On March 1,  Waterton Canyon opened to the public for the first time since July 2010 (click here to learn more about the reasoning behind this closure). While this was a highly anticipated event for the Denver angling community, high expectations of epic fishing were quickly diminished to tales of no fish, poor conditions and speculation that Waterton Canyon was now void of aquatic life.  By Monday morning, we were fielding numerous phone calls and emails in the shop from customers concerned over the state of this fishery.  We conducted interviews with anglers who had fished Waterton over the weekend, and every report we received was eerily similar.  "Out of about 30 other anglers we spoke to out on the water, I would say about 75% of them did not even hook up" wrote one angler.  "Fishing was bad. We didn't catch or see any fish while there. Tried all kinds of nymphs and soft hackles.  The bottom was all rock and gravel, only snags were dead branches. We didn't see any dead fish but no live ones either" was the comment from another.   

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When I was told that I was going to be coming along to the Annual Trouts Redfish retreat to Port Sulphur, Louisiana, I was in complete disbelief and as excited as a giddy schoolgirl! For weeks prior to our trip I watched every Redfishing video I could find, and studied proper flats boat etiquette to try and prepare myself for what would be an "epic fishing trip!" After many sleepless nights and days spent daydreaming of Bull Reds, the time had come to head to NOLA.

I had bought myself a copy of the latest Drake Magazine thinking it would keep me occupied for the two and a half hour plane ride, but when your sitting between your two managers that are drinking Wild Turkey on the rocks, who needs literature anyway. We did however practice our blood knots, swapped some flies and fishing stories, and when we stammered out of the plane we were all greeted by the smell and humidity of New Orleans that stuck to you like a wet sock.