SKUNKED....

Huge trico mating swarms.

Huge trico mating swarms, spent trico spinners everywhere, size #24 Blue-winged Olive duns popping…..and very low water volumes on the South Platte River tailwater in Elevenmile Canyon.

I’m supposed to be here taking photos for another project. That didn’t work out. The river is skinny and very clear. I don’t see many trout rising probably because the flows dropped just yesterday. It’s really, really thin water. I can't leave this without fishing.

Upstream and later on a few very nice sized trout sip spent trico spinners and after that rise confidently to tiny Blue-wings. I lengthen my leader to 14-feet. Maybe it’s more. If those big boys do take my spent spinner imitation and then dive into the weeds I’m toast. But, no worries they don’t even come close to taking any of my offerings.

A few very small trout bat my little dry fly imitations around like beach balls. Three hours later all that remains is the brilliant autumn day. I’m skunked for sure today. I’ll need some 7X or even 8X tippet material and sparsely dressed smaller fly patterns tomorrow. My size #22 BWO imitations looked like Bumble-bees on the water. The tricos. Who knows what I’ll do about them.

Spent trico spinners

Skinny, clear water.

What a day!