Winter Flows & Begining of the Spawn

Winter time at Lee's Ferry means high flows(20,300 cfs) and of course December signifies the start of this years spawn. We are using a few different techniques out there, depending on where on the river you are fishing.

First rig is your standard nymphing rig; 9'-5X leader, 15'' of 5X tippet, first fly, 18-20'',second fly, I use a double indicator, and a split shot(size depends on location) above tippet knot(15'' above first fly). This rig is your drifting rig and can be used river wide, your favorite wading bars are a good place to start for drifting.

Second rig is a dry-dropper rig; 7.5'-3X leader, dry fly(size 10, stemmy, or cicada pattern), and 5X tippet from their(length depends on location), to a size 16, zebra midge. This rig is used in small seams and side water, located at your favorite wading bars, anchor your boat, or if you dare; wade fish.

Third rig is a modified nymphing rig; 9'-5X leader, tie on fly(size 16 egg patterns, size 14 scud patterns, size 14 San Juan worm pattern), 10-12'' above the fly goes your split shot(size depends on location), and a single indicator(the smaller the better) 4-5' from fly. This is the rig I use to sight fish for the spawners, either from an anchored boat or again if you dare; wading.

Last but not least; for those of you like me that enjoy streamer fishing; tie the ol' olive bugger on your sink tip line and either swing it thru your favorite riffle, or strip it thru your favorite seam or back eddie.

Winter time is beautiful at the Ferry, the lighting is extraordinary during the winter months. Come on down and fish with us, or boats are fully covered and we'll have the heater running for you. Fishing is good, weather is fair, and you will enjoy this time of year, so please let us know if we can be of service.

Remember "keep that rod tip up", and I wish you all tight lines blue skies!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Mick Lovett

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

October 27

Hello fellow fishermen and women.
Fishing on the Ferry is still producing good fish and with good weather it is a great time to be in the canyon. I have had good success on gravel bars were the water drops off the edge of the run. I have been using a standard midgeing rig normally around 6' to my first fly but will very on locations. Fallowing about 16-18 inches to my dropper fly. Flys, top fly will consist of a #16 zebra midge, main colors I run are black, laser and a purple and silver. For the dropper we have found that the smaller the fly the more action produced. Fish seam to catch on to the gig quicker than usual so I am always changing out my bottom fly. Normally start with a 18-20 black midge. Once the fish seam to catch on I will change colors and even throw San Juan worms and scuds. My growing favorite way to catch fish is the streamer. Tie on a olive to brown woolly bugger with some hackle in it, throw out to were a seam and back eddie are present. Key is to always try to present it in different retrieves from long slow strips, to quick short jerks. Try to keep it low to the bottom some were in the 6-8'' from the bottom. I apologize for no photos but they will be on the next report. Size of the fish have been from the new fry hatching's to some really nice hogs, fish are always there and are waiting for you. Hope to catch you all out there, as always keep me in the loop and yours from crashing.
Thank you,
Kyle Klemme-MCO Guide
For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

September 8

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. It was a good Labor day weekend alot of traffic,but the fishing stayed consisten. The fish are striking our midging riggs all day. The best set up I found was a #16 on top with a #18 black dropper. The top fly I will change with the time and hatches thru out the day. The #18 black I kept as my main fly. Another setup we thru was the streamer rigg. Olive/black, and olive with green hackle wooly buggers were working good. Fish were aggressive on big sand bars throwing your bugger into the current and let it swing down to a seam. Key to this is getting your bugger down close to the bottom,also try with a trailer fly about 16-18" back. Here are some Pics of my client Mike, speacail thanks to him and his wife it was a great day on the Ferry that I will never forget!

Thanks, Kyle Klemme-Guide

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Hello everyone,
Hope your all having a great year. As you all know the season is turning and fall is just around the corner, for the Ferry this means lower water flows for September and October. A steady 15,500 cfs to be exact, and remember this is down from our summer flow of 24,500 cfs.
I was the only guide boat on the water today, and one of two total fishing boats out?
I was anticipating the wading and proceeded to a favorite wading bar for this water level, and as expected it was my midging rig that we were having our success. The rig is pretty simple;plsa indicator, 36'' of 5x tippet to a size 16 tung. bead zebra midge(you pick the color), then 20'' to next midge, size 16-18, on 6x, and steel or tungsten bead.
The numbers were good, lots of variation in size, plus for those of you who want to wade the ferry again before the winter; now is the time.I have availability all over September and October, so if Ican be of service please let me know.
So the picture to the right is the other guide now working for MCO, and the author of the previous few blog entries; his name is Kyle Klemme, just wanted to make a semi-formal introduction, he has been a great addition to MCO.

Til next time, tight lines, and always remember to keep that tip up!
Mick Lovett

For More Details, Visit Home at ttp://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Today on Lees Ferry fishing was good. All morning we had good numbers running a nymphing setup. Like the previous post we were running the same length and setup. I found the sand devil set up was working the best, black#16 zebra midge on top being followed by a #16-18 red midge. The fish were super active all morning, in the afternoon the output flow increased which required some minor adjustments. When you are fishing the Ferry pay close attention to the canyon walls were they meet the water. You will be able to watch the water fluctuate through they day. So always keep that in mind and adjust your rig accordingly. When the water increased I added another foot between my indicator and first fly, keeping the rest of the setup the same. We were also able to get some good site fishing in on big sand bars using a streamer setup. After siting your fish, use the current to let your line swing your fly in front of them and watch it happen. Good takes and always a great show. Until the next, keep me in the loop and yours from crashing.
Kyle Klemme-Guide
For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Hello everyone, fishing Lees Ferry is successful. The last two day trip we had good success with three different rigs. Morning and end of day consisted of a big bug setup with or without a dropper(#16-18 zebra midge) running between 14-24 '', hugging banks and tamarask. Next rig is nymphing, running a 5x leader with 10' to the first midge, add on another 12-16'' of 5-6x tippet for your bottom midge. Add a (AB) 20-26 inches above your first fly, and get in the water. Last we ran a streamer setup with a 200g depth charge with 3x tippet 6 feet out. Working a olive pattern woolly, low and slow to false strip on the swing or a quick strip back to the boat all work. Keep up moving and always work in different patterns. As Bill would say "Its all about the presentation!"

As always keep me in the loop and yours from crashing.

Kyle Klemme-Guide

Special thanks to Bill, and Mickey for the great two days.

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Walk In

Hello to all, fishing at the walk in is good. I have found that high water at the walk in makes for fun dry dropper fishing. Starting at the top of boulder field and working my way up to the cottonwoods. There are several kick outs between the two locations. I start at the bottom of the seams, working a small terrestrial bug with about a 10-14 inch #16-18 zebra midge as my dropper. Fishing early morning and late evening is when this works the best. Midge colors; Red silver, black silver, and laser are best. 6x tippet with dropper and 3x leader to dry. Hope to catch you there.

Kyle Klemme-Guide

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

June is the start of our summer, this year has had a cold start, so we are still having day temperatures in the mid 80's.

The Colorado is running 22,825 cfs, high water for us, and with that being said we are still have great success and lots of fun out there. The high water just changes our tactics a little. I have been having the most success drifting my favorite gravel bars, with a 12' nymphing rig, 2 flies, and AB weight, and a double indicator. The double indicator is for a visual confirmation of the dead drift, which is the most important skill when trying to be successful with this rigging and technique.

The flies that I'm having the most success with are; San Juan worms in brown, rust, and flesh colors(live colors), also scuds; these I like the dead pattern, your classic pick scud works best.
Last but not least; I have had a little free time on the water, and have been experimenting with the "Big Buggs" (terrestrial patterns), and to my surprise, been having some success. As the temperatures have not reached triple digits yet, the cicada's themselves, have not yet made an appearance. But this early success coupled with the already high water flows, may mean a banner "big bug" season for The Ferry in 2011.

Until next time, always remember to keep that tip up, and may all your lines be tight'

A special thanks the Kuo family; Kane, Amy, Sammy, Kay-Kay, and Kane's brother Eric who on the first drift with the nyphing rig explained above, caught this FAT 21'' female (shown in two pictures above).

Mick Lovett

M.C.O.

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Hello all my fellow fishers,

This is a client I had the pleasure of fishing with on May, 26th 2011. Keith Ohrstrom with a beautiful 19'' male (top) caught with a 12' nymphing rig, on a favorite drift of mine. And a fat 18'' female (bottom) also caught drifting a deep nymphing rig. It was a great trip, thanks again to Keith.

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Here is a group I fished with May 1, 2011, Les Roberts (bottom) with a big male he caught on the midging rig, (zebra midge), his son Cole (middle) with a fat 16'' female also on a zebra midge, and Garrett (top) with a fat 15'' once again, with the midgeing rig and a zebra midge.

May is here, which means a new spring month, filled with great fishing, fair weather and of course great people to share it with.

The midges are out in full force, which means lost of feeding, especially in the shallow runs, and Eddie seams. As I have mentioned in previous posts; the fish are really healthy and full of energy. May has brought a new water flow and in turn good fishing. Much the same as April, we are having the best success with my midgeing rig, and size 16, and size 18, zebra midge patterns of various colors, from your standard black & silver, to one of my own ties, purple & silver, and everything in between. Its all about the midge right now, but there are still some fish out there willing to eat a San Juan worm, or scud, in live colors, and of course the egg patterns for another weeks or two, when the last of the spawners finish for the year.

Looking forward to another great month on the Ferry, so if I can be of service please feel free to contact me at anytime. Thanks again to all who came and enjoyed the Ferry with me so far this year. Tight lines to all, and always remember "keep that tip up".

Mick Lovett

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Here is a Father and son trip that I had the pleasure of being a part of on April 30, 2011, Greg Crenshaw (top right) with a big male he caught on the midging rig, (red zebra midge) and his father Scott Crenshaw (bottom left) with a FAT 17'' female, also caught using the midging rig, this one on a purple zebra midge.

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Hello to all my fellow fishers out there,

Sorry its been so long, I am a one man show at the moment. With that being said; I will do my best to stay up to date, from this point forward. April was a good fishing month for Lee's Ferry, she got to show her true colors all month, the fish are in beautiful condition, lots of size variation and every fish is healthy and full of energy. Here are a couple of gentleman I fished with on April 26, 2011, Steve Obee (top left) with a beautiful 19'' rainbow he caught on his first cast of the day, and his friend Rick (bottom right) with another beautiful rainbow, this one 18''.

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to let you all know that the fishing is good the weather is fair, and we are having a lot of fun. Here is a couple I had the pleasure of fishing with on March 23, 2011. Steve Helerman (left) with a 19'' female rainbow, caught that one using the midging rig (details in previous post). Loretta Helerman (right) with 17'' male rainbow, a little roughed up from his recent spawning, caught that one drifting a full 9' nymphing rig from the boat. Thanks again to the Helermans.

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Spring is here

Hello all my fellow fishers out there, I had the great pleasure of fishing with Geza "The Big Cheese" Kmetty and crew earlier this month. This is Mr. Kmetty to the left holding a FAT 16" Lee's Ferry rainbow, one of many he caught that beautiful day. We had a great trip, nice spring weather and plenty of good action. My last report spoke a little about my midging rig, now I would like to touch on it a little more in detail as it was the key rig for this trip. The midging rig is designed for a suspended presentation instead of a, from bottom up presentation. Basically its a mixture of a dry-drop and full nymphing rig, I use a pulsa indicator where you would put the dry, and 4-6 feet below that a size 16 tungsten beaded zebra midge, then 18-24 inches below that a second midge, size 16 or 18 tungsten bead as well. The key to this rig is that you make sure you use tippet for the whole rig so there is no tapered leader below the indicator. Midge patterns of any type will work just as long as they are tungsten beads and in the correct sizes. Spring is beautiful at Lee's Ferry, the river banks are turning that beautiful emerald green as we speak, the weather is warming by the day, the midge hatches are getting bigger by the day, its time to shake that cabin fever and come join me on the pursuit for the wild Lee's Ferry rainbows. If I can be of service please feel free to contact me at anytime. Thanks again to Geza and crew. Mick Lovett For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Spring is comming fast, bring on the midges

Hello everyone, sorry it's been so long since my last report, its been a wild start to the new year, as some of you may know, my father Jon "Rocky" Lovett passed away on January 15, 2011. I want to start by saying, the business is still operating.

I have been on the water pretty regular and the fishing is getting better and better everyday. The midge hatches are getting to be bigger and bigger, and as soon as the winter weather breaks, and the nights stay above 50 degrees, the midges will come out in full force and mark the beginning of the great spring fishing.

The fish are still in great health coming out of winter and are already looking for their spring midge feast.

I have been catching fish with a couple different techniques; of course the standard nymphing rig, the midging rig, and have had good success as well with a dry-dropper rig in curtain places.

San Juan worms in live colors, zebra midges, the occasional scud in live colors, and of course egg patterns in multiple colors are all producing fish.

The spawn is still going, as it will until usually the month of May. Spring is a great time to come to Lee's Ferry, the canyon is exceptionally beautiful this time of year, the slopes along the river are already turning green, and the Tamerisk trees have started to bloom.

I encourage you come see M.C.O. for a great time, and the thrill of chasing the beautiful, wild rainbows of the Colorado river.

Look forward to meeting and fishing with you all, thanks again, and as always keep your rod tip up....Mick Lovett-owner/operator, M.C.O.

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com

Sorry everyone, my pictures just came through the email this evening. So here it is 16'' Brown. Caught this one on a Chocolate San Juan worm.

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Winter means NO Crowds and the "Spawn" is here!

Hello my fellow fishers, its winter time, the mighty Colorado is quit and as peaceful as it gets. The spawn has been going for about a month now, I know its hard to believe but they started earlier this year and we have been seeing some BIG fish on beds. I had a cancellation the other day, so I went out and fished the day on my own, for me it was one of my most memorable days, I caught my first German brown (16'') at Lee's Ferry. He was mixed in among the rainbows in full spawning colors. I fished for about 4 hours and landed about a dozen fish. The drifting is good, most wading is good, sight fishing the reds is good, the fish are taking egg patterns, San Juan worms (in live colors), and of course the ol' zebra midge, with the occasional scud mixed in. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be out, so if you don't mind a little cold and would like to fish Lee's Ferry, this is the time. Contact us if we can be of service. Thank You: Mick Lovett

For More Details, Visit Home at http://www.LeesFerryFlyFishing.com