Spring In Full Swing

  
    It has been quite a while since I updated any posts. The last two months has been extremely busy with the move of Royal Gorge Anglers to it's new location on Highway 50 West at Skyline Drive, and it has not left time for much else. I hope you have all seen the new location, or at least plan to soon.
 Fishing on the Arkansas is really firing up, we have enjoyed several weeks of incredible blue winged olive action, although due to the warm bright sunny days most of this action has been sub-surface on nymphs and emergers. The unseasonably warm March has brought on the caddis hatch about three weeks earlier than usual. Today I fished the Canon City River Walk and encountered a large caddis hatch, I took a good number of fish on the top with a standard elk hair caddis, but about 90% of the fish were caught on the bubble pupa I was trailing behind the adult. Most people that set out to fish the Arkansas grab a hand-full of elk hair caddis and think they have it covered, ten years ago this was true, now it is all about the pupa.

    The picture is of 14 year old Roman Fedorak on his very first fly fishing trip with his very first fish on a fly rod, the 16 inch rainbow would be a great fish anywhere, but off the Arkansas, it is a real treat. This is the perfect example of why I love to guide, not for the "big money", not for the wind knots and hooks in the ear, not for the occasional ass hole that counts every fish and has a tally of what constitutes a good day. I love to create memories... It's amazing that one fish can mean so much, but this fish will never be forgotten by Roman, his proud father or me.