I spent about 2 hours fishing Badger Basin north of Hartsel this weekend on my way out to run the Breckenridge Crest. The flow was pretty good and I saw a few 18" fish but didn't catch any of the big guys. Instead I caught fish after fish on a simple size 16 black ant pattern. I walked and cast downstream and gave it short drifts. About every 3rd cast I caught a 6-8" brown. It was a hoot! Probably caught the better part of two dozen before we moved on to the Blue in Silverthorne.
We fished below the I-70 bridges (naturally). I went up stream to try my luck away from 'Asbestos Alley' and my son headed downstream to the 'Big Gulp' hole behind the 7-11. I was working dries, he was working nymphs. It was quite overcast and fairly calm around 4 in the afternoon. Some mayflies were coming off so I tied on a size 18 BWO and managed two bows (14" and 16").
I later caught up with my son and he took 4 on red copper johns (size 16) and a zebra midge (size 20). He reports 16" being the largest. No 5-10 pounders on this trip to the Blue.
We fished below the I-70 bridges (naturally). I went up stream to try my luck away from 'Asbestos Alley' and my son headed downstream to the 'Big Gulp' hole behind the 7-11. I was working dries, he was working nymphs. It was quite overcast and fairly calm around 4 in the afternoon. Some mayflies were coming off so I tied on a size 18 BWO and managed two bows (14" and 16").
I later caught up with my son and he took 4 on red copper johns (size 16) and a zebra midge (size 20). He reports 16" being the largest. No 5-10 pounders on this trip to the Blue.