Animas Lunch Report – 10/12/15 – Not Steelhead

Animas Lunch Report – 10/12/15 – Not Steelhead

So it was exactly one year ago that I made a trek up to the great Pacific Northwest to try my hand at steelheading (read more here).  The DIY ethic was strong on this trip and it showed with amount of fish caught: none.  However, I did have the great misfortune to actually HOOK a quite powerful steelhead and hold on for a few eternal moments before the hook slipped and the fish swam back to the turbid depths.

I say misfortune because all I can think about this October is steelhead…and guess what I probably won’t be doing this year: fishing for steelhead.  Family commitments and monetary constraints have put the kibosh on any idea of even a quick weekend mission (is there such a thing anyway?).

The feed on Instagram is killing me right now.  It seems everyone is swinging into some chrome except for me.  I question if it would have been better that I never feel the pull of a real and powerful steelhead.  It may actually not be better to “have loved and lost than never loved at all”.

“Maybe I will have a chance in the spring” I tell myself.  “Maybe next fall.”

Maybe, but who knows.

In the interim, I am doing the best I can with what I have.  Like a meth addict who had a taste of what Walter White can produce; I am trying to cook up my own fix.  Synthetic replacements and home cooked “stuff” have me wanting, but at least I am getting by.

Home cooked.

I have turned my attention to tying and swinging flies on the Animas and San Juan rivers.  Big slabs of butter are moving around and it seems fish are very eager to eat.  Some balk at the idea of throwing spey rods for trout.  Their criticisms fall on my deaf ears.  Trout intruders, soft hackle streamers, Platte River Spiders: my mind is intent on swinging flies for fall trout.

Sure, you could fish standard fall fare such as BWO nymphs and emergers, Tricos, and Midges.  You would probably catch more fish too.  (and you should fish these if you are headed to the Animas).  Trout are even taking the occasional ant pattern.  That is fine, I will take my trout on the down and across, thank you very much.  321 cfs is a pretty good flow for trout swinging on the Animas.  568 is a pretty decent flow to swing flies on the San Juan River too.  If I want to catch a fish on a dry, I will be tying on a Mousketeer and swinging it.

You can also expect that I will be tying trout spey flies this Wednesday at our first official Open Fly Tying night at the shop from 6-8.