Long Draw Reservoir

Host: Dave Morse - dgmorse45@gmail.com

Chapter member Dave Morse is organizing a group fishing trip to Long Draw Reservoir near Cameron Pass on Saturday, July 19. July is a great time to fish the lake for beautiful 12-18” cutthroats. Float tubes provide the most access, but you can fish from shore or wade in the inlet creek. We’ll fish the west end near the inlet and Grand View Campground, (40°29'35.0"N 105°48'17.7"W).

The fish love dry flies such as #14-16 Hippy Stompers, Happy Hippies, Stimulators, Amy’s Ants, Chubby Chernobyls, or a Madam X’s. You can add small nymph droppers such as #16-18 red Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Rainbow Warriors or Snow Cones. The water is still very cold so we recommend long underwear pants for float tubing.

If you don’t have a float tube, let Dave know and we may be able to find a loaner for you.

You can either meet us up there or meet us at 6:15 am in the NW corner of the N College King Soopers lot in Fort Collins to carpool.

Please RSVP to Dave Morse using the email button below if you plan to join us, or call him at (217) 418-9386!

The Cameron Peak Fire left big scars across the Big Thompson Watershed, and the land is still healing. One way we can help? Give beavers a boost.

This project is all about building Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALS) —simple, hand-built structures made of sticks, posts, and logs that mimic beaver behavior. These make it easier for beavers to move in, build their own dams, and start restoring the stream naturally.

Why beavers?

Their dams slow down water, create lush wetlands, and help reduce erosion and flooding. With your help, we’ll improve water quality, bring life back to burned-out streambanks, and give this watershed a fighting chance at long-term recovery.

Come get your boots muddy and be part of rewilding this fire-impacted landscape—beavers can’t do it alone!

Moderate | Group Size: 20 | Minimum Age: 16, with an adult

The Cameron Peak Fire left big scars across the Big Thompson Watershed, and the land is still healing. One way we can help? Give beavers a boost.

This project is all about building Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALS) —simple, hand-built structures made of sticks, posts, and logs that mimic beaver behavior. These make it easier for beavers to move in, build their own dams, and start restoring the stream naturally.

Why beavers?

Their dams slow down water, create lush wetlands, and help reduce erosion and flooding. With your help, we’ll improve water quality, bring life back to burned-out streambanks, and give this watershed a fighting chance at long-term recovery.

Come get your boots muddy and be part of rewilding this fire-impacted landscape—beavers can’t do it alone!

Moderate | Group Size: 20 | Minimum Age: 16, with an adult

RMF Volunteers needed to staff our booth and lead river Treks

Big Thompson Watershed Coalition is hosting our annual Trek the Thompson event on Sunday, July 13th, from 9am-1pm at Fairgrounds Park in Loveland, CO

The public is invited to stop by at any point during the event, however, registration is required to participate in event activities. Registration can be done before July 13th via the event website or at the event on the day of.

Visit the event website to register and learn more about our sponsors and the locally donated prizes.

RMFTU will be hosting a BMI Trek at the event.

Rocky Mountain Flycasters is a proud sponsor of this event.

ONLY 10 SPOTS AVAILABLE!

BROOKIES GALORE!

This trip is typically one of the of hopefully many FF Fun Trips again this year. RMNP timed gate entry regulations apply again this year beginning in May, so you might want to consider making reservations with plenty of lead time. (See the Timed Entry Information HERE)

The mighty Colorado River's headwaters present an entirely different character at about 8,800 feet before it transitions onto the flat, wide meadows crossing Kawuneeche Valley. Its early headwaters’ gentle reaches ascend through cool shadows cast by towering spruce and pine, and here its headwaters surround you with beautiful and exciting mystique. Each of its endless meanders holds a new challenge as the river gently surrenders elevation after its upper reaches pass through the historic Lulu City mining town’s ghostly remains several miles above, though still well below its 10,184’ LaPoudre Pass origin.

For a short distance, at first…you might encounter a Plein Aire artist in a nearby meadow off to your right capturing in his brush strokes the grandeur of the Grand Canal suspended from the majestic peaks of the Never Summer Range whose spine boasts the Continental Divide immediately to the West. Or a young couple may steal quietly by you with hands clasped eagerly seeking a hidden niche to share private moments...or through the brush you may spy an elderly couple on lawn chairs shaded by a sprawling fir, reading and enjoying warmth radiating from the meadow’s sun line...all of these escaping life’s fast pace.

One can’t wade these reaches without reflecting upon the history that unfolded along these same banks a hundred years ago. And then suddenly behind you, just out of sight there sounds thundering hoof beats that send chills up your back…and you freeze in your tracks and turn your head to see a large moose hurrying off across yet another small meadow into the trees. He probably had been guardedly watching since several earlier turns when you noisily crossed the stream where it had narrowed. What a wonderland where every bend holds a new scene, a new allure, a new mystery that peaks your imagination.

Your rod-in-hand wade along these historic headwaters is so easy, relaxing and never tiring. When afternoon shadows begin to lengthen and you wonder if you should probably turn around, there’s always another, and another, beautiful pool just ahead at the next bend…and the next…and so on. The beauty is magnetic; I always hardly allow myself to turn around…but of course, I must, and I begin the quiet walk back downstream, revisiting and drinking in again the feelings I experience as I revisit so many of the familiar scenes that engulfed me on my first visit here a quarter century ago.

This is my absolutely favorite stretch of pristine, Colorado mountain stream! For me it offers the essence of fly fishing. And you too can experience this almost out-of-body peacefulness. And “Oh, yes”, I almost forgot to mention…you can also easily have a 45-50 fish day, not to mention all the spine-tingling misses that wriggled off your hook. Big fish? Very few; but many high-personality, colorful brookies plus an occasional cutthroat. This is a perfect outing for experienced anglers to unwind and laugh at themselves a lot, and for new anglers to learn a lot of valuable insights about how to read water and ‘fish a river’.

Details: 7:00am carpools depart from the Jax Outdoors/Loveland West store located on the corner of West Eisenhower Blvd. (US 34) at Wilson Avenue. Riders share gas expenses with drivers; lunch is together sharing stories on the river, so bring water and pack snacks. At day's end each car's riders choose whether to grab a bite in Estes Park at the Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant, or not, and continue homeward. More details are provided in plenty of time for you to prepare.

To sign up, or if you’ve any questions, email Trip Coordinator, Dennis Cook at rkymtnangler@gmail.com.

ONLY 10 SPOTS AVAILABLE!

Greenback Stocking in East Fork of Roaring Creek

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be coordinating a stocking effort to plant greenback cutthroat trout into East Fork of Roaring Creek. This event will require strenuous hiking into predetermined stocking locations.

Volunteers will meet at the Roaring Creek trailhead at 10:15 to go over stocking logistics, project expectations, and break into hiking groups. The hatchery truck will arrive between 10:45-11:00 with 3-5" greenback cutthroat trout that will be bagged and ready to be hiked into their new home. 

All stocking locations will require some hiking on game trails, not established hiking trails, ranging from a 2 mile round trip hike with 200' elevation gain up to a 7 mile hike with 900' vertical elevation gain. Volunteers will need to be able to carry a pack with their personal gear, snacks, water, and a bag of fish/water that will weigh approximately 10-15 pounds. A 65 liter backpack is ideal for carrying the insulated bags of fish. CPW has a few packs they can provide so please let us know if you need to borrow one.

Volunteers will be split into groups based on hiking ability. All groups will have a CPW or USFS leader to guide them. The ultimate goal is to spread out the trout throughout each drainage as much as possible. Groups will be returning at staggered times depending on distance traveled and hiking speed, so it's best to assume this is a full-day event. 

Volunteers should sign up for a group ranging from 1 to 4 based on perceived hiking ability, with 1 being the shortest distance and 4 being the longest distance at a fairly quick pace.

If you have any questions send an e-mail to Phil Wright at phil.wright@rmftu.org.

RMF Chapter Fishing Trip, Friday, June 27th

Joe Wright Reservoir

If you have never caught an Arctic Grayling, this is your chance! Mark Miller will act as host for this one-day trip to Joe Wright, way up Poudre Canyon, near Cameron Pass.

Grayling will be getting ready to run up Joe Wright Creek to spawn. Fishing the creek or inlet area is closed due to the spawn, so we will be fishing the cove where the creek enters the lake on the far west end of the lake.

The best fly-fishing method is usually a small bead-head fly under an indicator. Usually a shiny pattern gets their attention. The grayling are not large – nothing like Alaska – but still run about 10-13” long. It’s very special to be able to fish for grayling so close to home. And when you lift that great big dorsal fin so the sun lights it up . . . ya, doesn’t get much better than that!

If interested, please email Mark at events@rmftu.org. And please let him know if you can drive or want to carpool.

Logistics: Let’s meet at the northwest corner of the King Soopers parking lot on north College in Ft Collins at 7am. A two-hour drive will get us to the lake about 9am. Most people just wade fish, although you can use your float tube also.

Grayling are rather small, so your 2-5 wt rods will be good. 4x-5x tippet will suffice, and most bead-head nymphs in sizes 12-16 should work just fine.

I hope you can make it – we’ll have a blast!

Arctic Grayling on the Fly - Joe Wright Reservoir - Host: Mark Miller – events@rmftu.org

Join us for the 3RD annual TAKE ME TO THE RIVER fundraiser to support and celebrate the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW), your local watershed group working to improve and maintain the ecological health of the Poudre River through community collaboration.

Tickets include:

• Food stations featuring locally-grown ingredients (GF options included)

• Open bar featuring craft beer and wine from Horse & Dragon Brewing, New Belgium Brewing Co., Odell Brewing Co. & OBC Wine Project, crafted using Poudre River water (of course!)

• Fundraising for critical projects and programs throughout the Cache la Poudre River Watershed

• Live music and dancing featuring local indie-folkgrass string quartet Friendly Reminders

• Interactive photo booth

• 2025 Dick Jefferies Partner for the Poudre Award and the CPRW Volunteer of the Year Award

• Educational programming about the Poudre River

• Celebration of CPRW and partners’ accomplishments over the past year

Learn more and Purchase Tickets at: https://www.poudrewatershed.org/take-me-to-the-river

Poudre River Rainbow Trout Re-Stocking

As you know, the 2021 flash flood in the upper Poudre Canyon's Black Hollow resulted in not only the loss of human lives and homes, but also the elimination of essentially all trout that lived in the river from that point to many miles downstream. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is planning to restock the Poudre with Gunnison rainbow trout - each about an inch long. Volunteers will be provided five gallon buckets (with lids) of fish from a hatchery truck, and will then transport them to a pre-determined stocking location. The hatchery truck will then move to another location where volunteer vehicles will meet up again to get another bucket of fish to stock elsewhere. The entire reach will be stocked using this leapfrog system. The goal is to spread these fish out, stocking them directly into fry/fingerling habitat providing them the best chance at success. The original idea was to stock the river using rafts, but late summer flows are unlikely to be sufficient for that.

This will be an all day effort, meeting at Stove Prairie Campground (CO-14, Bellvue, CO 80512) at 11:00 AM and wrapping up later that afternoon.

Access is expected to be relatively easy for most of the stocking areas, although a few locations have steep banks to access the river. Volunteers will be assigned stocking areas according to their interest and physical ability.

Please step up and do your part in getting the Poudre back on track as not only Colorado's only Wild and Scenic River, but also a great place to fish near Fort Collins!

Bring sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and a pair of work gloves.

If you have any questions send an e-mail to Mike Haas at michaelhaasckd13@gmail.com

Lost Lake Kiosk Build

We are looking for 2-5 volunteers to help build a roof for the Kiosk that describes the Lost Lake Greenback Cutthroat breeding program, carpentry experience is helpful but not required, anyone is welcome.

• 10 foot ladder would be greatly helpful - please contact Mason if you have one we can use

• Bring tool bag or fanny pack for nails and hammer (helpful but not required)

• Mason will drive up with materials in his truck - carpool available (970) 817 4292

• Bring your own lunch and water

You are welcome to sign up for multiple time slots in iVolunteer.

Helpful if you can bring: your own eye and ear protection, gloves, hammer, tool bag, drill and or impact driver and bits.

Remember: water and to dress in layers.

If you have any questions send an e-mail to Ryan Hogan at conserve@rmftu.org.

Lost Lake Kiosk Build

We are looking for 2-5 volunteers to help build a roof for the Kiosk that describes the Lost Lake Greenback Cutthroat breeding program, carpentry experience is helpful but not required, anyone is welcome.

• 10 foot ladder would be greatly helpful - please contact Mason if you have one we can use

• Bring tool bag or fanny pack for nails and hammer (helpful but not required)

• Mason will drive up with materials in his truck - carpool available (970) 817 4292

• Bring your own lunch and water

You are welcome to sign up for multiple time slots in iVolunteer.

Helpful if you can bring: your own eye and ear protection, gloves, hammer, tool bag, drill and or impact driver and bits.

Remember: water and to dress in layers.

If you have any questions send an e-mail to Ryan Hogan at conserve@rmftu.org.

Red Feather Trip - Host- Bob Green - bobgreen250@gmail.com

Note – your pass to fish in one of 8 lakes will be covered! No cost to you!

Help Kids Fish on Colorado Free Fishing Day (June 7th)

Volunteers are needed for the USFS Canyon Lakes Ranger District kids (<15) fishing day at West Lake in Red Feather Lakes. This event will be on Saturday, June 7th. The Forest Service will give each kid a spin rod that is rigged with a hook and a bobber, and provide bait. Some fly rods are usually available for older kids who want to try fly fishing.

Rocky Mountain Flycasters usually provides a few volunteers to help the kids fish. The problems can include just about anything you can imagine. Kids start arriving around 8:30 AM and leave around noon, and volunteers usually finish up around 1:00 pm. Volunteers should plan to arrive on site at the USFS Red Feather Work Center before 8:00 AM and park behind the cabin closest to West Lake.