It was a trip that was one year in the making, as Matt McClure and I (Kenny Klimes) headed to Colorado to fish with Landon Mayer. Landon is one of the top guides in the US and outstanding teacher of fly fishing.  Better yet, he is an awesome guy that Matt and I enjoyed being with during our two day guided trip to the Dream Stream.  Landon taught us new techniques, how to fight BIG fish and the history of the area.

Matt and I departed St Louis on Monday morning (6am) for Denver, rented our car and were on our way for an adventure that would be more than we expected.  Our home base was the Eagle Fire lodge in Woodland park. It was a central location for several fishing areas that we hit during the trip. Matt and I fished Eleven Mile canyon our first afternoon. It’s a beautiful location with the South Platte river running through it and loaded with trout, I might add.  It was a good afternoon as we got in the groove of fly fishing Colorado before our first day fishing with Landon. Both of us landed several fish in the 14-16 inch category as we sight fished for the trout. The water is low and clear this time of year.

On Tuesday, we met up with Landon Mayer and immediately hit it off as we talked of everything fly fishing.  We drove by the Eleven Mile reservoir to check out if we would be able to try some still water fishing during the two days and the chances looked good.  But the first day would be to the Dream Stream and a favorite spot of Landon’s. We were about to learn how to sight fish for “Tanks” as Landon called them – BIG trout!!  Landon was like an “Osprey” with the ability to spot fish with ease (and believe me it wasn’t easy). He would point out the fish and we would go in stealth mode and attack. We fished all small flies – size 22 and 24 – mostly midge type patterns.  Landon would help us see the feeding fish and we took turns hunting them.  Landon likes using a clear thingamabob, a long leader, 2-3 flies with the right amount of weight for the situation.  Many times the indicator barely did anything as you would hear Landon say “lift – he took it”. Fights on!!! Landon gave us great directions and if we followed his advice exactly we had ourselves a big fish in the net. Well, some of the “tanks” won the fight too! We fished the entire day on the Dream Stream and high fives were all around by the end of the day.

On Wednesday, we again checked out the reservoir and decided that we would hit it at the end of the day. Landon said we needed a light wind to help us catch the “cruising tanks of the reservoir”. But the morning was back on the Dream Stream to again hunt for the big rainbows and cutbows.  I had on the biggest trout of my life for about a 15 minute fight until he turned 180, shot out of the water and snapped my line. I didn’t say a word for at least 5 minutes (yeah I know, can you believe that!). I just put my head in Landon’s chest and cried. But, not to be undone, I headed back in the water as Landon spotted another “tank”. A couple casts and he was on – another fight and my forearms burned!! I got him in and I just wondered if this was the tank that I just lost.  I asked Landon to check to see if my other flies were in his mouth and sure enough they were. I got him – the second time around. The biggest trout of my life!  Matt, also had a huge fish on when he fell hard as he was running down the shoreline. He hurt himself pretty good, got up and still had the fish on!!  He fought it for another 3-4 minutes and the “tank” finally decided it was enough and busted off.  Matt redeemed himself when shortly after losing that fish he had a bruiser on and in the net. The shoulders on this rainbow (if trout can have shoulders) were HUGE. But for Matt and I, it was an awesome day of fishing AND catching. We then had lunch and headed for the reservoir to try our luck there. The reservoir fishing was different as we again used indicators, much bigger flies and let the flies drift in the wind.  Matt and I both caught two very nice rainbows that we almost “steelhead like” in color and fight.  It was now 4pm and time to say our good byes to Landon. He recommended where to fish on our last two days and we told him that we would see him again soon.

On Thursday, we met up with our own Tim Graham and Greg Krochta (the Denver fellowship Leader). We fished a different section of the Dream Stream on this day.  The wind picked up and made fishing a little tougher but we did get into some nice fish (see the pictures). It was great seeing Tim and Greg again. We all ate dinner together that evening, laughed and talked of how our lives were going – great fellowship. Isn’t that what fly fishing is truly about? Both had to get back home that evening so Matt and I planned for our final day in Colorado.

On Friday, our final day, we decided to fish the South Platte river north of Deckers, Colorado.  As we drove along the South Platte we would pull over from time to time to fish.  We did well but were really in awe of the beauty of the canyon area. Matt caught a beautiful, orange stripped cutbow, at least 18 inches, that he dropped just before we could take the photo. Oh well, it is etched in our memories.  We fished until it was time to head to the airport to return home from a trip of a lifetime