Anyone getting ready for SW fishing?

I'm getting ready to tie some flies for SW this week! I've been having a C&F box waiting to be filled! Last year was my intro to SW and I absolutely dig it. I've also noted that I really don't need to have a floating device as I did most of my SW from shore. The way I look at it is that I don't do it enough to justify a floating device and have done very well from shore.

I'll be waiting for Quincy to open to spend some time on the water with my daughter again, we had a blast last year, I rented a rowboat and took her out, killer bonding time and great entertainment for my girl when she sees the bobber go down! I've been hyping her up and she's ready!

I was able to hit some stillwater in mid January when the warming trend took half the ice of some local lakes.
It was nice to stand there in ther water and pick off fish on the fly. I didn't get my January float tube trip in this year as things hardened back up before I got out again.

It was nice to see that open water though and get some time on it.

Click to view attachment

I am SO friggin ready to hit the stillwaters this year! Yesterday was a nice peaceful laundry/fly tying day and all I tied were stillwater patterns. I ended up with a couple dozen chironomids, some worm patterns and a few scuds/czech nymphs.

I picked up some pulleys Saturday so I can finish the anchor system for my toon one of these days. Next will be some rod holders and home-made oar keepers, and I will be all set.

Quincy is scheduled to open March 1 and I'd like to get out there sometime the first or second week.

Quick ramble...Stillwater fishing opened up a fun challenge for me over the past couple years. I'm no expert river fisherman but am really tired of fishing the same tailwaters all the time. Lakes are a different challenge with different flies, structure, habitat, etc. and I am looking forward to learning as much as I can about it. At the Sportsmans show I got a few free magazines and one was all about bass fishing and the different techniques involved. With a little imagination I was able to translate a lot of that into stuff I can use fly fishing.

Veterans of the stillwater...please be easy on me as I'm going to have a TON of questions as the maiden voyage gets closer!

Paul, thanks for the forum!

I noticed a fair amount of open water in Wyoming during our trip to Denver. I think this might be the year I need to explore some of the local lakes and ponds.

So.. Do any of you guys fish for bass on the long rod?

That week of the 8th - 14th of January was so warm here... that is what opened some water up at least around here at 7200 ft. I would imagine there were a lot of nice opportunities if you could get out and take advantage.

I will usually stop around Fort Collins and pick off some bass and bluegill on the fly. It can be a relaxing way to finish up a work day in the summer when you have that long daylight available.

Since I'm still too dumb to post pictures, I'll post a link.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/watermark...97tom_fish2.jpg

We spent the entire fall catching these out of local ponds in Florida a few years ago.

Nice Bass, I'm all about catching Bass and any other fish that swims around in the waters I'm on!