November 2012 – The 52 Rivers Blog

Boxwood Gulch

shelleyw — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:56:56 +0000

There is something special about spending the day outside when it’s cold and snowing. Whether you are skiing or hiking or fishing, you feel as if you are connected with the world.

I went fishing today at Boxwood Gulch near Bailey, CO. This is an area of the S. Platte River that is privately owned and thus you cannot fish there without special permission from the owner or group of owners. I was able to fish there because the Blue Quill Angler Fly Shop in Evergreen has a relationship with the owners, which occasionally allows them to bring in anglers to fish these waters.

What is unique about private waters is that they are fished significantly less than the rivers that have public access. This is the first time I have fished “private waters.” As you would suspect, the fish are plentiful and huge. Fortunately I had a lot of help from two of the guides from the Blue Quill – Pat Dorsey and Jay Core. For me, the challenge was not getting the fish on my line but trying to land them (and then release them.) Doing battle with a 25 inch fish that weighs around 8 pounds is quite a challenge. Even at this time of the year, the fish are still feeding fairly actively although the water temperature was only around 40 degrees. As the winter months approach, they kind of shut down and only feed during the warmest hours of the day.One of the things I didn’t know about fishing was that there are very few rivers where the fish are native. For the most part the Division of Wildlife stocks our rivers and lakes. I have not yet visited a hatchery but am interested in finding out about how this all works.

The subject of water rights is an interesting topic. In Colorado, The Colorado Division of Water Resources is responsible for administering water rights (click here to get a history on water rights including the doctrine of first-in-time, first-in-right.) The Colorado Foundation for Water Education has published a Citizen’s Guide to Colorado Water Law. The whole topic is very complicated but important to understand as we face climate changes and drought.

The Lure of the Bighorn

shelleyw — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 04:01:48 +0000

My story starts on the Bighorn River in south central Montana in May 2010. My husband and I decided to book three days on the river with a guide. I thought this trip was going to be like a previous vacation to Los Cabos except instead of sitting on the beach next to the sea, I would be sitting on a boat on a river.

In addition to imagining myself sitting in a boat, I also latched on to the idea of just allowing my senses to come alive – especially auditory. I have spent a fair amount of time birding – to my kids’ astonishment – and being outside to listen and learn about the local birds seemed like it would work for me. I was also intrigued by the mystery and talk I had heard about this “sport”.

In the end, I was right in my hunch that this was going to be something I would enjoy. I was wrong because it is not something I am just going to enjoy but rather, I have become obsessed with wanting to be on a river and learn about the multitude of things you need to know to become an angler.

I will make this recommendation many times over the next year – hire a guide to help you navigate and understand whatever river you decide to fish. These men and women are like your local librarian who has been researching her whole life. They know the spots on the river where you’re most likely to catch fish. They know what kind of flies are most likely to attract the fish. They know how to row such that you will have the best chance of not spooking fish. They will tie new flies on your line when you snag the brush on the side of the river time and again.

Plus they’re just so connected with the outdoors. They can see a bird flying several hundred yards down the stream and identify it because, well just because.

No Disenchantment with This Church

shelleyw — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 03:34:23 +0000

I have fallen in love with fly-fishing. My love is pure and mysterious although not unique. I am driven by a need to learn everything I can about fly-fishing and determined to spend as many hours as I can outside on rivers, or mountain streams or lakes.

In one’s lifelong search for meaning and connection, I have, like many others before me, discovered a symbiotic relationship with fly-fishing. As famous angler, Joan Wulff, stated in her essay in Sacred Trusts, “The woods and waters of the outdoors became my church, a place where I could examine my thoughts and feel I was connected to all living things. This feeling is especially strong when, with rod in hand, I am wading a river for trout or salmon…where everything makes sense, where there is nothing but truth. There will be no disenchantment with this church.”

My mission was inspired by a book, 365 Days of Pikes Peak – A Journey, that I discovered at the library in Woodland Park, CO. Yes, there are 365 days of photographs of Pikes Peak that tell the story of that incredible mountain during one year. I loved the idea of devoting oneself for a year to such a project but knew that I could not possibly visit 365 rivers in a year! So, how about a river a week – 52 Rivers?

In the end it’s about sky, earth, water, thoughtfulness, truth, serenity. That’s what I am really after. “It is you and clean, flowing water. It is you, inquisitive, in a wild world that is older than man, seeking greater understanding and finding not only an endless interest but a tranquility that comes, most of the time, to all nature’s wild creatures…” Lee Wulff

Mindfulness

shelleyw — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 03:39:31 +0000

I’ve had many people question me about why I’m going fishing for a year… “wow – so ambitious”, “never even knew you fished”, “how long have you been fishing?” “You’re going to fish in the winter?”

I’m sure most of it is genuine curiosity, but in many cases there is a confused look as to why I am doing this without having been an angler for 25 years. A long track record with the sport seems to justify such a trip. In fact taking this step into the unknown is what makes this so appealing to me. I’m going to learn and explore. Am I sometimes jealous that I’ve missed out on 25 years of its pleasures? Perhaps, but the reality is I may still be able to boast before I die that “I’ve been fishing for 25 years.”

Besides just the pure and simple adventure, I had an epiphany a few months back when I read Michael Brown’s book, The Presence Process – thanks to my friend and teacher, Andrea Silver. Brown explains his version of the familiar concepts of “living in the present” and “mindfulness.” The lightbulb went on for me when I realized that I loved fishing precisely because it totally allows me to stay in the moment. I’m not thinking about anything except my surroundings – the bugs on the water, the eagles in the sky, the movement and sound of the water. I don’t think I’ve ever found that same kind of peace anywhere. So write to me and let me where you have found that peace – that ability to clear your mind of all but the present moment. If you haven’t ever experienced that, I would recommend you give fly fishing a try.