Boulder Creek Triple Play - July 31 2010

After checking the stream flows at breakfast this morning, I changed my original plans of going to South Boulder Creek.   Flows at 200cfs are a bit high for that stream, and I didn't want to waste a 2 mile hike in for nothing.  So I quickly changed course and set out for Mid-Boulder Creek instead.   I drove about 12 miles up the canyon, to mile marker 32 or so, and pulled off a dirt frontage road of sorts that paralleled the river.   It was a cool upper 50's morning until the sun popped around through the canyon walls.

Water was quick and tumbly through this part of the canyon, but a bit more relaxed than other parts seemed on the drive up.   Almost immediately I was into my first fish, a small rainbow.   I worked my way up stream for a few hours picking off fish behind most likely looking places - behind boulders, along seams, under small plunge pools.  As I worked up stream, the rainbows changed into browns, and I also got a small brook trout.  As I climbed higher, the number and size of boulders also increased, creating swift channels and lots of pocket water.   High sticking techniques were in order here.

The trick of the day seemed to be a dry-dropper rig with a green Royal Humpy trailed by an amber caddis pupa.   Most of the fish were on the caddis.  Total count was about 12 fish. Flows were about 120cfs.  Moderate insect activity - mostly caddis and midges, a random green drake looking fly.  Home by 11:15am.

Natural Creativity

A future engineer inspired by being and creating outdoors?  Better then being in front of a TV or computer screen all day.  Check http://www.childrenandnature.org

The Kids

Spent a few hours with Nephew Alex and Niece Anna  yesterday at the Boulder kids Ponds, which are stocked with rainbows.  After a long while of no action, we finally found the fish stacked up at the cool water inlet.