March 8, 2015. I could have fished all winter in Durango with the weather we’ve had, except the “W” word got in the way, as my husband always says…i.e. work. With a new accounting program, a new network and two software migrations at our Pine River Library…yes, two… in one month, it’s all I can do to find time to sleep!
The dust is settling and some snowfall over the last month will help local rivers.That said, southwest Colorado is still only at about 60% snowpack and the latest reports from the Durango Herald indicate the Animas is struggling. High fecal counts taken near the Colorado/New Mexico border are troubling. A recent count of fish indicate that numbers are down. Hopefully this is just one of those cyclic adjustments, but it’s disconcerting.
Our rivers and wildlife areas are so important to the health and welfare of our country. One of my missions when writing my book was to bring awareness to the importance of taking care of our very fragile earth. I worry about the 30,000 new homes going in on the eastern side of Denver. I worry about the Pebble Mine debacle up in Alaska’s pristine Bristol Bay. If you’re not aware of this issue, please go to the link to learn more about it.
As I walked toward the Animas today, it was hard to imagine that these resources are threatened. I heard magpies crackling, the tumbling sound of red-wing blackbirds and the gurgling sounds of small waterfalls on the Animas. The lenticular clouds hovered over the cliffs and the temperature reached a high of 55. With daylight savings time and spring just around the corner, there’s a lot to feel optimistic about. But, only if we are good stewards of our precious planet.
I chose the campsite where I’m staying because it’s situated right on the Bitterroot. Anglers come and go from the boat launch that I can see from my Scamp’s door. The riparian life today included lots of insect hatches including midges and caddis and the occasional osprey and eagle flying overhead. When the trucks and cars stopped their incessant noise from the nearby highway, I could hear the slow, mellow trickle of the fall flow.
I hung up my waders and boots today and instead concentrated on my website and other details of life that I’ve left undone for the last six months as I finished writing my book. Now, I need to read up on the latest library news since I’ll be taking the job as director of the Pine River Valley Library in Bayfield, CO. This amazing little library won the honor of “Best Small Library in the Country.” Pretty impressive. For now, though, I’m going to focus on my last three days in Montana and enjoy the company of the folks who are participating in the national Casting for Recovery fundraiser this weekend.
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April 1, 2014. I really needed a day on the river. I wanted to hear the whistle of the wind, feel the warmth of the sun as I sat on a boulder, see the red-tailed hawks and flickers and get renewed. And so I headed off to Cheesman Canyon and the South Platte.
I hiked in a couple of miles with every lens I own and my new tripod. It was the first time I hiked that far with all my gear, but was glad I had it all with me as I experimented with various settings, filters and lenses. I still love shooting photos in the middle of the day with abundant sunshine although I know the contrasts at sunrise and sunset are hard to beat.
It has been an adjustment being in the city after 52 weeks on rivers sharing space with wildlife. I am enjoying reliving my year as I edit my book, but I miss being on or at least near a river every day.
I’m going down to Durango to enjoy the Durangler Fly Shop’s fly-fishing festival and I’m eager to meet back up with my guide from New Mexico, Nick Streit. We’re going to start planning a trip to Argentina next year centered around fishing three rivers. Now that’s something to look forward to!
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March 10, 2014. With the 10-Mile Mountain range as a backdrop, I climbed large snow drifts to get access to the Blue River just below the dam in Dillon. The difference in the river’s flow from last year at this time and this year was significant – 37 cfs last year and 297 cfs this year.
I spent most of my time shooting photos as opposed to fishing. At the time I fished the Blue last year, I didn’t yet have a camera that shot raw photos. So, although I caught some really great shots with my point and shoot last year, I really need the raw photos for my book.
There were half a dozen anglers on the river and I didn’t see any of them catch a fish. A couple guys leaving said they caught some trout on some mysis shrimp and nymph patterns. There were certainly some large fish hanging out under the bridge that crosses the river in between the outlet mall stores, but they weren’t buying the artificial flies.
It was wonderful to be up in the mountains on a river after several weeks in Starbuck’s writing away and sipping chai tea. I’ve started to get some invitations to speak at various organizations, which will be fun. Contact me if you’re looking for someone to tell a story about an amazing year.
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The Smith River in Montana was the 38th river on my itinerary. Had I been able to float this river, it would have been like a grand finale a few months early because it was a five-day river trip on one of the most beautiful rivers in Montana – and Montana has some pretty nice rivers. As it turns out, the drought made this river not fishable at the time I had scheduled.
I spoke with guide, Joe Sotherby (photo) and decided that I had no other choice but to postpone my trip until 2014. I was disappointed at the time but now that my year has ended – and oh so quickly – I now have something to look forward. And so in June, I get to try and match my trip with one of the Golden Stonefly hatches – a hatch I have yet to experience.
Many people ask me what it feels like to be at the end of my “epic” journey. I must say I have mixed feelings, but there’s always something to look forward to, new people to meet, new places to visit, and new aspects of a passion to discover. I’m excited about 2014. Looking forward to meeting up with you, Joe and company.
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Jerry Lehtinen left the corporate world about three years ago after a career in global packaging. Although an angler for over 30 years, he decided to follow his passion for fly fishing and make it his “work.” In so doing, he has made every day a joy. Jerry works at Kirk’s Fly Shop as their lead guide taking over 220 trips a year – now that’s pretty impressive.
Jerry grew up in the Tacoma, WA area but calls Colorado home. I loved listening to him talk about his daily Rocky Mountain “high” driving from Fort Collins to Estes Park. After a year of travel to rivers in the seven Rocky Mountain states, I can relate well to Jerry’s living passion.
Jerry knew all the right holes for us to fish below the reservoir helping me find more than my share of rainbows and browns. As high wind gusts threatened to knock me off my feet midstream, Jerry was right there ensuring that I didn’t find myself swimming. It was a great day with Jerry and the backdrop wasn’t too shabby either.
Thanks, Jerry!
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+ Beautiful Day on the Big Thompson
Δ Wind Gusts up to 35 MPH
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I squeezed in my 51st river between a lot of windy, cold weather and the holidays. On the day I made the 2-hour drive from Denver to Estes Park the skies were a rich Colorado blue, but the blue sky was deceptive.
As I drove north on Route 34 from Lyons, I was astonished by the damage from the September floods. Some 25 years ago on a hiking vacation I stayed on Route 34 at a river-side cabin known as “Shelly’s Cabins”. The photo here shows what was left of the property. This was the case from Lyons to Estes Park. Mother Nature rules.
When I first called Kirk’s Fly Shop, I inquired as to whether this river was still fishable considering the extent of the damage from the floods in September. I don’t know what I expected – perhaps that the fish had all been washed downstream? In fact, Jerry Lehtinen, my guide from Kirk’s, said that within two weeks after the flood, they had some of the best fishing ever due to the number of fish that had washed over the dam. In the three months since then, the fishing has died down considerably, but was still good.
Jerry drove us to a spot below the reservoir that looked inviting enough until we opened the Jeep’s doors and I had my hat blown off. The wind continued all day with gusts up to 30 MPH nearly blowing me over while standing in the middle of the river. The fish didn’t seem to care what was going on above the surface as we were able to land quite a few brilliantly colored rainbows and browns.
I don’t think I’ve ever been willing to call a day short, but the wind made me do it. I actually decided to quit an hour early. I thought back to all the long days throughout the year in hotter or colder weather operating on little sleep and I was never willing to quit early. I wondered if the reality of the end of my year made me cave a little to the discomfort.
A few years back I spent New Year’s Day on the Big T. I think a repeat performance is in the cards.
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December 18, 2014. The temperature was -20 at the Durango airport two nights before I planned my trip down to the San Juan River. I had fished in minus temperatures in January when I first started my journey, but hoped that I wouldn’t have to do it again. I lucked out when the high hit in the mid-thirties, which felt downright balmy.
Having a home in Durango, I had fished the San Juan several times before including a rafting trip through the famous Texas Hole. That really wasn’t my cup of tea – lots of people floating in circles. So, I decided to try the “upper braids.” Unlike most other times of the year on the San Juan, I saw only one other angler all day.
I spent the majority of my day with streamers hoping to find some of the larger fish who had to rely more on eating other fish rather than insects. I still don’t have the touch with streamers. As I contemplated my next moves so I could see a fish or two on the river that day, it dawned on me that the fly known as the San Juan worm, one of the most ubiquitous flies in the sport, might be a good fly to use on the San Juan River. Sure enough, on the second cast, I started to see results.
I found myself drawn to taking photographs, thinking about how I’ve enjoyed the photography as much as the fishing throughout the year. In some ways, when shooting photos, I feel even more in tuned with the greater outdoors because I’m not focused on just the water and the fish.
In the end, it’s all good. Just being outdoors, by myself, thinking about the bigger picture.
Can a year have passed so quickly?
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Those of us living in the Rocky Mountains have been surprised by the early onslaught of winter. We had -20 at the Durango airport this week. The coldest weather in which I fished this year was at the Williams Fork last January when it was -11. Hopefully I’m not getting soft, but it really was too darn cold earlier this week.
I did get out for a few hours this week and am hoping with the upcoming heatwave (somewhere in the 30s) I’ll cast a few more lines. The Animas River in Durango is always a treat for me being my second “home waters” after the South Platte in Denver. This part of Colorado is so scenic and yet, like the history of so many rivers, the beauty of this river is deceptive. Although it is now a good fishery, it suffered from years of mining abuse. Although an angler can now see both wild and stocked rainbows and browns that average 12-18 inches, you will need to go the more popular holes to find these fish.
Much of the fishing is within the city of Durango and has an urban flavor, but Durango cannot really be called a city. It’s alive and bustling but only houses around 16,000 people. Much of the fishing north of town along Highway 550 is private although you can fish on the Southern Ute Reservation south of town.
Let’s see what this next outing brings.
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