Twin Lake Reservoir

We headed up the Poudre River on Highway 14 this weekend without much of an agenda. We had a tent, a cooler full of beer and food, and our poles. What else could you possibly need? The original plan was to fish Trap Lake and Peterson Lake which are up the Long Draw Road. Those plans were thwarted before we even pulled out of the driveway due to Long Draw Road being closed until the end of July. No biggy though, our only agenda was to catch a few fish and enjoy what the Northern Colorado mountains had to offer.

We sketched out a tentative plan to drive deep into Pingree Park. I hadn't spent a whole lot of time in Pingree Park so I was excited to discover some unknown territory. Comanche Reservoir seemed like a viable destination and would provide a two mile hike in. I tend to prefer destinations that weed out the not-so-dedicated anglers. The plan was to look for a campsite along the way, set up the tent, and hit Beaver Creek Trail for the hike up to Comanche Reservoir. After fishing for the afternoon, we'd come back down the trail and return to our campsite.

Just after passing Jack's Gulch I noticed a little blue spot on the map that was labeled "Twin Lake Reservoir". There appeared to be a road to it so I figured this might be a good spot to look for a campsite. When we finally saw the sign for Twin Lake Reservoir, we couldn't believe this was the road to it. The first quarter mile was very steep and extremely rocky. Thankfully, the Jeep made quick work of it and we were through the roughest part. The rest of the road, which is about a mile, was still fairly steep but it was the rockiness and huge ruts that were the most challenging.  We made it to the top and found the parking lot. A short (100 yards or so) walk put us on the water at the dam.

It didn't take us long to find a campsite. By "campsite", I mean a place to put up a tent and a ring of rocks. These are not maintained or numbered campsites. There are no bathroom facilities, no drinking water sources and certainly no power. There were a handful of "sites" around either side of the damn. We found a perfect spot nestled behind pine and aspen trees within 30 feet of the water. The site took a little work but in a short time we had the fire pit dug and a spot for the tent. After hauling in our gear and getting organized, we were ready to start chucking lures.

My general plan of attack for a new body of water is centered on color. Fishing with a partner, or even two, simply expedites the process. I tied on a gold and green spoon while my partner began throwing a green and yellow crocodile. After ten casts of each, we’d change colors again until we found that magic color. Well, that magic color wasn’t presenting itself as easily as I had hoped. We both exhausted all of the various color combinations in our boxes before lethargy began to set it. It was time to try the bottom and have some lunch in the shade.

I wish I could tell you the bottom was different. I was starting to question whether or not there were ANY fish in this lake. I just wanted some sort of a sign that this lake was fishable. A bit. Some minnows. Anything. We talked to a couple of anglers that passed us on the trail and realized we weren’t the only ones striking out. With that, we headed back to our campsite to find something else to occupy our time.

Despite the lack of fish, it was a beautiful experience, with perfect company, at the perfect time of year, in the perfect location. I plan on returning to Twin Lake Reservoir but not for the fishing. If I do fish it again, it will most likely be in my belly boat with a fly rod and plenty of stoneflies.  

This Angler

Back to the Ice

It’s getting to be that time of year again when the cold has been around long enough to make ice on lakes thick enough for me to feel comfortable. Some people don’t hesitate to jump on out there as soon as it’s “frozen”. I, on the other hand, like demonstrated proof that the ice can hold much more than my own weight. Reports of a car on a frozen lake work just fine. Otherwise, I’ll be waiting patiently in my recliner watching football.

Somewhere around 8,000 feet above sea level, the reports of acceptable ice thickness have made their way to my ears. The time has come to start coordinating schedules, asking wives for weekend passes, and making plans to bring a few rainbow trout out of their winter lethargy. What started out as an impromptu early January bachelor party has turned into a yearly event amongst a group of old college buddies. There are two critical facts here: bachelor party and college buddies. These two tiny little details always mean that there is more drinking than fishing and the hangovers are bigger than the fish caught.

As a fly fisherman at heart, the concept of sitting on a frozen lake waiting for fish to show up and take stationary bait has always baffled me. I went out ice fishing with my dad one time when I was very young. One time. I don’t particularly care for it but I get to hang out with good friends and be in the mountains for a few days.

Ice fishing is big business in this country and people who do it often take it very serious. I’m lucky enough to have these types of people in my life. I’m particularly lucky because they own the gear that can make an ice fishing trip comfortable and successful. The two pieces of gear that I’m particularly fond of is the ice hut and the fish finder.

If nothing else, the ice hut gives you somewhere to sit and keeps you out of the wind. We fish on lakes situated very near the Colorado/Wyoming border. If you know anything about Wyoming, you know it’s windy as hell. These lakes are no different and the ice hut is essential to more comfortable ice time.

I’ve always thought fish finders were kind of cheating. Then I came to the conclusion that if I’m going to sit and freeze my ass off for several hours I’ll use anything to increase my odds of catching fish. Initially it’s hard to wrap your head around the display on a fish finder. After all, it’s a two dimensional image trying to portray a 3 dimensional scenario. Thankfully I was sharing a hut with the owner of said electronic device so he walked me through it. And eventually, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. The one advantage I appreciated the most was knowing when to pay attention. Fish in water this cold move extremely slow. Having the rod in your hand, ready to set the hook, is critical.

It’s exciting to know that the wheels are in motion for this year’s trip. I’ve started a mental check list on the items I need to pack and have been checking the fishing reports religiously. I’d like to say that I’m not going to drink as much this year so I won’t be so damn hung over on the ice but I know that isn’t a reality. Anytime a bunch of college buddies get together, they drink like they’re still in college. Granted we all can still drink a lot. It just takes us so much longer to recover.

This Angler

Fly Fishing - 10 Tips to Increase Your Catch

1.   Fish more. I know it seems obvious but it’s also a proven fact that you won’t catch fish unless you go out fishing. Well, that is, unless you’re Tom Chandler who has trout falling from the sky into his backyard.

2.   Know your gear. If you’re taking out a brand new rod, reel, chest pack, or anything else you’re unfamiliar with, you’re bound to fumble once or twice. This will decrease the amount of time that your fly is in (or on) the water. More time fumbling and less time presenting your bait will negatively impact your chances of landing fish.

3.   Ask. On the way to your destination, stop by a local fly shop. While you’re there, pick up a couple of patterns. Asking which ones the shop owner ties and subsequently purchasing those particular ones can’t hurt your chances of getting straight answers to your questions. Find out what hatches are on and what patterns are good for the water you’re planning to fish. Lastly, get some information on local guides. Which leads us to…

4.   Get a guide. One of the smartest things I ever did to increase my hit rate on my home water was to get a local guide. You’d be amazed how much you don’t know about the places you’ve been fishing for years. Fishing as a hobby is different than fishing as a way of life. Guides are paid to put people on fish. People like you and I don’t get as many opportunities to fish the waters in our own backyards. It’s a sad truth but a truth nonetheless.

5.   Shut up. Fish aren’t stupid. They’re not blind or deaf either. Fly fishing isn’t bait casting and you’re not drowning garden hackle sitting in a lawn chair either. Wear clothing that matches the surroundings of the area you’re heading to. For smaller streams, crouch, preferably behind something that conceals your silhouette. If you’re wading into the water, learn how to get your fly out there a ways.

6.   Practice. If you’re used to fishing large stretches of water but you’re heading to a small stream, practice those tight casts. The same philosophy applies if you’re a brook trout, beaver dam, tons-of-willows type of angler fishing a big flatland river. During long stretches without casting, get out to your front yard and start casting at least a month before your season hits.

7.   Patterns. The golden rule of picking which fly to throw is matching the hatch. The closer you can come to the actual bugs that are in the water and in the air where you are fishing, the better your chances are of getting hits. It takes practice and a good eye. If you’re not sure or don’t have the confidence, see #3 above.

8.   Colors. A fishing buddy of mine always takes light colored patterns out with him. He also packs a number of markers. If he needs a darker fly, he just colors it. At the end of the day, his hands look like a toddler’s coloring book but his catch count is always good.

9.   Landing. You should always anticipate a fish doing just about anything once you’ve got that hook into him. A fish running straight at you gets the best of even the most seasoned angler. Stand tall, know where your line is, and hold your rod high.

10. Go back. If you get skunked the first time on a stretch of water it may not mean the area sucks. It may mean you suck. The more time you spend fishing a particular area, the more comfortable and confident you will feel fishing it.

This Angler