Colorado River, Granby, CO

     The mighty Colorado is one of the most storied rivers in America. It is well known as the waterway that snakes its way through the Grand Canyon. It eventually empties into the gulf of Mexico. Many people know it as a great river for premier whitewater rafting. But long before all of that, it has its humble beginnings high in the Rocky Mountains, near Longs Peak, outside Estes Park Colorado. It flows into Grand Lake - then out again, and east of Granby, Colorado.

         I had about two hours to fish the Colorado on a recent September afternoon, about three miles downstream of Granby, along state highway 40.
     The autumn colors were beginning to show in vibrant hues of gold. It was a perfect fall day - temps in the upper 60's and only a slight breeze. The river was low and slow.
    The water was clear and I saw a few trout rising from time to time. There was not much of a hatch, but I saw a few mayflies, what looked like blue winged olives (BWOs). I tied a size 14 BWO with a bright orange parachute as my top fly - to be used as an attractor and indicator. Then I attached a Pale Morning Dun (PMD) emerger nymph - also about a size 14 - to the back of the first fly - so that it trailed about eight inches back. 

     

      The water was moving slowly and there was a lot of moss on the rocks, flowing in long strands.
As you can see, water levels are only shin deep in some places.
    The fish were hiding down in the rocks and moss. I looked up stream and saw a small riffle. The water was hardly more than ankle deep, but a few yards down stream it cut under a bank, and into a deeper little pool.
    I figured the more oxygenated water, the bugs off the bushes and grasses along that bank, and the deeper pool would make a great spot for a trout. I began casting and letting it drift through the pool. After just a few minutes I noticed a trout rising under the branches of an overhanging tree. I cast right at him. He struck at my indicator fly, but missed. I tried again, and this time he hit! I had him hooked, but was trying to get my photographer's attention. She snapped one long shot, but was so far downstream she could not tell I had a fish on. While I was mugging for the camera, the trout darted for an underwater branch, and tangled the line. I lost him! And to make matters worse I spoiled the hole getting my fly rig off the branch. I recovered both flies, but lost the fish.

     I did not get any more action and thought I needed to move to a new hole. But unfortunately, time did not permit and I had to head back to Denver. But at least I got some action in the limited time I was there.
   I fished a new river that I had never fished before. And the Fall colors were worth the trip in their own right. I suspect the evening hatch would have made for great dry fly water in this location. My timing may have been bad. I was there from about 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. I suspect 4:00 pm to dark would have been much better.
     The Colorado is a great stretch of fly water, and there are many more small streams, beaver ponds and lakes to check out in the area. I will be back some day.