Getting high on life (CO)

Started by Dougfish, September 04, 2016, 08:07:40 AM

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Dougfish



I have I a distributor in Denver I visit every year. At least once. I try to fish if possible.
This trip? It was possible.
But it wasn't so much about fishing. It was about getting away with my wife in RMNP and seeing 2 of our girls in Denver.
We flew out early Saturday and did this:

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We based for three nights in a little cottage in Estes Park. Very close to the entrance and away from the very tourista downtown.
Days were in the 60's, nights in the 40's. No humidity in CO, brah. Right beside the compound you find lots of these:

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In the park you see even more. The rut is about to happen and the big boys had gathered their harems. A few malingering smaller bucks/stags? were hanging around, but they'll be chased off soon.

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Our only bighorn sighting:

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The altitude was kicking our butts! When we got out of the car near the high point of drive across the park we started to walk up a nature trail.
Oh fuck. We went 30 feet and retreated. Dizzy and short of breath! Going from 1400' at home to 12,000' in the same day is a shock to the system.
The next day we decided we could manage a hike to an alpine lake just shy of 10,000'. And cutties.  -0-

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Besides that minnow cuttie, I caught 5 more in 45 minutes. I took my pack rod, reel, a meager selection of flies, some tippet, forceps, floatant and no net.
Ahh, cutties don't fight hard, no problems, breh?
Wrong. They fought like champs. standing on big rocks and reaching down to pluck them out of the water off of a barbless #18 parachute adams was futile.
They wriggled off before I could get the camera out.
I passed the camera off to the wife before I left with no evidence. And the next fish was that guy^.  b';
The others were 10-14". Honest.
I had to get one more. And I did. Action shots:

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The temperature had dropped on our 1000' climb and the sun had retreated, too. We took our chilly selves back down the trail.
And headed for some brownies on a river. I just wanted one.

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And one is all I got. Fished about 100 yds. This river gets pounded. I was probably the tenth person that day to fish that beat.
Missed a nice one in a back eddy. His shoulders were as wide as my hand.
We finished strong with another good meal on the grill, a tour of the Stanley Hotel (think The Shining), lunch in Lyons at Oscar Blues, and dinner in Denver.

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Orb! (mirror corner)

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I left them on Wednesday am and did my bidness in Denver. Moved on to more bidness in St. Louis.
Ate this smoked food baby and flew home.
I'll be back, broh.

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:banana072:   0:0

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Woolly Bugger

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Dee-Vo

That was badass. I'd love to fish that type of water sooner or later. Good shit, DF.

driver

Fuck! That looked fun. I'll be out there in a few weeks.

Michael Toris


tomato can

I've been waiting for that trip report for a while after you told me you were going.  And all I get is a pic of a minnow, a cutthroat and a brown.  Dang it.

Onslow


BrookieHunter

To hell with the trouts, I'd fly out there just for that plate of grub.  y;

Aka

Hell yeah, Doug! That looks like a great trip...dick

Btw I'm digging all the fireweed pics lately. That's one of very few plants I can i.d.


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Jfey

Good stuff my man. 

We stayed a night at the Stanley.  Very interesting place.   0:0
Yup, going fishing

Big J

Good on you Doug.  Looks like a good time. 

benben reincarnated

Nice trip.  Beautiful country out there. 

Dougfish

Quote from: Jfey on September 06, 2016, 07:52:04 AM
Good stuff my man. 

We stayed a night at the Stanley.  Very interesting place.   0:0

You inspired me.  ;D

The same lake gave it up, too.  V:;
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Jfey

Quote from: Dougfish on September 06, 2016, 08:25:47 AM
Quote from: Jfey on September 06, 2016, 07:52:04 AM
Good stuff my man. 

We stayed a night at the Stanley.  Very interesting place.   0:0

You inspired me.  ;D

The same lake gave it up, too.  V:;

Thought it looked familiar.  I enjoyed seeing the cutties cruising the shoreline.  Could have done without all the people though.
Yup, going fishing

Yallerhammer

Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff