RGA Changes Directions in Alaska

Let’s chat a little about fishing over the next few weeks. This is the time when fall turns to winter for good. In Southern Colorado along the Arkansas we can expect about 4 more weeks of good fishing during good stretches of weather. Intermittent snow storms will pass through leaving large amounts in the high country and smaller ones along the lower river. The water around Leadville is already very slow with cold evening temperatures. You can expect to see some beautiful days from Salida to Canon City through Thanksgiving. If lows are in the low teens, expect the following day to be marginal with fish hugging the bottom of deeper pools and runs, especially as they finish spawning and need to rest. Males will chase streamers over the next month, so come prepared for that. I love the Gray Ghost pattern during November. Also Woolly Buggers, Spruce Flies, and Squirrel Streamers will do the trick in natural, olive and orange. The South Platte will continue to fish well probably all winter. Brown trout spawning is in full bloom and closer to the end than the beginning. Some of the large post spawn fish will more than likely stay in the river all winter. Then they will resort to eating midge larva. I still like to fish them behind an orange egg pattern or a pink San Juan Worm. So fishing is still about and the weather is still agreeable for the most part. For those of us who fish all winter, there is no end to the season......we just look like the Michelin Man on the water.

Things are changing a bit with our long standing Alaska business. Taylor has resigned from Clearwater Lodge in Bristol Bay. Royal Gorge Anglers is no longer associated with Alaska's Clearwater Lodge, Lake Marie Lodge or To Toy Lon Lodge. Taylor is now the owner/operator of SoCO Guides, our guide service, and has taken a marvelous opportunity to represent the Wright & McGill Company of Denver for the Rocky Mountain Region. His new job with Wright & McGill will keep him on the road a lot, but he'll be working out of Canon City and will still be able to run the guide program and guide a lot himself. If you have been wanting to spend a day with Taylor on the Arkansas or South Platte, particularly for the Rainbow runs in the Spring, now's the time to contact us for a trip. His calendar for the South Platte in March will fill quickly. Next summer, he and I will host several trips to Alaska. These will be "turn key" trips and we'll take care of transportation, hotels and everything else once you reach Anchorage. The trip I'm very happy about will be on the Kvichak River at Blueberry Island Lodge. It's only a couple of miles downriver from Clearwater Lodge. Blueberry sits in the middle of the river on a long sweeping island and is owned by George Riddle and his wife. The fishing around the island itself is spectacular. George is a wonderful guide and person and has been on the Kvichak since the 70s. We'll take a maximum of six people there twice during the season, one in the fall for trout and one in July for Sockeye. Taylor will guide these trips along with George and another of Taylor's crew from this year. This is a close knit little lodge and you'll feel like you are sitting around you own dinner table at night. Price will be $3200.00 per person plus airfare to anchorage and from Anchorage to Iguigig. Taylor will arrange charter from Anchorage and he can get great prices due to his relationships with the charter companies. We'll also host a Trip to Rainbow Point Lodge on the Copper River at Lake Illiamna. The exact week and exact price will be posted on our web site in the very near future. It will likely be a week during prime Rainbow season as well. Rainbow Point is a small luxury lodge with fly outs and floats. The price on this trip will likely be around $7000 per person, but we’re trying to see what we can finalize that may be a little better than that. So, you’ll see Taylor’s face around here a lot more when you come in the shop and I am ecstatic about that. There is nothing better in the world than having your son take over where you leave off. Jan and I have worked very hard for twenty years in this business and we are delighted that Taylor wanted to join us in giving you even better service in the future. We’ll still be here of course……where else would we want to be? Taylor will provide some much needed help and a spark of youth that we all can use every now and then. Things are good around Royal Gorge Anglers.