Estes Park Wool Market - Critters

The Estes Park Wool Market is much more than a big yarn store.

I've including a few pictures of my own to show a different perspective than you will get from Tracy's post.

First there are the animals. Being a former farm boy I enjoyed seeing all the different fiber bearing animals. There were more llamas at this festival than I have ever seen. They are regal in appearance and carriage and appear to be quite capable of bearing the loads pack animals are helpful in bearing.

The sheep are the traditional source of wool and are what most folks think of when they hear about spinning, weaving, or knitting.

Alpacas produce soft fine wool and the yarns made from their fiber is prized around the world.

Some of the critters (and their owners) sport some impressive headgear.

"I need a haircut"

"We got sheared but they missed a spot"

Graceful Curves

Extra Horn

Who are you calling "Wooly"?

Sleeping Ram

Nice Tags

Sheep - Herder-ess

Llamas

Ready for the Packsaddle

Two Tone

Show-off

"Fringe"

My llama "Spot"

Posing for a Picture

Inexperienced dog - Experienced flock


Click the video below for the true experience - minus the aroma...

Rocky Mountain National Park

After an early breakfast, Tracy and I headed up the canyon to Estes Park and on to Rocky Mountain National Park.

We started the day with a hike up the Fern lake Trail to "The Pool" then took a drive along the Trail Ridge road.

We ate lunch at Lily Lake and tried unsuccessfully to tease a Greenback Cutthroat.

After hooking and losing my only fish we headed back to Longmont for supper and I spent the remainder of the day back at Golden Ponds park catching small rainbows. Here is the video:

Longmont, CO

We arrived in Colorado on Thursday and after getting through the airport and car rental process, the drive from Denver to Longmont was a welcome relief.

We got checked in and decided to explore a local park with several fishing ponds after an early supper.

Golden Pond park turned out to be a lot of fun and we caught several small warm water species including this white crappie.



Tracy caught her first bass on a white roostertail!

The sunset was beautiful and displayed once again that man cannot match God for creating beauty.






We are looking forward to our trip to Rocky Mountain Park in the morning.

Evans lake Fly Fishing

I needed to get some practice with the fly rod and the wind finally calmed down to the point I felt confident.

Fisherman's View


Fooled by the Seaducer

Just the Right Light



Sundown



I heard a splash and looked at the wall... Yeah I know where you live!

Sunkist Clouds


I saw these brush fires on the way home.
For a minute or two I thought I was near the Iraqi oilfields.

Frog Fishing

After catching a frog on a Mepps, I know the readers of this blog - like me - probably had a nagging question that demanded an answer. Just how hungry are these bullfrogs?


I had a busy day at work and this time of year there is plenty of daylight left for a little fishing after supper. I probed all the familiar spots looking for the bass but the recent high temps and lack of rain had them hunkered down in the weedbeds.

I strapped on a BGW and found some unsuspecting frogs lurking along the edge of the weeds. I had to make long accurate casts in the ever-present wind but finally got one in front of old Mr. Frog. Sure enough, he came after the BGW with a vengence!

I did learn a valuable lesson after the first frog - point him away from you as you are removing the hook. These guys can squirt a mile!

I managed to find a couple of LMB up tight to the shoreline just at dusk.

Sunset at Evans Lake - a gift on any evening.

Fishing on the Beach Road

Saturday was still windy and promised to be HOT but we decided to strap on the boats and head to Matty anyway.

Kevin and family were taking the pop-up and we had plans to rendezvous for a continuation of our team fishing last Friday in Palacios.

When we arrived, it appeared that Kevin & his first mate were out paddling in East Matagorda Bay.

Tracy and I settled on a spot along the beach road and found that with the tide being high there were plenty of rat reds and puppy drum interested in our fresh dead shrimp.

Before long Kevin & his fishing buddy joined us and got in on the fun.

Kevin hooks up on a rat red.

Pretty blue tail.

The Wilsons have a double.

We even caught some small specks.

I love this guy's expression.

Tracy and a nice black drum.

Juvenile Ladyfish

This was the best catch of the day - an 18" multispot red.






OK...Tracy's 18" multispot red.

She fought an epic battle with this one and handled him like a pro. Nice job!

Clouds

Have you ever read the story of Winnie-the-Pooh and the bees?

While most fishermen know that fish are always looking up and are keenly aware that most of their predators come from above they rarely take care with how they look to the fish.

After observing the sky the past few times I fished at Evans Lake, I started thinking like a fish.

There must be some way to blend in with my surroundings.

Maybe I could figure out how to look like the sky and a cloud...


There must be a way!
Or maybe I could just use a cloak of invisibility and disappear.
No Mr. Bass. I'm not really a fisherman. I mean you no harm.
See, I'm just a piece of blue sky with a white cloud on top. (disregard the shades)

Evening splendor.

Fire in the sky.

Mepps Agila

Who says fishing is just for fish.

I was spending some time at Evans Lake with a #2 dressed Mepps Agila and found out that bullfrogs will hit it too.



The only problem is that they are not too accurate and also they tend to try to snag their prey with their long sticky tongue. If you plan on fishing for frogs, keep your hook extraction tools handy.

I did manage a few of these too.

This guy got close and I snagged him with the treble hook.

Nice Evans Lake Largemouth.

Not to be outdone by his pond-mates,
this green sunfish had to get in on the fun.