The Meanderthal Man: Wedding Weekend

I arrived here in Golden, Colorado last Friday, the 18th after spending 2-1/2 weeks in South Fork, Colorado (in the San Luis Valley). Weather has been typical springtime Colorado weather with wild fluctuations in temps from the 50s to 90s during the past week -- no snow here in Golden but, I think I heard some hail beating on the RV one night (low lighting didn't allow enough light to see clearly to confirm it visually). My first full day had me heading to nearby Chatfield Reservoir on the South Platte river only fifteen minutes south of here via C470 freeway where I had never been previously -- the $8 entry fee didn't make it appealling to return as the fishing only yielded a couple fingerling trout from the river just upstream from a bridge on the park road. Only other fish I caught there happened to be a good little fighter -- a 12 inch largemouth bass (didn't keep any of the fish but, had fun walking and checking all the options).

The place where I caught the bass was a gravel pond and the park rangers said some folks had been catching Rainbows there in the morning and that it is regularly stocked with trout -- the water was nice and fairly clear (until the dog owners showed up with their paddle boards and stirred up the waters). Later, it seemed one of the local swim teams showed up too as they swam from end to end in the pond amid a half dozen or more kayakers and canoeists. I tried the beach area first that the guard had recommended when I entered but, had no action and quickly left to check out more of the park (left that spot to another fisherman who had arrived a half-hour earlier and had one line already in the water and getting another ready).

The best fishing nearby I discovered to be in Georgetown, just west of Idaho Springs where my brother Rick, his wife Kay and I had fished last year in July (with no luck). I went there this past Tuesday around midday and walked most of the south shoreline almost to the dam -- a really nice hike and the weather was pleasant enough for shorts and short-sleeved shirt (with fishing vest over). I only caught a couple small Rainbow trout in the 9 to 10 inch range and released both of them -- thought the huge boulders nearest the dam would have produced more but, the wind kicked up and I headed back toward the bridge near where I parked and worked the coves all the way back with only a strike here and there (more shielded from the wind though). When I arrived back or near the bridge, I noticed one guy on the nearside caught a small brown trout and a couple guys on the other side of the bridge were beginning to get some action (think it was around 3:00 pm or 3:30).

I had been thinking of getting out that peanut butter sandwich, chips and water from the Jeep but, the guy on the nearside seemed to be getting ready to leave so, I decided to take up his spot and see what could happen. In no time at all, I had my limit of four small trout, and kept catching and releasing others after that until the two guys on the far side of the bridge packed up and left so, I decided to put my fish in the cooler in the Jeep and try fishing there for awhile (maybe until sundown). Kept catching more of the Rainbows and realeasing until two new guys showed up and offerred them the most recent trout (which they gladly accepted). They used Power bait or something like that and soon were catching an occasional fish but, I continued to catch fish on almost every cast using my Panther Martin. Another guy took up a spot on the farside of the bridge too and he shouted over to "stop making it look so easy" -- soon he started to catch a fish or two as well. Finally, my hands were getting cold and the sun had gone down behind the mountain on the other side of I-70 so, I left around 7:10.

Two days later, I headed back up to Georgetown again planning to arrive sometime before 3:00 p.m. and see if the trout were still hanging around and biting like they were Tuesday evening -- they certainly were and I again had my limit in the first hour (after releasing my first trout). I fished the spot on the nearside of the bridge as someone else had already taken the spot on the farside of the bridge -- he said he had a couple bumps but, that was all. I told him that around 3:00 p.m., he should probably see some action and sure enough he soon thereafter had his first trout of the day. He and his brother were from Littleton and they left before I did but, they were glad to know the good fishing started around the time I told them and said they would be back again another evening. It was a lot colder and windier so, I had on jeans, two long-sleeved shirts and my vest and when the two brothers left, I took over the spot they had been fishing and continued to catch more fish as another fisherman arrived to the spot I had vacated -- he in waders and floating a fly into the currents running from under the bridge. He too started catching fish after fish and released them all (I noticed when leaving that his license plate frame had "Catch and Release" on it). He asked what type of lure I was using because he hadn't seen anyone catching so many with lures before -- me either. Thanks to Panther Martin and maybe the fact the lake had been recently stocked for the holiday weekend.

The Big Event is today and the rehearsal/dinner already happened last evening -- starting at the beautiful Romantic Gardens of the Denver Botanic Gardens and then to Olivea Restaurant on 17th street nearby.