I stopped into the well-appointed local fly shop and got the skinny on the best flies and techniques for my trek from the amiable proprietor Nick Streit (rhymes with “bright”). In ten minutes I’m entering a big grove of spruce where I follow a wildlife/cattle path, cross the river, and intersect the well-defined trail used by outfitters and hikers a few hundred yards west of the creek. Now you can take the #ColoradoOutdoors anywhere. North Sandy Creek, located north of South Sandy, can also be full of fish during the prime seasons, again, provided the water levels are high enough for the fish to enter the creek from the lake. More piscatorial capers being planned! Good luck. Now I’m smelling the distinct odor of skunk. Found inside – Page 116Sand Creek , Canadian , Tex Grigsby Creek , Canadian , Tex . ... Green Creek , Clairette , Tex Bosque River , Clairette , Tex Fishing Club Lake , Gatesville ... CPW will stock another 500 fingerling Rio Grande cutthroat trout spawned at the Monte Vista Hatchery later this year. Summertime is okay and when most fishing takes place on Santeetlah Creek – the water stays cool. I manage to execute a cast that drops my flies delicately above the branch, and as they float under a big trout swirls at the dry, then follows and chomps down on the nymph. MONTE VISTA, Colo. – In preparation for a native cutthroat trout restoration project, Colorado Parks and Wildlife — starting Saturday, June 13 — will remove all bag and possession limits for fishing on Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake and Sand Creek located in the Great Sand Dunes … Hutton’s Creek (Sand Creek) connects White Sand Lake at its southwest end with Pokegama Lake. Thirty minutes later I’m back near the spruce forest where I first crossed the river. It’s to and fro for a minute, but I finally gain the upper hand and start to ease the big boy into my net. ALAMOSA, Colo — Anglers fishing at the Sand Creek drainage in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve can keep as many fish as they can catch for the next few weeks. If you are up for a challenge, give Sand Creek a try. Bingo! I test the leader and dropper and then drop the fly in the exact same spot above the snag. I do catch several on the Tung Teaser nymph, but they tend to be smaller fish. Colorado 17 is a good paved and scenic road that crosses the mountains to Chama, New Mexico. Second caveat–I fished the Adams Fork a month later in early September and found it very low with extremely skittish fish, particularly in the crystal-clear deeper pools with slow-moving water where the cutts could scrutinize the faux hopper. Just after noon, my stomach starts to growl so I make one more cast in another photogenic pool before breaking for lunch. This lake is 25 acres in size. Turn left to reach the lower lake (.6 mile) or right to reach the upper lake (1 mile). But after that, tighten your seat belts! Staff from CPW and Great Sand Dunes will capture Rio Grande cutthroat trout from Medano Creek and transfer them to Upper and Lower Sand Creek Lakes to speed up the recovery effort in the Sand Creek drainage. Fly-fishing: Bring your rod and fishing license; both Upper and Lower Sand Creek lakes fish well. Found inside – Page 6Rates were too high for the Sand Creek and Big Highland Mary lakes because the pilot planted the scheduled fish as well as additional fish scheduled for ... Currently, Rio Grande cutthroat can only be found in about 12% of its historic habitat. Found inside – Page 57Black bass , pike , pickerel , brook trout ( Rock Creek 8 miles , Hickory Creek ... Ox Lake 7 miles , Upper Brule River 6 miles , Rock Creek 3 miles , Leos ... The fish used to stock the lakes came from the nearby Medano Creek drainage, which is located in the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve in the San Luis Valley. We are very proud of Erin. 2015. Then another follows on the next cast. 47 Lower Stout Creek Lake 237. The entire mainstream is canoeable, with a moderate to fast current. In 15 minutes at about 10:30 a.m., I emerge relatively unscathed and find I have lucked out to surface just below an alluring pool below a big deadfall. Slowly I start to gain ground on the bruiser as he romps back and forth in the depths. See below to read or download the article: Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Filter. Fish so released shall not be included in the catch or possession limit: Provided, that at the time of catching the person did not possess the legal limit of fish. Well, I think, I can live with a day of small fish. The cutthroat trout were still in brilliant spawning colors. All fishing bag and possession limits removed for Sand Creek drainage, June 13. For my article on the Lake Fork of the Conejos in 2020, see: Lake Fork Of The Conejos River: Solitude In A Sanctuary For Rare Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, For my recent outing on the nearby upper Rio Chama, see: https://hooknfly.com/2021/08/10/in-the-footsteps-of-the-rio-chama-shaman-near-chama-nm/. The Colorado River cutthroat is found on Colorado’s Western Slope, and the Greenback cutthroat is found in the South Platte drainage. Sure glad I did. Did not catch a fish on this clip and I didn't want to use up anymore battery. Fishing Climbing … PLACE. The scenery is spectacular, so ease off on the accelerator and take your time. (Thanks to Pete Ross, whose GPS coordinates proved invaluable in determining the locations of the trails for this hike.) After about 15 minutes of meandering and backtracking and plentiful epithets, I survive the thicket, finally emerging in a grove of stately spruce trees. Though Pisces was not directly involved with last month’s rotenone treatment, it has generally worked on identifying species in the Upper Sand Creek Lake drainage. In the course of our discussion, Nick mentioned I might want to take a look at a book on New Mexico fishing by his father, Taylor Streit, widely recognized as the leading fly fishing guide in New Mexico. Grapevine Lake has many dropoffs, underwater boulders, and rocky shorelines that hold largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. I vowed to return, albeit by an easier access route. The next 20 miles are up CR 250, widely known for eating tires and various other vehicle parts. The following are prohibited: There are no fish consumption advisories for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. I drift the fly along a bank that just drew refusals on the Trude, and a good-sized cutt intercepts it with not hesitancy in a showy rise. Stay tuned for my follow-up post covering a full day outing on the Rio Chama later in the week. The lake was still 40% frozen. But removing fish from the Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake and Sand Creek can be tricky because of the many side creeks, said Joe Lewandowski, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Leaders: Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing: 71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X. When he finally is subdued, the gorgeous fish measures 16-inches, a true leviathan for such a small water. Ark Anglers Fly Shop & Guided Fishing. Flows are very low and clear for this time of year. When I check under the rocks in the river, I’m surprised to find some small stoneflies, so tie on a #18 Tung Teaser as my dropper. No sooner does the Wilcox alight than it is blasted by a giant fish. For the next hour the pattern is the same as I work upstream—2-3 smaller brownies then one larger over 13-inches. Shaman: A person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of spirits, including angling. Lake Hattie is the largest of the Laramie Plains Lakes at 1500-3000 surface acres depending on water levels. 52 Red Lake 263. Those fish populations will be removed in late August by treating the Sand Creek water with Rotenone, a chemical that targets fish. CPW will also stock Upper and Lower Sand Creek Lakes with young Rio Grande cutthroat trout raised at Haypress Lake via airplane this fall. The fly alights five feet above the bush and slides under it without snagging then disappears as something yanks the dry under. Colorado Fishing Licenses. Current can be strong and confused. The scenery improves with every turn, and as I descend into the Chama Valley the beetle-killed pines magically give way to a vibrant green forest just across the border into New Mexico. It's more exposed up there but gorgeous. I also know to keep an eye out for roving bovines—this is open range country. You backtrack a bit on the trail you came in on and take the other trail at the junction for about another mile and half or so. LAKE SIZE. Reluctantly, I decide to change flies, tying on a smaller profile #16 Wilcox dry that, while designed to mimic a mayfly, is a great imitation of tiny hoppers often found around high-altitude streams. Medano Creek within Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve serves as important biological refugia for this trout, because it is a closed system where exotic species cannot enter. Over the coming weeks, CPW will begin restocking these areas with the native Rio Grande cutthroat trout. These lakes sit in the Sangre de Cristo wilderness. From then on the action is hot again with most strikes on the surface and in sun-drenched pools. Found inside – Page 48North Powder , Crawfish Lake . ... Salem , Mill Creek The Dalles , Upper Eightmile Creek . ... Bushkill , Little Bushkill Creek Sand Creek . The East Fork the Sevier, north of Bryce Canyon, offers good action for browns, cutts and rainbows. As I get to the bench above the river I turn and tip my hat to another fab fork of the Conejos. The Wilcox promptly disappears as something nails the caddis. The … Fly Line: 4, 5 or 6 weight. I’m intrigued when I can find very little online about fishing the Adams Fork. rush creek bridgeport mono lake don pedro reservoir lake mc clure new melones peoria exchequer merced falls oakhurst ... upper gorge control gorge sherwin mammoth pacific i & ii lundy 167 120 395 los vaqueros ... sand creek tivy valley piedra rainbow sanger power & feed wahtoke sanger kearney old & new fresno waste water west Rio Grande cutthroat trout are catch and release only; they are on the candidate list for threatened/endangered species status at the federal level. The fish are mainly found near the lakes on the upper end, which are occasionally stocked by air, according to the Alamosa County Colorado Fishing & Floating Guide Book. In preparation for a native cutthroat trout restoration project, Colorado Parks and Wildlife -- starting Saturday, June 13 -- will remove all bag and possession limits for fishing on Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake and Sand Creek located in the … After all the excitement, I relax on a streamside rock, drinking in the scene. possession limits for fishing on Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake, and Sand Creek located in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. In about three miles I cross the boundary back into Colorado then at five miles enter the Rio Grande National Forest. The reservoirs are popular for fishing but a hike to the Upper Reservoir makes for a nice short day hike. I keep a low profile, retreat downstream to 25 yards, then start working my way back up. Have I been hoodwinked?? I have never had that happen on remote streams, where the bushy Trude seems to always ring the dinner bell. Luckily the trail is short and emerges in a beautiful grove of aspen that overlook the meadow I spied on Google Maps. Then I chug up the slope towards home, already planning a return trip. Reenergized, I work cautiously upstream, being careful not to spook the cutthroats I can see finning in the deeper pools, oblivious to my presence. We chose a more direct approach to Lower Sand Creek Lake. The use or possession of fish, wildlife or plants for ceremonial or religious purposes, except where specifically authorized by Federal statutory law, or treaty rights. It’s about 2 p.m. now, and after catching a few more, I break for lunch in a shady spot below another good run. Fishing in Upper Priest Lake and Upper Priest River is catch-and-release only, no bait and single, barbless hooks. The National Park and U.S. Forest Services have plans to restore the Sand Creek drainage, including both lakes, with native, rare Rio Grande Cutthroats. Status of the Fishery Resource Report 2015-210. Other taxa, including amphibians, mollusks and crustaceans (e.g. He’s a muscular 17-inch plus fish. Found insideHEADWATERS: East Fork just north of Douglas County Lake just north of Baldwin City ... There are three forks on the upper end of this creek called the East, ... In about 45 minutes I’m at the turnoff to Forest Service 121, a good gravel road that snakes five miles north through private property up the scenic Chama River Valley. I’m on my annual trip to fish the Conejos River and surrounding waters. Whether you’re fly fishing or … MONTE VISTA, Colo. – In preparation for a native cutthroat trout restoration project, Colorado Parks and Wildlife — starting Saturday, June 13 — will remove all bag and possession limits for fishing on Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake and Sand Creek located in the Great Sand Dunes … Upper Sand Creek Lake is located in Saguache County, Colorado. The Conejos is a middle-sized river that harbors big brown and rainbow trout that fatten up on its abundant insect life. The fly disappears as another trout smacks the nymph. To gain Upper Sand Creek Lake will add 1.55 miles of hiking and another 700 feet of gain. Chumming or placing preserved or fresh fish eggs, fish roe, food, fish parts, chemicals, or other foreign substances in fresh waters for the purpose of feeding or attracting fish in order that they may be taken. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. (Herring Creek Watershed). CPW, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Native American tribes have been working to re-establish Rio Grande cutthroats across their native range for more than 20 years. But when he gets a glimpse of his fate, the cutt jets to the top of the pool, through the rapids above, making like a wild salmon, and into the next pool. Found inside – Page 71For more information, maps, and a Carlyle Lake fishing guide, ... check out the upper portions of the reservoir, especially around Sand Creek, Eagle Creek, ... All systems are go! The adult-sized Rio Grande cutthroat trout from Medano Creek would be old enough to spawn in the Sand Creek Lakes in summer 2022. By pulling trout from Medano Creek, CPW aims to accelerate the restoration project in the Sand Creek drainage by stocking a small number of adult trout capable of producing a spawn as early as 2022. 2 to the inlet of Betsie Lake in T25N, R16W, Sec. Or stop to fish Sand Creek itself, which has outstanding fly fishing for hybrid cutthroat trout. After lunch the good action continues and by 2 p.m. I’m tuckered out. After shooting the breeze a little more, he peels off to the west on the trail, and I head down the gentle slope to the river and begin to walk further upstream. In preparation for a native cutthroat trout restoration project, Colorado Parks and Wildlife -- starting Saturday, June 13 -- will remove all bag and possession limits for fishing on Upper Sand Creek Lake, Lower Sand Creek Lake and Sand Creek located in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. There is nothing to show. So far I've struck out twice at Wall and last year at Upper Golden and L. Louise (did not try Dennis on way out; sleet and 40mph winds).
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