Kathi W.

I am happy to work with the fishing guides & guests at Sylvan Dale Ranch. Helping people enjoy fly fishing and catch big rainbow trout on our stocked lakes, native trout in the Big Thompson River or even big-mouth bass with spin-cast rods is a joy! I try to post conditions reports as well as stories & photos to show how time in the great outdoors is healing to our souls! Come out soon for some Rocky Mountain Rainbows!

I am happy to work with the fishing guides & guests at Sylvan Dale Ranch. Helping people enjoy fly fishing and catch big rainbow trout on our stocked lakes, native trout in the Big Thompson River or even big-mouth bass with spin-cast rods is a joy! I try to post conditions reports as well as stories & photos to show how time in the great outdoors is healing to our souls! Come out soon for some Rocky Mountain Rainbows!

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Fly Fishing Story: "Wake-up Call"

There is something about the gentle rocking of a pontoon boat on Mother Lake during the warm, mid-afternoon hours. Maybe it’s the doldrums of the feeding action or simply the slow digestion of the noon subway sandwiches, chips and beer, as the body starts to think that a brief nap might be in order. Such was the case last Thursday as Tommie Thompson kicked his flippers to propel his craft in the middle of the lake.james boys 2008 0112 550x412 Fly Fishing Story: "Wake up Call" I remember watching the strike indicator rest motionless on the surface, when suddenly it plunged downward and the drag sounded like a siren. Tommie’s quick reaction brought the hook to a holding position and the fight was on. I maneuvered my guide boat alongside Tommie’s pontoon and swiftly managed to net Mr. Thompson’s catch. A chunky rainbow had taken the suspended damsel nymph to the delight of yet another Sylvan Dale angler.” ~Ranch Guide Ted Meredith 970-215-2816

 

 

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/30

by Glen, Season Member

I went to Sylvan Dale Ranch yesterday from about 11:30–7:30pm. All the lakes in both Upper & Lower Valley, trout and bass, are fishing great! I caught about a half dozen on damsel fly dry and calibaetis emergers on Mother Lake from my pontoon boat and from shore up until 3pm.

There was some surface activity starting about 12:30, but it was kind of sporadic. I tried down and dirty for a while (meat whistle, wooly bugger, beadhead pheasant tail) with no results. [Ranch note: see previous report a few days ago that did have success "down & dirty"... fish are so finicky!]

I then caught another half dozen or so in Island lake near the inlet and in the area to the east that has been deepened, with a variety of flies – Chernobyl ant, bugger, clouser minnow. There are fish all along in that area. Then I fished Big Lake from shore and caught one nice bass, a big crappie, a bunch of smaller bass. Finally, ended up fishing Pump Lake with a popper from about 6 until 7:30. I caught over a dozen bass including a couple pretty good sized ones and some big bluegill/pumpkin seeds on a bass popper there.

Fly fishing for bass was good when it was windy and riffly, helping make the fish less wary. All in all a good day with a lot of variety of flyfishing and types of fish – but, alas, no 30 inchers.” [Ranch Note: We know you'll be back to go for those big lunkers, but glad you had fun with "regular" sized trophy trout & any fish big enough to bend the rod! :-) Thanks, Glen!]

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/27

by Wallace Westfeldt

“Sylvan Dale Ranch is one of those rare places where you can take a large group, in this case a family of eight, and enjoy flyfishing on a variety of waters with great fish. Both the lakes and the river fished well all day except or the mid-afternoon lull on Mother Lake. Fly of the day on Mother Lake was the Jumbo Rojo chronomid. 

Other flies that took fish on Mother Lake were:  Damsels, red and black chronomids, Meatwhistle, Blank Saver leech, Grasshopper.  Water temp 1 foot down in the morning was 58 degrees warming to 62 in the afternoon. The Main Ranch River took a variety of nymphs, but fish also vigorously rose to a Chubby Chernobyl.”

Visit Wallace’s website for stories & photos of his fishing adventures at the ranch!

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Fly Fishing Report 2012/05/24

by Wallace, Master of Fish Acquisitions

“Mother Lake: A lot of fish taking smaller midges from the surface and below. Damsel Nymphs working near shore. Mid afternoon, complete shutdown as fish move towards center and down. Best catch of the day, 21 inch rainbow taking on a #20 Mother’s Lake midge on top.

Main Ranch River: Great level for the River, but unusually slow around Dining Hall. Many fish taken at the Devil’s Elbow, down deep on Poison Blue Tung and Girdle Bug. Concurrently, there was a massive PMD hatch, but no risers and no takes on nymph imitations. Go figure.”

Thanks, Wallace!  Check out his website & photos… Fish Acquisitions by Wallace Westfeldt, www.MudBugCo.com

 

 

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Fishing Report – May 15: “Holy Cow!”

HOLY COW! Jason V. of Loveland switched to his sink-tip line as the refusals on the dry fly made him wonder what the fish were taking. He ran a two fly rig with an olive bead head fly on top that guide Ted Meredith had given him, and a special damsel nymph that Jason had in his own box.

Fish jason v ted client may 2012 SML 250x187 Fishing Report May 15: Holy Cow!

“Holy Cow! Look at the size of that fish! I need a bigger net! Wow! It’s a Donaldson! Holy Cow!”

While seeing the fish take him into the backing, Jason landed the fish after a short battle.

Although the fish was not officially measured, it was certainly in the 10 pound range and measured at well over 27 inches long.

~Ranch Guide, Ted Meredith

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Annual Spring River Clean-up

River Clean Up John Hallagan and Connor MED1 300x225 Annual Spring River Clean upYou may be interested in a community-wide effort to clean up Loveland area waterways!  COME ON OUT SATURDAY AND BE PART OF A SPECIAL PROJECT!  Sylvan Dale Ranch is once again joining the Big Thompson Watershed Forum’s 2011 Annual Spring Waterway Clean-up this Saturday, April 16th from 9:00am to Noon.  The City of Loveland is hosting other groups in other areas – but if you’d like to help on the Big Thompson River near the ranch, call 970-667-3915 and we’ll give you the meet-up info.  Here is a shot of ranch friends and neighbors, Connor and John, smiling with their efforts last year on a beautiful stretch of river.  More than 250 volunteers of all ages gathered up 10 tons of trash last year!  Let’s beat our own record!

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