With a last-minute cancellation, the wife and I decided to try the Eagle River right in our hometown of Eagle, CO. We had taken the kiddo and dog to the Fairgrounds to push the stroller and get outside last weekend, and the river was still too muddy to fish. Thanks to some cold days and nights, the river finally looked fishable, and we are glad we gave it a shot. With our daughter less than a year old, we knew we had to fish the Eagle River somewhere close in case of a baby tantrum/meltdown or a blowout diaper. We went to the Eagle Fairgrounds, where access is great with a kid on your back and a dog in tow.
We generally take turns fishing and keeping the baby entertained, but also enjoy wading safely out with our child in a backpack child-carrier. My wife, Kat, was quickly into fish while I watched from the bank and rigged a backup rod. Though the stain was less than last week, it was still pretty murky, so we were surprised when she started catching fish on the Mayhem Midge I used yesterday, below a jig and worm. We were also surprised to find they weren’t eating as well in the slower flows as they were on the seam, and even getting into some of the faster water in the run we were fly fishing.
We lost our Mayhem Midge after a few fish and a few snags (lots of debris in the river right now) and started picking up fish on olive zebra midges and epoxy midges. When I tagged in to fish, I barely hooked and landed a beautiful rainbow trout on a red squirmy worm. The trout were being selective and the takes were extremely soft. Set the hook on everything! Your indicator doesn’t always drop like a stone.
We fished hard for an hour or so, but the baby had had enough and was ready to go home for a snack and a nap. It’s always nice to get a bend in your rod, even if you can’t dedicate a whole day to catching fish. We were glad we made the most of our time and were able to fish the Eagle River in Eagle before the flows are too dangerous to wade and the water is too turbid to give it a try.
