Nate O Taylor

Food, Fishing, and Outdoor Adventures

The Infamous Mysis

March 19, 2011 by n.taylor 5 Comments

If you live in Colorado you are well aware of the cult like following of Mysis Relicta and the tremendous growth rate of fish in the tailwaters that have them. The story in Colorado is one that most know, the introduction of the Mysis was to feed Kokanee, the state forgot to check and see if the salmon could eat the mysis (they couldn’t), mysis take over the lake as they feed on zooplankton, salmon and other species suffer because of this. This would have been the end to another failed government program except that the large bottom release dams where they were introduced made the mysis steroids for the fish living below the dam. The Taylor, The Frying Pan, and The Blue are known as the big mysis fisheries in Colorado all because they possess the proper dam construction (bottom release) and reservoir characteristics (big and deep).

1989 Colorado Mysis Report

1989 Colorado Mysis Report

Mysis were released into many reservoirs in Colorado, not just those big three that get published in Fly-Fisherman Magazine every 4 months. Not only were they put into many reservoirs by the DOW, but private citizens have also legally and illegally stocked other lakes with mysis, hoping that fish in the lakes would gorge themselves on the crustaceans. The best report I have found is from 1989, and it details 18 reservoirs where there are mysis shrimp. The study also gives us a little background on when trout eat the mysis in the reservoir and how, for the most part, they avoid predation altogether (they are crafty little buggers). The point being is that there is a lot of water out there, and I’m sure there are big fish that exist places that aren’t the “big 3”. Combat fishing on those rivers is never going to change, but if you have to fish mysis then there are other options for you. If you do try some of these places and the fishing is good, please let me know and I’ll be sure to return the favor.

Filed Under: Spring Tagged With: Mysis, Trivial Knowledge

This Guy Is The Man

December 19, 2010 by n.taylor Leave a Comment

101 and he’s out ice fishing. The guy is as blind as hell but he doesn’t care, if we could all be so lucky to experience a century of fishing. God bless this old timer.

Full Story

Filed Under: Winter Tagged With: Old Timer, Trivial Knowledge

What Fishermen Buy

December 15, 2010 by n.taylor Leave a Comment

I suppose it all makes sense. The thing that I guess I don’t understand is how Orvis is the #1 fly tying material brand. I would have guessed a company like Hareline at the top spot but that shows what I know I guess.

As far as the rest of the results go I can say I fall in line with the majority. I’ve never had waders that didn’t leak so I never see the need for buying a new pair, my pack is just starting to look worn in which is a look I like to go for, and who doesn’t need to buy flies from time to time?

Survey Results

Survey Results

Midcurrent published the results of this Southwick Associates survey. You can find the original article here.

Filed Under: Winter Tagged With: Trivial Knowledge

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