Arkansas River

[David Knapp]

Last week I hit the Arkansas River tailwater in Pueblo since I hadn't fished for over a month. The weather was amazing with highs around 60 or so. Of course, a nasty day would have been nice to keep everyone else away but I'll take what I can get and happily. The rumor was that there were lots of nice fish but the hatches were a little sparse and pretty much limited to midges.

Arriving at the river, I got ready and then headed down to the stream to rig up. Upon observing the water and turning over a rock or two, I settled on a BHPT for weight and a trailing midge larva. The first two pools I tried disappointed. The first was really too shallow while in the second, I just didn't have the right fly or had drag, or one of the other problems that plague someone on a new stream.

Looking back upstream, I noticed an angler fishing off some rocks and took the opportunity to get an interesting photograph.



Back to the stream, I found a deep run that was perfect for my indicator technique. Drifting my flies time and again over perfect structure, I was starting to lose any confidence that I had started with when the indicator finally pulled under. The hook set brought about an interesting dilemma: the fish wouldn't budge, at least not the direction I wanted it to go. The ensuing battle tested my patience but finally ended with the gorgeous 20" rainbow secure in my net. I snapped a quick head shot and then a nearby gentleman graciously agreed to snap a picture for me.





After releasing the big rainbow, the rest of the trip seemed anticlimactic, but I was fishing much more relaxed now with the skunk off and was soon catching more fish including an 18" rainbow plus a mix of smaller fish.

Pausing another time allowed me to take a self portrait of sorts.



Finally, even though the sun had not set, I was happy and content with my day and decided to head out. It had been a great trip to a new piece of water. I'll be returning but honestly I'm excited for the warm months to get here so I can explore the high mountains.

[tnflyfisher]

Looks more like 19.5" to me... Awesome color on that fish DK!!


Tight Lines,

[David Knapp]

Originally Posted by tnflyfisher

Looks more like 19.5" to me... Awesome color on that fish DK!!


Tight Lines,

Its called rounding! Applying my math teacher skills... And thanks! I couldn't believe the color although I'm guessing maybe the rainbows are starting to color up for the spawn already...

[Hal M]

Great pictures and fish!! Keep reports coming,

Hal M

[flyman01]

Very nice, impressive fish and surroundings!

[flyred06]

where ever david knapp goes, big fish follow. david knapp is chuck norris. seriously nice photo's and you are a talented fisherman.

[JoeFred]

David, your great photos of the surroundings are surpassed only by that of the splendid specimen. My mentor brother was given to assigning names to trout in his writings “Fish I Have Known.” If you’re similarly inclined, might I suggest “Razorback” for yours. Nice going, man! – JF

[No Hackle]

Beautiful fish. Looks like he ready to do a little courtin'. Lynn

[David Knapp]

Thanks guys!

JoeFred, I like that idea of naming big fish. Some of my good friends have done that before and I think its a pretty neat idea. Especially when you start catching them over and over again...not sure if the fish appreciates that part or not...

[JoeFred]

David, here are two accounts from my bother Al's (aka ˆfrog) web site, http://home.comcast.net/~abt38/ about past acquaintences from your new neck of the woods. Let us know when (with you it's not not if) you catch some of their lineage.

The Del Rio Kid:
This beautiful 19" cutthroat or "cutbow" trout - not sure which - that I hooked in this bend of the Delores River near Del Rio in southwestern Colorado. It was one of those perfect holes where you always expect to hook a big trout but never do - except on this ocassion. I drifted a Grey Ghost streamer under the log and he nailed it! We fought to a draw on that beautiful day in October, 1994. I took his pic, revived him and let him go. I hope he is still under that log in the bend of the river.

The Frying Pan 'Raiders':
The football shaped 20" brown trout just below the Rudei Resovoir on the Frying Pan River near Vail, Colorado. We 'scrimmaged' for several hours one morning in October, 1994. Raiders 20 ^frog 6. Best loss I ever had.

Al would want me to aplolgize on his behalf for his site being out of date, but my tech savy, 70ish mentor is now into Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Aturner38