The typical start of fall in the high country is usually the beginning of September. I realize fall hasn’t started yet, but the nights are starting to get colder, the wind is making its annual return. This year fall is on hold. The monsoons skipped us and the temperatures are staying hot. The leaves are starting to change but I think that is more drought stress than cool temperatures. Considering I’ve been snowed on in the summer multiple times here, being able to walk barefoot in the creek is a far cry from fall.

One positive of a delayed fall is that it is like fishing any endless summer. Big terrestrial dry flies are still definitely on the menu and the fish are looking up.

There may not have been a lot of fall color in the surface world but the brook trout didn’t seem to get the memo. They were coming into their fall best as they readied for an upcoming spawning season. While brook trout are not native in this part of the world, they sure are a lot of fun to catch with colors second to none. Little blue halos and a green/yellow camouflaged back. The fins are maybe the most striking feature though, with orange fins edged in bold black and white bars. They are an ever present reminder of us messing with creeks to replace what was there with what we wanted to be there. They aren’t ideal but they sure are hard to hate on days like this.

Fall? Summer? Either way this creek is always something special.