4/13/08

RF/Basalt town water.

450 cfs

Air 50, water 52 Degrees

10:30 – 3

We crossed the river and bashed down to the sure thing run.  Tied on the big red midge and Barr’s Emerger, drifted all the likely water and got nothing.  Tried the 20 black midge to similar effect. T and M could not produce a fish.  T fished for a brief time then retired to the bank to enjoy the after effects of a few extra rations of grog he had imbibed the night before. Our former fishing guide and piscatorial advisor was not helpful in cracking the code until he noted a small black stone that had crawled into his space.  I tied on a black AP and got a couple small browns.  M produced a fish on a similar bug.  T left for points east while we dredged for another hour taking only one more fish.  We crashed back up stream and hit a few likely spots.  M got a nice 16” brown he found lying behind a rock while I prospected a deep pool in the side channel.  We marched another half mile and I could hear M thinking; are we there yet?  We got nothing out of my favorite slot.  We walked up to the mansion hole and M turned a few fish.  He showed me an adult 16 black caddis and I started rummaging in my box and tying knots.  I went above and high sticked the seam with a Graphic Caddis and Barr’s Emerger.  Nada.  I tied on a black Jujube and got a beautiful 17” rainbow that had both flies in his mouth.  M started looking for flies and tying knots.  On the next drift I stuck a fat 16” bow that launched twice and ended up with a fly in his tail. I finally subdued it and got 2 smaller browns on 5 drifts.  Meanwhile M is now fuming and finishing his rig.  Thinking I had bogarted the hole long enough I headed up stream.  After hitting a few more spots I crossed the river and went to retrieve the car.  M reported he caught 3 more fish out of the hole.  Since he had never seen the Pan we drove up and found it frothy, and ochre colored and decidedly unfishable.  We headed back to Denver in time to experience the last ski traffic jam of the season.