Father’s Day is less than two weeks away, so I thought it was the perfect time for this giveaway.
Fly-fishing is a popular Colorado pastime, and for good reason. The Colorado Rockies provide some of the most pristine rivers in the world, and some of the best are in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Coloradoan Steve Schweitzer started hiking and fishing RMNP eleven years ago. He kept meticulous notes about his hikes and the fish he caught. These trips and notes became the inspiration for “A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park.”
Schweitzer’s book was released in February 2011, and features 260 photographs, and 150 destinations along 48 trail systems with RMNP. It outlines each hike, including information on trail difficulty.
“It’s as much of a hiking guide as a fishing guide,” Schweitzer said.
First and foremost, the book answers the question, “Where do I want to fish today?” The book has ten tools to help answer this question. It also includes fully illustrated, full color topographic maps, tips for anglers, hatch charts and a detailed pattern listing for over 100 unique and highly effective flies.
For the Colorado fly fisherman of fisherwoman, “A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park” is a must-read. For the rest of us, it’s a beautiful book about one of America’s greatest national parks and is full of helpful hiking information.
This week you have the chance to win a signed copy of this book here at HeidiTown.com. To be entered, you must tell me your favorite “fish story” in the comment story below. If you don’t have a fish story, make one up!
A winner will be chosen at random on Friday, June 10 at 3 p.m.
Here’s an example of a true fish story. My dad, younger brother and I were fishing a river in northwest Washington State, and because I was still learning the art of fly fishing, my line kept getting caught in a bush near the river’s edge. Frustrated, I blurted out the “f” word. I froze. Under no circumstance was this acceptable language in my family. However, my dad simply looked at me, shook his head and went back to fishing – leaving me to untangle the line from the bush.
To get a sneak peak inside the “A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park,” or to place a book order, visit www.flyfishingrmnp.com.
Good luck & happy fishing!
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I tried fly fishing once, many years ago, with embarrassing results. I’d love to try again. That said… PICK ME, PICK ME!
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I was fishing in Florida with my cousins. I put some bait on my hook and before I could cast out the line a pelican swooped in and took the bait. The hook got stuck in the birds bill. We managed to get the hook out. Not my best fishing moment.
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That’s a good one Brian. Can’t figure out if it’s true or not, but I sure wish you had video. 🙂 Good luck!
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An older neighbor asked if I’d like to hike up to a lake in RMNP and flyfish. Turned out it was six miles each way and over 2k feet up. I had no idea the guy could set a pace like he did – we made it in less than 90 minutes though it took me a while to feel like fishing once we were there. I need this book to find easier to get to places!
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haha! That reminds me of hiking when we my brother and I were little. We would always go on these VERY long hikes – with packs and everything – and we had a running family joke. My Dad would say, “there’s an ice cream stand just around the next bend!” We knew that there wasn’t, but we loved the joke anyway.
Thanks for the story & good luck!
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My mom and dad always loved to fish…dad had a fancy pole…mom a stick and string….guess who always caught the dish…mom…I got stung by something and didn’t fish until last year again…yes with a fancy pole…thanks for the memories Heidi
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It’s not about the pole right? It’s about the skill. Momma bringing home the bacon…er… trout. Love that story Kristine. Good luck!
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I need your book. . .my fly hits the water like a kamakazee 🙂
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LOL! Sounds like me Lori! Be sure to check out Steve’s website. He uploads podcasts there and I’m sure he has loads of fly fishing tips! Good luck!!!
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I have fished in RMNP a number of times with some minimal trout catching success. But I always loved the beauty. To paraphrase someone, a bad day fishing is better than a good day doing almost anything else! I have stopped fly-fishing much of late because my hands shake and it is hard to tie on a midge. That’s not a very good reason. It only takes one short hike, one cast to beautiful water, and one trout to make an incredibly successful day. No, that is not really right. I should have said it only takes one short hike OR one cast to beautiful water, OR one trout to make a blessed day.
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One bad day of fishing is better than a day of doing anything else… Love that quote! I also like the quote on a sign that hangs in my in-laws’ South Park cabin. It reads, “If you are lucky enough to live in the mountains, you are lucky enough.” 🙂
Good luck Rob!
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In 2005, for our one year anniversary, my wife and I rented a beautiful cabin on Beaver Lake outside of Eureka Springs, AR. Part of the rental package included use of their covered large dock for fishing and poles. The covered dock was awesome. It had a 12x12ft ish square hole cut out of the middle (http://www.beaverlakefrontcabins.com/fishing.html) where you fish from.
We could see a ton of fish but after 30-45 mins or so none were really biting. We were using some bread and cheese as bait which the crappie would eat off of our hooks without getting caught. My wife, Virginia gets the idea that she’s going to tear up a bunch of the bread in tons of little pieces and throw that in the water as well as her hook with the bread on it. Her theory was that maybe in all the frenzy they would latch on to her bait with the hook and get caught. I said “Babe, that’s stupid, there’s no way that will ever work.” She of course was unfazed and continued with her plan.
She threw in the bread, then her hook. The fish were in a frenzy. Not five seconds later she screams out “I got one!!!” Beaming with an “I told you so” look, she pulled the good sized crappie out of the water. That taught me never to doubt my wife again.
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LOL!!! I like the way your wife thinks. Thanks for entering the contest Andrew.
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Hi everyone!
The winner was Brian and he was been contacted via email.
Thanks to everyone for entering and for the wonderful fish stories. I enjoyed them immensely.
Please note that Steve Schweizer’s book is available through his website at http://www.flyfishingrmnp.com, and really is a must-read for any fly-fisher person. And remember, Father’s Day is NEXT Sunday!