fly cast

Fall In Lime Creek Canyon

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Hopefully you all aren't sick of seeing images from this magical place. And if you are, take heart, because this will be the last round, since we haven't been back for quite a while at this point. 

Last September we headed back out to our favorite getaway, and as usual spent the time fly fishing (for Scott) and just enjoying the beauty of the area (for me). We had much better conditions for our September trip than we did for our July trip, with plenty of sunshine and near perfect temperatures. Plus, the plants had started to turn to that late summer/early fall gold that makes the landscape look richly magnificent. 

Up Next: Images from our longest flight yet, down to Clovis, New Mexico. 

Lime Creek Canyon Fishing

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Last summer we ventured back to our favorite mountain getaway (which you can see the images from a previous trip here and here) a few different times. The first trip there for the summer took place over the weekend of the Fourth of July, and we were treated to some extremely wet, muddy conditions for a good portion of the trip. It had rained a lot the few days before we got there, as well as the day of, making everything a slimy, muddy mess. But, the plus side to so much rain? Everything was crazy green! 

We did end up getting pretty lucky, and the sun came out for a good chunk of the day, giving us perfect weather to fish (well, for Scott to fish, for me to sit in a chair and read), and allowing things to dry out at least a little bit. 

Up next: images from the sky (the perks of dating a private pilot). 

Alpine Camping + Fishing (Part Two)

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Hello again! Time for part two of our camping trip to Guanella Pass last fall! I'm going to sum everything up and leave you with the images, so you can scroll without distractions. 

Our second day in the alpine was a nice, lazy day; we slept in (as much as you can while camping), made breakfast, and just enjoyed the beautiful day and campsite. The sun was was stunning, and everything was glowing that morning. Scott went back to fishing, and continued to catch little brook trout on the fly. A dragonfly even posed for pictures for quite a while, and I was able to inch closer and closer to get images of his amazing wings. It was quite the perfect morning. After a relaxing morning, we ran to town for lunch and supplies, and then came back to a partially rainy evening, which was spent boiling water for our hike the next day while enjoying a bonfire. Dinner was made while bundled up in our tent, which is one of my favorite things when camping in the cold. 

Next time: Images from our hike up Mt. Bierstadt, my second fourteener. Be sure to check back to see crazy sunrise light, amazing mountain views, and fluffy, white ptarmigans in winter mode. As always, thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share via the links below, and be sure to say hi! 

 

Alpine Camping + Fishing

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Last October, Scott and I packed up the car and headed up to one our favorite camping areas (Guanella Pass) for a weekend of mountain air and hiking. We set up camp quickly and he put together his fly rod as soon as we finished. Our camp was right next to a set of ponds, and since we could see the tiny fish jumping away as we set up, he was anxious to throw his line in the water. 

Scott managed to hook a little Brook Trout (what I'm guessing/have been told it is) within a few casts. He was extremely excited, dare I say giddy even, as it was the first fish he'd hooked on the fly in Colorado. He spent the rest of the evening fishing, pulling in quite a few of the tiny fish. As usual, I was content snapping away the entire time. 

When the sun went down, we bundled up in our tent (it was quite the cool night) and read for a bit, before going full mummy mode in the sleeping bags and going to bed. I was about to settle in myself on that night, but noticed how perfect the light from Scott's headlamp was lighting the scene, and had to get a few images before calling it a night. 

Next up: day two of this trip which involved more fishing, and more time in the tent. I promise, the images are more exciting than that sounds (or at least I think they are). As always, thanks for stopping by! Feel free to share via the links below, and say hello as well! 

Flashback Friday: Walker Ranch - South Boulder Creek Fly Fishing

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Happy day after Thanksgiving everyone! I was able to spend yesterday with most of my family, enjoying some precious time with two of my nephews, and eating lots of food of course. I hope everyone had a day filled with loved ones and delicious food. 

It is time for another round of images that have been sitting on my hard drive for close to two months! I've been telling myself lately that because I am awful at posting here on a regular basis, it makes the posts more treasured and worth viewing. Hopefully there is at least some truth to that. 

Back at the end of August, Scott and I went fly fishing for the first time in Colorado. Scott of course did all the fishing, as I was perfectly content wandering around photographing the stunning setting. I actually had to admit to a new friend (who is an avid fly fisher, and I met at a fly tying event) that I have never fished on a fly rod before. I always get sidetracked and distracted by the opportunities to photograph, and haven't even taken the time to learn somehow. 

On this particular occasion, we ventured to Walker Ranch, to fish in the South Boulder Creek. Scott had read the fishing reports, and it looked extremely promising. I was excited, since we were going to a new location, and it ended up being amazingly beautiful.

Unfortunately the fishing report ended up being quite wrong for us that day. We didn't so much as see a single fish. Scott progressed downstream, hoping to get some bites, with no luck. I, of course, was still more than content, but he ended up fairly frustrated towards the end of the afternoon. 

Next up on the blog: images from my current favorite location in Colorado. Expect to see some mind blowing light, quirky portraits, and movie like landscapes. 

Bug Swarms and Fly Casting

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I suppose this post could almost go under the Flashback Friday category, as these images are from back in April. They were nearly lost as well, though luckily I checked what was on the SD card before going forward and reformatting it.

Back towards the end of April, Scott and I were fishing on a fairly regular basis (as I'm sure you noticed if you have been following my blog). Since things had started to warm up, the bugs were starting to get bad around this time, and I had swarms of them around my head most of the evening. I can't recall if we caught anything that evening, though I do remember it being a beautiful night, despite the swarms of bugs. 

This past weekend I drove up to Minnesota to surprise my mom for her birthday (which is why there were no posts on Friday or Monday), which means that soon I will be sharing some images from that trip. Be sure to check back on Monday to see those!  I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Summer Fishing

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I skipped Monday's post. Scott's birthday was on Monday, and it also happened to be his last night in the country for three weeks. Call me crazy, but I thought maybe that was an alright reason to ignore my potentially silly, self-imposed blogging rules. 

This last Sunday Scott and I finally had at least a partial lazy day together. He defended his PhD dissertation a few days before that, so the past few weeks (or really months) have been crazy busy and stressful for him, not leaving much down time for us together. So Sunday we hopped in the car and drove out to one of the lakes nearby to do some fishing. We got a rather late start to the day, so the fish weren't exactly biting, but it was still so nice just to be outside together.  

It is a bit strange to think that was likely our last time fishing in Kansas. This fall we will both be moving to Denver; with his current trip, and the move happening shortly after he is back in the States, it is unlikely we will get out again while we live here. However, I'm sure we have many fishing trips with mountain views in our future. 

Milford Lake

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One of my favorite aspects about the outdoor pursuits I participate in, things like fishing and climbing, is simply where those activities bring me. It isn't necessarily about the actual activity (even though I do enjoy those), but through each sport I am brought to absolutely beautiful locations.

This time was no different. At the beginning of May, Scott and I decided to try out a new fishing location, venturing out to Milford Lake. It was a beautiful day with wonderful, almost summer like temperatures. We spent the afternoon wading around in the water trying to catch some fish. As per the usual we didn't catch a thing. For me though, getting my feet wet in the cool water with the warm, spring sun coming down on me was enough to make it a perfect afternoon. 

Also as usual, I mostly just wandered around near Scott, snapping away. The water was extremely clear, and shallow for quite a ways out so I was able to just hover and follow as he moved around the shore. The water temperature was surprisingly warm, and wading around in the water reminded me of being home in Minnesota during the summer. 

I had a smile plastered on my face the entire afternoon. Even though neither of us had even a bite on our hooks, the weather, the water, and the company made things perfect, despite the lack of fish. 

I have reached the end of the fishing posts (for now at least). Scott is busy preparing for his PhD dissertation, and I am busy working, so fishing has taken a back seat for the time being. I haven't had a chance to get out and photograph much lately, but I'm hoping that changes soon. 

Have a happy start to your week everyone!

Rushing Waters

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Just over a month ago, (yikes I am behind on sharing images) Scott and I went fishing at Rocky Ford State Fishing Area, just outside of Manhattan. It was an absolutely perfect evening. Perfect temperatures, stunning light, and a nice flow of water over some mini rapids. It could not have been any better. 

It was so perfect, I didn't even cast out a line once. I was in heaven just wandering around taking photographs. The light hitting the water was like a dream, and I couldn't get enough of it.

Scott, of course, was very focused on fishing. Luckily he doesn't seem to mind when I follow him around snapping photographs; which I do a lot. 

With the heat and humidity setting in here in Kansas, I find myself longing for this day. Between the light breeze, warm, golden sun, and cool water I couldn't ask for anything more. This is my type of perfect. 

This week has been a bit busy, so I'm unfortunately a day off on my normal posting schedule. Friday I am handling a garage sale, though I will try to get the next Flashback Friday up despite that. I hope everyone enjoyed the golden light and beautiful water as much as I did! Have a wonderful end to your week!

Dreary Fishing

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*I have been a bit MIA here the past week or so. Last week I celebrated my birthday, the commencement ceremony for my MFA, and left for a trip to Denver; all within three days! Between finishing up things for the semester, preparing for my parents' visit for graduation, and packing for my trip, blogging and editing photographs took a back seat. I'm still out in Denver, but had some downtime this afternoon and thought I would start to get caught up, at least slightly. Hopefully things will get back to normal next week!

A few weeks ago (I guess it's been nearly a month at this point), Scott and I celebrated two years together! We had decided to go fishing and have a picnic, but unfortunately the weather wasn't exactly ideal. It was a chilly, windy, and drizzly day. The picnic ended up taking place in Scott's car, while we shivered from being out in the wind, and we didn't get so much as a bite while fishing. A less than ideal afternoon, but I love spending time with this man no matter what it involves. 

I realized while we were out there that I hadn't created an in-camera multiple exposures since shooting for my thesis work back in January, and so I decided to try one just for fun. It ended up turning out better than expected, and I kind of adore this image now.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Farm Pond Fishing

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I mentioned it in one of the last posts, but prepare yourselves for lots of fishing images. This is the second post of the unofficial fishing series, with many more on the way.

This particular time we went to one of my favorite fishing spots in the Manhattan area. We haven't caught much here, other than some really tiny bass, so in terms of fishing it isn't the greatest (at least it hasn't been for us). But, it is beautiful. The pond is located outside of Manhattan on ranch land, and is stocked and made available to the public by the land owner. It is nestled into some rolling hills, away from the traffic noise, which is tough to escape in Manhattan it seems. We have yet to see another person fishing there as well, so it is sort of like our own private fishing hole.

This time of year is my favorite time of year in Kansas, since it is one of the brief windows where the landscape is extremely green here. We've had a wonderfully rainy, cool spring, so things are extra green, and it seems to be greener later than I remember it being the past few years. This area was filled with dandelions gone to seed and other wildflowers when we were there, so I gave up fishing and just wandered taking photographs. 

One of the great things about our fishing adventures is that we are generally out right when the light is at its best. That low, richly golden sunshine makes everything look spectacular. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day! Check back on Wednesday for another round of images! 

learning to fly fish.

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Scott has been teaching himself how to fly fish lately. Basically any free time that he has, when the weather is decent, is spent at some body of water trying to improve his cast, and catch fish of course. I usually tag along as an excuse to be outside and spend time with him.

This particular night we were a bit limited on time, so we went to a park in Manhattan that has a little fishing pond. The light that evening was beautiful, so I sat down next to Scott as he re-tied a fly onto his line, and photographed the lovely golden light illuminating him. 

Watching a fly cast is really a beautiful thing. It is very rhythmic, and sort of mesmerizing as the line whips back and forth. Fly fishing is also a really aesthetic type of fishing in my opinion, and lately I have pretty much stopped fishing when I join him, and instead follow him around taking pictures. 

As mentioned above, we have been fishing a lot lately. So, expect to see many, many more images from our fishing adventures soon!

Also, don't forget, prints are now for sale! All money from prints will currently go to helping pay for a short trip to the United Kingdom this summer. You can also donate (and receive a small print) by clicking the link below. Thank you for the support everyone!

Travel Fund