Since Mother Nature intervened with the all the rain and the "so called 1000 year flood", fly fishing any water in Northern Colorado has been put on a serious hold. It may be quite some time before she releases her hold and all the damages can be assessed to life, home, family, animals, etc.
That being said, I have already began to wonder what Mother Nature's fly fishing plan has in store for me and my local ponds that I love to fish so much. Include in The Big Thompson River locally, let alone that which flows through the washed out canyon, and, it does look pretty bleak for those of us who love to fly fish and fish local waters in Northern Colorado.
The picture shown above is an aerial view shot that I came across that shows what used to be an area for several ponds that I like to fish for Bluegill, Bass, Carp, etc. Note that I said used to be! The area is now one flooded looking piece of water that more resembles one pretty good sized body of water instead of some home water for the PondStalker.
The Big Thompson River I love to fish in the canyon or down lower near my home looks like this before the flooding. The Big Thompson River looked like this a day or so ago. Where to begin to assess the problems?
Set me to pondering what happens when Mother Nature takes over, and if you will, moves the fish where she wants them to be. What happens to the fish in the ponds? Will they be there when the waters recede and the damages are assessed? Or, will the ponds have different fish in them? For example, a top notch pond for bigger bass, will those bass now be gone or spread out to who knows where? What about structures and other holding areas for the pond fish? Are they all gone, or, do they remain?
Another concern I have is the warm water ponds are in close proximity to the Big Thompson River in the lower stretches. Will we see Walleye, Catfish, Bass, and other Panfish, now reside in the Big Thompson river as a result of being washed there via the floods? Having never been through a major catastrophe like this before, I am pretty much clueless as too what we may find when the waters recede and calmer days are brought to us. I am sure the rest of 2013 near my home is not going to offer much, if any, fly fishing opportunities. What will 2014 bring? Any of my readers want to ponder this situation and provide comments? Sure hope you do. I have lots of time to read blog comments.
I would appreciate your time. Please take a look at my hometown Loveland, Colorado. We need your Prayers and Support!This video is a long one and taken by a local. It runs about (15) minutes or so. So if you have a cup of coffee and (15) minutes to spare, please take a look!
Depending on what part of the United States you happen to live in, you may not have been inundated with video from the massive floods that have wrecked Northern Colorado in the past few days. Thought I would post a couple of videos from near my home in Loveland, Colorado, near the banks of what is (was) The Big Thompson River. Just needing to take in it all, and somehow, have a perspective that I live here and fish here often. Just not in the last few days! If you haven't seen these on You Tube already, here are a couple of borrowed ones. Pond Stalker Headquarters appreciate those who took their time to shoot the videos. First video is from not too far from town as one would begin travel up Big Thompson Canyon.
The second video is from about a mile from my home where I have spent lots of time with my family enjoying The Big Thompson water.
My last post alluded to a package being sent to me in the mail from a blogging friend. I asked the question, "I wonder what it could be?" If you read through the comments on the post you will see that several of my blogging friends had suggestions on what it could be.Everything from a new fly tying vise with a built in light, left over cookies from Howard,
carved or stuffed fish, a "Leg" lamp, fresh trout caught last week for dinner the day they arrive, something Italian that may or may not be ticking, a glass plaque to commemorate the sense of the outdoor blogging community, and, I am sure a few ideas that never got posted on the blog.Well, yesterday the package came. I was excited to see what was in the box. Certainly "fragile", all right. Lots of bubble pack air package to keep things from moving around much.Ok, buried in the box somewhere it says "RD's Special Cookies". Yes, I am the Cookie Monster, and, I am going to dig them out, now!Oh, how I like Cookies! Neatly wrapped in colorful paper with ribbon that could be used for Flashback Nymphs, were Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, and Snickerdoodles. Emily, graciously, had sent enough for me and my wife, plus, all my grandchildren. I was more than happy to give them the taste test and deliver a package to each pod of grandchildren I have. RD's Special Cookies get the "Thumbs Up" Award from the folks here at Pond Stalker Headquarters. RD, thank you so much for your time and effort and demonstrating to us all the sense of community amongst us Outdoor Bloggers. Be sure and take care of you for me.
Ok, blogging friends of the Pond Stalker, I need your help here. You see I was sent this picture this morning from a dear friend I have never met. It is suppose to arrive in a few days and I am wondering what in the tarnation could it be. It's a surprise!I noticed the word "Fragile" marked on a couple of spots on the package in the picture. Fragile means something that might break if smashed. Boy, am I excited, however, I am not sure what in the world it could be.I am sure that it must have something to do with Fly Fishing since that is how I made the connection with this dear friend. I like Fly Fishing "stuff". My wife says I have too much fly fishing stuff already. She's wrong!But, fragile, come on now. I need some help trying to determine what fly fishing "stuff" could be regarded as fragile. I have ruled out a fly rod. Don't think it fits in a square box like that. Can't be a fly reel because they are not meant to be treated so fragile. New hats, new flies, I have pondered them. But, Fragile! So, I turn to you my readers and ask, "Wonder what it could be?" I would be interested in knowing what you think might be headed my way that is fragile and for fly fishing. Let's get some ideas going here before it arrives. I can't wait!
Some unexpected family health issues has had my wife and I on the road over the past week. The wife's father has been moved into a Kansas nursing home and is not doing very well at this time. We have returned home to Happy Valley with him on our mind and realize that another trip back seems to be in the near future perhaps.Anyway, just wanted to share with my readers here on my blog that, although we had other thoughts, fishing thoughts never leave your mind. Except we did not plan on 100 degree days and stifling humidity. That was a bit of environmental shock for us. I guess the locals get used too it. I would not be able to handle that at all.Anyway, thought I would share some insight on our trip that doesn't dwell on medical issues. First off, ran into some of these guys just outside the nursing home on the street and sidewalks.Big ol' rotund Magicada Cicadas. I don't know that I have ever seen anything quite like these in my travels fishing. This picture doesn't do justice to the size of the ones I saw. I have to admit that my fishing mind drifted to what it would be like to put ones of these on a hook, or better yet, tie a large Cicada pattern and just toss it out on my local pond and wait for the explosion from a Largemouth Bass! I imagine that all hell would break loose. In addition, not as unexpected, was the evening call of the Kansas Locust. They were everywhere you went once you ventured outside. I commented then that if you let your mind wander that it was like hallucinating that you were surrounded by Martians from some strange far away place. Now, just outside the nursing home and still on the property lies a pond. A pond that looks very fishy too me. But, alas, I wasn't their to fish anyway and had no gear with me. However, I did talk with a gentleman that said that he fished the pond the morning we ran into each other. He said fishing was pretty good and that he had landed about (25) or so Largemouth Bass. He did say that none of them were bigger fish, but, well worth his time. Oh, and, Wooly Bugger caught. That served to satisfy my fishing mind for the time. Those giant Cicadas enter my thought process again.As we headed back home from our trip to Kansas, my wife mentioned that a trip to Cabela's was in order. Well, two points that I would like to make here. First of never disagree with the wife and secondly, you cannot travel through Nebraska without stopping at Cabela's, can you? I reasoned that it would be a nice break from the driving and that I could handle the stop without spending a lot of what little money Senior Citizens have.
Wrong, again! It could have been a lot worse, I suppose. However, with a blink of an eye and a twitch of my wrist I was handing the clerk $200 or so. Now, not all was more fishing gear, but, most of it fit that category. More stuff, I just had to have. New fly reel, line and backing loaded with a new leader, Cabela's Advanced Angler Fanny Pack, and, two new fly boxes.
All the way home as I road the white lines of the highway, I had buyers remorse! Why, oh why, did I let my wife talk me into shopping at Cabelas. I could have gotten by without the new fly reel and new line, new fanny pack, and, who needs more fly boxes anyhow!
The remorse only lasted until I got home and spread my new goodies out on my tying table. Immediately, my thoughts went to OH, BOY!
