Home Articles posted by Katie Fiedler (Page 2)

Author: Katie Fiedler

Katie has been guiding for trout since 2008. Prior to fishing, she worked as a raft guide and video kayaker for several years. When she is not on the river, Katie works as a local EMT. Facilitating fun in the outdoors is her passion in life! Follow Katie on Instagram @katie.fiedler.anderson and check out her You Tube Channel to join the fun!

What is a Palomino trout?

 You will notice the Palomino trout because of its unique coloring; it looks almost like an albino rainbow trout! Also known as “bananas” or “lightening trout”, a Palomino’s golden coloring comes from a West Virginia golden rainbow trout breeding with a classically colored rainbow trout and creating a one of a kind catch that delights many anglers.

Palomino trout originated from a hatchery in West Virginia and can now be found in many lakes and stocked streams. Here in the Valley, we find them in stocked lakes & ponds. They are able to reproduce, unlike another local hybrid species the tiger trout, although there is not much information on the success rates.

The Palomino is surely unique, and they are said to have a better fight when at the end of your fly rod. This could be the excitement of catching such a rare looking fish or it could be a truly stronger breed, but you will have to find out for yourself!

Anderson’s Fish Camp is proudly partnered with the Country Club of the Rockies, where you will find a few Palominos circling the gold course lakes. Please call (970) 376-0002 to book a guided fly fishing trip today!

Above: A Palomino catch for a beautiful fly fishing bride-to-be! ( 2019)

What is Run-Off? Some fun facts about high water season.

What is Run-off?

Welcome to run-off season! Anyone that gazes at the Eagle River often, may have noticed that it is looking a little different lately. All of the snow from the high-mountain peaks is melting rapidly, creating a season us “river folk” fondly refer to as run-off!

Our home river, The Eagle River, is 60.5 miles of undammed free-flowing beautiful mountain water. The headwater begins its journey near the Continental Divide just outside of Red Cliff, CO. where you can jump from bank to bank over the Eagle River; and then it continues westward until it joins the Colorado River in Dotsero, CO. Through this 77 mile stretch, snowmelt, rain, creeks, and small drainages, empty into the river which increases its volume as it flows downstream. For this reason, the USGS ( United States Geological Survey) has set up gauges at various points along the Eagle River so that you can check the flow.

I like to follow the Avon, CO flow chart, since this is the water that I fish the most. (Link at the end of this article)

Following this chart; At its lowest the Eagle River flows in the range approx. 40-90 CFS. At its highest or at its peak, the Eagle River will run anywhere between approx. 5,000 and 7,000 CFS.

The peak is determined by the weather and snow pack. Hot days back to back, with a healthy snow-pack will get a high volume run-off. Cooler days, or a terrible snow year will produce a slower/lower volume run-off.

WHAT IS CFS?

CFS stands for Cubic Feet Per Second. For a visual, a basketball is roughly the size of a cubic foot. The Eagle River is running at around 1,500 CFS today.

If you picture yourself standing in the middle of the river (not recommended right now!), than you will have roughly 1,500 basketballs blasting past you EVERY SECOND! Not a game of dodge ball I want to play!

Nonetheless, run-off is a healthy river function! Run-off clears out sediments ( such as all of the rocks/sand deposited on the roads through out the winter)  that collect and can kill or suffocate bug life over time. When the bug life isn’t healthy, the fish suffer. This is something that often is missing when a damn is constructed in the middle of a river, and why we are so lucky to have a healthy WILD river in our backyard.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT FISHING?

Fish are truly remarkable. They survive the frigid cold winters, and then they are hit with run-off, which they are adapted to quite well. In a wild river like the Eagle, there are plenty of rocks, boulders, and river bends that offer protection from the raging currents. The fish will hunker down in these areas during the peak flow. They aren’t hanging on for dear life as you or I might be doing if we had 900 basketballs of water flushing by us every second; rather fish simply adapt to the conditions, and move around accordingly. The trout will still eat a variety of aquatic insects during this time and once the water calms down, they move away from the shallow river edges where they are vulnerable to predators. The fish eat every day, and therefore can be caught every day. It’s the approach that changes for an angler, as we have to adapt to presenting flies in the varying conditions. But that, my friends, is job security; and one of the reasons I love what I do!

If you would like to book a trip with Anderson’s Fish Camp, please call or text us at (970) 376-0002 or visit AndersonsFishCamp.com for more information. You will find our current COVID protocols on our web site. If you are fishing on your own, please be careful! Never wade into a section that is moving rapidly. 

If you want to check the flow visit: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09067020&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

Anderson’s Fish Camp- “Phase 2” Eagle County COVID Protocols

Here are the current changes to our guiding routines to accommodate Eagle County COVID protocols.  

Updated on 6-3-2020

  1. Gear  (waders, boots, chairs, rods, nets) will be sanitized prior to guest arrival. 
  2. No one shall fish or show up to fish if they, or anyone in their household, are feeling any COVID symptoms. If you cancel your trip due to COVID symptoms, you will be refunded fully. 
  3. We are currently assigning one guide to groups of 3 or less. 
  4. We are currently recommending all parties wear a face covering when in close proximity to their guide. 
  5. Guides will stand 6 feet away as often as possible, and wear a face mask whenever possible. 
  6. Guides will sanitize the rod and net handles with disinfecting wipes before each guided trip. 
  7. Guides will take photos from their personal phones and AirDrop or text them to their guests. 
  8. Guests will be provided with a walking pole to assist in walking on slippery river areas to minimize contact with their guide. In addition, fishing places will be chosen with distancing in mind. 
  9. Guests are encouraged to bring their own water and snacks from home. 
  10. Guests are encouraged to pay for their trip via Venmo or over the phone with a credit card. 
  11. Guests are encouraged to purchase their mandatory fishing license from CPWshop.com ( Colorado Parks and Wildlife) before their trip. 
  12. A bottle of hand sanitizer will be available at all times on the bank of the river as well in the guides vest/pack. 
  13. When you catch a fish, we won’t high-five you… but we will hoot and holler! 

We know these are CRAZY times. Your safety has always been our top concern while we are on the water, and “saftey” has reached a new level these days. We will continue to do our best. If you have questions or would like to book a trip: call or text (970) 376-002. Stay safe! 

Anderson’s Fish Camp COVID-19 Protocols

The rivers are running, the fish are eating, the weather is beautiful, and we have been given the green light to provide guide services! Here are the current changes to our guiding routines. 

Updated on 5/16/2020

  1. We are currently able to provide WADE trips only. Float trips do not meet current distancing protocols. 
  2. We are currently able to guide Eagle County Residents only. This will be for as long as Eagle County is recommending travel stay within county limits.
  3. We will guide in Eagle County only
  4. Gear  (waders, boots, chairs, rods, nets) will be sanitized prior to guest arrival. 
  5. No one shall fish or show up to fish if they, or anyone in their household, are feeling any COVID symptoms. If you cancel your trip due to COVID symptoms, you will be refunded fully. 
  6. We are currently assigning one guide to groups of 3 or less. Each group must be from the same household. 
  7. We are currently recommending all parties wear a face covering when in close proximity to their guide. As the fishing allows, guides may step away and face covering may be lowered. 
  8. Guides will stand 6 feet away as often as possible, and have PPE on in the event of a brief passing. 
  9. Guides will sanitize the rod and net handles with disinfecting wipes after every transfer between client and guide. 
  10. Guides will take photos from their personal phones and AirDrop or text them to their guests. 
  11. Guests will be provided with a walking pole to assist in walking on slippery river areas to minimize contact with their guide. In addition, fishing places will be chosen with distancing in mind. 
  12. Guests are encouraged to bring their own water and snacks from home. 
  13. Guests are encouraged to pay for their trip via Venmo or over the phone with a credit card. 
  14. Guests are encouraged to purchase their mandatory fishing license from CPWshop.com ( Colorado Parks and Wildlife) before their trip. 
  15. A bottle of hand sanitizer will be available at all times on the bank of the river as well in the guides vest/pack. 
  16. When you catch a fish, we won’t high-five you… but we will hoot and holler! 

We know these are CRAZY times. Your safety has always been our top concern while we are on the water, and “saftey” has reached a new level these days. We will continue to do our best. If you have questions or would like to book a trip: call or text (970) 376-002. Stay safe! 

What are flies?

There is a lot of lingo that fly fishers use that may sound like a foreign language. Fear not! Most of the time in fly fishing, there is a simple answer. Learn the basics here to answer the common question, ” What are flies?”! 

Where do fish in Colorado go for the winter?

Contrary to popular thinking, trout (and whitefish, and suckerfish, and sculpin) in the Eagle River do not migrate. They are built to thrive in these freezing temps with a metabolism that slows down to preserve calories. The fish seek deep-water pools for protection from a full freeze and as a place to “hide” from birds of prey while they are in a slower metabolic state. The fish eat daily snacks of aquatic insects, which are largely in the dormant to slow-growth stages under the water’s surface. Insects can be found clinging to rocks and occasionally get swept off by the ebb and flow of the river water, which makes them the perfect easy snack as they float along. As the sunny days start to hit, there can also be some impressive midge (a type of tiny insect) hatches as well.

Winter Fly Fishing Arial View.

Winter fishing provides an experience that takes you off of the busy slopes, gives your legs a chance to rest while still being active, and most importantly connects the angler with one of the most serene winterscapes this valley offers. Fly fishing in the winter is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Moral of the story: catching fish in the wintertime can be both productive and fun! Sure, you may have to deal with some extra layers and some cold hands if you want to hold the fish you catch, but we know if you were afraid of the cold, you wouldn’t visit Colorado!

If you want to book a fishing adventure in the wintertime, please call Anderson’s Fish Camp at (970) 376-0002. They know the places where you can access the river’s best pools safely, what flies trout like to eat this time of year, and ways to deal with the cold temps so that you can have the BEST experience possible! Anderson’s Fish Camp offers competitive winter rates, please see andersonsfishcamp.com for details.

Winter Fly Fishing Hack!

 @katie.fiedler.anderson

Want to know a crazy little “hack” we learned on the internet?

Wearing exam gloves (like the kind a doctor or dentist would wear)  keeps your hands WAY warmer when handling fish!

I tried this out while guiding the other day. The water that hits your hands usually freezes when you get them back up in the air. Normally we spend a minute drying our hands completely after getting them wet with a little towel so that we can keep fishing comfortably. However, with the gloves on, I noticed I didn’t need to dry my hands. They stayed warmer as they were just not exposed as often to water freezing on the skin or to wind. The exam gloves layered nicely under my mittens. I could tie flies etc. with the gloves on. I did get a few hooks stuck in the finger, but they easily came out, and it didn’t really phase me. I guided a couple days later without the gloves and I could tell a difference once my hands were wet. 

The one downside that you have to consider, is that you will be wearing exam gloves in pictures. I think the photo below is  better without my fingers in it. It allows more focus on the fish details. 

Anyways, isn’t it fun to talk about fly fishing? We hope this helps you all get out on the water more this winter!

The photo below is shared from an Anderson’s Fish Camp client, Karen Clark. Karen is the founder of the Four Seasons Fly Gals fishing group out of Texas. From tying flies at Starbucks, to making friends on their local waterways, laughing at massive tangles, to baking fly fishing cookies, to getting out and fishing every piece of water they cross; the four seasons fly gals are a fun bunch to follow! Check them out on Instagram @4seasonsflygals .

If you want to book a fishing adventure in the wintertime, please call Anderson’s Fish Camp at (970) 376-0002 or visit AndersonsFishCamp.Com . They know the places where you can access the river’s best pools safely, what flies they like to eat this time of year, and ways to deal with the cold temps so that you can have the best experience possible! Anderson’s Fish Camp offers competitive winter rates.

5 Lessons of a Breast Feeding Mama During the Ladies’s Tarpon Fly Fishing Tournament in Islamorada, Florida

 

The only lesson I wanted, was how to catch more fish, faster. These are not the lessons I wanted or asked for, but these are the lessons I received.

Tarpon Fishing is Wildly Humbling.

 

1. I learned to be more confident.

If you ask my friends, I am the confident one, so it’s almost laughable that this was my first lesson. I wanted to strap my first fish; it was borderline. My guide said to me “no, we will catch a bigger one” #jinx.

Later, regret set in when I saw a photo of the one and only strap in the competition back at the dock. It didn’t look any bigger than the fish I had?! Now I had a lot of room to second guess myself. It would be easy to blame my guide. But he’s not the one doubting himself, I am.

At the end of the day, I should have strapped that fish, if for nothing else, so that I could learn to judge fish size better. It doesn’t matter what the outcome was; it’s better than doubt and wonder! Therefore, I could be more confident.

 

2. Celebrate the little victories.

Tarpon fishing is tough. Not easy. Truly. Especially if you’re a trout-aholic.

There’s the strip set, don’t move your rod tip,……………..

Read Full Article on Mauser’s Web Site: https://mauserflyfishing.com/blogs/blog/5-things-i-learned-while-fishing-the-women-s-tarpon-fly-fishing-tournament-in-islamorada-florida-by-katie-fiedler-anderson

Kids and Fly Fishing

As a guide, I get this question a lot; “How old do my kids need to be to fly fish?”

Answer: I don’t think there is a magic age. It really depends on the kid.

With that said, I have guided kids as young as 6 who love it and can stay focused for a few hrs. But I have also guided adults with little patience, and after 30-45 minutes they are board. So often times, I think it has more to do with patience than age.

Bottom line: If you think you can have some fun outside, AND fish at the same time, then the time is now!

Here are a few tips I use to win kids over both in the outdoors and in the sport of fly fishing.

1. Set expectations! Kids that know what they are getting into, have less anxiety about all of the new strange things we are asking of them. They will be putting on waders, driving in the car, walking in the woods, peeing in the woods, walking in the water. This will build excitement and help ease anxiety for the big event!

 

Read the full article: at https://mauserflyfishing.com/blogs/blog/kids-and-fly-fishing-by-cooper-anderson

Islamorada Ladies Tarpon Tournament 2016

    I had the pleasure of fishing in my first ever Tarpon Tournament this past June. In fact, it’s one of Islamorada’s first classic tournaments designed for women, by women. The Ladies Tarpon Tournament has a rich history in the beginnings of women creeping into a male-dominated sport. The tournament began in 1977 with a group of women in the Florida Keys wanting their own version of the Gold Cup and Hawley. Charter members wanted the tournament to be prestigious and fun.

  After a couple of years in the early 2000’s  of less than impressive turn-outs that eventually lead to the tournament taking a hiatus; fishing legend Heidi Nute (above) took matters into her own hands and brought this tournament back to life. We all want to be a little more like Heidi. If you want to know why look at her score sheet, talk to her, or watch her master all things fly fishing on season 2 of Silver Kings. 

    This is the first fishing tournament I have ever entered and for a girl from Colorado, the competition was real. There is something so cool happening on this little island of Islamorada. Women are fishing; women are fishing a lot. They are making it a large part of their lives. They are good too. It’s so cool to see. I mean check out this group of ladies; all geared up, ready to fish, and ready to talk about fishing. This was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had! 

    The first day of the 3 day tournament was super exciting. Up before the sun, at the world famous Loreli dock, we waited for our heat to hear the blow horn. Jeremy Fisher was my guide and his brand new boat tore out of the bay like a bat out of hell. My favorite part was listening to Stick Figure jam on the sound system as the sun came up. It was a moment that is hard to describe.

     Eventually, I had to put a rod in hand and get to work. Jeremy suggested that I use his rod because he was worried about the 3 piece coming apart if we were to fight a big tarpon. It was an element I never considered, but, “When in Rome”! The picture Below is one of the only ones I took of Jeremy, because, you know, fishing. He has laser-eyes.  It’s downright impressive how he can tune into “funny water” and know exactly whether or not it’s a shark or silver king almost immediately. I recommend Jeremy to anyone who wants to be put onto fish. He was the most professional and successful guide I have ever fished with. It’s cool to be around that caliber of a guide, and it definitely leads to a fun-ass time on the water. 

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 I kept telling myself not to have expectations and to relax when the fish appear. I also kept running through clock positions in my mind, because it’s just not the way I see things when I guide back home in Colorado. 2 o’clock to your right, 5 o’clock turn, don’t cast at 12 o’clock, 9 o’clock left. I don’t know what other anglers have running through their mind. I waould tell myself to be like Heidi. I would imagine leading the fish, not stepping on the line, and strip-setting.Ugh! Strip-setting is my BIGGEST weakness. There was a point where I considered swimming home after losing 4-5 fish to PAINFUL trout setting techniques. Strip set= keep your rod tip down. Trout set= lift your rod tip up. 

 
     One thing you can not control is the weather, and we were downright blessed with amazing conditions. Day one I released 2 fish (see the scoreboard below). Released fish means that you get the leader through the first guide on the rod. Then you attempt to back out and fight the fish for a catch. It feels incredible to get a release then follow that with a crushing blow when you lose the fish. It’s such a weird game we play, hook a fish, reel it in, touch it, let it go. Cuss a lot (sorry Grammie). Laugh a lot. I love every second of it.  

A release is worth 100 and a catch is worth 300. There is a minimum size limit to prevent fishing for baby tarpon. Note Heidi crushing competition right out of the gate. #belikeheidi

 

    Day 3 was my best and worst day.Early in the morning, I ended up sticking one for my one and only catch.  I did a blind-ish cast which is probably why I wasn’t able to trout set the tarpon. Every muscle was shaking as I talked to the tarpon and tried to wear it out. Jeremy’s favorite word is either reel or bow, “REEL REEL REEL REEL! BOW! REEL REEL!”  We were in a groove seeing fish, hooking fish, and losing fish. I mean, seriously, this was so fun and wildly disappointing all at once. I felt CRAZY! I was thrilled, happy, and super pissed every time I got a bite; which happened more than a few times that day. 


   Heidi Nute and Craig Brewer took an easy first place ( and she caught a permit.. no big deal #belikeheidi). Randee Ward and Jarod Raskob took second after a solid day 3. And Pia with guide Larry came into third.  I lost the tie-breaker for third place because of the rule “last fish caught first rule”. It was a 30 min difference. I guess I have to go back next year now!

We ended up getting a prize for the high score on the third day. (below) I am proud of myself for being competitive and getting on the board. I am so proud of all the ladies that were involved too. There was some serious damage done out there! 34 silver kings in 3 days. 

 



DOLPHIN! 








Wildly perfect sunsets are the norm here. They are perfect with rum. 

Blue Wing Ding with Scientific Anglers and Winston- Green River, Utah

We spent a few great days out on the Green River in Utah with fellow pro-staffers from Scientific Anglers and Winston rod company. It was so refreshing to be around so many like-minded individuals. It took about 5 hours of driving to get to Dutch John from Vail.

IMG_2327We arrived at the fly shop in Dutch John which is attached to a gas station/restaurant. The only one for miles. After checking into our brand new cabin (you can rent through Trout Creek Flies),

DCIM100GOPROG0400521.we headed to “Little Hole” which was a take-out for section A. It was maybe a 5min drive. Not long at all.  We wade-fished there and started to sink into the beauty that is the Green River. The color of this river matches its name, but photos don’t quite do it justice. Every inch of this river is crystal clear with deep pools of emerald green contrasted with the huge red rock cliffs on either side. Fish were keying into small black juju baetis flies.

DCIM100GOPROG0330452.

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Night one. Cooper tried to die at dinner. *WARNING GRAPHIC*  He coughed a few times and as I am asking if he is ok I just saw him paralyzed in a frozen state with drool pouring out of his mouth and tears streaming from his eyes. I started wailing on his back…nothing. I got up and got behind him to get the Heimlich maneuver going. I heard about 20 chairs slide out and all guides were ready to report to duty. It’s funny what details your remember when shit goes down. The sound of those chairs makes me laugh to myself every time I think about it.  I don’t remember much else really. I know I pumped on him once and then I heard someone say “he’s coughing,” so I stopped destroying him and proceeded to watch him hack and puke all over the table. I noticed Coop’s face drained of all color and I was still not sure what the heck just happened. It was a hot mess. THAT is what I call a first impression. 🙂 We went outside and walked around for a bit. I was there just as support in case he tried to die again. He finally puked in the parking lot and immediately after said,” That was it.” I’m sharing this story because it makes me laugh. Literally,  “that was it” and we are on our way to the Wing Ding Olympics.

Cooper had “medical deferment” from participating and yet he still decided to participate in the whole deal; a shot of Yukon and all. #lifechoices #movingon That’s my husband. Love him.

 

About the Wing Ding Olympics. This was a brain child of a genius.

Station 1- Accuracy casting with a Winston into some hula hoops on the ground

Station 2- Sprint to the cooler across the parking lot and blow the duck call. “blow the fat side”

Station 3- Sprint to a setup and take a shot of Yukon and make a spark with the fire starting kit. Bonus points for starting a fire. (no one got bonus points)

Station 4- Try not to let the Yukon affect you as you sprint over to the blow-dart gun and blow up a balloon, tie the balloon to a leader, hang it on the barn, and pop it with the dart gun.

Station 5- Run over to the 2wt and you get three false casts to thread the line through the hanging target.

TIME

You didn’t have to win, you just didn’t want to be the loser. Or this….

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As I come back to work and people say “oh you look cold” all I can think about is going again. Of course it was cold, and it was beautiful and it was awesome, and it was STILL one billion times better than working at my winter job or watching TV or doing chores or running a marathon. There was nowhere I would have rather been. Good company, fly fishing, manhattans for everyone. Thanks SA and Winston for an awesome few days. Until next time!

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Fish in a minute

A quick little guide to catching a trout, explained in 3 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Fly Fishing in Tulum, Mexico

     Cooper & I recently made the commitment to check a box on our bucket list and headed to Tulum, Mexico. I’ve never used my passport, and I was tired of reading all these blog posts about the incredible fishing all over the world. I was tired of seeing my Facebook explode with endless enthusiasm for wanderlust, and not really getting it.  I figured Mexico would be an easy start. We booked our stay in Tulum. Tulum was an EASY 2-hour drive south of Cancun airport. I would describe Tulum as an up and coming yoga lovers destination. Think of vegan options,  naked meditation on the beach, and massage with aromatherapy and ginger tea to boot.  But let’s get back to fishing.
rainweb

     I’ll keep it real, it was raining 8 out of the 10 days we stayed in Mexico. (October is rainy season in the rainforest! Lesson learned). 
It was a bit rough to say the least. I have never felt so gross. All of those authentic thatched roofs were straight leaky; so everywhere we went, the water followed. That has to count as some sort of mermaid spa treatment to be wet for 7 days in a row. My clothes smelled moldy and we ran out of dry towels in our hotel room. Anyways, the first day we tried to get out to fish, our guide Rhett, showed up in a downpour at 5 in the morning. He came into our musty hotel room and said, “there is no fucking way.” The surf was huge and not looking to settle anytime soon. He then told us a story of a Navy Seal he has taken out fishing in this kind of weather who, “loves this kind of shit.”  I am tough, don’t get me wrong, but I am not even close to Navy Seal ready. Mission aborted. I love guides and their stories. *Book idea: Guide Stories from the U.S. and Beyond. Call a publisher!


 turtle   We waited a couple days and in the meantime; we paddle boarded in private cenotes, swam in cenotes, learned about pesos, walked the beach for miles, saw sea turtles hatching on the beach ( Sea turtles hatch randomly throughout October), and stuffed our faces with more guacamole than what seemed humanly possible. Nonetheless, we were getting a little stir crazy. Both of us had researched the fishing reviews and were itching to get out there!rainrainweb
Cenotes are these incredible limestone sinkholes in the jungle. Many are filled with fresh water and some are filled with brackish water depending on their proximity to the ocean. Some are open air and some are caves. One of the cenotes we visited in an intermittent rainstorm, I saw a tarpon roll in. I asked Rhett about it, and he said with all the rain it wasn’t uncommon for ocean fish to find their way into the mangroves for some reprieve. Too bad “no fishing” signs hung all over the place. If they take the trouble to write it in English, I’ll abide. Plus, I don’t know enough Spanish to ask if I can peso my way in with a fly rod to do some catch and release. I think we paid 100 pesos to paddle this cenote, and the gentleman even carried my board to the water for me! Cooper had to carry his own. *life goal: learn more Spanishsercretcenoteweb

  Finally on day 8, the sun came out and Rhett was ready to take us fishing.YAAAAYYY!!! We went to the Sian Ka’an biosphere.  We drove the infamous dirt road, and yes it was pretty rough. Although not quite as bad as imagined, I still wouldn’t want to take anything less than a truck or jeep over some of the bigger pot holes.signweb
The surf was still a little testy, but wadeable. It kind of reminded me of high school when I would intentionally jump in moshpits just because I was in the mood to YOLO and see what would happen. You get pushed around, but it’s really not as aggressive as it looks from the outside.surfweb'
Rhett talked about the resident crocodile that lived in the area right before he has us wade through the jungle and into the ocean. I caught a glimpse of what it might be like to be a client of mine coming to Colorado for the first time. I talk about bears freely and then immediately proceed to walk through thick service berry filled brush ( aka: bear food) on the way down to the flowing river and say “let’s get in!” The unknown keeps it exciting to say the least!junglewalkweb
We fished a righteous spot where the cenote water flushes out of the jungle just like a mouth of a river meeting the ocean.

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  We walked on this untouched beach for hours.We followed the edge of the murky water and looked for tarpon and snook paying attention to the bait fish that we would see jumping and scattering. We fished an 8wt & 9wt rod. Our leaders were shorter per Rhett’s suggestion; we hand tied the leaders with about 4 ft. of 30lb to a 2ft section of 40lb bite tippet.  ( Thanks Nate Dogg for letting us borrow your rod!)Then we waded into the mouth of the cenote flush and blind casted in the murky water.

snackswebEvery once in awhile I would hear Rhett get super excited about something that I didn’t even come close to seeing. A permit, a jack, a big flash. I believed him every time, again, it’s really the same way in Colorado. I spot fish all the time that my clients don’t see. This is his spot. I loved fishing with someone who LIVES his passion guiding out on the water. Maybe half way into the trip, Cooper hooked up with a snook! AWESOME!Not 5 minues after he released his fish, I hooked into mine. Really, this was ALL we came for! And it finally happened. It was a happy moment to say the least. We both caught some decent fish, and the trip was not for nothing. I think I will remember this snook forever, because I had to work so hard for it. I had to battle the rain, Montezuma’s revenge, a dirty hotel room, and my sanity while waiting to get a rod in my had, and FINALLY I caught a break.  Cooper hooked up a couple more times before we called it a day.

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   If you find yourself in Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Cancun, look up Akumal Fly Fishing. Rhett is exactly the kind of guide I would recommend to anyone. He is passionate, honest, friendly, animated, and prepared.  Did you know you can buy bags of half-popped popcorn?!? Rhett has the hook-up on fishing and half popped-popcorn. But sorry ladies, he has a girlfriend too.

We wore wading socks and Keens. This was Cooper’s brilliant idea, and I am happy to say it worked well! It felt nice to take them off too.
rhett&coopweb
Cooper & Rhett at the lunch spot on the beach.