Greetings from Colorado

Greetings folks, longtime no-talk! I've made my way to Colorado, and let me just say this place is amazing! The natural beauty is breathtaking and the cold really isn't that cold. Although I've been told to wait until the -30 degree days... not looking forward to that. I'm just at the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park, working at the C Lazy U Ranch. People here are super cool and laid back, and everybody likes to drink beer! I'm working as a ranch hand, which means I do whatever anybody tells me to. It's not a bad gig, I'm never stuck doing the same thing very long and I'm always outside.

Naturally, it didn't take me very long to get to the important thing, fishing. I'm located right on the headwaters of the Colorado river. It's hard to believe this is the same river that runs through the Grand Canyon.



This photo was taken on the road to Steamboat Springs coming out of Rabbit Ears Pass. Photos just do not do this place justice. The panoramic views are insane! I went to Steamboat looking for the Yampa River. It's about an 80 miles drive from the ranch. I got to Steamboat and couldn't find any public water, so I turned around and made the trip all the way back to the Colorado. Wasted alot of gas and time, and wasn't particularly happy about that. I've since found out where the public water is and plan on heading back that way as soon as possible. There are supposedly some bruisers lurking in the Yampa's waters.


This picture was taken one evening as I was heading back into the ranch.


FISH!!! These are a few of the fish I've managed to nab from the Colorado. The first picture is the best fish I've caught so far, and I know there are bigger out there. Right now they are really keyed into small nymphs and midges. On warm, sunny days there are midge hatches and the fish turn on. Unfortunately, the water is so cold, you can only stand to be in it for short periods of time. Unless you're catching fish, of course. Every fish I've caught has been a brown, and I'm cool with that. Browns are my favorite, I think people know that!





I figured out the self-timer on my camera. This is taken on the ranch looking North.


This is by far the best picture I've taken while out here. It reminds me of Trey Anastasio's song, "Mountains In The Mist." This picture was taken in Fraser, CO while looking for a fly-shop. Turns out we drove 20 miles for some Taco Bell. Apparently, the fly-shop closes down in winter to make room for skiing equipment. Who would rather ski that fish? Nobody I care to know!


I have the feeling I'm in for a long winter, but that's what I signed up for. I can't wait until the snow melt is over and the fishing opens up everywhere. There is so much water around here that it boggles one's mind.

Anyways, y'all keep it real, and I'll do the same.

PEACE

Feast or Famine

Wednesday, Sept. 29th: FEAST

I've had my eye on the gauge of a favorite stream of mine. With the rains last week the water was on the rise, and the weather was cooling off. I decided to make a day of it. Started fishing around 10. I fished the usual fishy places with no action. I missed the first bite, but it was a little feller. My fly was much bigger than his mouth... Came to another usually fishy place and missed two bites right on a row. I was getting pretty bummed and frustrated. I had my video camera with me, hoping to get some footage of a big brown being landed. I wasn't going to set my camera up until I caught a fish. Man do I wish I'd had it rolling at the very next spot.....This beast came out to play with the Terresticator


It was like a switch had been flipped!!! Just upstream I nailed this guy...



I caught a couple dinks, then had this guy nail the Terresticator. What a crazy looking fly to catch a trout on!



Sunday, Oct. 3rd: FAMINE

With the recent success on my "home waters", all I could think about was getting back on it. The only thing I could think about was getting that pig brown on video. This was not to be. I woke up early and got to fishing a little after 8. It was a chilly 46 degrees. I flogged the water to no avail. It was definitely one of the most frustrating days of fishing I've had in a while. I nymphed, threw streamers, dry flies, nothing was getting any attention.


I don't know if I ever posted my run-in with a gold panner back in the Spring, but I ran into the guy again Sunday. We both recognized each other and got to talking as I passed him fishing up. He said he hadn't seen a single fish come by, and he usually did when someone was fishing downstream of him. When he said that, I didn't feel so bad. Something was up with these fish. Wading back downstream to the trail, I passed the guy again. This time we got to talking about his gold panning. He told me about how he and two friends had gone a couple weekends back and came home with a little over an ounce between them. They split $1300 for the weekend. I told him I had the wrong hobby. We laughed and he showed me what he had found in the couple hours he was there. Not much, but gold none the less! I asked if I could take a picture and he obliged. My "gold mine" is literally that, a gold mine!




WHEW!!! Got this guy right upstream of the panner in the last 45 mins I fished. I caught fish when I was around him last time... I don't care where it was, it broke my skunk for the day right as I was losing hope! And a nice fish to boot!


Regardless of the fishing, it was a great day on the water. There were alot of bugs out. Saw some brown caddis, BWOs, a big black mayfly (don't know what, and couldn't get a pic), and all kinds of midges. I really think that with the water rising and the weather cooling down, these big brownies are spawning.

My mission is to film a big brown being landed.

Peace

New Video

Here we go again. I've been working on this video for the last month and must say I am very pleased with the results! This was filmed over multiple trips, and I got some pretty cool pics and video, at least in my opinion. I hope everyone enjoys watching it was much as I did making it!

A Workweek's Requiem from Parker Smith on Vimeo.

More Brookies 'n Bows

Took off up the mountain yesterday to get some fishing done. I was also looking to get more footage of catching fish for the movie I've been working on. The fishing was so so, but it was nice to be out there. I don't want to sound like I don't enjoy myself brookie fishing, but I sure am ready for cooler weather, higher water levels, and lower water temps. I think I've had my fill on brookies and small streams for the year. Anyways, here are some pics I took of my trip yesterday.

I hate those pesky hang gliders....always dive bombing me while fishing....





These are the two flies I used all day. The big nymph was thrown in one single pool where it had produced before. Although yesterday, it produced only a frayed line where the 6x couldn't handle the weight of the big fly. The dry I was using was a really ugly foam spiderbeetlehopperant. It floats like a champ and really catches fish.


This caterpillar was really cool looking. I didn't catch the detail of it until I uploaded the picture onto my computer. This thing is wicked looking!






This spider was really big, and luckily posed for the camera until it was crunched under my friends flip-flop. His girlfriend demanded this harmless spider's life to be cut short. I'm not too sure what kind of spider it is, but it looks like he's wearing a helmet. RIP


All in all, a good day was had on the water. It seems like yesterday I was saying, "Man, I can't wait 'til Spring!" Well, Spring has come and gone and summer is now waning. I now find myself saying, "Man, I can't wait 'til Fall/Winter!" I really dig winter fishing. Although this winter will be different. I got a job in Granby, Colorado starting Dec. 1. Talk about a change in climate. I made sure before I took the job that there was fishable water during this time of year. Colorado here I come, but I have some great fishing to get done this Fall in the mountains of WNC and SC. Soon the waters will be safe from MuddlerMan. Peace

A Day In The Life

Here it is, another little movie I've put together. I'm pretty stoked on this one, in my opinion, the best I've made so far. Got some really good fishing done this past week, and I hope people get the theme I'm going for!

A Day In The LIfe from Parker Smith on Vimeo.

I'm really getting into this movie making thing. I'm just now getting to know the movie editing program I have, and I'm looking forward to progressing.

It's Been Too Long

There has been a whole lot going on around MuddlerLand these days. It's been quite a while since I posted, a month to be exact. In this month I've gotten a fair amount of fishing in. I produced a fishing movie that I am quite proud of, I just hope people enjoy it and get what I was going for.

My Kind of Madness from Parker Smith on Vimeo.

I'm honestly ready for Fall to arrive. Brookies are fun, but I'm in need of cooler water temps on the lower elevation streams. I am jonesin' for a wild brown out of a bigger stream.

There's been some deep thought and some decisions made recently. I'm going fishing.....for good.

Back In The Game

Alright folks, I'm back in the game! It's been a while since my last update, but I have gotten some pretty good fishing done. Picked up a Nikon Coolpix S8000 and it takes incredible pictures.

The weather has been HOT, which has affected the fishing quite a bit. Not catching as many as I was a month ago, but catching enough to keep me happy. I checked out the river I call home this past Monday, and the water levels were scary low. The water was very warm and dirty and the fishing was tough. We desperately need rain. I've been spending most of my time in the high country chasing char, but managed to get the slam this past weekend.

Some sad news. While I can't be 100% sure, I believe the monster fish I caught Memorial Day Weekend has been killed. Received the news when I went into a fly shop and showed them the picture of the beast. They promptly showed me a picture of a 24'' brown taken from the same water a couple weeks ago by a FRENCH tourist. We compared the pictures and all agreed that the fish looked eerily similar. Regardless of whether it was that fish or not, that bastard took some good genes out of the river.

Anyways, here are some pictures of my most recent endeavors. Enjoy and stay tuned it!

Brookies Before The Storm

Headed up the mountain this past Sunday to try my luck against some brookies. Last Thursday I dropped my digital camera in the water, VERY displeased with myself. That being said, all I had to capture my endeavor was my trusty Sony HD video camera. Luckily a few little guys were willing to smile for the camera; although be biggest ones seem to bite when the camera isn't rolling! I'll let the video do the talking, as it sums up the entire day. Fished for about 3 hours before the storm rolled in. It's wild, on those little streams the fish completely turn off when the sun goes behind the clouds. Hope y'all enjoy!

Brookies Before The Storm from Parker Smith on Vimeo.

IF YOU GO TO VIMEO.COM YOU CAN VIEW IT IN HD, JUST TYPE IN THE TITLE: Brookies Before The Storm

Slammin' Video

Got the Appalachian Slam on Thursday. The day was bittersweet; the fishing was great, but my camera went for a swim. I think it's a goner. Oh well, feces occurs. If you go to vimeo.com you can watch it in HD. Hope y'all enjoy the video!

Slammed from Parker Smith on Vimeo.

Gone Phishin'

Really stoked! Got my ticket for what will probably be the only concert I get to see this summer, PHISH in Charlotte. Can't wait for July 2nd. If they don't let me off work, I'm quiting!

EPIC

Don't really know where to start with this one folks. Sunday was an absolutely epic day of fishing. Left the house at 8 and headed up the mountain to meet up with the Mayor of Raliegh aka Transylwader aka Mike. Cool ass South African dude that turned me onto a couple creeks he had scoped out previously in his fishing endeavors. I'll try to let the pictures do most of the talking.

I really like mushrooms...

The first creek we hit was a beauty of a wild brown stream. The day was forecasted as being hotter than hell, so Mike very fittingly put us on a well canopied stream.
We both managed some nice wild browns, this being the best I brought to hand. There were many more hooked, but we chose to fish barbless hooks....so there were many fish lost also. Adds to the challenge!
A couple insects I'm sure the fish were slurping down, when they weren't eating our flies!

Left the first stream for this jewel around 1:30. I'm not too sure why we didn't catch any fish in this pool, it looked so pristine! All jokes aside, I thought this would make a pretty good picture as we were getting off the first stream. Mike obliged.
Next, we headed not too far down the road to test our skills against some little wild rainbows. This is one of the better I brought to hand. Realized my camera was dying, so I didn't take too many photos... We fished some beautiful water though!
We planned our location so we could try our best at the Appalachian Slam, we were not disappointed! Fished a beauty of a high elevation bedrock stream that produced as many brookies as casts we made. They were all really colored up and of really good size too!

Rounded the day out with a few beers and some map studying, preparing for the next Transylvania County Takedown!

Stay tuned, will be following the same circuit Thursday and hopefully capturing the venture on HD video....

Cheers