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3. Long-time reader, never-time poster? Start here!, Page 18

Brand new to Troutnut.com and looking forward to helping folks learn about Colorado's marquee fly fishing destination...the Gunnison Valley.

Welcome Gunnison!

Jonathon

Looong way from home here in New Zealand! I just wanted to say hi to you guys and should any of you want any tips for New Zealand please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Here's a couple of shots from our last trip!

Hi Ben-

Beautiful water and fish. Welcome to this site.

Nice photo's Ben. Welcome

Google help me find this forum. I was looking for some advice/help with fly fishing after picking it up a few years ago and my futility on the water was evident as I was routinely getting skunked. I've posted some and just recently saw this so I thought I might type a little about myself.

My name is Ryan. I grew up in North central Iowa and lived there for 28 years until I moved to New Mexico in 2005. I received a Zebco 202 for my 6th birthday and I remember going down to the local creek with a can of corn to catch chubs, minnows, and carp. Some of my fondest memories as a child were spent along that creek bottom. I grew up across the street from this guy named Bob Jenson who had his own fishing show called "Fishing the Midwest." His wife was my barber. He and my father were regular happy hour attendees at the local watering holes. He got me hooked on largemouth bass fishing in the many old gravel pits and quarries throughout the area. My favorite set up was a Texas Jig with an 8" black plastic worm. I also enjoyed fishing for northern with live bait in the West Fork of Cedar River and cat fishing all night along those same banks. Fishing has always been a passion.

My username on this site is somewhat of a mistake. On other forums I've been I've use red/green hawk. I use this because when I moved to New Mexico I was amazed that every time I went out to eat here the waiter or waitress always asked if I wanted red or green, red or green chile that is. And hawk because I'm from the Hawkeye state and still a rabid Hawkeye fan. So hence red_green_h. 1) I couldn't use "/" on the username part when signing up and there was a character limit hence just h...oops.

Anyway, after moving to New Mexico I started fishing for trout in the local ponds and lakes with spinning rods and using a water bobber, swivel, and Pistol Pete's. I loved going to fishing derbies at the local reservations various fishing ponds. I picked up a fly rod after my last daughter was born. I vowed to quit smoking and a friend who fly fished encouraged me it was a good way to deal with cravings. I purchased a Redington Path combo, an 8" 4wt. I watched some YouTube videos and practiced in a nearby park. I didn't go fishing with it until several years later when I was at this church family camp and the facility had this pond on their grounds that was fed with a diversion from a mountain stream. They had it stocked with Rainbows and there were some native browns in there. I got up one morning at 05:00 and went down to the pond and I could see fish rising over the entire surface. I randomly chose a Royal Wulff and tied it on and threw it out. Within seconds I had a strike but had too much slack on the line, so he got away. I threw it out again, tightened the line and this time landed a 18" rainbow. I've been hooked ever since.

What I appreciate about this forum is that it is encouraging me to learn more. I've been skunked so often that I want to learn as much as I can because unlike Iowa I gotta drive at least an hour and a half to reach decent fishing waters that have wild fish. I need to maximize my time out there if I want to catch anything. Hence, I will ask as many questions as I can to the experts and longtime fly fishers here on this forum. The aquatic insect encyclopedia is priceless!!! I bought my son a book a couple years ago about the wildlife of New Mexico cause he's really into wildlife. It shows every animal found in this state, their taxonomy, and their range. To my surprise the other day it dawned on me that it also lists every insect that have been found in this state, including...you guessed it aquatic ones such as Mayflies. I started getting very excited when I started to cross match with some of the insects that are listed on the webpages of this forum. I'm excited to match the flies I use to the areas of the state I go fishing to as opposed to just guessing what I think the fish might think is delicious.

I love fishing the small mountain streams here in NM basically for the solitude. But this year I plan on venturing out into some larger rivers to target some larger fish. Here's to everyone going out enjoying nature and soaking in every moment. And whether I catch fish or not, a bad day of fishing is better any day not fishing at all.

Hi Ryan-

Very interesting post; thanks for sharing.

Welcome Ryan! I know you will enjoy this forum because you will soon see there are no attitudes here and no silly bickering like most other fly fishing sites I have posted on. There may not be dozens of posters but everyone who does post can well handle themselves with a fly rod, fly tying, and fly fishing knowledge.

Hello Doug,

Welcome to Troutnut!

Hello Ben,

Nice looking stream down under. If NZ wasn't so darn far away I would love to fish some of the waters on both the north and south islands. I've been on planes to Turkey and Israel and those were 11 - 13 hour flights. NZ is like 24 hours. I couldn't handle it.

Welcome, Ben. Thanks for posting. We love to fish vicariously.

Ryan, I enjoyed your post too. Tight lines!

Just registered on this site. I do most of my fishing in western part of PA now. I have, and occasionally still do, fish central pa streams. I look forward to checking in often.

Hello Blackwet,

Welcome to the Troutnut family and forum. I'm sure you will have a good time here. There is a lot of archived material you can read too. Do you ever fish the Little J? Yellow Creek or Spring Creek?

Hello! I frequented this forum a lot many years ago. Found it again, great place.

Welcome back!

Thanks!

It's hard to break my lurking habits, I'll just never be a prolific poster. But in this case, I've only found the forum a couple of days ago, so I thought I'd say hello.

I was stocked here in New Mexico then swam to the northwest as a young adult. Now back in home waters to raise my smolts.

So my short but not very short story as a fisherman... started fly fishing as a teen, but got very passionate about it when I moved back in the early aughts. To the point of tying and building rods. Then in '08 a complete confluence of "life happening" made me give up fishing altogether(that's a different story I won't get in to). I literally haven't cast a fly in a dozen years. Sold all my gear and moved on. But then last month I got bit by the bug again. I mean, it never really went away. I'm constantly having dreams about fishing, being on a secluded mountain stream, stalking beautiful mountain trout. So last month we rented a cabin with my sister and her family up in southern CO (northern tip of the Sangre De Cristos). I spent most of that week river walking with my brother-in-law as terrorized the local brookies with panther martins. By terrorize, I mean spooked the crap out of them with not-so-subtle techniques, although he did manage to land a few. I could have done better, I told myself. Maybe next year I will do better, maybe I should start fishing again. Last Friday, I caught myself driving by my old favorite fly shop, Los Pinos; new owner, new building, but very much the same shop run in the same spirit as the original owners. I went in just to look around, and see what was new. Why not try casting this new sage just to see if I can still cast? I went out to their little casting pool and had an enormous bass grab hold of my hookless piece of yarn and tried to pull me in. That was enough to set the hook in me. I left the shop with a deposit on a custom. This past week I'v started planning a half-dozen trips that probably will have to wait for next as I require gear. But I'll be back, I'm coming home.

Welcome! And welcome back to flyfishing. On behalf of Troutnut, I'll wish you sure knots and tight lines for your upcoming trips!