Signs of Spring: 2.0

The winter storm from a fortnight ago already feels like a distant memory.  Honestly, I noticed signs of snowmelt from the time I hit the mountain to the time I headed back to the parking lot after my best pow day of the year.  It happens fast, and it appears spring is already here.

It’s difficult not to be as ecstatic as a kid on Christmas morning during the first blanket hatch of the year. Just picture a pristine piece of river, only covered in bugs.  Here in Colorado, those bugs are most likely going to be midges.  What I love about spring though is that as the water slowly gets warmer, the midges get bigger and the fish are fully aware of that fact.

During the winter months I might see a few larger (size 18) midges, but they’re not terribly common.  Once March arrives, we get a fly some anglers (like myself) call the “Big Spring Midge.”  They gaslight as the first mayflies of the year, but they’re not fooling anyone.  However, the fish know the difference between the size 22’s (or smaller) they’ve been snacking on for months and a far larger, juicier option.  When they’re on those big midges you’re going to have a day.

My buddy Nixie once said, “Michael, you never leave rising fish.”  He wasn’t wrong because on a boat you can float into and out of bugs faster and then you can say, “We’ve got risers.”  When the first hatches of springtime arrive there’s no reason to leave unless it’s gotten too dark to see your fly.  Some anglers wait an entire season for rising fish, but it always seems to be worth it.  Every spring, river temps rise and dormant aquatic life awakens once again.

Spring is about revival. It’s about new life, inevitable change, and renewal. The days are longer and the sun almost seems happy to be shining past 7pm. There’s a strange feeling this year due to the lack of snowfall, but I’ve decided to enjoy the days I’ll get before the summer heat and wildfires will likely put a damper on the mountain west.

Every year is different and 2026 has been interesting so far, to say the least. Enjoy this shoulder season because it might snow, rain, or be 80 and sunny. La Niña gave the United States a strange, yet familiar winter season in certain regions and El Niño appears to be next, so we’ll see what happens.

As always, stay safe, enjoy the signs of spring (including the birds!), and don’t forget to look up.