Fishing Report - FRA Blog

A Special After-Brunch Event Just For Mom

Post date: Sunday May 12th, 2013 - 7:48am

Just For Mom

Still looking for that last minute Mother's Day gift? After you wrap up brunch this morning, swing by the shop to pick out the perfect gift for mom! You'll look like a hero and we guarantee that you'll be deemed the favorite son/daughter! Look below for just some of the options we have in stock and ready for wrapping! Plus for every $100 spent, you'll receive a $10 FRA gift card, or you can get double reward points, you choose!

A special customer appreciation event for our internet customers! Win incredible prizes now through Sunday!

Post date: Wednesday May 1st, 2013 - 4:50pm

Nope, we didn't forget about our loyal online customers!

A special event for our friends that visit the shop digitally: We were extremely honored to see over 500 of our local customers join us at the shop on April 13th for our in-store customer appreciation event. Everyone enjoyed meeting our special guests, getting their product questions answered, and winning some serious prizes!

We had a full house for customer appreciation day!

But we also realize that our loyal customer base extends beyond Colorado's borders, into nearly 120 countries to be exact. While we would have appreciated it, many of you just couldn't jump on a plane to join us! Some of you even sent us messages saying "Hey, what about us?" Well, we heard you and you're right.

We appreciate everyone that is a member of the FRA family, even if we can't see your smiling faces walk through the shop door or talk fishing in person. So in honor of all of those that join us digitally, we are throwing a five day Customer Appreciation Event just for you. From now through 11:59 p.m. MDT on Sunday, May 5th, every online sale over $20 will get you an entry into our customer appreciation drawing. The more you purchase, the more entries you receive. If you do happen to be local, you can even buy online, and pick up in the shop. On top of that, we'll even give you a $50 FRA gift card for future purchases when you purchase more than $500 during the event! Just our way of saying "Thank You" digitally.

We thank each and every one of you for choosing Front Range Anglers for your fly fishing needs and information, and hope to see in you in the shop one day.

Entry into the raffle is based on dollar-value spent from May 1 - May 5. Minimum of $20 purchase to enter. Receive an extra entry for every $100 spent. We'll hold the drawing on Monday morning and post the winners to our Facebook page. Make sure to "Like" us if you haven't already! Here's what you could win...

	Scott S4 9'0" 5# Rod - valued at $745
	Ross Evolution LT 2 Reel - valued at $299
	SA Sharkskin Trout Ultimate Taper WF4 - valued at $99.95
	FRA Gift card for $100
	One of two MFC Fly Selections - valued at $25
	A signed copy of John Gierach's No Shortage of Good Days - valued at $15

$20 minimum purchase = 1 entry $100 purchase = 2 entries $300 purchase = 4 entries $500 purchase = 6 entries $800 purchase = 9 entries $1000 purchase = 12 entries (max 12 entries per customer)

Here's hoping everyone

Post date: Monday April 22nd, 2013 - 9:40pm

Here's hoping everyone enjoyed Earth Day! Did you know that it is also National Parks Week? From today until this Sunday, you can get into any of our 400 national parks for free!

While the front range is getting snow at the moment, later this week the weather is supposed to clear, and it should be a great time to check out Rocky Mountain National Park.

To celebrate the beginning of the RMNP fishing season, we've got a pattern from Steve Schweitzer that works great for high altitude fishing. Introducing the Spun Bunny Muddler!

Customer Appreciation Day - fun had by all!

Post date: Monday April 15th, 2013 - 9:17pm

Thanks for making it a success!

We wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for taking advantage of the nice day and making it out for our Customer Appreciation Day and 31^st Anniversary open house last Saturday. We truly appreciate all the great comments we received about the presentations and activities we had available throughout the day.

All of our representatives were kept busy with questions throughout the day, which just goes to show the level of passion that our customers posses about their gear and the sport. We look forward to the bug activity picking up over the next few weeks and providing you with whatever you need to enjoy a day on the water.

In addition to all of the free activities throughout the day, we also gave away thousands of dollars of giveaways. The lucky winners are listed below. Make sure to swing by the shop to pick up your prize!

Item	Winner
Sage One Rod	Nathan Nelson
Simms $500 Shopping Spree	Tom Dowd
Hatch 4+	John Kinney
YETI Roadie 20	Larry Jones
Ross LT2	Jean Bettenhausen
Costa Glasses	John Bishop
Smith Forum Glasses	Mark Feigal
Umpqua Deadline Bag	Henry Beer
TFO BVK 5 Wt	Justin Johnson
SA GPX 5 Wt	Bob Burnette
SA GPX Hover WF6	Madoka Meyers
SA VPT WF4F	Amanda Regan
Fishpond Pawnee Gear Bag	Don Holmstrom

Saturday March 30th - Join us to see two Boulder fishing legends!

Post date: Friday March 29th, 2013 - 10:06am

Two Boulder Fishing Legends!

Our final Saturday presentation of the season is one you won't want to miss! On Saturday March 30th you will have a unique opportunity to hear from two sides of the same coin. On one is Gordon Wickstrom, the steward of Boulder’s fly fishing history. A man who grew up in a sleepy little college town and entered the sport via a 1939 Christmas gift - a restored, eight-foot bamboo rod and a new South Bend Orenomatic automatic fly reel. On the other side is his great friend Rob Kolanda, a leading edge enthusiast of the sport using techniques that reflect an international flavor. Rob aggressively pursues any species of fish that might be inclined to take a fly. Both were born and raised here and share an abiding love of fly fishing and the wonders that surround it.

Gordon Wickstrom is a WWII Navy veteran, a graduate of Stanford with a Ph.D., a college professor, and a serious student of Shakespeare. For more than 60 years, when asked about his occupation, he always stated “I’m a fisherman that teaches school and stages plays.” But Gordon is far more than these things. He's contemplative about where things are headed, and reflective about where they have been. He's an incredible resource about our fly fishing history and a voice to be heard through his writings. His books, Notes from an Old Fly Book and Late in an Anglers Life are classics about why we do, what we do.

On Saturday Gordon will share with you his thoughts on writing about this wonderful sport.

Members of the fly fishing industry, our customers, and Colorado fly fisherman in general either personally know or have heard of Rob Kolanda and his prowess as a fisherman and fly designer. He grew up in Colorado and currently resides with his wife and family in Longmont. Rob has made a living guiding, instructing, and managing a variety of fly fishing operations for 18 years. He has been a member of Fly Fishing Team USA and part of Front Range Anglers Management Team for some years.
Rob’s competitive angling successes include numerous medals and high place finishes in competitions across the US.

On Saturday Rob will be discussing and demonstrating some of his new fly designs.

The presentation will start at 10. Get there early to get a seat after you grab some fresh coffee and a doughnut!

- The FRA Team

My Name is Caleb Van Wagner...see you on 2/16/2014

Post date: Thursday February 14th, 2013 - 12:28am

"I am 30 years of age and hail from Craig, Colorado or Craig, America as it is affectionately known by the locals. In this area one is always confronted by mother nature. Drive in any direction and you'll be in some of the best fly fishing waters on earth. You can hunt 20+ pound pike, ambush 4-pound smallmouth bass, or chase trophy trout on the same river - the Yampa River or Bear River as translated from the native designation. If it swims in this watershed I chase it.

At the FRA Saturday morning clinic I would like to briefly talk about piscivory. Some data suggests that when a fish of any species becomes piscivorous (a fish eater) it rarely eats anything else. The upper end of a trout’s predatory limit is one-fourth of their total body length though their preferred slot is one-third. With this in mind think of a 30 inch fish, its upper limit would be a 10 inch fish. More surprising would be thinking of a 15 inch fish and the upper limit of its predatory scale is 5 inches. As trout fishermen we rarely think of fishing with offerings this big. That’s why I want to focus on this upper range for these piscivorous predators.

I will be tying some of my foundation minnow patterns, along with other large food prey items. With my KMA Minnow I want to introduce you to stacking materials. I think stacking dubbing is a great way to familiarize ourselves to this art which the pinnacle is stacking deer hair. We have all seen these beautiful deer hair flies but if you’re like me I had no idea where to start. Only after a very good friend of mine and deer hair guru, Jason Goodale, showed me the nuance of deer hair did I feel comfortable enough to attempt to use this advanced tying technique. In my opinion this is the perfect missing link in the transition to deer hair. Essentially, stacking material is stacking material; we are all a lot more familiar with dubbing than some with deer hair. I will go into more detail on Saturday, hope to see you all there."... Caleb

Learn to tie flies and take your game to the next level

Post date: Tuesday February 5th, 2013 - 1:12pm

Rob hitting it big in Slovenia for Fly Fishing Team USA!

Fly tying is inextricably linked to the evolution and history of fly fishing. While basic fly tying methods and techniques have not changed dramatically since its origin, there have been incredible changes to tools and materials, especially with synthetics, hook designs, and vises.

Tying flies is not just an extension of fishing enjoyment; it inherently improves your ability to catch fish through the creation of food sources and knowledge of their behavior. While you don’t have to tie flies to be a successful fishermen, you will never have the edge that accomplished fly tiers enjoy.

Rob Kolanda (see below for more about Rob) will be hosting a beginning class on February 10, 2013 for $69.95 and an intermediate session on February 24, 2013 for $79.95. Both classes will be 3 hours in duration and limited to 6 students. The shop will provide all necessary materials to complete the sessions and can (if needed) provide the students with the necessary tools.

Why take such courses? “I can watch Internet videos, buy books and DVD’s, and go to Saturday morning clinics.” All true, but nothing speeds up your proficiency and knowledge faster than one-on-one help from a seasoned tyer. As an additional incentive, Front Range Anglers is offering a 15% discount on any material or tools you purchase. In effect, this will probably cover most of the instruction fees.

The rapid growth of fly tying is being driven by readily available digital/hardcopy information, specialty materials, and knowledgeable fly shop resources combined with fly fishermen who are pressing to move to the next stage. Don’t miss this great opportunity!

SIGN-UP NOW

About Rob Kolanda

Rob has been involved in the fly fishing industry for nearly 20 years, including time at a number of fly shops. Aside from managing various segments of the retail business, he has been a signature fly tyer for several companies, and a key member of Fly Fishing Team USA. Throughout his years as a competitive fly fiersheman, Rob has collected five Gold, five Silvers and a Bronze medal with the US National Fly Fishing Team, was a winner of the America's Cup and a two time winner of the South Platte Carp Slam.

Check out this

Post date: Saturday January 26th, 2013 - 11:36am

Check out this video from our friends over at MidCurrent. It has some great tips on tying small flies. Worth a look!

Copper Zebra Midge from Tightline Productions on Vimeo.
Detailed instructions for tying a Copper Zebra Midge.

Mid-January Warmup

Post date: Monday January 21st, 2013 - 10:26am

Scott on the hunt. Finding fish and presenting the fly directly in front of them was the key.

With this recent unseasonably warm weather (we're going to be flirting with 70 on Wed. in Denver) a few of us from the shop decided to see how the Deckers area was fishing. We were streamside by 9:30 a.m. and even with the warm weather, it was still chilly assembling our gear. For the first hour the prime fishing real estate was based more on how much sun we could bask in, not how fishy the water looked. While we didn't set any records for number of fish caught, all in all we didn't have too bad of a day considering it was mid-January.

A colorful 'bow that came to net on a small midge larvae.

While it looked as though we might get some fish looking up with the number of midges buzzing around, it turned out to be an all nymphing game. All of us were running some type of attractor such as an egg pattern up top with a tiny midge pattern trailing behind it. Olive seemed to be the color of choice, although a black UV Midge emerger in size 22 did pull a few fish as well.

We were surprised how many people showed up for being the middle of the week in the middle of January. I guess the nice weather has that effect...

So much for solitude by fishing mid-week!

Making A Difference...Healing Waters & Reel Recovery

Post date: Monday October 22nd, 2012 - 1:00pm

Boulder Flycasters is working through one of its long term members, Ron Donahue, to assemble flies for use by two very worthy organizations. Project Healing Waters who sponsors outings for military personnel and veterans. Their program is specifically designed to help our American heroes get back on their feet physically and/or emotionally. Reel Recovery that helps men with all forms of cancer share their stories, learn how to fly fish, form lasting friendships, and gain renewed hope as they confront the challenges of cancer.

"We started out a month ago with Project Healing water and the response was very strong. As such, we decided that it would be appropriate to extend the coverage to another group, Reel Recovery, that the BFC has helped in the past....Ron Donahue"

Ron is doing his level best to match every 6 flies or more flies tied by the participants. If you are interested in helping Project Healing Waters click here or Reel Recovery click here. If you want to do something for both just signify this in the comment section. The value of this kind of gift is immeasurable.

IF YOU DON'T TIE FLIES AND WOULD STILL LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, WE CAN SECURE A SELECTION OF 1/2 OR 1 DOZEN PATTERNS FROM A COMMERCIAL SOURCE AT COST. SIMPLY FILL OUT THE SAME FORM AND DESIGNATE THIS INTENTION IN THE COMMENT SECTION. YOU WILL RECEIVE A CREDIT CARD BILLING VIA EMAIL FROM THE BFC.

Red Feather Lake Area

Post date: Friday September 21st, 2012 - 4:40pm

Over the last several days I've been fishing the Red Feather Lakes. The daytime weather was a little windy and overcast but the fishing was reasonably good. A two fly rig on a 12-foot leader (the lakes are all shallow) retrieved very slowly produced the most daytime consistent results. I used a Teardrop nymph (see below) in a gold shade for the trailer attached to a a size 6 Jimmy Legs Stonefly nymph in brown and burnished orange (we stock them). Evening midge hatches were good when the wind stopped. - size 22 black midge 20-inches behind a size 14 Humpy did the trick.

Tungsten Teardrops

Post date: Monday September 17th, 2012 - 10:26am

When fishing the Chubby or a large hopper/stimulator with droppers in fast water I want my nymphs to drop quickly through the water column and stay there. I don't like or use split shot and was interested in using small flies on heavy wire hooks in size (12 & 14) to achieve this requirement. My solution ended up being a product brought into the shop in the spring of this year from Spirit River, Tungsten Tear Drops in 2.3 (14) and 2.8 mm (12) (available in black nickle and gold). They were the just the right fit on a Tiemco 3769 (2X heavy).

Here is a 2.3 mm teardrop on a 3769 size 14 hook. They are slotted so they can fit around the bend. I apply a thread base and a drop of superglue to bind them to the shank.

I wanted these flies to be pretty indestructible so I coated the wraps with UV Clear Fly Finish from Loon (Clear Cure Glue works just as well). They were to sit in the middle of the rig and their primary job was to sink the trailing fly, size 16 to 18 beadhead (non-tungsten). The fish loved these flies and they proved to be just as effective as the trailing pattern.

I used thread and or krystal flash on the bodies and tied in florescent orange hot spots.

The teardrop shape made out of tungsten added a huge amount of weight - over 2X a standard tungsten bead.

The Teardrop Nymph is now SOP in the fly selection I carry with me. I haven't used them on still water yet but I have a feeling what the result will be.

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