Rio Grande Club Day Three

by Marshall

Sunday 10/18/09

Morning was a repeat of Sat. Cold at 8 am and warmed up by 10 am when we were to meet at the fishing lodge with guide Joel Condren, owner of South Fork Anglers. I was slow getting focused and ready to fish. Too much low protein scotch coupled with good pinot noir wine at dinner.

Finally I was ready and the group set off down the cart path to the second bridge. Tucker and friend stopped to fish the pool below the first bridge.

The rest of us went to the second bridge to work back up stream. Joel started Sabrina in a deep run just upstream from the bridge. Michael was upstream from her and I was farther upstream.

Joel took me farther upstream to where a gravel bar split the river into a fast section and a slower section. He explained the water structure and how it made for a deep bucket at the base of the riffle feeding the run. Then this type of water will often cause a high ridge with slower water and the faster water of the run itself. Joel called this water over the deeper run "Hard or Nervous" water and the water over the slower section "Soft" water.

After Joel explained the water and bottom structure and put on a Rio Grande AP in size 14, he went upstream with Sabrina and I fished the run hard. See the wavelets from where my line hits the water to the far shore. This is "Hard" water that offers great overhead concealment for trout. Joel said this run holds a lot of trout.

After some 20 drifts, I hooked a scrappy little 11 inch rainbow. Another 30 casts and I had a much larger fish on. Got a good look at him on the surface before he practiced self release. I fished the hole for another 40 minutes with only one good strike.  I am sure there were others but quite subtle and I missed the set. During this 40 minutes, the wind was coming up and gusting which made drift control and casting difficult.

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