McCall Lake (Lyons, Colorado)

Spent a few hours yesterday after the snow storm in Lyons. Did not have the entire day to commit to fishing, so joined the bait and egg crowd at McCall Lake. Discovered that the stocker rainbows absolutely love the new Yankee Buzzer slowly received behind a black woolly bugger. Although, I guess I am obligated to say the family down the bank from me was catching fish on eggs at about a 10 to 1 ratio to me... Wrapped up the day with a couple beers and a catfish Po' Boy at Oskar Blues in Lyons. Was a good day...

Top 3 craziest fly shop questions of '09

"This may be a crazy question!" is a statement I hear a lot in the fly shop...my usual reply is; "It won't be the worst of the day! Probably not even in the top three! Trust me!" So, now we are getting to the end of the year and I have put together the top 3 winning Crazy Questions I have been asked in the past year! Yes, I do record and rate them!

#1 "I was just in the shop an hour ago and bought a replacement set of soles for my size 11 Korker wading boots...and I think you sold me two different sizes. Did you sell me a size 11 Long and a size 11 Regular?"

#2 "My leader got twisted up behind the spool of my new Ross reel. I took pliers and a screwdriver and tried to disengage the spool...was able to remove everything BUT the spool! Can you help?"

#3 "Yes, I am calling from Golden and was planning on driving up to Estes Park this afternoon to fish the Big Thompson River for a couple hours. What time is it getting dark up there these days?"

Craziest Questions of 2010!

Early Season Carp on Backstabbers

What an amazing couple of days we have had here on the Front Range! 65 degrees! And I had a day off from the fly shop... Patrick and I scouted the Boulder and Longmont area lakes looking for new open carp water. We were able to get a bit of a sunburn as well as find some active fish. Most of the carp that were willing to eat were found in small ponds...areas that ice off first and warm up fast. All were caught on #6 black Backstabber Carp Flies.

A Cautionary Tale

In the shop I tell the cautionary tale of Mark Shamburg to enthusiastic beginning fly fishers...much the same way veteran sailors of old would weave stories of Davy Jones to young deck hands. I usually break out my "Shamburg" warnings once the newly committed inquire about fly tying classes. I warn them that being excited about fly fishing and spending a lot of time on the water is still a fairly socially acceptable way to pass the time and derive a sense of happiness and fulfillment. And, to be fair, tying your own flies is viewed as kinda neat at its best, and only mildly weird at its worst. But, as I warn, this is the precarious edge of reason. Once you take up fly tying with the same gusto that you have taken to fishing...it takes only one slight misstep or falter in your self control to send you to the depths. "Mark Shamburg's Locker" if you will...

Mark spends a ton of time on the water and yes, ties his own flies. And builds his own fly rods. Split cane rods, not graphite "assemble on the weekend" kit rods. And machines his own reels. I guess all that is left is to start raising his own silk worms. Pictured below is one of Mark's latest babies...a 7 foot, 9 inch 5 weight paired with his own 3 inch Vom Hofe style reel. Oh, and a nice brownie taken on the Yampa River. So, in the end, I guess the moral of this story is: Be Carefull! This thing can quickly consume your life! And is impressive only to the ignorant or equally weird. By the way...we at the shop think it's pretty friggin' cool!

Early Season Carp

Attention all you carp heads! The carp action at most of our local lakes is starting early this year! The ice came off a lot sooner than I was hoping for and this unusually warm March is getting the water temps up quick! The water temps at many of my local hot spots are hovering just below 50...the carp seem to be waiting with almost as much anticipation as I am!

I have been taking a few good fish already, but having to work hard for them. Still a lot of uninterested dismisses and sluggish fish behavior. I am having to crawl a Backstabber carp fly right by their noses...