Scott Spooner

Anglers floating on the river. Louis Cahill Photography/Courtesy photo The first day of fall is on our doorstep, so we’re once again seeing leaves begin to turn and donning our jackets again after sunset. As the days begin to get shorter and cooler, we will begin to notice some not-so-subtle changes while out on the water. The first change of note is the resurgence of some aquatic insects and the dissipation of others. Blue winged olives (BWOs) are already on the scene again, as we typically see them in strong numbers in spring and fall. These small mayflies vary from size 18 down to 22 here in the Roaring Fork Valley.

If you’ve been casting flies on local streams lately, then you’ve most likely seen a few looks (followed by refusals) from those wary trout. When we see the fish refusing real insects in addition to our...

As dry fly hatches begin to ebb, we will need to focus below the river surface to remain effective. Complex summertime hatches will narrow down to only midges and blue winged olives after Halloween, so...

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The Western Slope chapter of Casting for Recovery (CR) hosted their annual retreat this past Sunday at the Redstone Inn on the Crystal River. The mission of CR is to enhance the lives of women...

We’ve seen it many times here at the shop: A new tyer tries to create super-complicated fly patterns right out of the gate, gets frustrated, and ultimately gives up. When meeting new fly tyers, we...

Whether you have never hired a guide or have utilized them for years, you will see marked differences in styles, attitudes, and experience levels. Many anglers can’t appreciate terrific fishing guides until they fish with...

Death, taxes, and leaky waders are certainties in this life, according to the late John Geirach. All waders, regardless of the brand or the cost, will eventually leak. With the thistles, thorns, barbed-wire fences, and brush...

While shopping for hard-to-find tying materials in Charlie’s Fly Box down in Arvada last week, I overheard shop guru Sam Wright utter “tailwater trout eat at the same restaurant every day” while recommending flies for...

Anglers can be a bit tough to shop for, as no two have the same preferences, philosophies, or approaches to this sport. Fly shops across the valley operate all year and can “hook up” the angler...