The weather we have all been enjoying the last couple of weeks which gave us an early start to opening day at Spinney Reservoir was nowhere to be found on April 2nd. Instead anglers were greeted with 30-50 mile per hour winds and snow. The morning drive up Ute Pass was still a gorgeous one because we literally drove under a rainbow hanging over the base of the foothills which I took as a good sign considering our quarry.
We get to the Reservoir and the legendary crowds I have seen and heard about on opening day weren't there. This was in large part because the guys with the boats didn't want anything to do with the freezing cold wind. I started the morning throwing the only white Bouface streamer we had left in our box and quickly lost it on what looked to be a rainbow of at least twenty-two inches. After that I set up a tandem egg rig and proceeded to break flies off on fish and clean wind knots the rest of the day. Did I mention breaking ice off my guides every 5th cast? Que the guy getting his picture taken with a hog just around the corner. Yep it's gonna be one of those days...
An hour and a half and a couple of sixteen inch cutbows later I decided I wasn't going to clean the mess on my line and instead chose to warm up in the car. You see I have spent many winter days on the river freezing my butt off and re-rigging. Let me tell you that dealing with winter conditions on a reservoir in South Park is a totally different beast. There is nowhere but your car to run to for shelter from the wind, and the wind coming off of that giant mass of super cold water cuts you down to the bone with no mercy.
All this makes it sound as if somebody asked me to go up again I wouldn't, but I would in a heartbeat. The fishing was fantastic and I highly recommend anglers get up there and take advantage. The fisherman a.k.a. me however was having one of those days that we have all had so chalk up my opening day experience to operator error. Plenty of people were braving the conditions and hooking up with nice fish. The flies of choice to break off and leave in a trout's mouth for future anglers to take home are...
White, Black, or Olive Barr's Bouface, Egg patterns in all colors, and Olive scud imitations in a size 14. Here is to future less stressful and hopefully warmer trips in Park County!
Tight Lines!!!
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