Sunday, August 23, 2015

What a treat to discover a new water in a scenic canyon…with some big trout to boot. Last week I drove over the Continental Divide towards Gunnison and then headed southwest into the vast undeveloped Cochetopa Hills and the high country of the La Garita Wilderness Area.  Several of my favorite trout streams that rush down from the rugged peaks along the Divide—like Cochetopa and Saguache Creeks– were finally down and in fishable shape after a very wet summer.  But this new water was also on my radar.  I had read about Pauline Creek  in the fine guidebook, 49 Trout Streams of Southern Colorado, that the authors Mark Williams and Chad McPhail had stumbled on and raved about:   “…rest assured, once a dry fly or beadhead breaks the surface, so will a trout.”  When I drove over the creek on my way to fish in the wilderness area 10 miles up Forest Service Road 794, I was immediately skeptical.  At that point, Pauline hardly amounts to rivulet status, only a few feet across, although some beaver ponds upstream looked interesting.  That night, after a fabulous day casting to trout on Cochetopa Creek in the wilderness area,  I pulled out a topo map (National Geographic #139 La Garita/Cochetopa Hills) and found that a few miles below the road where Pauline was hardly a trickle, several streams added their waters.  That looked more promising, so early next morning around 7:30 a.m. I trundled down a 4wd track off FS 794 above where Pauline empties into Cochetopa Creek.  The jeep trail ended abruptly at a big cliff.  The good news as I peered over into the canyon was that the creek indeed had more water here, and the wide canyon floor was punctuated by several good-looking beaver ponds that were sure to hold some sizable trout.  The bad news:  My aging knees were already protesting at the thought of scampering down that precipitous incline—a good 200-foot drop—in my waders and wading boots and carrying a long fly rod.

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