From the flatland to the high country... everything you need to know to catch fish in Colorado
COLORADO FISHING ARTICLES Page 2
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The Allure of High Mountain Troutin'
by Phil Scheen
The day
had finally come... School was out, the bags were packed, and the little family from the hot humid flatlands of Texas was just about
to explode with anticipation.
Once a year for a week or two this little band had the opportunity to escape the constant pressures
of the big city, and head to the mountains of Colorado. On the way they had to stop in western Kansas to check in with relatives,
and drive out with grandma and grandpa... if they weren't already in God's Country. One way, or another, the drive only took a couple
of days, but it seemed like they'd never spy the hills above Pueblo. One of the many games and contests along the way to keep the
three kids occupied, and not driving their parents crazy was to see who could spot the mountains first... and then it happened! “There
they are! I swear I see 'em!” Everybody would stick their heads forward and squint to see if indeed little Jerry had spotted the mountains.
Sometimes he was just overanxious, but others... “You know what, son... THERE THEY ARE!!!” ...and the celebration would begin.
While Dad and Grandpa worked their butts off building our cabin, my brother Jerry and I would explore every inch of that mountain.
Collecting rocks, hunting everything that moved, and of course, fishing occupied our every waking moment.
Finally, the cabin
was finished! For a couple of years we were able to actually stay there, and not have to retreat to the motel at night. It was absolutely
the most wonderful thing a young boy could experience. Play hard all day on that mountain, then spend the evening on the deck with
the family... Looking up at the stars through crystal clear skies was amazing! All the constellations that we had learned about in
school were actually visible up in the mountains. After eating, joking around, and maybe playing a game or two, we'd all just relax
and listen to all the living things stirring from their daylight slumber, but the best part was that at times there was total silence...
On the drive back to Texas in my eighth year on this earth the most unexpected and unacceptable thing that could happen to a
kid became reality... The State Patrol knocked on our motel room door in the middle of the night in Childress and informed us that
grandpa had died in his sleep in our cabin in Colorado.
For many reasons the decision was made to sell the cabin. When I heard
the news, I was devastated, but once I had regained some semblance of control, I promised myself I would one day return to God's Country...
but this time to stay!
It was a long hard road, but that 8 year old's dream of returning to Colorado for good happened 24 years later. During that
period, a substantial amount of time was spent in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Oregon exploring the mountains... and learning
the art of teasing high country trout to strike. There is truly nothing quite like being all by oneself, in complete silence, except
for the slurping of a cutthroat trout five feet from shore of a gorgeous alpine crystal clear lake!
From Montana's Missouri River to the Wood of Idaho, and the Klamath of Oregon, I have experienced incredible fishing... The
hundreds of lakes and streams of Utah's Uintas are amazing, as are the dozens of spots in the Tetons and Wyoming's Yellowstone Park...
For the young at heart and the stout of body, the Wind River Mountains are truly incredible. In the end, God's greatest creation is
the mountains, and all the life that springs forth from them! ...but let's get down to the subject at hand... Slammin' trout in the
high country!
From the first step taken out of the car once arriving at this day's target until that final “FISH ON!”... fishing
alpine waters is truly an experience that should be had by every person on the face of the earth. It's not just about the fishing.
Unmatched scenery combined with serenity and solitude does the soul more good than anything else I know of. Becoming a part of that
huge living thing that is “the mountain” is beyond description, if a person will just allow their defenses to drop. By doing so, you
may be very surprised how your fishing improves as well.
You must become a part of it all, and for a while just sit back and soak it all in... Once you have reached that point, you
will begin to sense things that were invisible before... including trout, and their favorite haunts, and habits in the water you are
becoming “one” with.
Although they may all look the same, every body of water “up above” has it's own character, which heavily
influences trout behavior. Take the time to observe, and you will very definitely increase your catch rate. Be quiet, move slowly,
and with stealth... Never let your shadow invade the water... You are the predator, no different than the cheetah on the African plain...
Where is your quarry spending it's time... and why? Is every bug being attacked, or are numerous being ignored? Does shade seem
to be playing an important role, or how about current? Are fry being chased? Are there active predator birds? How about beavers and
muskrats? Where are the feeder streams? Stick your finger in the water... are some areas far cooler than others? What direction is
the wind coming from? By this time you should have a very good idea what you are up against. Now it's time to plan your attack.
First
and foremost the trout you are targeting must not know you are there. Yes, I know many trout anglers wade right out in the middle
of their prey... and sometimes do just fine. This discussion is not about doing “just fine”. It's about finding the big brookies and
cutts that those who make their presence known will seldom coerce to strike. It's about catching mean 16” brookies, where most anglers
are convinced the population is stunted. It's about landing cutts and browns, where it was believed only little brookies lived. Stay
tuned for part 2.
Building a Better Brush Pile
by Steve Masters, Bringitbaits.com ProStaff
If you really want to get serious about setting
out brush piles prepare yourself for some hard work, but it can pay off big later. Bass will use brush piles throughout the year but
the heat of summer and winter are the prime times to fill your live well with brush pile bass or turn that 14 pound limit into a 20
pound sack with a big brush pile kicker. I'm not advocating breaking any laws but the ol chain saw and pruning shears method is hard
to beat. About the best way to legally get and sink trees is asking someone clearing a lot off for construction for the ones they
cut. They had rather give them to you than have to deal with them themselves almost every time. Another way for me at Lake Mitchell
was after a tornado had gone through; there were prime hardwoods of all sizes along the bank blown over. A lot of my brush piles are
large trees I've found floating down the river. If I'm just out fishing for fun I usually have a few concrete blocks in the floor
of my boat just in case. You'll probably be surprised how much you can find to sink if you get in the habit of looking for it while
on the lake.
A lot has been said about Christmas trees good and bad. Personally I use them, but they only make up about
20% or less of my pile. A bass isn't going to sit around starring at a Christmas tree all day. They need some bulk, something they
can get under for shade or cruise around in looking for food. Just like the bass the bait fish need something they can hide and move
around in if they are going to hang around. A couple of Christmas trees or a bush placed beside the main pile gives bait fish somewhere
to gather. Think of these as the bass' dinning room. I can put up having to vacuum my boat afterwards if it means more fish in the
boat. I've tried the pvc pipes sticking out of a bucket with concrete in them. I don't see these as good brush piles but an addition
to the main pile.
What to use for the main pile? To me nothing works better than a real tree, preferably any hardwood, but I want turn my back on a
big pine if I catch one floating along. Before sinking a tree think about getting hung up in it. Trim all the twigs and smaller limbs.
The more forks it has the better. Point the treetop towards where you'll be fishing from. Jut before I untie and let it sink I tie
a concrete block to the under side of the trunk to keep it up off the bottom. A tree trunk lying flat has little to offer a bass.
Construction sites are great for finding brush pile material. There's a gold mine in those dumpsters, and it's free. You may get some
strange looks but I've never had anyone object to me getting something they have to pay someone to haul off. One thing I like to do
is liquid nail a few pieces of 4" black drain pipe into a large landscape bucket, let it sit a few days, fill the pipe about half
way up with concrete, then while wet flip it all over so the concrete falls to the bottom of the pipes. What you wind up with is a
stump sitting a foot or so off the bottom with 4" roots around it and it will all last forever.
See what you can find
and let your imagination go to work, just keep in mind shade, security, and ambush. Speaking of lasting forever I use only copper
wire scrapes for tying my blocks to brush. Nylon rope and treble hooks are not a good match. One of the few things I never use is
palettes, too many pinch points to get hung in. My most productive brush pile has a good size tree, a 10 foot fiberglass column with
blocks on each end to keep it off the bottom a bit, a couple of Christmas trees, and five landscape buckets with a three foot pvc
pipe sticking up from the center. I cut slits in the pipe and glued small real-estate signs into them. Like I said be prepared for
some work, and use your imagination. Also prepare yourself to fail. I've place brush piles in some really good looking places that
have never produced a fish. If fish aren't using an area don't expect them to use your brush pile.
As for size and location I want my pile to be about the size of my boat. Large enough to hold multiple fish but I can fish it in 15
minutes or so. As far as location there are the obvious creek channel intersections, and bends, but my favorite is to place one in
8 to 10 feet leading into a shallow pocket that has little natural cover, especially light on vegetation. Think about whether or not
it will be seen, or cause a hazard when your lake is at its absolute lowest level. Location could be an article by itself. As for
when to plant brush winter is no doubt the best time, fewer eyes, and all the leaves have fell. Good Luck and hope to see you on the
lake, especially if you dragging a brush pile.