RMNP Wild Basin, August 11, 2012

After a busy work week in NYC, I was looking forward to spend some fishing time in Rocky Mountain National Park with my buddy Graham Moran of Tenkara Grasshopper. We had initially plans to hit the West side of the park but my plane from NYC was delayed a few hours and I didn't get home until very late on Friday and had no time to do some research there. So Graham and I decided to hit Wild Basin since I know the area already fairly well.

I brought a new rod back home from NYC that I acquired from Chris Stewart, the TenkaraBum. A soft action zoom rod, the Daiwa Sagiri 39MC that zooms from 11.5" to 13" and weighs a whopping 2.0oz as per Chris' website. I fished this rod back in Utah before the Summit and knew I wanted one. Last week Chris got another shipment and I had one put aside for me. Although I thought that 11.5" might be a bit long in that section of the park, I had to fish it. And it worked remarkably well until we headed way further upstream where I had to get the Daiwa Soyokaze 27SR (9ft) out of my backpack.

Fishing (and catching was great) although it started a bit slow until it got a big warmer and fish became more active. As expected, most fish we caught were brookies with a few browns, a rainbow and a few greebacks in the mix. So we had a Colorado Grandslam combining our catch (I missed the rainbow and Graham missed a greenback).

The weather was a bit cool for the season, with a few showers in the morning but warming up to mid 70ies late afternoon.

first fish of the day - a typical brookie up there

a nice surprise, a good sized brown trout

Graham getting into position with tourists checking out the falls

nice water on the lower section

Graham sneaking up on some fish from behind a big rock

further upstream - perfect for the short 9' Daiwa Soyokaze

chunkie

  

it's getting tighter

nice greenback to close out the day

snowshoe rabbit 

Days on the water: 23

RMNP 2012 07 03

This was the day I was finally able to get back to my favorite creek in RMNP's Wild Basin. I was waiting for this day more than 6 months... Don't get me wrong, the two previous Sunday's family trips to the Alluvial Falls were great and the 2nd time around, I was able to catch 8 or 9 greenback cutthroat and a brookie (!) in less than an hour, in the midst of tourists. My friend overheard a woman say "... there are no fish in that trickle..." just when I hooked one of those wild colorful jewels. But Wild Basin is my personal fly fishing heaven.

I hoped all day for a Colorado Grand Slam and the first fish of the day was a brown trout so I got all hopeful, but alas, I only got two shots at a rainbow trout and both times the strike was too short.   

the first trout of the day, a brown trout...

... came from the the calm water on the far left.

Moving upstream, I hopped from pool to pool, trying to find water I could get into and fish - the water was a bit high at 80cfs and ripping particularly in the steeper sections. I sure was glad I had my wading staff with my that day. I caught brookies left and right, upstream and downstream. It felt like they were hitting anything that looked like food. I caught so many brookies (I really wanted to catch more greenback cutts) that anytime a brookie took the fly I was a bit disappointed. But by the end of the day I got two greenback cutts and I was a happy camper.

brookie - underwatershot (I need more practice!)

 first greenback

brookie chunk

brookie with orange butt sakasa kebari

greenback no. 2

Overall a great day, lots of willing fish, no other fisherman on the river, what do you need more?

I got home tired but very happy! Can't wait to get back up there soon!

River Statistics:
Weather: sunny, very light breeze, afternoon thunderstorm
Air Temp: 58F @8.30am, high 79F, 67F@5pm

Water Temp: cold!
Flow: around 80cfs
Day on the water in 2012: 14
Fish landed: 1 brown trout, 2 greenback cutts and 52 brook trout
Equipment: Daiwa Soyakaze 31SR, TenkaraUSA old geen fc level #3.5 9.5" with 6" amnesia, various sakasa kebaris only (no nymphs or dry flies!)

Some shots of the creek:

Tying up a storm in anticipation...

This weekend I will spend 9/11 - and my dad's passing away that same day in Switzerland (long story for another time) - on a 2 day solo trip to Rocky Mountain National Park to finally catch some of the elusive Greenback Cutt's.

To fill my box, being not a "one fly subscriber", I have spent a few hours down in the basement:

Still a bit sloppy, but I don't think that the trout will care much.

This will be the first time solo in the park, hiking in more than just half a mile off the parking lot. I bet it will be a lot of fun and hopefully the weather (and wind) will cooperate.

Stay tuned for an update with report & pics when I get back!

Tight Lines,  -K