The other day, I got up early in the morning and put my warmest clothes on. Before daylight I scraped the ice from my windows and found a warm cup of coffee for my drive. The temperature outside was in the single digits. I knew the day was going to be sunny and by the time I got to where I was going, there was enough daylight to put a smile on my face when I recognized that I was the first one to arrive and claim the spot this morning.
When I fish on the Frying Pan at the base of Reudi Reservoir, I rarely wear my waders. This spot is known as the "Toilet Bowl" to everyone that has fished it. The water released from depth of the reservoir is super charged as it passes through turbines and eventually out of a concrete box where my cast meets the water and my hook set crowns the day.
Though I arrived alone to the toilet bowl this morning, I invited my 83 year old fishing buddy, Dick Stahura. Dick lives in Basalt and has been a mentor of sort to me for most of my life. He and I fish together as often as we can. I made arrangements to meet Dick at 9 or 10 AM when the sun hit the water. Until then, it was my time to fish, right here in the fishiest spot I know, all to myself.
"Did I ever tell you I love this...?"
I believe that the way you rig for this spot, is important for catching a fish with every cast. The water pouring out of the box is turbid and deep. A jet of current rams the bank at your feet and creates a deep seam that holds many actively feeding fish. I have learned to use what I call a "bell sinker rig". With the bell sinker rig and two or three mysis shrimp flies tied to 3X tippet, I can pretty much catch every fish in the hole. Short casts, held high, with a quick hook set on feel of a strike. Sometimes I keep my cast shallow, sometimes I send it deep.
The sun broke over the hill and shined on my grateful face at around 9:30 and I noticed many of the fish that were visible sank out of sight to continue feeding on shrimp. I noticed the flats down stream with many anglers walking around looking for their own big fish to cast at. I had already caught mine. Each hook set, one after the other and I would look over my shoulder hoping to see Dick walking down the path. The fast pace of catching fish in this part of the Frying Pan is impressive, and though I could not see as many fish as I could before, the sun hit the water and the fishing was just as good.
It seemed perfect when I set the hook on a hot little rainbow and looked behind me to see dick walking my way. I landed the fish and handed him the rod. For the next five hours Dick and I set the hook on fish after fish. We caught many big browns and rainbows, hook set after hook set, doubles frequently. I set my rod down and netted every fish for Dick. It was a fun time and we caught many, many fish together.
It seemed perfect when I set the hook on a hot little rainbow and looked behind me to see dick walking my way. I landed the fish and handed him the rod. For the next five hours Dick and I set the hook on fish after fish. We caught many big browns and rainbows, hook set after hook set, doubles frequently. I set my rod down and netted every fish for Dick. It was a fun time and we caught many, many fish together.
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