A Nearly Comical Day of Fishing
Yesterday, since it wasn't a weekend, I decided to fish the Rio Grande River early enough to beat the first float fishing group(s) and possible rafters. So, I headed first to that section of the river with the cliffs by the Masonic Park and below the railroad tracks where I had taken Rick, Kay and Billy during their visit. As Billy said, though we didn't catch anything (or get any strikes), he just wanted to be able to say he had fished the Rio Grande and enjoy the sounds of the stream and the beauty around.
When I arrived at the parking area, I noticed a raft just upstream being readied for the trip down the river. I quickened my pace a bit to get to the stream before the raft arrived with its two fishermen and its guide. Maybe 15 minutes later they arrived at the bend of the river leading into the stretch of river I had been fishing from the shoreline -- me looking for any spots with sunshine shining on my back to warm me a bit from the chilliness of the morning and the breeze blowing down the valley. Their first maneuver at the bend had the guide jumping/splashing into the waters and demonstrating some fly-fishing techniques to the novices. Then, he was back in the raft and back paddling with more splashing as he directed his clients to get their offerings to the right spots in the river (near the bank). They finally made it past me and I continued making my casts for another half hour with no resulting strikes so, I decided to head back to the area where I had parked my Jeep and try the pools there before going elsewhere. Only managed to lose the lure in one of the rapids after casting just a bit too far into the current. This lure, had been the same one I had caught two nice Browns and one Kokanee Salmon with the day before (at Beaver Creek Reservoir).
Well, I headed back to Beaver Creek Reservoir thinking of the day before and hoping to restart the day with a refresher -- minus that lure, of course. It didn't go any better as I fished the area near the picnic grounds and again had no strikes -- neither did a guy parked in a chair nearby as I learned when I passed behind him on my way to the spot just on the boulders beyond him (where I hoped to lure that big red male salmon into a nice bite). After dozens of casts from the boulders with no results, I switched lures to a brass with dark body and yellow spots -- only to lose it either to a strong strike with immediate break-off or a mistaken snag on a submerged rock (I tried to peer into the near shallow depths of the semi-murky waters to see if I could spot the shiny brass lure hanging on the edge of some rock but, no results on that either).
With the prospects of having nothing to show for the day, I stopped briefly at the dam and climbed down the embankment under the sign to cast a dozen or more times in hopes of some action. Again, nothing seemed to be biting so, I decided to head back to the RV to open windows, have a beer or two, some lunch and ponder the rest of the day.
Later, (around 4:40 p.m.) I decided to go back to the river for another hour or two, this time to the nearside of the Masonic Park with the cliff and pond where I had caught that nice Rainbow in the spring. When I arrived there, I noticed a couple boys swimming in the waters on the opposite side of the river and then two or three other youngsters and their playful white Lab joined the frolicking in the water followed by their father and a sister. Soon the dog was squatting and peeing in the river and then the boys spotted the dog squatting and crapping in the water near where they had been swimming. But, they continued to frolick and throw sticks in the water for the happy dog to chase and fetch -- nearly losing the happy animal in the strong currents a couple times. Then, came some rafters and then a half dozen tubers so, I decided to give up fishing the memorable hole and climbed up the trail to the top of the cliff to peer down at the waters.
From the cliff I could clearly see the submerged section of boulders diverting the stream around the point of the pond I had been fishing -- should have taken my camera to get a picture for my next trip back to the area. I also noticed another pool upstream from the cliff and as I headed back to my Jeep and neared the pool, I decided again to climb down to the river's edge and try a few casts. No sooner had I arrived there and tried a few casts, when the next raft full of people came down through the pool and the shallow waters I stood next to -- followed by another with a few out-of-control women shouting words of caution as they approached. One guy in the first raft asked, "If I was having any luck" and I asked if he was kidding??
So went the day of fishing but, I had three nice fish ready to cook on the grille (from the day before) -- and then came the rains (followed by just enough clear time to enjoy a couple beers outside and cook those fish). Some days you "fish" and some days you "catch" (maybe today will be a day of catching).
When I arrived at the parking area, I noticed a raft just upstream being readied for the trip down the river. I quickened my pace a bit to get to the stream before the raft arrived with its two fishermen and its guide. Maybe 15 minutes later they arrived at the bend of the river leading into the stretch of river I had been fishing from the shoreline -- me looking for any spots with sunshine shining on my back to warm me a bit from the chilliness of the morning and the breeze blowing down the valley. Their first maneuver at the bend had the guide jumping/splashing into the waters and demonstrating some fly-fishing techniques to the novices. Then, he was back in the raft and back paddling with more splashing as he directed his clients to get their offerings to the right spots in the river (near the bank). They finally made it past me and I continued making my casts for another half hour with no resulting strikes so, I decided to head back to the area where I had parked my Jeep and try the pools there before going elsewhere. Only managed to lose the lure in one of the rapids after casting just a bit too far into the current. This lure, had been the same one I had caught two nice Browns and one Kokanee Salmon with the day before (at Beaver Creek Reservoir).
Well, I headed back to Beaver Creek Reservoir thinking of the day before and hoping to restart the day with a refresher -- minus that lure, of course. It didn't go any better as I fished the area near the picnic grounds and again had no strikes -- neither did a guy parked in a chair nearby as I learned when I passed behind him on my way to the spot just on the boulders beyond him (where I hoped to lure that big red male salmon into a nice bite). After dozens of casts from the boulders with no results, I switched lures to a brass with dark body and yellow spots -- only to lose it either to a strong strike with immediate break-off or a mistaken snag on a submerged rock (I tried to peer into the near shallow depths of the semi-murky waters to see if I could spot the shiny brass lure hanging on the edge of some rock but, no results on that either).
With the prospects of having nothing to show for the day, I stopped briefly at the dam and climbed down the embankment under the sign to cast a dozen or more times in hopes of some action. Again, nothing seemed to be biting so, I decided to head back to the RV to open windows, have a beer or two, some lunch and ponder the rest of the day.
Later, (around 4:40 p.m.) I decided to go back to the river for another hour or two, this time to the nearside of the Masonic Park with the cliff and pond where I had caught that nice Rainbow in the spring. When I arrived there, I noticed a couple boys swimming in the waters on the opposite side of the river and then two or three other youngsters and their playful white Lab joined the frolicking in the water followed by their father and a sister. Soon the dog was squatting and peeing in the river and then the boys spotted the dog squatting and crapping in the water near where they had been swimming. But, they continued to frolick and throw sticks in the water for the happy dog to chase and fetch -- nearly losing the happy animal in the strong currents a couple times. Then, came some rafters and then a half dozen tubers so, I decided to give up fishing the memorable hole and climbed up the trail to the top of the cliff to peer down at the waters.
From the cliff I could clearly see the submerged section of boulders diverting the stream around the point of the pond I had been fishing -- should have taken my camera to get a picture for my next trip back to the area. I also noticed another pool upstream from the cliff and as I headed back to my Jeep and neared the pool, I decided again to climb down to the river's edge and try a few casts. No sooner had I arrived there and tried a few casts, when the next raft full of people came down through the pool and the shallow waters I stood next to -- followed by another with a few out-of-control women shouting words of caution as they approached. One guy in the first raft asked, "If I was having any luck" and I asked if he was kidding??
So went the day of fishing but, I had three nice fish ready to cook on the grille (from the day before) -- and then came the rains (followed by just enough clear time to enjoy a couple beers outside and cook those fish). Some days you "fish" and some days you "catch" (maybe today will be a day of catching).
posted by Ray at
5:43 AM
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