Easter O'Grady Style !!!!!

                Hello all and thanks for checking in at The O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. I wanted to start by wishing you all a wonderful Easter. As a Christian man I know that this is what it is all about. Death has been defeated, period. Now with that being said, Easter for us is normally a time just spent with family and usually on the river for part of the day and part of the day spent with my oldest and my granddaughter.  Well this year was a little different, Cat had a guide trip go out and I thought I had one as well, mine didn’t happen. Brandon called and wanted to know what I was doing and he decided to go fishing with me and Winston. Fishing started a little slow with fish being a little picky to start the day. I started with my normal rig but after Brandon hooked up a couple of times I went ahead and took off my egg. It was almost immediate and the fish were taking both my FOD and a mercury black beauty. Fish really turned on at around 1:00 and fed for an hour or so.

                My two exciting parts of the day came when at first I noticed this big hook-jawed bow sipping blue wings off the surface and I decided to try my dry luck. I casted several times and then noticed I was missing my second fly. Brandon walked up and after pointing out the riser I casted in and watched the fish come up and grab my dry. I had no intentions of landing the fish because he was sitting a foot in front of a bush, but I was miraculously able to get his face up and away from the danger and worked him into a landing area. Well after all the hard, and excellent work on my part the fly popped out of his mouth, I didn’t even care. The other excitement came at the end of the day when Brandon had already headed back to the car; I wanted to hit one last spot. I hooked five and landed two and then I decided one more run. I casted a few times with nothing and I started heading across the river. I began to slip and I quickly recovered and no sooner did a smile appear on my face, I caught one more rock and did my first faceplant in eons. Yep, make no mistake, sometimes I’m an idiot as well.

                Now I did feel a little like a drug dealer for a few second today. I could see that Brandon had a bit of a nest and so I told him to come up and I could help. While retying he asked if he could cast my Sage One a few times and I said go ahead, first hit is free. I watched as he casted a few times and then he battled his first really good fish all the way in. I went ahead and let him catch one more fish and then took my rod back. With a tear and a small crackle in his voice he said that it was okay, and I felt a little bad because he continued to stare at my One the rest of the day.

                Anyhow, Cats guide trip went well. Her client was an absolute never ever and his first fish ever with a fly rod was a 19 incher. Can you say ruined for life. Fish today were on FOD’s and black beauties, we have no idea how long these flows will last so take advantage as much as you can. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Bandor and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…. 

           

Better Than Ever !!!!!

                Hello all and thanks for checking in at The O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. With the shoulder surgery and then this nasty crud keeping me off the water, I found myself going crazy over the last few weeks in anticipation of getting back on the water. I knew my schedule for today looked open and Cat and I planned a trip to the river. I fell asleep at my normal time last night but woke in the middle of the night and had a heck of a time getting back to sleep. I was so ready to go that I felt a little like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber fumbling with the proper words to say. “ I desperately want to make love to a school boy”. I eventually got back to sleep and when morning hit I flew through my morning work routines. Cat and I got to the river at just before noon and like the all the years between Bronco Super Bowl wins, it was totally worth it. I walked in the first run and saw a few fish just circling and I could see they were not eating. I walked down to the first feeding lane and after noticing a “true” BWO hatch I licked my lips. Half way through my first drift, my indicator rocketed up river. A brief battle and I netted an absolutely gorgeous 21 incher. I stepped back in and next drift produced a 20 incher. It took a couple of runs for Cat to catch fire but when she did, it was on. Winston had no idea where to stand because most of the day it seemed every other cast produced a fish. By one o’clock he just laid between us because he was worn out from running to see every fish. The BWO’s were on the water from the time we stepped in til we left at around three and the fish knew it as well.

                The excitement of the day came when I heard the “ciggle” ring out as loud as I have heard in years and as I turned I watched an absolute hog rocket himself about three feet straight in the air. When the fish hit the water I saw everything go limp and Cat dropped her shoulders of shame. She backed out and while voice trembling, she said she thought it was the biggest fish she had ever hooked here in town. My excitement came when a real non assuming fish changed his direction and completely smoked me. Half an hour later as I was landing a pretty nice fish I realized it was the same fish from earlier. He had two of the exact same fly in his mouth and I got my entire setup back. Did I mention the fish were eating today?

                I wanted to finish today’s blog by talking a little about the condition of our river. I know last fall there was a little fear about how our fish made it through last summer’s record runoff. Our early winter took forever to get going and even then we never really got a great feel for the fish. January seemed to last forever but today seeing the quality of the fish and the pure numbers of fish spread out. OUR River is in AMAZING condition!!!! Now does that mean that every day will be like today, probably not, but the fish are there. Fish today took everything we through at them. Eggs, FOD’s, Ninjas, and even glass bead R**’* and you know I don’t use the full name of that fly. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Lloyd and Harry, and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…..

Bad Wing and All...

          Hello all and thanks for checking in at the O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures blog. It’s been three long weeks since I stepped into the river and I think the fish missed me. I’m not sure my doctor said it was completely okay to start fishing again but he did say it was time to begin slowly working it back into shape. My plan was to fish lefty all day long but the new wing felt pretty good even casting righty, although I may go through a little extra ice this evening. When questioned about March conditions I always tell people that it can be real hit or miss, today it was on. Fish were out and they were eating!

          Cats guide trip out yesterday really had us chomping at the bit. We got to the river around 11:00 and on the third cast I knew I was where I belonged. He wasn’t large but a colored up 13 incher and my smile was there to stay. We moved down river and Cat jumped into her new favorite run. I wanted to do plenty of recon today and it sure payed off. I found one run with several red stripes and I hooked three of them. When those fish had had enough, I moved up and found another bunch, several more hookups and after more recon I found still another pod of feeding fish. I would love to tell you how many piggies I landed today but my landing percentage may have been my worst ever. I would like to blame it on the bad wing but I think in reality, today the fish were just better than me. I don’t think I will have any problem telling the time this evening after having my clock cleaned so many time today. Anyhow we continued down river and kept finding pods of fish, and yes they continued to kick my tail. Cat got several nice fish all the way in today and it was an incredible day to be out. Hopefully it will be a long time before I need to take three weeks off from fishing, it was so good to be home.

          Fish today were on peg eggs and Ninjas. We have no idea how long these flows will continue so I would suggest you get to the river. A reminder for all, Saturday the 12^th the Drift will be hosting the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Runyon theater in Pueblo, it should be an absolute ball. You can get discounted tickets at the Drift and regular priced at the door. Hope to see you all there! As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Dr. Davis and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading………