CANON CITY, Colo.--I could see the rocks in the river. The moss clinging to the rocks was waving at me in the river's current and the clear water was inviting me down from my lofty perch on the bridge. But in the harsh light of the afternoon Colorado sun, and the dangerously clear water, the trout were hiding. If they expect to see the spring melt into summer they must stay hidden because the predators can see into the water and see the trout.
For several days I have been looking at the river whenever I drove over the McKenzie Street Bridge. Each time I looked at the river I would recall Karl Licis's article in the Colorado Springs newspaper, the Gazette Telegraph. Karl had written an article about the Arkansas River in the spring, and how the fishermen who know the river and fish it are always glad to see spring because they know that when the right elements come together the surface of the river will erupt into life as tens of thousands of caddisflies emerge from their underwater adolescence lives and burst into the full, although short-lived bloom, of a full sexual life above the river.
On those days the caddis hatch is like a cloud and the insect life that you see whirling and darting above the water reflects every little bit of light in a glittering ballet of life. The scene drives local anglers mad with trout lust. They want to get their lines on the water because that is the magic time of the Arkansas river when dry fly fishing is truly a religion.
There are over 800 species of caddisflies known and I have no idea how many species are found in the Arkansas River canyons. Enough, I suppose, to give a bug person something to think about in the afternoon, but all I care about is having the right imitation of what is locally hatching in my fly box. That way I can fish with something that will produce a few strikes.
Weather Eye
Local anglers keep a close eye on the weather because the flies seem to hatch when there is cloudy spring weather, which is not uncommon in this country at this time of year. Starting at the end of April and then continuing through May, the local insect hatches are a cornerstone of this part of Colorado's spring breakout from the winter doldrums. Up in Chaffee County, around Salida, Colorado, the emergence of these flies, and their insect magnetism to trout anglers, is celebrated with a festival, which this year will be held the fourth and fifth of May in Salida. The festival includes a Trout Unlimited banquet and there is even some free guided fishing available.
If you want more information on the Chaffee County Caddis Festival you can contact local fly anglers Steve at 719-539-4236, or Tom at 719-539-4619. You can also order a copy of the book, A Fishing Guide To Chaffee County, by writing: Collegiate Peaks Anglers, Dept. AOL/GLG, P.O. Box 3067, Buena Vista, CO 81211. Readers who want to consider booking a fishing trip in the area can also contact my booking agency by e-mail at glgwp@rmi.net or 73737.2466@compuserve.com. It is too late this year for a booking so if you want to throw a fly on the river you need to hop a jet before Memorial Day.
Packing For Africa
Next month I'll be in Africa. My first stop there is going to be Namibia for some bird and big-game hunting. After a few days of hunting on a local ranch I'll be going down to South Africa where I'll be meeting a group of hunters coming over to join me for a week of African hunting on Rocco Gioia's Casketts Ranch. About the time they leave I've got another hunter arriving who will do some leopard hunting. Somehow I've got to work some blue-water fishing in the Mozambique Channel into the schedule, and if possible I'll visit the Komiti River and do some fly fishing for yellow fish.
Getting ready for the annual African trip is fun although it takes a lot of planning. Things go on my list, and are then taken off, and sometimes go back on it. I must to limit the amount of ammunition I carry so I plan that as well. There is daily laundry service at Casketts ranch, but that isn't always the case off the ranch, and on more than one occasion I've found myself hunting up a local laundry to take care of those chores.
I look forward to the annual African trip because I never know for sure for what is going to happen next. One year a croc snagged a bird that I shot, when the bird landed too close for the croc to pass up. On another occasion my hunting partner Carolee Boyles-Sprenkel, our professional hunter Chris Steyn, and myself, had to take a long detour back to our vehicle when a pair of rhino showed up at the same water hole where we had been happily shooting at doves.
Rocco Gioia, owner of Casketts Ranch, is one of the most knowledgeable African hunters I've met and we've spent a lot of time traveling together in southern Africa. I'm always looking forward to spending more time with him because he is the source of many of my African short stories.
Next year, about this same time, I'll be meeting another group of American hunters who will join me for a week of African hunting at Casketts Ranch. If you think you might want to come along, drop me an e-mail and I'll make sure the manager of B&B Adventures sends you the information. And, if you want to know how this year's safari is going I'll send some columns back to All Outdoors Managing Editor Doug Truax, so he can put them up for you to read, enjoy, and follow our safari.
Good shooting and good fishing,
Galen L. Geer
Readers can contact the author during his African safari, or for information on the author's booking agency, by e-mail at 73737.2466@compuserve.com. He'll be logging on to CompuServe several times during the safari, whenever he is in a town, and has access to a phone line.
Copyright (c) 1996 Galen Geer. All rights reserved.
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