Another great private water day.

Yesterday we had another tremendous day on our private water section. A half day afternoon trip provided non-stop action. There were caddis and blue wings on the water and fish were more than eager to eat drys. I had three great clients and several times had two rods doubled over with fish on the end and once all three had fish at the same time. Sorry I have no pictures for this post but with so many fish to catch it's hard to stop and dig out the camera. With the warm weather I expect the fishing will only get better and better so I encourage you to load up on dry flies and get to the river. I'm sure that's the only place you'll be able to find me during day light hours for the next couple of weeks.

Matt Ellis
Guide

WTF Arki Fishing!

I enjoy fishing so many rivers all over the world. And, it was so good to be able to get away and spend some time on the Reef last week. However, I am always stunned at the caliber of our Colorado Rivers, and more importantly the river I live on. It seems like I can never fully understand how well this river truly fishes until I spend a full week guiding on it. We had such a tremendous back to back float trip yesterday to cap off a great week on the water! Caddis have been huge in places and sporadic in others; however, combined with BWO's and great attractor fishing, has allowed for pretty easy fishing. This is just a post for myself to acknowledge that I feel so blessed to be able to live and work on one of the greatest rivers in the world. And to be able to share my perspective with other angling enthusiasts is simply icing on the cake!

T

Arki Gets Headlines

Check out this weeks outdoor article in the Denver Post: Article.

Get Arki bound, or miss out on all the fun!

Rob Goes Anti Pebble!

Some more good news on the Alaska Front.....But still one step at a time!

Hollywood star Robert Redford is speaking out against the Pebble Mine, a huge copper and gold deposit poised for development in southwest Alaska, which also hosts the world's last and best wild salmon runs and trout streams.

Redford posted a blog entry Thursday morning on the Huffington Post website that says he's not against mining but is against "putting mega-mines where they don't belong."

He also is speaking out in a New York Times advertisement paid for by the Natural Resources Defense Council asking mining companies Rio Tinto and Anglo American to leave Bristol Bay alone.

Redford describes Pebble as a disaster-in-the making. But the mining companies maintain they can develop the mine responsibly and without harming fish.

We are so pleased to have a conservationist such as Robert on board, every little bit helps!

T

On The Water Reporting @ RGA

I am so excited about our new report system, which will feature on the water video reporting! We now have a video window on our Arkansas River Report Page: Arki Report, that will feature fly fishing tidbits for the day and great all around stuff for you too use on the water. I hope this is such a useful tool for everyone! We will continue to work on live streaming updates, and as our communications technology improves in the canyon, we will be there!

Our reports coming up will feature the Royal Gorge Anglers fly box (a look at the day's selections); Flow Updates; and Tools & Techniques........

Parle Vu Rendezvous

On Tuesday we hooked up the Hog Island, unrolled our sails, and the wind took us to Casper WY for the 25th Annual Orvis Rendezvous. Not only was I relieved to arrive after the usual gale force hurricane winds on the way, but also to see every truck in the hotel parking lot attached to a Dory! We had a great 2 day meet and greet with the Orvis owners/ staff; and saw a ton of great new product that will be available soon if not now! We even got a chance to get on the Reef to do some on the water clinics to test our guiding and angler prowess.....Even saw some Blue Wings, until they blew off!

A great program and great couple of days, but always awesome to roll home and see the Arki!

Great trip to our private water.

Our private water section provided a great day of fishing for Layne and Sherry yesterday. We found fish on double nymph rigs of stone fly imitations and baetis nymphs all day long and had some productive fishing on the surface and just below with baetis drys and emergers in the afternoon. Every where we looked we were finding good hatches of blue wing olives and all the conditions are right for an explosion of caddis that I'm sure will happen soon.

Matt Ellis- Guide

The Orvis Family

Check out our new unique page on the Orvis Adventure Site HERE!

Saltwater Fever

C. Werthman with an incredible Bone in the hamas.....Saltwater fishing is a tremendous part of the sport! I dream of fish like this every night, and count the days between my trips to the flats. Whether it is Belize, Costa Rica, or the Bahamas; it really makes no difference. Its about the sand between your toes, the cold refreshment between your fingers and the sightfishing hunt on the flats.

When are you going? Not if, but when? This is how you should be loving to live your life......

The Oven is Preheated.....GET your Caddis Ready!

Another great week of trips last week! The river is truly starting to come into true form! Watch for updates daily this week, as we WILL see Caddis on the lower river. Water temps are right and oven is preheated; get ready for a big one this season!

Check out this post from one of our groups on Friday. What a great day on the water with these girls! Check out this post about the day from their website at Reel Sisters of Colorado: Reel Sisters!

Deep Water Cay Bound

So the best 2 sticks in southern Colorado, Joe Bower and SoCO Guides Head Guide, Clint Werthman waiting patiently in Miami for their flight to Grand Bahama (And Sporting their Cross Current Travel Hats!)! Good luck to these 2 as they spend a week in Deep Water Cay fishing for what may be the biggest bonefish in the world! Stick a big one boys, wish I was there with ya!!!!

Keep your eyes out for a special host trip to this great destination next season through Cross Current Travel Group!

Another Successful Spring Fling

Well Everyone, yet another successful 11th annual Spring Fling at the Cotopaxi KOA completed yesterday afternoon! We are so thankful to everyone that makes these events possible! We had such a great, energetic group this year; and boy did we have a great time out on the water! Not only did we get some great on the water learning in on both days, but also got to experience some great BWO hatches both days. We are so blessed to live on one of the greatest rivers in the world! We truly hope that the whole group left as better anglers, and again thanks go out to all of our clients! The BBQ on Saturday, nothing short of INCREDIBLE! 60 pounds of brisket, 50 pounds of sausage, and more beer than I care to even try to weigh was consumed. Its always a tremendous time at the Fling.

Keep your eyes peeled for our fall clinic.....coming soon!

On another note, GO FISH! Fishing is just plain amazing all over the state, and we have native flow on the Arkansas through the Caddis Hatch! We are stoked for a tremendous season!


Tight Lines,

T

Fly Fishing Film Tour Tonight!

Pretty awesome folks, the Southern CO Fly Fishing Film Tour is tonight at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs @ 6pm! Some of the most EPIC angling footage you have ever seen will be revealed for the first time, and did I mention it is in a bar? Also, there are countless awesome silent auction items to be auctioned off; and the first annual Guide Auction where SoCO Guides will be giving away 2 free trips. Alright people get out on a Friday Night, and get pumped for the spring fishing that awaits us!

Merry Christmas and a Happy Fly Fishing Show

Ok guys short but sweet......

Have a stinkin good holiday from me to you!

This holiday is usually a pretty special one for me because not only do I get to take a couple of days off to fish for myself, but sometimes santa even brings me some sweet fly fishing shwag....Lets get barebones here....Santa, if you are reading my blog please give a shout out to my boys over in Medford, Oregon, to send me out one of those new 10' 5wt Platinum Switch Rods. Ok, I mean we have had one on the rack for a few days, but I can't take that one right, wouldn't be kosher. So, Santa bring it home this Christmas.

Ok guys, weather wise, Im pretty sure it might be summer again tomorrow, it was 65 freakin degrees today, and based on reports (of course I am stuck in the shop), fishing was consistant enough to land people in the double digits for fish to the net. So people, enjoy part of your holiday on the river, as it seems we won't be in too much of a winter wonderland.

To wrap it up, it is crucial for everyone to make it to the Fly Fishing Show this year January 7, 8, and 9! So, if you have made it past your Post New Years coma (extreme hangover) come down to the Denver Merchandise Mart to see us and what looks to be the best crew of fly fishing celebrities in the history of this show!

Why should you come to the show, allow me to count the ways:

1. Lots of cool stuff, places and people to oogle at....
2. Lots of great show specials on great equipment!
3. Lots of free shwag (stickers, posters, brochures, mexican mustaches, etc.)
4. Most Importantly, SoCO Guides will have bar none the coolest booth there, and this year will be side by side with our new legit Destination Travel Service, Cross Current Travel. And.....Free Trip Give Away with yours truly!

Make it happen my peeps, we will see you there!


Jingle, Jingle, Jingle etc., and a Merry Christmas to All!

T

Fall Browns Are In!

The Browns are in the South Platte aka Dream Stream and in major fashion. These fish can be extremely hard to sight, hook and land; however, there are some good oppurtunities for very large fish. Our trips this week have seen several ten pound class fish to the net, and many quality fish over 20". After a trip several days ago, I took a few swings myself and was fortunate enough to hook a very good buck (28x19, 12-1/2 pounds)-picture above. Fish are in and fishing can be good, but this is one of those moments I will take to say, if you want a shot at one of these fish, book a guide......preferably ours, who are on the water every day wroking on these fish........

Alaska Fishing was Tremendous, but the Ark is on Fire!

So, I made it back from the largest state in the Union in one piece, which is always nice.......My last blog post explained the unexpected that is always present when heading to Alaska; and I tell you what this trip was nothing short of that in a great way. I enjoyed every second of my month up there, and experienced some new and great things! The people, the weather, the rivers, and the fish were all very Alaskan as always. Upon arrival I was delayed from flying south for a few days due to extreme winds in the Bristol Bay region. So, I found myself spending most of time in my favorite Anchorage bar, Humpys, taking down a few (or more) local micros.......Once I reached my destination, of utter bfn (middle of nowhere, bush AK) I found myself amazed yet again, even after 8 full seasons, of the magnificence of that place! Tremendous trout fishing, great clients, great friends, and an unmatched setting made my month fly by.........and I am so grateful for the memories!

However, if I was looking for tremendous trout fishing, it seems I should have just packed my bags and walked from my house 1 block down to the river. The last week of guide trips has been unparallelled by any other time period I have seen all year on the Arkansas.Tie on a bare hook and go, cuz the fishing is fairly outrageous right now, and you could have the river to yourself!!!!!
Attractors have been the ticket along with a number of sundry items such as Red Quill nymphs, BWO's, and well really anything that floats........

So, get out and fish, because Fall is upon us!

Above: 32" x 19" Copper River Rainbow taken on the switch rod

Alaska Bound

Well its official, I am one day from take off for the North land. One thing I can say for sure is that it will be cold and there will be a ton of bugs. Other than that anything can happen on these trips........

I can't say how much I look forward to a new guiding experience with the boys at Alaska's Rainbow Point Lodge. They run a first class operation, and it will be good to be on the water/flying with those boys for 2 weeks. Then the following week at Blueberry Island on the Kvichak should be the same old ridiculously productive fishing with a group of clients second to none. I will enjoy the three weeks in front of me with some of my great clients from the past!

All I can say is that Alaska is perhaps one of the last great untamed lands. As seen in the past few weeks, mother nature in this part of the country can put you down and out in a matter of seconds....There is no point in my last 7 years of guiding in the bush, where I have taken the risks lightly; however, the rewards are no less than phenomenal.

The game plan is as follows: Get Clients into massive amounts of fish; spend some quality time slinging my two handed rods; and take as much footage and photos as humanly possible during this 3 week period..........If I accomplish all of the above I should not only come back happy as a pig, but also with some mean footage that will be available for viewing shortly after I return along with the launch of our new website.............

What does SW Alaska have in store for me this season?......Hard to say, but I know it will be yet another experience of a lifetime, and never disappoints. I will try to post as often as possible with photos, and daily stories........


See ya on the flip side,

T

Floats like a butterfly, stings like a Hog

Every now and then I have to just give mad props to those who produce outstanding products........This morning on my everyday Arkansas float, I realized how good I had it looking at all of those rubber boats floating down the river. See, the fact is the Arkansas, and many other large freestone rivers can be fairly difficult to navigate in any boat much less a drift boat. These rivers are too big, with way to many rocks; and the average drift boat would come out in several pieces or just find its way to the riverbed fairly quickly. So, most fisherman who float rivers like the Arkansas do so in rubber rafts with fishing frames, which is fine and dandy for most. But, for those of us who like the Cadillac, there is a company out there who has allowed us to float in style and comfort, and that is Hog Island Boatworks. They manufacturer the only one piece roto-molded polyethylene boat on the market.......making it indestructible, unsinkable, and incomparable to any other Dorry in the industry. In fact this boat is the only drift boat with a coast guard certification for flotation, that is it can't be sunk. The Coast Guard did a swamp test on the boat that consisted of drilling multiple holes in our hull, and placing over 5500 lbs of pig iron on the decks, and submerging our boat, rod storage and all for 18 hours. It popped back up, and made history. I have taken this ship down every section of the Arkansas River, and the durability, agility, and overall comfort continues to amaze me. This boat blows any other drift boat in the industry out of the water! Thanks John, for creating such a masterpiece!

visit Hog Island Boat Works @ http://www.hogislandboatworks.com

Bling Bling

Ok guys, so, fishing couldn't get too much better. Fish are smashing big nasty critters on the surface 6 hours out of the day. However, now we have a new variable, and that is the Pale Morning Dunn. I call this time of summer the "Bling Bling" Period. That is you could take one of your gold cavity fillings out, tie it to a hook, and go out and catch 40 with it. Gold is the color, plain and simple. We have some stellar patterns here at the shop that will give you a leg up, however, the Arkansas has always been a river based on color more than pattern, so as long as it is yellow to gold it will kill. Get on it people, the crowds are minimal, and the fishing is spectacular, so hook up the boat or your favorite wading boots and get here!

Clear Edges, Nuff Said!

The edges have cleared, all the way down to Canon City this morning. I took a drive to Granite this morning, after one hell of a beer serving night last night in the New Belgium tent at Fibark, and still saw very clear water even through my post Ranger IPA haze. The fact is Stoneflies......big and small, are out in full force; and have been for 2 weeks. However, yesterday was the first legitimate clear water day we have had since the 5400 cfs king kong flush. If you have a boat or just feel confident walking the shoreline, numbers can be in the hundreds to the net this time of year. Fishing is the best it will be all year for the next week or so, so get here now!