RMFTU Annual Fishing Trip
The mighty Colorado River's headwaters present an entirely different character at about 8,800 feet before it transitions onto the flat, wide meadows crossing Kawuneeche Valley. Its early headwaters’ gentle reaches ascend through cool shadows cast by towering spruce and pine, and here its headwaters surround you with beautiful and exciting mystique. Each of its endless meanders holds a new challenge as the river gently surrenders elevation after its upper reaches pass through the historic Lulu City mining town’s ghostly remains several miles above, though still well below its 10,184’ LaPoudre Pass origin.
A short distance from our start…you might encounter a Plein Aire artist in a nearby meadow off to your right applying brush strokes that capture the grandeur of the Grand Canal suspended from the majestic peaks of the Never Summer Range whose spine boasts the Continental Divide immediately to the West. Or a young couple may steal quietly by you with hands clasped eagerly seeking a hidden niche to share private moments...or through the brush you may spy an elderly couple on lawn chairs shaded by a sprawling fir, reading and enjoying warmth radiating from the meadow’s sun line...all of these escaping life’s fast pace. One can’t wade these reaches without reflecting upon the history that unfolded along these same banks over a hundred years ago.
Then suddenly, behind you, just out of sight - there sounds thundering hoof beats that send chills up your spine …and you freeze in your tracks and turn your head to see a large moose hurrying off across yet another small meadow into the trees. He probably had been guardedly watching since several earlier turns when you noisily crossed the stream where it had narrowed. What a wonderland where every bend holds a new scene, a new allure, a new mystery that peaks your imagination.
Your rod-in-hand wading along these historic headwaters is easy, relaxing and never tiring. When afternoon shadows begin to lengthen and you wonder if you should probably turn around, there’s always another, and another, beautiful pool just ahead at the next bend…and the next…and so on. The beauty is magnetic, and I always hardly allow myself to turn around…but of course, I must, and I begin the quiet walk back downstream, revisiting and drinking in again the feelings I experience as I revisit so many of the familiar scenes that engulfed me on my first visit here about forty years ago.
This is my absolutely favorite stretch of pristine, Colorado mountain stream! For me it offers the essence of fly fishing. And you too can experience this almost out-of-body peacefulness. And “Oh, yes”, I almost forgot to mention…you can also sometimes have a 40 fish day! Not to mention all the spine-tingling misses that wriggled off your hook. Big fish? Very few; but many high-personality, mid-size, colorful brookies plus an occasional cutthroat. This is a perfect outing for experienced anglers to unwind and laugh at themselves a lot, and for new anglers to learn a lot of valuable, shared insights about how to read water and ‘fish a river’.
__________________________________________________________________________
Details: Participants are accepted in order of application, and final details will progressively be provided in plenty of time for you to prepare. Carpools will depart at 7:00am from the Loveland Jax Outdoors at 2665 West Eisenhower Blvd (US 34) located at the corner of Wilson Avenue. Riders share gas expenses with drivers. Lunch is typically together on the river sharing stories, so bring water and pack snacks. Most participants choose to grab a bite enroute home at the Casa Grande in Estes Park, eat, tell fish lies, laugh a lot, and then continue to typically arrive home by 8:00pm. Others go directly home, and car rider’s grouping is arranged accordingly. To sign up, or if you’ve any questions, please email Trip Coordinator, Dennis Cook at rkymtnangler@gmail.com
— Article by Dennis Cook