When the calendar turns to May, that means canyon season is knocking on the door. It’s a great time of year but a very busy one, filled with days full of fishing and nights under the stars.
This past week we wrapped up a couple of days doing 1-day trips through the canyon, with Black Canyon Anglers, to get the rust off and brush up on our low water lines. Saturday, I completed my first commercial trips through “the crack.”
Fishing wasn’t particular great, nor was it awful. Low flows tend to have this effect on the fishing. And yes, it does look like we’ll be contending with low river flows for the majority of the summer.
Low flows aren’t particular great for anything. The rapids are full of rocks and sticking a tube on a rock is inevitable. The fishing can get notoriously tough, as most of the boat traffic runs over fish holding spots because there’s simply not enough water to avoid it.
Years like this are great opportunities to learn and grow as anglers and guides. It’s a great time to put things in perspective. Of course, it’s the fish that bring us to these beautiful places and obviously, we’re going to try and catch as many fish as we can.
But, the fact, that we get to spend time in one of the true wonders of the world is pretty special and we shouldn’t let the less-than-ideal conditions disrupt our enjoyment of the gem we have in western Colorado.
The Opportunity Ahead
There’s no doubt that the fishing will be more challenging this year than in recent years. That’s certainly not unique to us here in Western Colorado, as all over the West will be faced with similar water issues. This provides us all with a great opportunity.
I believe that when things are easy, it can provide a false sense of confidence. When things are easy, everyone can be successful and it’s rare that we learn something. It’s not until things get difficult do we stop and look for answers.
When things get tough, you’re faced with a few options. Of course, you can be hard-headed and keep trying the same ole things that have worked in the past. By far the easiest thing to do is quit and there’s no honor in that and I will not discuss that further. There is no quit to be found here. And thirdly, you can work hard to find answers, which is exactly what we plan to do at LTF Guides.
The opportunity we have in front of us to have a summer full of growth, development, and learning in lots of different ways.
The Fishing
The fishing will be difficult at times, perhaps even, downright impossible. “Technical” seems to be the proper term here and I believe that to be accurate, in more ways than one. You’re going to need to be fishing the right water, with the right flies, and almost perfect presentation.
Those things will require excellent water reading skills, a vast knowledge of fish behavior, a good understanding of entomology, and a fair amount of patience. It’s going to be a good time to slow things down a bit. Do a lot more noticing of things and really pay attention to the clues that the water gives you.
The Boating
Manuevering boats in low water conditions can also provide a great challenge. Less water means more rocks. Again, the “technical” word comes to mind. With those challenges comes a great opportunity to become better oarsmen and improve our water reading ability.
Understanding the hydrodynamics of a river system can be complex or dare I say “dynamic.” Knowing how structure effects the rivers flows can help make your job easier if you know where to put the oars.
The Teaching
As guides, we’re also teachers. It’s our job to put our anglers in the best position possible to catch fish. A lot of times that means teaching them a new technique or providing little pointers to help them master their skill. Ultimately, it’s our job to put them in the best position to be successful.
This summer we’ll have to be adamant about proper technique and work hard to get our anglers focus on the little things without being a disgruntled football coach who yells. After all, this is supposed to be fun, and I think we should lead with that at all times.
As a professional guide, I take my job of catching fish seriously. I pride myself on working hard to make sure my anglers are successful but at times, I think I should prioritize fun / enjoyable moments instead of getting wrapped up in keeping the rod bent.
Make no mistake, I am going to work hard to get my anglers on fish, but this summer may be a great opportunity to share moments with people that aren’t grip and grins.
Let us embrace the hard and not dread what lay in front of us. We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us that provides great value for our futures. Let’s rejoice in that.
We have done ourselves a great disservice if get through this summer and haven’t learned anything. Whether that new found knowledge is about fishing, boating, or ourselves, we owe it us and those we interact with to better ourselves with this golden opportunity ahead.
Good luck out on the water in 2026!
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