenarian like me to navigate.
But while small streams can be easier to navigate and their denizens usually cooperative, they come with their own special challenges—tight casting quarters, plentiful snags, and shallow and clear water with spooky fish just to mention a few. Here are some tips that will help ensure successful outings and hopefully help build the constituencies to protect these often lesser known, but precious waters.
Tip #1: Before plunging into the water, take time to check out the insect life in and around the stream.
Because of their diminutive size and often remote locations with challenging environments ranging from high elevations to deep canyons, small streams often have a more limited and specialized selection of the victuals trout prefer. That’s why while walking to the creek a smart angler will keep an eye out for terrestrials like grasshoppers and ants. In the summer hoppers are an especially delectable and popular treat, providing a good meal for the smaller fish usually found in small streams.
Clacking Of Grasshoppers = Trout Dinner BellBig Trout Want A Meal, Not Just A Snack
Next, instead of casting immediately in that first pool, wade out downstream and check under rocks for aquatic bugs like caddis, mayfly, and stonefly larvae and nymphs. Then choose the fly or flies that are reasonable facsimiles.
A good example is a recent trip to upper Grape Creek near Westcliffe, Colorado. I usually use a green- colored caddis larva dropper on Grape Creek to match the abundant green caddis larva lurking in the stream bed. But in this new section I hadn’t fished before, I found cream-colored caddis larva in abundance, not green. I dug into my fly box and was lucky to find a couple of cream-colored beadhead flies that were reasonable facimiles. I tied one on , and on the very first cast it was gulped down by a nice brookie. More soon followed. Would a green-colored larva worked? Maybe, but a little investigation paid off.
Cream Vs. The Typical Green Caddis LarvaTurning Over A Streamside Rock Results In Good Brookie
Tip #2: Stay out of the stream if possible—avoid those bad vibrations.
Unlike larger rivers where the angler must often plunge in and wade to reach the best pools/runs, in small streams the most inviting and productive water can often be reached with a short cast without getting your waders wet—a good strategy illustrated by a recent experience on tiny Archuleta Creek in southern Colorado. I was hiking on a ridge above the stream, which has always been challenging but productive, planning to cut down to the water in a little gully ahead. But another old guy had beaten me to the punch, so before pushing on downstream a good distance, I decided to take a break and watch him fish. I was a bit surprised to see him wading in and up the creek, then saw his water buffalo wading technique was literally sending shock waves upstream into the bend pools he was targeting. On a good stretch I had done well on in the past, in over 15 minutes he hooked just one fish. His sloshing around had sent out bad vibrations. It was a reminder to think Beach Boys—sending out good vibrations to the fish with succulent flies and minimum ripples, creating some excitation instead of miniature tidal waves. After watching the show, I proceeded downstream for a quarter mile and started fishing back up. Thirty minutes later I hit the stretch the other senior gent had plowed through and had a ball carefully fishing the water and catching a half dozen nice brownies, one scaling 14 inches.
A recent outing on a stream in the San Luis Valley loaded with Rio Grande Cutthroats teaches the same lesson. The water was clear and extremely low, but my fishing buddy Tom Palka managed to catch (and release) three beautiful cutties from a postage-stamp sized pool by creeping carefully to a hidden spot in the grass below the pool then executing backhand casts from a sitting position. If he had stood up instead, the trout would have likely fled to the next county!
Cautious Approach And Low Profile Casting……Results In Beautiful Rio Grande Cutthroats
Tip #3: Stoop to conquer…
Avoiding bad vibrations is just one advantage of staying out of the water and being careful when casting from the shoreline. The best holding lies in small creeks are often shallower than in big rivers, and if the water is clear and you are wading standing upright either on the shoreline or in the stream it’s guaranteed the fish have a good chance of seeing you moving or will spy your shadow. What’s the remedy? KNEEL!! Where the stream is especially small or water very clear consider kneeling on the shoreline or in the water before casting. Keep in mind the famous line from the Oliver Goldsmith play from the late 1700s: “She stoops to conquer,” meaning someone who accepts behavior being viewed as beneath one’s abilities or station in life but achieves some greater purpose as a result.
If savvy septuagenarian anglers, creaky knees and all, have learned to kneel to conquer–so can you!
But you say, what of your aching knees on those sharp, hard streambed rocks? I am sympathetic, and that’s why I buy Dry Plus waders at Cabela’s—one of few that comes with handy dandy knee pads built in as a standard feature. Try them, you will see the advantages plus you won’t have to spend a wad of money for these durable and reasonably priced waders.
Tip #4: Use a shorter rod and shorter leaders/droppers, especially with creeks featuring heavy streamside vegetation or overhanding trees and bushes.
Like most anglers, the standard rod I use in rivers is a light-to-medium weight 8.5-foot wand. I also opt for it on smaller waters like Saguache Creek that don’t have a lot of streamside vegetation. But increasingly on small streams where I will be casting in close quarters with overhanding trees or tall shoreline brush and grass and other vegetation, my choice is a short 7.5-footer. The shorter rod allows me to backcast with less chance of hangups and avoid the cloying branches and bushes the longer rod seems to enjoy.
Tight Quarters Call For Shorter Rod
The same is true of leaders and dropper size. In small streams with tight quarters, there is simply not much room to false cast or even just flip the fly out with a quick flick of the rod. Similarly, long droppers that work on big water to get to bottom where the big fish are will elicit expletives on smaller streams as your fly alights perfectly in the target pool but the dropper ends up in tall bristly grass, rose bushes, etc., etc!
But I would be disingenuous if I did mention the tenkara lesson I received from friend Tom Palka. We were fishing a tiny backcountry creek that was barely three feet wide in many places and lined with grass and assorted snags three feet high. I was having the devil of a time casting even with my smaller rod without hanging up in the streamside vegetation. But with his 10-foot tenkara rod young Mr. Palka (only 50 or so years of age) could simple reach out over streamside grass and gently his parachute his fly easily into the best holes. As he landed three fish to my every one, this cheeky youngster schooled me.
Tenkara Tom Gets Close To Fish With 10-foot Rod!
Same story with leaders. Long leaders and droppers that often work best on big rivers to reach big fish in deeper holes will often end up in streamside grass and handing from snags on smaller streams. I find that 7.5-foot 5X or 6X leaders with shorter 18-inch dropper work fine.
Tip #5: Learn the light-touch twister tug and snap roll cast to save your fly from snags
Before I learned a little trick from my fishing buddy, Bob Wayne, my normal response to getting my fly entangled in streamside branches or grass, in addition to uttering expletives, was to give my rod a sharp upward jerk in hopes that it would rip the fly out of the grasp of the dastardly snag. My success rate was about 20% at best. Then one day I watched Mr. Wayne rescue fly after fly deposited in streamside vegetation by errant casts. Instead of yanking the rod straight up as seems natural, he would aim his rod directly at snag, tighten the line taught, and then twist his wrist as he gave it a gentle tug or two straight back. Twist and tug! His success rate in saving his flies was an astounding 50%! It was amazing how often the embedded, seemingly doomed fly came loose.
Master Angler Robert Wayne, Esq., Gets Ready To Execute His Patented Twist And Tug Manuever To Extricate Yet Another Errant Cast
Now I don’t claim to be as accomplished as Bob in employing this technique but have saved many flies over the past few years thanks to him.
But what if your fly is hung up on a rock or branch in the stream? My solution is to execute a short roll cast towards the snag powered with a strong downward snap of the wrist. Often this technique will work because the rolling line will pull the stuck fly upstream away from the snag rather than digging it in further as is the case if you give the line a pull downstream. Don’t be surprised if you save your fly with this simple maneuver without having to wade out to retrieve the fly and spoil the pool.
Tip #6: For the small stream hot spots, focus on twisting creek bends, undercut banks, and shallows depending on water temperature and sunlight. Don’t forget your stream thermometer to help figure out where the fish will be.
Several years ago, I learned an important lesson about small stream fish and water temperature. I was fishing a small remote stream in the upper reaches of the San Luis Valley in south central Colorado in August that had always treated me well. The creek wove sinuously through a meadow with alluring clear water deep pools at every bend. But in the first trio of pools I drew a goose egg despite my fly and dropper floating through perfectly. Frustrated, I waded into the bend pool up to my waist to reconnoiter up close. I didn’t see or spook a singled fish. A little further upstream, I again struck out and waded in to see what was up. Again, the pool seemed empty.
Then I hit a very shallow straighter stretch above a beaver pond, only a foot or so deep. To my amazement, I could see three brook trout finning nonchalantly in the thin water. I crept within casting distance and knelt carefully. My Chubby Chernobyl dry alighted five feet in front of the trio, and one darted forward and gulped in the faux grasshopper like it was his first call for breakfast. After landing the colorful brookie I continued upstream towards the next bend pool.
Where Are The Trout Likely To Be Hiding–Deep Water In Beaver Pond Or Skinny Water Above??Brookie Abandons Safety of Beaver Pond For Warmer Shallow Stretch
But it too was barren. However, in the rocky shallows next to the bend I pulled out another brawling brook trout. What gives I thought?
Then it dawned on me that after several days of unseasonably cold weather with temperatures plunging into the lower forties, the fish needed warmth. While under normal conditions the deeper bend pool would provide warmth, after an extended cold spell it was less hospitable. And now with the sun beating down, the shallows were warming up more quickly and drawing the fish like a magnet.
This was part of my education that fish in smaller streams are especially sensitive to air and water temperature because water is typically shallower than in big rivers, even the deeper bend pools. It will usually cool off faster and warm up more quickly. On a hot day small stream fish will retire sooner to deeper bend pools or undercut banks where the water is cooler. By same token, if the water is very cold then don’t be surprised if bigger fish are out in open in shallower water early on a sunny day warming up. The optimum feeding temperature range for most stream trout is from around 52-64 degrees. When the air temperature gets near or below 40 degrees followed by a sunny day, the conditions are right for the fish to seek out sunny shallow stretches.
The moral of the story: To assess where the most likely hiding spots are on any given day, especially after a change in the weather and air temperature, don’t forget your stream thermometer and use it when getting started to improve your “luck.”
Stream Thermometer–Don’t Leave Home Without It!
Tip #7: Fish those back eddies
These are probably the most overlooked honey holes on small streams. A back eddy is a section of a creek where part of the current reverses direction and flows upstream. Typically, an eddy forms when the main current is obstructed by a rock, tree, or bank and is pushed to one side and in the reverse direction of the main current. Use video. Usually, the water in a back eddy is quiet and brings food right to the smart fish waiting there, who will be facing downstream into the flow of the back eddy.
Big Small Stream Trout Love Lounging In Back Eddies For Easy Meals
To fish a back eddy, I normally use a short cast towards the beginning of the reverse flow while high sticking my rod to keep most of the line from dragging in the main current. I then let the fly float slowly upstream, often in a foam line. Usually only my leader will be on the water to avoid the fly from being dragged downstream by the main current. I also don’t shy away from letting the fly float to the top of the back eddy which is often covered with a layer of foam. It’s not unusual that the biggest fish in the back eddy will be lying patiently under the shadow of the foam, dining at his leisure.
BONUS TIP: As a reward for the stalwarts who finished reading the entire article, here’s a bonus tip: Fish out your casts—more so than in big water, fish will often pursue a fly downstream on a small creek. Why?The current in most small creeks is not anywhere nearly as strong as in a big river like the Arkansas or Gunnison. This allows the hungry trout to leave his holding lie, give chase to the fleeing faux insect for some distance, have a quick meal, and easily and quickly swim back to safety. Give it a try and you will see.
I am back in Colorado getting ready for another trout fishing season. I have fished for more than six decades, starting with catfish and bullhead in Kansas rivers and graduating to bluegill and bass on a fly rod in lakes then to trout. The mobile fish camp of the day with my Dad was a hulking blue 1951 DeSoto car.
Moblie Fish Camp Circa 1960
Dad would sleep in the front seat and me in the back seat on a special platform he built over the huge drive shaft hump on the floor. Great memories as we explored the rivers and lakes of central Kansas.
Getting ready for those trips–gathering our gear, bedding, food, and other paraphernalia–was something akin to a religious ritual. It felt even more so that way now as I loaded up my little travel trailer for dry camping in the boondocks of the Rocky Mountains. Of course, being June most rivers around my cabin near Salida are blown out and the high mountain lakes are still iced in. I have already tried the local beaver ponds with reasonable success, but I am now itching to try some new waters, and maybe even find a creek that’s fishable or some new beaver ponds. With my little sweetheart granddaughter Aly and her daddy Matthew off to Las Vegas to visit family there, I have some time on my hands and decide to take a chance and explore. With a Yuengling Amber Beer in hand, I sit on my front porch near Salida, Colorado, and contemplate my options.
A tailwater creek or river would be a viable option during runoff as the flow would be more controlled and the water clearer. One with some big beaver ponds in the vicinity would be a bonus. Central and southern Colorado where I do most of my angling has several famous tailwaters below big lakes like the South Platte flowing out of Antero and a series of other reservoirs, the Blue River below Dillon Reservoir, and the Arkansas River below Pueblo Reservoir. But those waters with their relatively easy access and proximity to big population centers are typically overrun with anglers during runoff. Not my cup of tea. But there are other options further south and west like La Jara Creek below La Jara Reservoir (near Alamosa), Grape Creek below Deweese Reservoir (near Westcliffe), North Clear Creek below Continental Reservoir (near Creede), Tarryall Creek below Tarryall Reservoir (near Lake George) and Archuleta Creek below the Dome Lakes (near Gunnison). Several of them also feature productive beaver ponds nearby.
After some digging and rumination, I chart a five-day trip focused on the contiguous Cochetopa and Dome Lakes State Wildlife Areas about 75 miles southwest of my cabin and 45 miles southeast of Gunnison. I have camped and fished this area before.
Cochetopa and Dome Lakes State Wildlife Areas
It is remote, but not too remote, high but at “only” 9,500 feet not so high as to be iced in, very scenic and it’s unlikely there will be many anglers around this early in the season. The gravel roads in the area are usually in good condition, and Gunnison is only 45 minutes away in case I need fuel, food, or whatever. Little Archuleta Creek flows out of Lower Dome Lake, a true tailwater that joins Cochetopa Creek a mile or so below the dam. Several tributaries of Cochetopa Creek above the Dome Lakes also sport some excellent beaver ponds.
I figure it will be good preparation for more ambitious trips in the July-to-October prime trout season in the Rockies. I can get everything organized and in ship shape—the proverbial shakedown cruise.
Getting Ready For Shakedown Cruise
I can avoid problems later when in the wilds. As it turns out, it was a good practice run as I made some rookie mistakes that could have been real disasters in the more remote backcountry. Here are a few I can laugh at now, especially since the fishing, the description of which follows a summary of these memorable rookie mistakes, was excellent!
Rule #1: Always thoroughly test the trailer water, propane gas, batteries, and solar panels before you shove off. Double check the gas! I dutifully drained the antifreeze in the water system on my travel trailer, flushed it out and refilled the water tanks. I tested the new water pump, and it hummed efficiently. Next, I filled the propane tanks and carefully tested each of the three gas burners on the stove. They all functioned perfectly, and then I ran the gas furnace and checked the gas connection that would run the little refrigerator. The batteries were next. I charged them up and tested the solar panel that would keep them humming in the boondocks, allowing me to have light in the trailer and recharge my cell phone after the daily quotient of photos of the scenery, wildflowers, wild animals, and big fish. After all that activity, I retired to the front porch to enjoy the view and have a glass of wine.
I was admiring the Western Tanagers, Black-Headed Grosbeaks, and assorted hummingbirds on the bird feeders when I heard a cheeping noise coming from out back beyond the trailer among the pinon trees and sage. Maybe a new bird for my list?? I crept quietly around the cabin in the direction of the cheeping but couldn’t see anything. The chatter continued. I slyly pulled out my cell phone and opened the Merlin bird app from the Cornell School of Ornithology and held it high in the air. It identifies birds by their calls. I could tell the app was struggling, but it finally identified the call of a spotted towhee, a shy bird that frequents the area.
Next morning when I awakened, I heard the phantom towhee who was continuing to cheep merrily away. After finishing breakfast, I snuck outside to see if I could spot him. Then I realized the call was coming from my travel trailer. I opened the door and sure enough a little black box near the floor under a window was sounding off. I unplugged the device and found it was a propane gas detector.
Little Life Saver
But there was nothing using gas on in the cabin. The note on the box said it should be replaced every years, and my trailer just turn seven, so I thought it must be defective and was ready to toss it into the trash when I happened to glance over to the stove….and saw that one burner was not fully off and not lit! It was turned to the lowest setting when I tested it, but apparently I had not shut it off completely and it had been running all night long. I quickly turned it off and bailed out of the trailer. Since propane gas is odorless, no telling what might have happened if it had continued to slowly leak gas into the trailer and I had lit a match! Yikes!!
Rule #2: Always check the hitch, lights, tires, and inside of the trailer one last time after you drive it a short distance. The driveway down from my cabin to the nearest county road is a tad rough. I take it slowly and always stop at the bottom of the driveway just before turning onto the county road to check things. Everything looked good from the outside, but when I opened the door, I was met by a river of white liquid that was oozing out of the refrigerator and across the floor to the door. I tiptoed around the white flow and opened the refrigerator. Inside was a frothing lake of white milk covering most everything. Turns out I had not tightened the cap sufficiently on the quart milk box, and it proceeded to leak out over everything below it—lunch meat, fruit, tomatoes, corn on the cob, you name it! AARRGGHH! Quite a mess, but fortunately I caught it before it coated the entire frig interior not to mention the floor of the trailer.
The Milky Culprit
Rule #3: Double check the trailer brakes and 4WD before hitting the main highway. As noted, my driveway is bumpy and steep, always reminding me to test the trailer brakes and put the SUV into four-wheel drive to slow the descent while give it a little test. Unfortunately, in the hubbub over the spilled milk, I forgot to switch back into 2WD and proceeded to drive for 45 miles in 4WD at speeds to 60 mph before noticing my error. The owner’s manual cautions never to drive in 4WD over 55 mph. Luckily I appear to have dodged a bullet as the 4WD performed flawlessly throughout the trip in more suitable terrain at acceptable speeds.
Rule #4: Always set blocks under the trailer tires before unhitching from the SUV. When I got to Upper Dome Lake where I would be camping in a state wildlife area, I was anxious to get on a nearby creek which appeared to be high but fishable. I unlocked the trailer ball and cranked it down from the hitch receiver on the SUV. I moved the SUV forward and went about leveling the trailer. But before I could finish the job, a huge gust of wind, probably more than 40 mph, swept over the trailer and BANG, pushed the trailer jack/hitch off the block of wood it was resting on. The trailer skidded forward a half dozen feet, coming close to crashing into the SUV. I had to struggle for 30 minutes to get the trailer hitch jacked up high enough to reconnect it back to the hitch on the SUV and then maneuver the trailer back into position. This would have been easily avoided by the simple act of setting the tire blocks first before unhooking the trailer. Lesson learned.
Set Those Tire Blocks First!
Unfortunately, I didn’t realize till later that the trailer jack had been damaged. Fortunately the jack crank still worked, if barely. I was able to hitch the trailer up to the SUV when I headed home a few days later and get a new new trailer jack pronto.
New Trailer Jack $150 Later
Day 1—Archuleta Creek Headwaters
Surely things had to get better after this auspicious debut!! And they did. Although the wind continued to howl, blowing hard from the northeast at 20-30 mph, after a quick lunch I was able to find some shelter from it on the headwaters of nearby Archuleta Creek which lays in a wind shadow of the magnificent Cochetopa Dome. The dome is a fascinating geological feature that dominates the valley. It is the center of an extinct giant volcano that collapsed millions of years ago. The caldera of the collapsed volcano, now a vast landscape of sage and prairie vegetation, was an incredible 20 miles wide!
Cochetop Caldera With Cochetopa Dome Marked COCochetapa Dome Remnant Of Giant Volcanic Caldera
Tiny Archuleta Creek arises from the hills of the Cochetopa Caldera to the south of Upper Dome Lake where it is dammed a mile or so down the valley. It’s so small in its headwaters that even a septuagenarian can easily to jump across in places. Surely there can’t be fish here. Indeed over a period of 15 years exploring this area, I have never seen another angler on upper Archuleta—just bovine visitors grazing in the meadow. But appearances are definitely deceiving. The narrow runs between the big bends are often two-to-three feet deep, and the bend pools provide perfect habitat for the trout—brookies, browns, rainbows, and tigers. Indeed, it is possible to score a mountain trout grand slam here in a day. The casting under the best of conditions is extremely challenging and stealth is mandatory given the size of the stream. The wind gusts were going to make things even more interesting.
I park my SUV about a quarter mile south of the turn onto CR NN14 that separates the creek from the backwaters of Upper Dome Lake. Before hopping over a low section of the barbed wire fence that parallels the road and heading downstream, I pause to soak in the beautiful scene—the majestic peaks of the rugged eastern San Juan Mountains in the background.
Archuleta Creek Framed By The High Peaks Of The East San Juan Mountains
The terrain is soft and marshy. I am wearing chest waders and carrying my wading staff, but hip boots would probably do as well. I know from previous experience there are caddis in these waters, so tied on a #16 green sparkle caddis larva below a #16 Royal Stimulator that is a decent caddisfly or grasshopper imitation—although I don’t see any flies on the water or risers. There is a smattering of small grasshoppers in the grass.
Three Flies Will Do The Trick All Week–A Royal Stimulator, Chubby Chernobyl, And Sparkle Caddis Larva
The water is high, but i, and only slightly discolored, with visibility at about one foot deep. On my third cast a spunky brook trout inhales the dry fly as it floats down into a bend pool and puts up a worthy battle before sliding in my next for a quick photo.
Brook Trout Starts The Day
That starts two hours of steady action as I move carefully upstream. Soon in a narrow, deep run a bit further up, a colorful rainbow nails the caddis dropper.
Neon Rainbow!
Surprisingly, most of the fish which run from 10-12 inches prefer the dry fly. My audience of cows and calves do not seem to be impressed and trotted off insouciantly. Before long, I come to an irrigation drop structure with a wide deep pool below it. I cast to the top of the pool and watched as the dry floats jauntily in the foam line along the shoreline–before something big busts it in a showy splash. It looks like a brown trout. He cavorts around the pool but before long I am easing him towards the net as I think of the bragging I will be able to do over the photo with my fishing pals…until he manages to snarl the line on an unseen subsurface snag and twist off. He is easily the biggest of the day, probably 15 inches. My bruised ego is quickly salved, however, by a couple of 12-inch plus rainbows in the same pool that inhale the Royal Stimulator. I fish upstream another 15 minutes or so upstream, catching a few more brookies, before deciding to call it a day. I am tuckered out after all the trailer hi-jinks and the thought of taking it easy in a lounge chair with a libation while enjoying the views back at camp of Dome Lake and the Cochetopa Dome is irresistible. So that’s what I do.
Later, after dinner as the sun sets, I relish the changing colors on the Cochetopa Dome and the dancing colors as the sun sets to the west. Not a bad first day.
Day Two: Upper Dome Lake And Middle Archuleta Creek
I rise early the next morning, courtesy of the wind gusts shaking the trailer. I peer out the window and see whitecaps churning on the lake. This doesn’t look like a day for flyfishing to say the least, on either Upper or Lower Dome Lakes or the tailwater section of Archuleta Creek below. To make matters worse, when I check my phone I discover that the USB charging port in the trailer isn’t working and my cell battery is perilously close to dead. Damn! How am I going to take photos of all those big fish and the wonderful scenery?? But wait, I remember I just bought a portable power bank that lets me recharge the phone on the go. Congratulating myself on my perspicacity, I plug in the phone and in less that 30 minutes it is fully recharged, as if by magic.
Power Bank–Don’t Leave Home Without One
‘The power bank will be a life saver, recharging my phone each night with enough juice left for one or two more.
But after the battery incident and in the face of gale force winds, what does any self-respecting fly fisher do? Tie some flies? Clean his fishing line? Pout?
Spin Fishing Heresy!!
Heck NO, he gets out is trusty ultra-light spincast outfit from a secret hiding place in the trailer, grabs a box of lures, and heads down to the lake where the dam provides a small shadow of quieter water. I tie on an old-reliable silver/blue Kastmaster spoon, and the fun begins immediately.
Old Reliable Kastmaster Spoon
I throw a long cast out to a spot where I see some swirls in the water, let it sink a few feet, then begin a herky-jerky retrieve. As the lure nears the shoreline rocks, I see a silvery flash and feel a good hit. I set the hook, and my rod bends perilously. It’s a nice 13-inch shiny rainbow who takes to the air several times before coming ashore.
Spunky Lake Rainbows Save The Day
He will be the first of a dozen or so cooperative bows that make for a fun and lively morning. A flight of striking violet-green swallows adds to the scene as they dip and dart over the water, gobbling down tiny insects for breakfast.
Graceful Violet-Green Swallows Fly Over Upper Dome Lake Feasting On Lake Bugs
After lunch, the wind ebbs a tad, so off I go to fish Archuleta Creek below the dams, a true tailwater that is running a little high but crystal clear. As I make the circuit around Upper Dome Lake in my SUV and then turn downstream, I am pleased to see my Florida White Pelican fan club has followed me up from the Everglades where I spend the winter chasing snook and tarpon. They are clearly expecting to receive some fishy treats like a ladyfish or snapper that often nail our offerings down there.
White Pelican Fan Club From Florida
The Archuleta Creek tailwater can be divided into three sections. The first extends about a quarter of a mile below Lower Dome Lake to a high barb wire fence a few hundred upstream of a turnout (Marked in red.) on CR NN14. The middle stretch extends from the big fence past the turnout that is marked by an informational sign with fishing regulations. Just below the turnout is a stile that allows anglers to climb over another barbed wire fence that parallels the road and then fish either upstream to the high barbed wire fence noted above at the bottom of the first stretch or walk downstream into the third stretch. The third stretch starts about a quarter mile downstream from the turnout and continues to the confluence with Cochetopa Creek. All three stretches are serpentine, marked by deep bend pools.
Stretch 1 From Dam To Just Above Turnout Marked With Red PointStretch 2 From Just Above Turnout To Red Point In MeadowStretch 3 From End Of Stretch 2 To Confluence With Cochetopa Creek
As I come to the turnout, I high am surprised to see another angler downstream who looks to be an older gent like me. Perched high above the creek, I watch him cast and hook a trout. He continues working upstream, wading right down the middle of the creek with the grace of a water buffalo. Even at a distance, I can see wakes of fish fleeing before him. These tailwaters are crystal clear, with shallow runs interspersed with alluring bend pools.
Bend Pools Alternate With Shallow StretchesCrystal Clear Waters Demand Stealth
Stealth is mandatory, and I try to stay out of the water whenever possible. Indeed, I often find myself kneeling to maintain a low profile when casting. If you don’t, you will spook the fish in the shallow stretches hiding undernearth aquatic vegetation, and they will flee wildly upstream leaving prominent wakes as they alert their brethren to the intruder.
With the middle stretch occupied I opt to fish the upper section and turn my vehicle around and head back up to Lower Dome Lake where I leave the SUV in a parking area next to the lake.
Above Upper Stretch Looking Downstream
Then I hike downstream about a 10 minutes until I come to the imposing barbed wire fence that extends from the road to the creek, marking the upper boundary of the middle stretch. I will work back upstream from here, giving the older gent plenty of room. It is about 2:30 p.m. as I approach the stream. The tall hills to the northeast of the creek are providing some shelter from the wind. That will make casting a little easier. The water is a tad high, up in the shoreline vegetation in some stretches, but not too bad. The creek is crystal clear and registering at 62 degrees on my thermometer. I see fish dimpling the surface. As I prepare to cast, one spies me and jets downstream. Slow down, I say to myself! I let things calm down and then check some streambed rocks to see what the menu of the day looks like. The rock is loaded with caddis cases. I squeeze one and a little bright green larva appears.
Looks like sparkle green caddis dropper time with the Royal Stimi on top.
On my second cast to the bend pool above, a good fish intercepts the caddis larva and erupts into the air when I set the hook. Soon a beautiful golden brown comes to the net, measuring almost 14-inches. A good start.
Gorgeous Golden Brown Starts The Action
The action is steady on both the surface and the dropper as I continue upstream. The casting in this section can be tricky in parts as the creek winds in and out of a barbed wire fence that parallels the water to the north.
Before long, I come to another tempting bend pool. Looks like a can’t miss…and it is. On my first cast, a big trout, his side glinting gold in the sun, inhales the dry as it floats into the pool. The battle is on, the trout tearing downstream right at me. I stand and stomp my boot foot in the water. The trout sees me, does an abrupt 180, and jets back to the pool. He tries to flee upstream round the bend, but I put on the pressure with my 8 ½ foot, 4# rod, and succeed on turning the fish. He’s a big handsome 16-inch brown trout covered head to tail with striking spots set against his yellow-gold body. He soon is swimming back to his lair, shimmering in the sun as he goes.
Alluring Bend Pool Promises ActionBig Handsome Brown Trout Highlights The Day
I continue to work up stream carefully, concentrating on the bend pools. Every one yields a fish or two, and I start to pick up some fat brookies that add to the pleasure.
Chunky Brookies Add To The Fun
By the time I reach my SUV it’s almost 4:30. In a bit under two hours I have fooled 20 or so fish, predominantly brown trout with most on the dry, including two that break the 16-inch mark. Afternoon delight!! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
For the rest of the story, See The Fishing: Act 2 (COMING SOON)
