Category: Short Drive Away

I personally consider myself more of a stream hiker or river walker than a fisherman. However, I have found it is easier to get people to walk streams with me if we are also fishing. I also enjoy the meditation of the fly fishing movement. These days I do more fishing with a Tenkara rod than a traditional rod but it is all mostly the same. It is just smaller and less effort to use for a quick session.

I mostly stick close to town but Big Blue is worth the drive. It is a beautiful stretch of valley and can be hiked or fished. The trail is about 10 miles. You could make a fishing and backpacking adventure out of it. You could follow it up to Uncompahgre and sac a 14er. I have a soft spot for loops when backpacking and this would make a fun one. You could travel the valley on the way in and the ridge on the way back.

All this to say that it is a pretty hike and a wonderful place to fish. I assume it is stocked because there are plenty of fish in the river and the marshy ponds.

I will give away all my secrets here. I am not a great fisherman because I do not have a great memory for things like fish or flies. I am also not that dedicated to catching the big one. I get bored fishing lakes and ocean waves make me sick (in a boat but not on a board for some reason). BUT I love a beautiful stream and here is the fly combination I always use: I fly something that is or looks kind of like parachute adams (whatever size) and then I drop a bead-head pheasant-tail nymph about a foot and a half off of it. That is it. If I run out for some reason, I will put whatever else I have on the line indiscriminately and kind of hope I lose it. I am sure this combo is never perfect but I find it good enough for me and I do not have to think about it. If you happen to have a better combo I should use for the second half of my life, let me know sometime and I will switch.

I will try to post a bunch of other options close to town but thought I would start with this highlight.

It is probably hard to imagine that anybody would ever feel the need to go swim in Lake City but on the right day it is a fantastic idea. The temperature is never unpleasant in the shade but some days you work up a sweat playing outside and all you want to do is have some fun cooling down. You may also be covered in mud or dust and need a natural cleanse.

Cooling down may be a bit of an under statement I guess. It is not ice cold in Lake San Cristobal but pretty close. In June when we took this video, we were ready to get back out the moment we hit the water. However, as the lake warms up through summer it becomes more like a cold shower than an ice bath. This same water also feeds the “beach” in Memorial park. You will notice the water is significantly warmer coming out of the lake than out of the Henson.

You may not be into cold plunges but it really will release dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins and give you a nice natural sense of being alive. Afterwards you can just dangle your feet in the water and enjoy the views.

As with any activity, make sure you come prepared. This is not the kind of thing you want to do if you have a heart condition or other medical complications. You also need to make sure it is warm enough that you do not get hypothermia or something crazy like that. Also… if you ware pasty white like our family you should bring sunblock. We are closer to the sun up here.