I have been waiting a long time for something worthwhile to write about, and I guess this is about the most noteworthy adventure I have had, as it relates to fishing. My son and his family recently moved to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. My wife and I had never been there, and we had a great excuse to go -- our daughter-in-law had given birth to a new baby girl in October. So we went there for the week of Thanksgiving, to give thanks for this new Grand daughter we had been blessed with. (She was named after my wife, which made it extra special). It was time for me to do a little homework on the area to find out what streams, rivers and lakes were available to fly fish.

I had not been fly fishing long, a couple years and only in San Diego and Imperial counties. I had this opportunity to get a line wet and I was eager to find out if my past failures in this effort could be attributed to my fishing style, poor fly-tying techniques or bad selection of line and tippet materials. We arrived on Saturday the 23rd of November. The next day, I purchased a five-day license.

I talked to the proprietor while I got my license, and he suggested some flies of the Blue Winged Olive type. I had got that material from Stroud's Tackle here in San Diego before we left. I spent that afternoon and the following day tying several variations of the bug, and working in some visitation with the kids and grand daughters. On the 26 of November I was able to cast on a couple of the rivers and streams, one behind the Elk Meadows Campground where Tony had made some suggestions as to where the fish might be. He even checked my fly assortment and helped me separate what he thought would work from those that probably should have stayed at the hotel.

Everyone in Pagosa was so helpful to ensure I was given every opportunity to have a successful trip. Pagosa Springs is one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. On 27 November, the day was mine, to fish where Tony had suggested, the East and West Fork of the San Juan River. I parked just south of the bridge, loaded up and went for what was to be the most enjoyable fly fishing experience of my life. I had spent time in Boise Idaho on the Boise River, probably nine hours straight one day. Lots of strikes but I was still new to fly fishing and had not learned the subtleties of setting the hook back then. At 10:30 I felt a slight twitch in my line. So soft was the hit on my line I thought I might have gotten snagged. I set the hook in the hope there was a fish on the other end. Lo and behold, an 18 inch Rainbow was jumping at the end of my rod in 12 inches of water. My adrenalin was peaked as I landed my first wild trout from a river I had never even known existed, (and would never have known unless my son and his family had moved here.)

I continued fishing, the water so clear and clean. I had heard the term "Gin Clear Water" before, now I knew exactly what it meant. A little while later I hooked a big brook trout -- he soon broke my 5X tippet. Then the second brook hit, then the third, with the same results as the first. The fourth one I was finally able to land. What sharp little teeth they have! I had seen, in town, signs that the take-home limit was two fish, due to conservation efforts. That was fine with me. I fished from 8:00am to 2:30 pm, and had a great day.

My wife was with the kids during this time, and when I drove up they were leaving to go shopping. I must have had a grin from ear to ear, as they didn't ask me "If" or "Did I," but simply "HOW MANY?"

All my girls are keepers too.

Thank you, Stroud's Tackle, for all the advice and supplies for my success.