I took a few hours yesterday evening and spent some time on the Poudre, my first time on the river since the water finally started to drop to a fishable level. The water clarity is improving every day, and while the current is still really strong in most places, there are a few really nice runs forming natural holding lies for fish.
I spent most of my time trying to get a feel for the river, which has changed a lot since my last trip. Spots that were hot a few months ago are now beyond reach, and I found that the fish seem to have moved to areas along the near bank, which is filled with water in areas that were bone dry earlier in the year. I noticed almost nothing happening on the surface despite an abundance of bug life buzzing around. Short of one fish that briefly launched itself out of the water, I didn't see any coming to the surface.
I made one major mistake in preparation, leaving a small container of split shot behind. I think it would have made a difference, as I'm not certain the nymphs I was drifting were running quite deep enough. I fished with big, heavy bead head patterns, and landed a couple of nice rainbows on a gold stone fly and a red Copper John - both were heavy enough to get down in the water.
I'm really excited for the next month, as I think the water is in great shape and dropping nicely. More to come later.
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