BWO Time!!

After spending some time on the water the last few weeks, now is the time to get moving and make sure you have those patterns you rely on.  Right now, it's BWO time.  You have to make sure you have the lifecycle of this bug, from nymph to emerge to dun.  I've had a couple days with fish looking and feeding on duns on the Arkansas River.  They were also feeding well on nymphs and emergers too, so don't ignore that stage of the lifecycle.  I've attached a video of the CDC Sparkle Dun.  It's a go to pattern for me on top and it's an easy fly to tie.  I used a TMC 2488 hook on this video, but you can certainly use a standard TMC 100 or 101 hook.  Get out and have fun!
CDC Sparkle Dun from Juan Ramirez-Hopper Juan on Vimeo.

Action (Help) needed for New Mexico.

****NOTE:  I completely stole this from Chiwulff******

I felt there was no need to tell the same story in my own words.  I hope nobody minds.  This is important.

From the “say it ain’t so, Joe” file here’s some very critical access news out of New Mexico.

Kudos to the Utah Stream Access Coalition for getting this information out yesterday (from their email) –

On Friday, in the final minutes before the New Mexico legislative session adjourned, in an all-too-familiar fashion, stream access there was stripped from the public and handed over to private interests. Just like that, our concerns that another state could follow Utah’s lead on stream access went from possibility to reality. We are all in this together, and that’s why it’s important for you, as USAC members, to step up and take action.

The bill in New Mexico, SB 226, restricts access to rivers and streams that cross over private property, like HB 141 in Utah. It passed the House on a 32-31 vote, and is now sitting on New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez’s desk. She is expected to sign the bill into law by the end of the week. This is where we can help. Educate Governor Martinez on why she must VETO SB 226.

CALL THE GOVERNOR RIGHT NOW AND TELL HER TO (PLEASE) VETO SB 226. THEY ARE TALLYING VOTES IN THE OFFICE, AND YOUR 30-SECONDS MATTERS!
505-476-2200

I haven’t had time to research this fully (I’m lying in a recovery room at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as I post this morning), though as the bill appears to lack definition of navigability (for one thing) it appears to be a set up further legal wrangling and the potential for progressive trouble as have been seen in Utah.

And legal precedent, however misguided, can strengthen the case for encroachment in other locations and states down the road.

There are always two sides to any argument but at first glance this looks like a genuine push-the-shitty-bill-through-on-the-last-day-of-the-session bad idea.

Make the call or fire an email to the guv today.

More to come.

Albuquerque Journal article 21 March.

Summer Time PMD Box

I was asked by a follower of this blog to post a photo of my recently updated summertime PMD fly box that was posted to my Facebook site with some information on what patterns I had in there and what I carry.  I haven't had a specific PMD box in the past, but after falling in love with fishing them and tying them, I had a few lying around.  I gathered them all up and started filling a box.  So here it is with names of flies for all of them.  All are size 18 & 20. Notice that there are a few Sparkle/Comparaduns in there.  All of these have a time and place. If you have any questions, please let me know.  Shoot me an e-mail.  Thanks for tuning in!  Come on summer and PMD hatches!  After the BWOS and Caddis hatches...of course!  

There is a BWO box also.  I still need to fill one row.  I couldn't leave it empty.

Snowpack update

It's been snowing a bit tin the hills and that translates to great skiing and snowboarding right now, but in a few months that water will be coming downhill during the annual runoff.  Things are looking good for Colorado and things are really looking up for Southwest Colorado which was struggling  a few weeks ago.  Here is the latest map and percentages of normal.