If there is one place on the planet right now that anglers should make a trip to it is Cheesman Canyon!  Flow as of this morning Dec. 11th is sitting at 170 c.f.s. which for this time of year is amazing. Combine excellent flows with a lot less fishing pressure, and we are talking 20 fish days for the experienced folks. Watch for ice on the trails after this last snow storm, but other than that even the hike should be fantastic because of the cooler weather.

Flow for the Dream Stream is not to shabby either and is sitting at 112 c.f.s.  Elevenmile Canyon is sitting where it usually does in December with a flow rate of 56 c.f.s. Flies to come armed with for the entire South Platte River Drainage are midges and more midges. The Bubbleback Midge or the Mojo Midge in black and olive, Mercury Black Beauties, and Rojo Midges in red. If you're fishing a two fly set up use any of the following patterns as your lead fly: BWO Barr's Emergers, Olive or Dun RS-2's, Cheesman Emergers, Apricot Eggs, Buckskin Caddis Larvae in the smaller sizes, and San Juan Worms. If you see fish consistently coming up goto a size 26 Parachute Adams.

Make sure you're fishing with 6x fluorocarbon leaders and tippet, and if you're fishing Elevenmile Canyon come down a couple sizes with your split shot. In Elevenmile and the Dream Stream fish will be hanging in the deeper runs; a good depth to set your indicator is anywhere from 4-6 feet above your first fly on a two fly rig.

The Pueblo tailwater is a zoo.  Unless you enjoy combat fishing at it's finest stay away...  If you must go there the flow rate is a whopping 36 cubic feet per second, so fish will be stacked like cordwood in the deeper pools, and the odds of somebody beating you to those spots are great. The same flies and techniques as the South Platte work here.  Tight lines and happy holidays everyone!

Anyone who has been paying attention knows that we have been experiencing serious drought here in Colorado. If this drought continues we face a drastic blow to our economy.  Colorado relies heavily on the money that comes from it’s outdoor industries; skiing, climbing, hiking, and fishing are all affected by dry weather.

Ask the fish what they think about our gorgeous 70 degree days in November and they will tell you, “I don’t have room to swim because the rivers are so low!”. Colorado’s snow pack reports are bleak, and many of our reservoirs are only 50 percent full. I recently got a fishing report from a fly shop in Almont, and they said that you’re literally walking a mile in spots that should be covered in water to gain fishing access at Blue Mesa Reservoir because it’s so low.  

Blue Mesa is a sobering example of why we desperately need a snowy winter! Not just to make the skiers happy, but also to maintain a healthy fish population. I propose we all gather at Memorial Park and do a snow dance for the well being of our great state. It might mean a few less sunny and 70 days, but I think we all kinda miss the snow anyway.  That is a sacrifice we are willing to make.    

Check out this Praying Mantis Kristen found during our afternoon hike through Garden Of The Gods.  It was massive and probably the biggest bug I've ever seen in real life, and that includes peoples pet tarantulas.  It was at least 3 inches long!  I honestly had no clue that Colorado grew them that big so we felt super blessed that we got to check it out and take some photos. 

When we got home Kristen got on the computer and did a little research, and we think that this is a female European Mantid.  We think it's a female based on the info we found that said females are usually larger with more girth.  We also learned that large Praying Mantis are capable of catching and eating Humminbirds!  They also have been known from time to time to decapitate and eat the smaller male Mantis during mating...

The one we spotted on our hike seemed very passive but definitely moved with a chilling purpose when it decided it had enough of us flashing it with the camera, and thankfully Kristen decided to bring our camera so we can share the experience.  I tell a lot of potentially unbelievable nature stories so it's nice to finally have a camera available to capture evidence.  Granted this isn't really flyfishing related, but you never know a big Mantis might be confused for a mutant grasshopper in one of our local lakes or streams and get munched.  I bet it's happened!  Either way I think most of us as anglers find bugs interesting and this is one big bug!

I recently saw a commercial during the Olympics where they called Pikes Peak America's Mountain.  It's ironic that all of us Springs residents wake up every morning in the shadow of one of the most beautiful mountains in the country, and think nothing of it because we all subconsciously associate our mountain with what a mountain should look like.  All of the recent events have put our state in the National spotlight, and i am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to taking the surrounding beauty for granted. 

In fact even though I make what some people might call a "living" by taking part in nature as a flyfishing guide it took a fire in 11Mile Canyon and half of our mountain burning up for me to realize that what we have living in Colorado Springs is a complete and total blessing.  All this media coverage of the fire and shooting have shown the rest of the people in this country two things.  First is that Colorado residents are a resilient bunch, and second is that our state is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  If you need further daily proof of that then look up and follow "The Pikes Peak Guy" on Facebook. 

He has dedicated his life to taking photos of "America's Mountain" from all angles 365 days a year.  In fact it is so refreshing to get on Facebook and see his photos every day that I was inspired to get off my fat butt and take some photos myself.  Obviously I'm not going to quit my day job but I think the photos came out alright.  It was sunrise around 8 a.m. and there was a cloud covering part of the mountain and Kissing Camels in shade.   I picked my favorite four of the group that showed the cloud moving away to reveal the rock formations.  Here they are...

I had another interesting experience with wild animals on yesterdays guide trip.  I was working with Lew Romett on the finer points of casting and site fishing on the Dream Stream when we heard a loud noise that sounded similar to birds in our back yard when they are being eaten by a cat.  We were fishing by the barns when the terrible yelping started, and even though you could tell it was coming from a distance the cries of this animal were so loud it sounded like it was right next to us.

As we were trying to locate where the noise was coming from we saw an antelope being chased down the side of Spinney Mountain by the biggest Coyote I have ever seen.  The screaming noise we were hearing was the sound of a full size antelope crying for help before it became a wild dogs next meal.  The Coyote tackled it right at the edge of a steep drop off.  Lew described the scene best, "That just looked like a scene out of the Wild Kingdom t.v. show!"

Lew and I were fishing on the Mountain side of the river when it happened and my camera was on the opposite bank.  Combine that with the fact that everything transpired so quickly and there was no way we were getting photos of the event.  I did climb up the bank and walk towards the animals to get a closer look and the moment the Coyote saw me he popped up and took off.

Unable to see either the Coyote or the Antelope at this point I got back into the water thinking that maybe I saved the Antelope's life by scaring off the predator, but the moment I got back in the water the Antelope took off running and the Coyote came out of nowhere and tackled it again.  This time behind a hill where we couldn't see.  Let me reiterate that this dog was big enough that we questioned whether or not it was a wolf.

We all know there aren't suppose to be wolves in Colorado but I have had enough experiences in the wild to know that anything is possible and there is a lot of wilderness in our beautiful state.  We couldn't see any other dogs in the pursuit which lead me to believe that this was a huge lone Coyote making a big kill from a great position on the side of a mountain.  Either way it was an amazing sight and something that I haven't seen in real life to add to my list.

Hey fellow readers I wanted to share with you why I have chosen not to harp on the Waldo Canyon fire.  I am a Colorado native and this has been my home my entire life.  Let me assure you that my choosing to talk about happier things is not an attempt to take away from what may go down as Colorado's greatest natural disaster.  It is not an attempt to be insensitive or offend those who have lost their home, or who are waiting to find out if their home is still standing.  I can't imagine having my house burned to the ground.  Anger, sadness, and confusion are just a few items on a huge list of emotions Colorado residents effected by fires throughout this state are going through.

Fire isn't the only thing that has hit us where it hurts.  A short snow season hit us with a left hurting the ski/snowboard part of our economy.  Relatively no spring runoff hit us with a right when it comes to white water rafting; another huge part of our economy crippled this year.  And of course the huge uppercut has been this massive fire.  And unless the gods bring us our classic Colorado summer afternoon rain showers we are probably in for more large and destructive fires.  It is still only June!

People throughout this country turn on the t.v. and they see MASSIVE FIRE all over the news, so it's a safe bet to say they might choose a tropical climate to vacation in this year.  I refuse to give up on the things that make me and so many of you happy.  I refuse to give up on Colorado.  If you lost your home you have my deepest heart felt condolences.  I am so proud of how people in this city and people effected by fires throughout the rest of Colorado have responded to this devastation.

Families have opened their homes to evacuees.  People have supported the cause by donating to shelters, and to our brave firefighters.  These are all things I'm sure we will continue to do until our state has grown some greener pastures.

We must also continue to live our lives, and support our local economy.  We need people fishing now more than ever to support our economy and to provide funds to the state to help with natural disasters.  Colorado is an outdoor's kinda place.  We live to: run, ski, hike, climb, kayak, cycle, fish, and the list goes on.  If you get a chance to take your mind off of the negativity around you by doing the things you love you will feel better.  You will inspire.  So from this point forward I will continue to pray for those who are suffering, and only write about the things that make us all happy.  Here is to greener pastures...

Photo I took three days before the fire.

I have had the fortune to guide some awesome people the last few days, and we got into some amazing fish!  Did my first trip at Boxwood Gulch with 5280 Anglers out of Denver, and I seriously think Boxwood might be one of the best kept secrets in Colorado.  The property is immaculate and the fishing is insane!  Huge fish everywhere and some great guides working that water so if you're ever up in Denver look up 5280.  Click here to check out their website and rates.  Here are the photos from that trip...

Also I just wanted to make sure that all you Colorado Springs troutbums know that we at Anglers Covey are still 110 percent open for business!  Guide trips are going down to the Arkansas below Pueblo every day, and even though you might have to work for the big fish they are in there. Check it out!

If you're getting tired of sitting at home and watching the depressing news and want to get out and enjoy yourself there are still ample opportunities to do so.  Grab a friend and split the cost of a guide trip, and get out on the water with me and lets harass some fish.  No previous experience is necessary and I provide all the gear!  If interested shoot me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tight Lines!

I was inspired by my friends at outtherecolorado.com and decided it was time to write an article on what to look for when purchasing a camera to take with you on the water.  Do you buy a compact point and shoot camera, or the larger Digital SLR?  What about low light?  Do you want your camera to shoot full 1080p video?  How important is it that your camera is water proof?  These are the questions I will attempt to answer along with giving you suggestions on the current options available for purchase.

First lets start with what I have touched on in previous articles, and that is the simple fact that most point and shoot cameras aren't much better than the cameras built into many of the current generation smartphones.  I say "most" because there are a few extreme exceptions to that rule.  Does that mean you can carry your iphone with you everywhere and you're good?  It depends on the quality of photo you are looking for.  Just because a "point and shoot" or a smartphone camera has 8 mega pixels doesn't mean that it will make better prints, or produce a higher quality photo for sharing on the web than cameras like DSLR's with larger and more accurate sensors that are only rated to 6 mp.

If you are reading this and you are thinking, "Jon Kleis what the flying french toast are you talking about?  What is a sensor?", then let me share with you fellow readers that a sensor on a digital camera does the same thing that film does in a 35mm camera.  When you press the shutter release button on an old school 35mm camera the shutter opens and the image is captured on a piece of film.  Digital cameras record what your eyes see through the viewfinder onto a sensor.

Digital cameras come with different sized sensors the same way that film comes in different sizes/formats.  Smart phones and "point and shoot" cameras have smaller sensors than a Digital SLR.  Larger still is a "full frame DSLR", which is the digital equivalent to 35mm.  Many of you will not need a full frame digital camera unless you plan on making wall sized professional prints.  The size of the sensor will greatly determine how large a print you can make.

In other words a "point and shoot" camera that packs 15 mega pixels (15 million pixels) onto a tiny sensor won't allow you to make clean looking poster sized prints of that 10lb brown you landed last fall like a DSLR will.  Point and shoot/smartphones cameras = small sensors which are fine for small prints up to 8x10 inches, DSLR's = medium sized sensors which are good for making up to poster sized prints,  Full Frame DSLR = HUGE sensor and huge prints which won't be necessary for most fishing applications.

This is why I carry a DSLR when I fish.  The second reason I prefer my Digital SLR to most "point and shoot" cameras is because they tend to perform better in low light conditions.  Many huge fish are landed either first thing in the morning or during that magic hour before the sun sets in the evening.  For this reason it is my humble opinion that a camera that takes high quality photos under low light conditions is extremely important.

How well a camera does in low light is determined by its ISO range.  The average point and shoot/camera phone will have an ISO between 50-800.  A good camera for shooting in low light has an ISO between 100-3200.  The higher the range typically the better the camera does in low light.  Tip: you can find the technical specs such as a camera's ISO range on the box it is packaged in or online on most manufacturer's websites.  Here are a couple of photos I took free hand in low light during sunrise with my 6mp Nikon D40 DSLR.

If you insist on having a more compact camera to carry with you everywhere, and still want to capture amazing professional looking photos there are a few "point and shoots" on the market that have a lot of the same capabilities as their DSLR counterparts.  The Canon Powershot G12 has a high ISO range up to 3200, built in image stabilization, and shoots 720p video with stereo sound.  Honestly I don't think there is a better point and shoot for the money other than the camera that will ultimately replace the G12 which is the Canon Powershot G1 X.

Because the G1 X has: a larger sensor, a high speed USB connection, ISO range up to 12800, and shoots full 1080p video it is the ultimate fishing compact camera.  The G1 has an elite price tag though at $800.  The G12 currently sits at $450 which is a steal, and that price will probably continue to drop so my advice is to go for the G12 for almost half the price.  Neither camera is waterproof, but the only scenario I can imagine you would need it to be waterproof is if you are shooting underwater footage in which case get a real submersible video camera like the Gopro Hero 2.  Ninety percent of the time if you are wanting a picture of a fish you will be dragging it to the bank anyway so leave the camera there where it's safe and dry.

DSLR's have many benefits for someone wanting to get the best possible photo of their fish or the beautiful surroundings that fish live in.  The first benefit I previously mentioned and that is that they are considerably better for shooting in low light.  Next you have the option of interchangeable lenses which is huge because the glass your sensor records the image through is every bit as important as the sensor itself.  You will see a tremendous increase in the quality of your photos if you invest in good lenses for your camera.  Last but not least another huge benefit to keeping a DSLR with you when you fish is the fact that you can crop the image and still keep a high quality in your photos.

Their are two major players in the DSLR market (Canon and Nikon), and they each have a cult following neither of which I subscribe to.  That being said I have only owned Nikon cameras.  It is my opinion that Nikon does a great job of including options in their entry level cameras that make it easier for new photographers to learn the technical aspects of photography.  However both Nikon and Canon have the option to take pictures in full Auto which is what most people will be shooting in anyway.  I believe that Nikon has extremely good quality glass in their entry level lenses as well.

Almost all of the entry level $600-$800 Digital SLR cameras come with a kit lens that will get the job done.  Just about all of the 2011 to 2012 DSLR cameras shoot video as well.  Another sound piece of advise I will give you is not to buy the camera based on its video taking capabilities alone unless it is your intention to start shooting and producing your own fishing videos.  Many of these cameras shoot great video but they are built as still cameras.  

One of the many downfalls shooting video with these cameras is that if you are shooting with the lens set on full auto focus you can hear the lens focusing as background noise.  Video on DSLR's is just an option that is great for catching those family moments, or the moments no one will believe unless they are seeing it unfold.  If you want great video the best way to go is to purchase a dedicated video camera.   

If I were to purchase a new entry level DSLR based on my previous experiences knowing what I know now it would be the Nikon 3200.  Seven hundred dollars gets you the camera body which has an ISO range of 100-12800, 24.2 mega pixels, full 1080p video, and a built in guide mode that teaches you how to use the camera.   A great 18-55mm lens with built in Vibration Reduction which will also help you get clean looking hand held shots in low light.       

I have read the reviews, seen the sample photos, and looked at the tech specs of both the Canon Powershot G12 and the Nikon 3200 and would recommend either one of those cameras for fisherman.  Not taking video into consideration I give a slight edge to the Nikon 3200 based on its user friendliness and the quality of photos.  But if you want a camera that you can throw in your fishing pack that won't take up a lot of space the G12 is still an excellent choice.  For more gear reviews and helpful tips subscribe to my blog www.coloradoflyfisher.blogspot.com

Attention fellow anglers and nature enthusiasts!  Anglers Covey fly shop is having its annual learn to fly fish day this June 2nd.  There will be huge door buster sales including a great 4 piece fly rod for beginners for only $59.99.  If you have always wanted to learn how to fly fish this is a perfect opportunity to get free advice from the professionals who make a living teaching people on the water.  We will have presentations on knots, rigging, and bugs.  We will be giving free casting lessons all day, and the day will be capped off with a drawing for a free Sage One fly rod!  Doors open at 8:30 so stop by and give our friendly staff a chance to show you why Anglers Covey was chosen as Orvis Outfitter Of The Year, and let us help you get started on your flyfishing adventure! 

As a country Americans aren't short on irony when it comes to our views on nature and the world around us.  Many of us claim to be patriots but don't trust our government.  Many of us think that we live in the best country in the world and haven't seen the rest of the world.  We all want to catch big fish but so many anglers in this country harvest fish when they should practice catch and release.  Carp are viewed by many Americans as a junk fish, but they were originally brought to the States for their food value. In fact carp are so valued as a food source in other parts of the world that they are listed as "vulnerable to extinction" despite their swelling numbers in the U.S.


Have I ever eaten a carp? No.  I haven't eaten trout in 13 years either.  I spend most of my time fishing Gold Medal Water, and I just don't have a taste for fish.  Like many flyfishers I just enjoy nature and the challenge of imitating natures food source to catch fish.  Its a hard pill to swallow sometimes when so many of my fellow anglers scoff at the idea of chasing carp and yet they enjoy the same aspects of flyfishing that I do.  So here is my challenge to each and every single one of you readers.  Fish for carp (Common or Grass) until you finally land one. 


Some of you may get lucky and hook a ten lb fish your first time out, and then you may never catch a carp again despite your best efforts.  Keep in mind that a ten lb carp is a small one in most places.  These fish are some of the smartest, hardest fighting, and biggest fish you can catch in Colorado.


 If you enjoy the thrill of sight fishing to big fish, and you practice catch and release anyway I assure you that there is no greater challenge in freshwater with a fly rod.  We are talking that landing one fish is a great day on the water.  Landing multiple fish in the 15-25 lb range on the same trip is the stuff of legend.  Seriously you'll start to see definition in your casting arm after one of those days.  That is of course prior to getting your celebratory double bacon and blue cheeseburger afterwords.      


For questions about where to go and what you need to get started carp fishing shoot me an email at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.