oyal Gorge Anglers' Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

I have a couple of things on my mind today.   Fishing and Fishing.  The Arkansas is absolutely incredible right now, totally off the hook.  And furthermore, you can fish nothing but dry flies if you want to which makes me very happy.  If you choose to put a dropper on a #8 PMX, go with a PMD bead head like a Gold Ice, Yellow Thunder, or Yellow Hot Wire Prince.  Double nymph rigs are probably on fire as well, but I wouldn't know since the dry fly fishing is hot.  I'm pretty sure my nymph fishing is over for the year now.  Flows are at 1300 today and still dropping at the rate of roughly 100 cfs per day.  I'm sure it will settle in somewhere right below 1000 cfs pretty soon and then drop again through August into Fall.  Fall, this year should be one to remember.  The fish had an extra month of misery with high flows.  Obviously they found a lot of Stonefly nymphs to eat though, because they are fat and sassy.  Fall should still be a feeding frenzy, because they will add pre-spawn feeding to the recovery line.  Right now bring PMXs, Stimulators, Caddis, Royal Anythings, Hi Vis Ants, Hoppers, and a variety of streamers.  Don't forget the Dos Xs and Spam Sandwiches either.

Another thing dear to my heart and head is protecting rivers and providing more public areas for folks to enjoy.  I grew up where there was absolutely no public land, so we need to protect the rivers and lands we have in this beautiful state and never take them for granted.  The Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas is an organization that Royal Gorge Anglers supports enthusiastically.  The Land Trust works with local landowners and government entities to provide conservation easements, land acquisition, and to protect riparian habitat by maintaining water quality and providing migration corridors and other wildlife issues.  It is committed to the stewardship of water and land currently holds over 2,000 acres in conservation easements on the Arkansas River drainage.  On August 15, we will donate all proceeds from guided trips that day to the Land Trust.  If you've wanted to go fishing with us, that is the day to make it a tax deductible donation.  Royal Gorge Anglers and all our guides will donate all guide trip proceeds on Monday, August 15 as will many other guide services, both fishing and whitewater.  Give us a call or go online to our website to book a trip and donate that trip to a cause that will pay off for future generations to come.

Capire et Relinquere,
Bill