Colorado

Go West Young Man!

Finally Here!
Finally Here!

I have been a follower of Moose Knuckle Fly Fishing since its inception. I really love the material that is offered and decided that I want to offer my insights, knowledge, and adventures to the blog. So here I am.

Over the past week, my wife and I have taken an opportunity to go out to Colorado and stay for over a month. Last weekend, we packed the car, dropped off our two cats at my in-laws and headed west. It took about 1800 miles, the majority on Interstate 80, for us to arrive at our destination, Steamboat Springs, CO.  In order to make it here, it took two hard days of driving and every effort of my self restraint to not stop at the 3 Cabelas and 2 Bass Pro Shops that we passed along the way.  All in all it was pleasantly uneventful getting out to Colorado.

One of many amazing views!
One of many amazing views in Colorado!

Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs is located in northwest Colorado, about a 3 hour drive from Denver.  It is closer to Wyoming than the any of other major Colorado ski resorts.  Steamboat has a history based not only in mining but also cattle ranching.  The vibe of the town is definitely cowboy-ish.  I have seen more people wearing Stetsons in the past couple of days than over the past year.

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Steamboat Springs Ski Resort has over 3000 acres of skiable terrain with an average annual snowfall of over 350 inches.  The town is deserving of its nick name, Ski Town USA.  The town is also host to some of the best winter fly fishing in the country.

A rite of passage that every local child particpates in during the Winter Carnival.
A rite of passage that local children participate in during the Winter Carnival.

Yampa River

The Yampa River runs 250 miles through Northwest Colorado into Utah, where it joins up with the Green River.  It holds all four major trout species as well as Pike and Smallmouth in its lower sections.  The tailwater section below the Stagecoach Reservoir is the part where you can truly catch a trophy winter trout.  This tailwater section is about a 30 minute drive outside of Steamboat.  Usually one can drive the access road along the tailwater section; however, in the winter, this road is closed for elk migration.  So one either has to hike or snowmobile to reach the tailwater section.  Like all great Colorado tailwaters, the water temperature is stable, the insect activity is vast, and the fishing is super hard!  The Yampa also runs through downtown Steamboat.  This is a great section to try and catch a Colorado Grand Slam (cutthroat, rainbow, brown, and brookie).

The subsurface arsenal ready to go
The subsurface arsenal ready to go

Going Forward

This is the setting for my next two months.  I will be exploring all the local waters and skiing as much as I can.  In the next few months I will not only be fly fishing in Colorado but also the  Bahamas, Central America, the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and the New England coast.  I look forward to sharing all these adventures with the Moose Knuckle Fishing readers.

My wife Jess enjoying her first Fat Tire in Steamboat
My wife Jess enjoying her first Fat Tire in Steamboat
Ice Fishing

The Surreal Nature of Ice Fishing

I am back to the blogging world after a bit of a break to help venture out into the world and bring about some serene pictures backed by fascinating tales!
As we all know, this has been a rather unpredictably troubling winter, but finally, the ice in Northern New Jersey is safe enough to venture out on without the constant fear of a rather chilly bath. This past weekend has brought about some good laughs, good friends, and of course a few good stories that I shall share with you all.

Ready To Go
Ready To Go

Saturday morning started around 6 am for me as I arose to the tantalizing scent of a fresh pot of coffee being brewed. I’ve never been a morning person, but the rewards of waking up early help me deal with the pain of waking up and motivate me to catch that early morning bass or that sneaky rainbow trout. So there I sit sipping down my coffee, ‘Colder Weather by Zac Brown Band’ playing in the background as, contemplating what adventures lay in front of me for the day. Fighting with the chilly temperature of 7 degrees, I load up my gear and the dog and set out for my first destination, Lake AeroFlex in Kittatinny Valley State Park.

Morning Flight
Morning Flight

Beautiful sights and great trout fishing always brings me to this spot at least 5 times a year, but this was my first time ever fishing it in the winter. Unfortunately, I was approached by the State Park Rangers and was asked to disperse before I could even get my gear set up! No, I was not being disruptive or doing anything illegal!! Apparently, they were practicing, with the local fire department, saving people from falling through the ice. So destination two has now become my main score.

A local airport in Warren County holds key to a beautiful little fishing hole that many people are not aware of. It’s a sweet little gem that doesn’t get much attention from fishermen, so it’s become the perfect little cast away spot for the MKFF crew. Here at MKFF we like to end days on a good note so if we are having a bad day of fishing, this place always helps lift our spirits by the mass amounts of fish that we catch.

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The geese took flight about 20 minutes after we arrived. Unfortunately we had only brought fishing gear on this day and had left our shotguns safely at home, nestled in their safes.

Now, as most of us know, ice is and always will be extremely slippery and unsafe, so when you are ever on it or near it you need to practice safety and prepare for anything. Always have a pair of ice picks in case you fall through. Never go on the ice alone and make sure that someone knows that you are on the ice. And one big item that you need, that our one fisherman Mark learned is that cleats do help quite a bit to help you stay on your feet, and not on your backside.

Taking a Tumble
Taking a Tumble

Now back to the fishing! So this local spot didn’t let this angler down on Saturday. Producing quite a few fish helped save our moods from the high temperature of 17 and a wind chill of 4. Yeah, chilly conditions were saved by good fishing and a nice flask filled with some Johnie Walker. 2 perch were caught on this day as well as one 24 inch pickerel and about 25 bass ranging from a pound and a half to 5 pounds.

First Fish of the day
First Fish of the day

It feels great to be back writing and sharing my adventures! Stay tuned for more exciting excerpts from the life of the MKFF crew. Be sure to get out there and share some of your stories and pictures with us! And of course be safe and always remember to be courteous to mother nature.

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Ice Fishing

Hard Water is Here

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Happy New Year to all of our readers and followers! The snow event we received at the end of December brought with it the January cold. Last weekend the ice was thick enough, in some places, to head out. Fortunately, for everyone’s waist lines and sanity the Christmas season has come and gone leaving some quality time to get caught up on Rippin’ Lips.

Shakespeare Ice Combo With a Glow in the Dark Spoon.
Shakespeare Ice Combo With a Glow in the Dark Spoon.

Farm Ponds of Warren County

In northern New Jersey, some winters, we will have ice and others we will not. Last winter, there was no ice. Taking a peek at the long-term weather, it is difficult to tell how long the ice will last this year. That being said, smaller, shallow ponds freeze more quickly than larger bodies of water. The farm and horse country of northwest New Jersey is host to thousands of little ponds. Every farmer, former farm or country estate seems to have a little body of water. These puddles are often stocked with Bass and large ones at that.

Old Bucket Mouth Lip Grip.
Old Bucket Mouth Lip Grip.

Bass Under the Ice

In the past we have dedicated some page space to the optimal temperature for Bass. The winter is by no means ideal for this species; Bass slow down their movement and tamper their aggressiveness, though they still must eat.  Early ice provides for more action than late ice, especially when there is no snow cover. In a farm pond or other man made structure the Bass congregate in the deepest area.

The fish were trending smaller on this day.
The fish were trending smaller on this day.

Venturing Onto the Ice

All outdoor activity carries with it certain risks, you should be fully aware of these before venturing out. We recommend carrying certain minimal safety equipment with you. The MKFF crew carries a rope and a set of picks for extraction. Additionally, it makes it easier to walk and you less likely to fall if you use a set of cleats.

Holding up the prize!
Holding up the prize!

Tip Ups

Traditionally, anglers target fish under the ice using a tip up or by jigging with an ice rod. New Jersey allows you to have five (5) set ups in the water at one time. This could be any combination of rod and tip ups to the maximum number. A typical set up includes tip up, ice line, swivel, two to three feet of leader and a circle hook. A medium shiner, hooked through the back with shot sinker, up the leader, one foot from the hook, does the trick. Before hooking the bait, use a sounder attached to the hook, find bottom and pull up to be at the weed level. Once the level is set, attach your bait, lower it in and set the tip up.

Nice fish Ed!Hooking the Fish

A circle hook, as described above, is set in a different manner from the traditional fishing hook. The hook “sets itself,” leaving the angler at risk of pulling the bait out of the fish’s mouth. We adopted a method; in short, once the flag went up, allow some line to run out, once the run slows, pull on the line until taught. The fish will be hooked and you will begin working the fish back through the hole.

Check Back For More

If the winter weather conditions hold we will be back at it, attempting to catch more and bigger fish. If not, MKFF will hit the trap range next weekend. Either way, catch you next time.

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