We had a couple of days in Steamboat Springs thanks to the kindness of our neighbor who lent us their condo in the off-season.

My primary goal was the big pike I'd hooked and lost two years ago, in a slough on the river. The first morning had frost on the grass and a very slow start. It seemed the fish weren't enjoying the fall cooldown. This was fly rodding, Fenwick FFL807 and Abu Delta 5 reel. Never did see that big pike, did get a pikelet and then a nice 30" one for dinner. The pikelet took a small streamer tied to imitate the rainbow smelt of the BWCA lake. The big pike took a black rabbit fur bunny leech, my version is tied with a rabbit tail and palmered marabou for the body which makes it easier to cast than the standard version with rabbit wrapped for the body. A good swirl and pull at a 6" deerhair-headed streamer, we missed each other. That could have been a good fish to judge by the boil left behind.





The next morning fished the river through town for trout, lots of fishermen and no sign of fish. Smelly old skunk, pfui. Sunday morning my pike spot was occupied by some duck hunters with their decoys planted right in amongst the fish. From 200 yards upstream I thought, those ducks don't look natural, must be a set of decoys. If I could tell so fast and easy you have to think the real ducks would not be fooled. I'd had several flocks of both teal and mallard come through while fishing the first day. Oh well one year maybe will find that mighty pike again. Fished the pond instead, the fly shop in town thinks it has pike, but you couldn't prove it by me. At least the scenery was worth getting up in the frosty pre-dawn.



Another day we took the canoes up to a lake (in fact a reservoir). This has always been rumored to hold grayling though all I ever caught was cutthroats. No fly rod as my wife's patience with me flyfishing has dwindled over the years. Instead it was the 5 percenter, Abu ZoomSafari 765L rod which is 5% glass, and a rebuilt Abu 3600 reel. Fishing from a canoe is too easy, it's all beer and skittles.



That's an Avery Brewing, Patrol Dog Pale Ale, lot of words for a nourishing gulp of good beer. My son in his solo canoe got a nice 18" cutt first, then I had a 10"er.



I was fishing a Ryuki Spearhead 38s, absolutely my favorite trout lure these days. Tie it on at the start of the day and usually that's what I take off at the end of the day.



Something better hit it on the troll, brought it in thinking a nice trout, it was a 17" grayling. Wild. Later making some casts it appeared what they wanted was bass-fishing style, burn the lure in fast and they'd slam it. Grayling are supposed to be these delicate insect-feeders.. Fabulously pretty fish, took dozens of pictures of which most were blurry messes.




These are Arctic grayling, a long way from home. There's two lakes in CO I know for sure have them, one is the brood stock lake, and another on the Grand Mesa is reputably reported to hold some. Now I want to come back and try for them on the fly.

Unsolicited fall colors picture to finish with,

Awesome! Well done. Im hoping to give pike a try hopefully in the next week or 2.

That is the prettiest picture I have ever seen of a nice grayling! When I was assigned in Alaska, it was amazing to see one come up through 8 feet of crystal clear water to take a fly on top.

Lovely pics, a bit of autumnal colour is a delight. Grayling taken on a spinning rod, well that’s a new one on me.

Location added, must have overlooked that when I first joined. The style of reel pictured is typically referred to as a fixed spool reel in the U.K.

Bait caster style reels are not very common in the U.K. although they’ve been around a good while. Fixed spool i.e. spinning reels and bait runners are by far the most common for freshwater. Centrepin reels are also used, but less widely.

I have an old Alcock centrepin that I occasionally use on the river for trotting. For those unfamiliar with this term, it is a style of float fishing usually done with a long rod, centrepin and a stick float. The float is cast a relatively short distance (using the Wallis cast) and allowed drift downstream. The centrepin is set to free spool and that flow draws line from the reel. Often a little loose feed is thrown in every few casts. Some game waters which are fly only during the trout season will allow trotting for grayling during the winter months. It’s a nice way to fish and can be quite effective.

If I’m spinning or drop shooting I’ll used a fixed spool/spinning reel loaded with braid.

Happy to send pics, they might even feature some fish.
Trotting = steelheading. You live and learn.