Steve,
I just received this from my friend, Peter Sagara. He and I have been
friends for almost 30 years. I have heard him mention Curtis before and he
has always spoken very highly of him. I say this because I don't have any
firsthand knowledge or experience with Curtis but I do trust Peter's.
For your information and anyone else on this list, I have included Peter's
story of his trip a couple days ago. FYI: Peter is a dryflyguy. It doesn't
matter the conditions, it's gotta float.
Hope this helps,
Leland.
Contact Soaring Eagle Lodge at Navajo Dam, NM
for accomodations and guide, Curtis Bailey. I worked with Curtis at High
Desert Angler for a couple of years before he went to the San Juan and a
life as a guide. He's been up there about ten years now. Curtis was a guide
15-20 years ago, for the fly shop at Mammoth Lakes, the name of which I
have now forgotten, Kettridges?? He's a good man. If your friend smokes
cigars, Curtis would like to share one. He is a very good driftboat guide
but also wade guides. he can use my name when he asks for Curtis.
Peter
>Hi there,
>
> We left here Tuesday morning and after a little ice and snow on the
>road around Abiqiui it was clear sailing all the way there. There was some
>cloud cover as we checked into Abe's, and we had our choice of rooms as we
>had seen one car at the dam and two at Lower Flat's parking lots. After
>getting dressed and eating lunch we headed for Baetis Bend, expecting to
>see a good hatch of midge and BWO under the cloudy skies. As we hiked the
>trail and crossed the channel, we could see nothing working up or down.
>Getting across to the river, and watching for the usual action behind
>Peter's Rock, there was nary a ripple, the water flowed uninterrupted. All
>around us there was stillness as nothing broke the mirror like finish of
>the water. Undaunted, we continued up to the bend, above S.H., and as Asher
>rigged up with nymphs, I thought I saw a head poke out just twenty feet
>above the island. Wading out and getting within casting distance I put a 24
>parachute BWO, in the direction of the last "rise".
>Unexpectedly, the head popped up and I was so surprised I raised the rod
>ripping the fly right out of the mouth of the large, black head! There was
>a bit of tension, momentarily, so I knew it had felt the bit of the hook.
>That was it. We played there for another hour with no results for me or for
>James who by now had made a half dozen changes in flies and combinations
>thereof. The weather was closing in as the skies darkened, the temperature
>dropped and the winds whipped up. We decided that parhaps we might find
>fish at our usual Beaver Flats so we headed back up the trail as flurries
>began. By the time we got to the car, drove to T.H. parking lot and began
>the hike ypstream, the flurries had thickened. There were four guys on the
>water when we arrived, so I played upstream in the small riffles, although
>there were no fish in sight, while James dragged flies, shot and indicator
>through Beaver Hole, with no results. When the four guys left, I went on
>over and checked behind the little island but saw nothing. Just above it
>however, there were a few dark backs that came up showing off the dorsal
>fins, feeding on emergers. I tried bringing them up with a variety of dry
>flies but had nothing challenge me. James came over and drifted his rig
>through the water and still had nothing. The snow by now was sweeping into
>our faces as the wind drove the flakes level with the water! Looking over
>at Asher he resembled a very large snowcone, without flavoring.
> We hiked out by wading downstream to the side channel by Kidde Pool
>but saw nothing working. So, as we were getting chilled, decided to call it
>a day.
> After a heartburn evoking Chicken Fried Steak at Abe's, we called
>it a night and giggled our way to dreamland viewing a segment of Frazier.
> The skies were still gray as we were awakened by the sound of an
>alarm going off in one of the other rooms.....empty rooms. We speculated
>that the reason the fire alarm in our room was dismantled and the battery
>laying on Asher's headboard was some previous occupant had been awakened by
>the sound and tore out the wrong culprit! After breakfast and as we dressed
>for action once again, the wind kicked up. Sitting outside lacing up my
>boots, the fingertips lost all feelings! Layered by four poly, and fleece,
>topped with a Windstopper jacket, we prepared to head for Baetis Bend once
>again. The tv weather person announced as we were headed out the door that
>it was 8 degrees during the night in Aztec, the closest town to where we
>were. With the wind it had to be at least that even at the moment. When we
>got on the water I checked the temperature and it was below the lowest
>markings on the meter, at 40 degrees. I estimated it was probably in the
>high thirties. It was so cold that the few fish we saw in our path as we
>waded, failed to move until almost touched by the boot! With nothing at the
>bend, James went up to the bottom end of Lunker Alley and tried a rig of a
>Red Hot behind an orange colored anelid, deep, mid, and under the surface
>with no action. I stayed back at the bend trying to see if the one dummy
>that rose to a fly the day before might be coaxed back up again. After a
>number of casts, changes of offerings and prayer, with finger tips that
>were popsicles, I waded over to the other side and continued the search for
>anything rising. Hiking down to Peter's Rock, I stood and watched hoping
>for my usual luck of finding fish in the riffle. But, alas, this day there
>was nothing moving.
> Hiking back across at that point to meet a disappointed Asher
>coming back down, we decided to give Beaver Flats one more shot before
>giving it up for this trip. There were six cars in T.H. parking lot....two
>more than had been there the day before! We hiked up to the usual entry
>point and found ice, a half inch thick extending out almost fifty yards! I
>led the way for the first half, lifting a boot and crashing down to cut a
>path so as not to slash our waders, then Asher took over the rest of the
>way.
> We plied those waters rarely glimpsing a fish and never seeing
>anything move to our flies on top or under. James came over finally and
>spotted six fish sitting, finning close together, yet barely moving. He
>dropped his combo to them and not a stir was made. Not even to get out of
>the path! I have not seen anything like that up there as usually, they will
>scatter when something unusual comes drifting into their view, unless they
>are feeding. So, we were ready. It was time to call it a day. This is the
>first trip I can recall when James did not have at least a few fish. It was
>nothing unusual for me as I had been the victim of shutouts on many
>occasions up there.
> Ultimately, I think the water was so cold the fish were not
>interested in eating. At the same time, there were so few insects on top
>during the cold period, that I think even they were not active. The only
>time I saw any midges on top along with an occasional baetis, was when we
>first hit the water, upon arrival, before the storm moved in.
> It was disappointing but Asher and I don't really need fish to have
>a good time and once again we enjoyed our time together, however, cold we
>got. Our political views are about as disparate as two people can be and
>many a traveling hour has been occupied in "discussion". We have fun.
>
>Later,
>
>Peter
