aspen outfitting company

Ugartechea AOC/SG - Custom | Aspen Outfitting Company

2009-09-06T10:46:00.006-06:00

AOC/SG - Custom 20ga. & 12ga. Pair (click to enlarge)

One of the first sets of the beautiful AOC/SG -Custom Grade guns that we are putting together for select clients. This pair of 20ga. (left) and 12ga. guns feature coin finished actions with hand-engraving chosen by the client, and stocks custom fitted to his measurements. Other options chosen for these guns include upgrades on wood finish charcoal blacking of all fixtures and fittings, and hand-made custom fitted oak & leather cases.

Custom Case

Aspen Outfitting Company - Gunnison River Salmonfly Hatch

2008-06-30T10:04:00.008-06:00

A tributary of the mighty Colorado River, the Gunnison River is the fifth largest river in the state of Colorado. The Gunnison materializes at the confluence of the East and Taylor Rivers, just upstream from the town of Gunnison. The fly fishing on that upper stretch of the river can be fantastic, with unique opportunities such as a substantial (and somewhat mystifying) late-summer run of land-locked Salmon. The really fantastic fly fishing however, is lower down , below Blue Mesa Reservoir in the Gunnison Gorge.

This stretch has long been known to locals as the best fly fishing in the State, and possibly some of the best in North America. That claim is especially relevent during the Salmonfly hatch. The Salmonfly (Pteronarcys californica), is a giant stonelfy that hatches by the billions in the early summer. The river, especially during "THE hatch", is increasingly popular. However, this part of the Gunnison is managed by the BLM, and they have done a good job at regulating its use. Commercial trips are limited to only 2 launches per day, and private launches are limited because the put-in is sooo remote.

Salmonflies during the height of the hatch

Guide/Chef Doug in the foreground, Jared fishing in the Background

Due to the crazy amount of snow this winter, this spring has been a tricky one for fly fishing on Colorado's Western Slope. Lucky for me, (and the real reason for this post) I just got back from a dream-trip that materialized at the last-minute. The stars just happened to align. The Gunnison was running very high during the week that is usually reserved for the Salmonfly, so everything was pushed back. When the water finally came down, the local outfitter that we use for the Gunnison trip just happened to have a cancellation, and they put together a "Local's Trip". Karl Page, the head fly fishing guide here at Aspen Outfitting Company, and I were invited to attend. At one point, there were going to be 8 fishermen, but due to the last-minute scheduling, it turned out only 4 could make it. Below are a few pics of some pretty memorable fish...

Some Big Flies for the Salmonfly Hatch

You won't be using these Flys anywhere but the "Gunny"

The Author with a 'nice' brown caught on a Dry...

Karl Page (Left) and Jimmy Hancock (Right) with a chubby 19" Gunnison Bow

Your intrepid reporter with a Big-Boy Brown. NOTE: This was a two-hander!

Aspen Outfitting Company on Plum TV

2008-06-30T09:39:00.003-06:00

Once again, Aspen Outfitting Company will be on Plum TV this summer!

I was fortunate to be invited for several appearances last summer, where I talked about our various outdoor activities, and we got fantastic response from our guests and friends here in Aspen. This year, in order to have a bit more of a predictable presence, we are working on providing a weekly fly fishing update for the great folks at Plum TV .

In fact, I just got back from the Aspen Pedestrian Mall, where I did my first interview of the summer with Brandon Blocker. I will post the video, or at least the link when they get it up. Until then, a brief discription...

Brandon and I discussed the unseasonably high water in the Roaring Fork River, and the impact it has had on the fly fishing up until now. The reality is of course somewhat less dramatic than what most people believe, and we have been having great success with sending our guided trips out on the upper stretches of the Roaring Fork. That said, the fly fishing opportunities have been available on somewhat of a wait-and-see basis. Of course, our private skeet range is not at all affected by high water, so we have been offering a fantastic alternative to fly fishing- Clay Target Shooting.

Below is one of the segments from last year. Take a look, and stay tuned for weekly updates all summer long!

http://aspen.plumtv.com/videos/jarrod_hollinger

New Ugartechea AOC/SG coin-finish

2007-10-07T15:19:00.000-06:00

Just a couple of quick images of the guns from the newest shipment from Ugartechea in Eibar, Spain. These guns are the first of the AOC/SG guns to come with a coin-finished action. As you can see from the pics, we are also offering prince of wales (semi-pistol) grips and semi-beavertail forends. More Pics when time warrants.

12ga. Westley Richards Drop-lock

2007-04-30T12:03:00.000-06:00

12ga. Westley Richards Drop-lock

Just received a beautiful 12ga. Drop-lock by Westley Richards on consignment. Haven't established a price yet, but I wanted to post it ASAP. It is an exceptional gun, and we are proud to offer an english shotgun of this quality. Several more detailed pics below, starting with the engraving on the barrels and action, and then the forend and the barrel selector.

It sports what is known as a "doll's head" third-fastener

Partridge on the left side

Ruffed Grouse on the right side

The gun was made in Birmingham, England as #2 of a pair around 1910 for an outlet in New York. It has 2 1/2" Chambers proofed for 1 1/8oz. loads. It has 30" barrels and weighs 6lbs. 8oz.

A blackcock is engraved on the underside and a Setter on the trigger-guard

The forend is especially impressive, as it is inlaid with ebony

The selector for the mechanical single-trigger

Having a Blast with Aspen Outfitting Company

2007-04-18T17:05:00.000-06:00

Sara and Carol do the 'Charlie's Angles' pose with Mt. Sopris in the background

A few weeks ago I posted about the trip that head-guide Karl Page and I took to Branson, MO. to get certified by the NSCA as Level I instructors. Since returning, both Karl and I have been spending quite a bit of time on the range. Each of us volunteered a day for the annual Elks Club RFVSA Disabled Vetrans shoot, and we've also been doing lots of instructing for guests of the St. Regis Resort, Aspen. Karl and I focus on the beginning shooters, while instructor Kory Krahl and my father Jon Hollinger work with the intermediate and advanced shooters.

The Author looking on as Sara blasts a clay

When I met mother/daughter team Sara and Carol, I knew that we were going to have a great day. Although it was pretty early on a Saturday morning, they were enthusiastic about getting started with the sport of Shotgun shooting. Our half-day shooting trip takes beginners from the foundations of shooting all the way through breaking targets from several challenging presentations. Carol had done some shooting when she was growing up, and Sara had never shot a shotgun before, so we started with the fundamentals. Our main priority at Aspen Outfitting Company is to promote respect for firearms and practice safety while shooting. So, before any cartridges were fired, I showed the ladies how the various style of shotguns worked, briefly introduced them to the concepts of ballistics, and demonstrated proper stance and gun-mount. Sara had lots of great questions, and it was apparent that they were fast learners.

I started the ladies shooting at the patterning board, a stationary target about 25 yards away. We tried several different guns in order to find the ones that fit properly, and in no time both Sara and Carol were consistant with their stance and mount, and were able to focus on and hit the target every time. It was time to move to the Skeet range.

We started shooting going-away targets that closely resembled shooting at the patterning board. When they were comfortable with that presentation and consistantly breaking targets, we moved to a more challenging station. By the end of the session, Carol and Sara were breaking difficult crossing targets proficiently, and were considering Shotgun shooting as their new favorite sport.

Carol poses with her new favorite gun

Costa Del Mar

2007-04-18T17:00:00.000-06:00

I can see you Mr. Trout

Just got our first shipment of Costa Del Mar sunglasses in here at Aspen Outfitting Company. We have a great selection of frames, and we were lucky enough to get a variety of lenses, including their much-lauded 580 series. I already have a pair of WaveKillers with Blue Mirrored amber lenses (here I am modeling them), but they've got so many frame/lense combos to choose from that I might be tempted to invest in another pair.

Fishing the Roaring Fork

2007-04-14T12:51:00.000-06:00

Roaring Fork River Brown Trout

As the weather warms up and spring arrives, the fishing continues to be excellent. The shop has been very busy the past couple of weeks, and now that off-season is upon us (lifts close tomorrow) I am getting a chance to do some trips that I've been wanting to do for a while. Sara Vandermeer has worked at the St. Regis for a couple of years. She has gone shooting with my father, and has always hinted that she would be interested to get out and try some fly fishing. Sara is heading back to New Zealand next week, so we decided to get her out on the river and show her what it is all about before she goes home. Sara's friends Steve and Michael were in town visiting, so I took them along with Sara and her room-mate Jacquie. The following pic is of the entire crew looking extremely attractive in their fishing gear.

The Crew

Jacquie, Jarrod and Sara

Jacquie with her Rainbow

Jacquie was the first one to hook up. She played and landed a nice Bow very proficiently. Although there has been some action on the surface recently, everyone in this group was pretty new to fishing, so we were working on roll casts, and fishing with little nymphs. The midge emergers seemed to be getting the most success, so after Jacquie got the above pic taken, and her Bow released, I changed Michael's fly and went up stream to see how Sara and Steve were doing.

Sara and her Brownie

Sara picked a little brown out of the riffles with a midge emerger, and I had to run downstream to help Michael net a fish pretty soon after that. The time had flown by, and we wanted to head a little further downvalley and try another spot, so we made our way back to the car. This was a great group, and we had lots of laughs in transit. Everyone was keen to get back in the river, so we didn't travel for too long.

The Author

The second part of the day was a little slower, as we were past the middle of the day. Although they hooked several fish, nobody was landing any, and I think that minds were turning to a beer at the Woody Creek Tavern. Finally, Michael handed me the rod and said that I should have a go. When guiding clients, it is our policy not to fish. There is always lots to do, and guests have a better experience when the focus is solidly on them. However, this was a group of friends and co-workers, so I abandoned my 'guide' demeanor and started fishing. I missed a couple of strikes, and then got a lucky hookup at the end of a drift. Sara got a couple of pics of me playing the fish (nice pose) and then of the fish itself. It was a nice-sized Brown. Once we had it in the net, everyone marveled at how yellow-gold he was. I think it was an older fish, but he was in pretty good shape, and we got him back in the water quickly.

Cat Cay, Bahamas

2007-03-28T15:23:00.000-06:00

On the 15th of March I went to the Bahamas with my dad and little sister. We stayed with Tony Belcher on Cat Cay (traditionally pronounced 'key'). My dad has visited Tony several times, usually participating in blue-water fishing tourneys. For me, the big excitement leading up to the trip was the fact that we were going to get a chance to do some flats-fishing for bonefish. Below is the account of our travel day and first day on Cat, with posts concerning the rest of our adventure forthcoming...

03/15 - Dad and I left Aspen around 11:30AM pulling our trailer and raft. The drive down I-70 was pretty uneventful, and we proceeded directly to Downriver Equipment in friendly Wheatridge, CO. After speaking with Phil and Mike about our current frame, we decided to get an upgrade. We left the raft, and then headed north to Westminster, where we met my sister Jessica. We had a wonderful dinner at O's Steak and Seafood, where we met Robert Hall and tasted some of his great wine. We hit the sack early.

03/16 - Back to O's dining room for breakfast. The Westin Westminster is an awesome hotel, and the breakfast buffet was perfect. A quick drive out to DIA, and that is were the trouble started. The big storm in the northeast made the planes late arriving, and we had to re-schedule (in a very white-knuckle fashion) our flights. Dad and Jess went direct to Ft. Lauderdale, but I had to go to Charlotte, NC and then fly standby to meet them. We ordered pizza at 1:00AM and didn't get to bed until 3:00AM. They lost my luggage, including all my warm weather clothes AND my fly-reel (@#$&*!).

03/17 - The phone rang at 6:00AM, and I was completely lost... After we realized where we were, we booked it down to the lobby to catch a cab. The flight with Island Air was at 8:30AM, and we had some shopping to do... After breakfast and a quick stop at K Mart, we caught our flight. The majority of our first day was spent touring the island, catching up with Tony, and sampling some of the local cusine (and drinks!) at the famous Bu's Bar.

Self portrait inside of the plane from Ft. Lauderdale

First view of Gun Cay

First view of Cat Cay

The lovely Jessica Mae clearing customs

View of the beach from the pool

NSCA Level I certification

2007-03-14T09:45:00.000-06:00

Got back on Monday from a few days in Branson, Missouri. Karl Page (our head fly fishing guide) and I went down there to expand our knowledge about the shooting sports. We drove about 15hrs. each way to attend a NSCA Level I instructors certification course. The course took place over 4 days at the Ozark Shooters complex in Walnut Shade, MO. We both learned a tremendous ammount about shooting instruction, and we both passed the examinations with flying colors. I have some pics and other items to post, and I'll put them up as soon as I get a chance.

ps- this new blogger that I have been forced to use is making it kinda hard to post pics but I'm sure that I'll get it figured out soon

Okay, the pics are up...

Bill Howell giving Karl and some of the other Instructor candidates tips.

Andy checking the position of Karl's eye over the rib after a

comb-height adjustment by Bill (Center).

Bill looking on as Tracy breaks a high incomer.

The classroom.

The whole crew (nice smile Jarrod!)

Winter Fly Fishing in Aspen

2007-02-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

Blake McGhee with a beautiful Brown on the Roaring Fork

This winter has been awesome for Fly Fishing in the Roaring Fork Valley. The sunny days have kept the river free of flow-ice, and although the water level is low this time of year, the fish are abundant and active. Our typical trip over the last couple of months has been a 1/2 day trip (4 hours) in the middle of the day. Usually the guides will pick the guests up at our shop in the St. Regis Resort, Aspen at about 10AM and have them back at around 2PM. It has been pretty common to hook upwards of a dozen fish in this short amount of time, and fish that have been landed are large and healthy.

The above picture was taken at about 10AM by our head guide, Karl Page. The fisherman is Blake McGhee from Baton Rouge, LA. Karl modestly describes this one as 16", and goes on to say that it was dwarfed by the 'one that got away' just an hour or so later. Karl says that it was quite possibly the biggest Rainbow Trout that he has ever seen on the Roaring Fork, and that it threw the hook by tail-dancing across the river and then diving under the overhanging ice on the far side. Blake was very enthusiastic about his fishing trip, saying in an email:

"I can't say enough about the day I had . Of course the big one got away but we saw him . Otherwise , lots of nice browns and a about a 16" rain bown . What a day !!! I shall return . Beats the hell out of skiing anyday. Thanks Blake McGehee"

Western Colorado Shooting Preserve

2007-01-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

Even after the season has ended, we continue to offer engaging shooting activites in a specatular setting. Because we offer shooting on a private preserve, you can hunt sporty birds well into the spring. A full-day trip includes a clay shooting tune-up, a fabulous lunch served at the hunting lodge, and hunting over pointing dogs with a knowledgeable and attentive guide.

Here I am with Mitzi, three quail and a pheasant, and it is almost February!

Hunting in Canada - Alberta and Eastern Ontario

2007-01-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

A successful morning's duck shoot

Some of the most successful and exciting hunts that we produce every year take place north of the border, in Canada. We start by hunting ducks and Hungarian Partridge in Alberta, and later head to Ontario for Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock. Check out some of the awesome pics from Alberta this year!

Three old friends

Dad and Mac

Atlanta DU - Special Edition AOC/SG pair

2007-01-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta DU .410cal & 28ga. pair

Today, we blog...
Yes, I am still alive. Alive and well! Although its been a while, and after a gap in posting as long this (several months) I probably don't have any faitful readers left, I will post again nonetheless. How about a little ketchup?
Today's entries are mainly about the trips Aspen Outfitting Company produced in November in Alberta, and Eastern Ontario. However, before heading north, we went south. Early in November, we sent my father, Jon, to the annual fundraising auction for the Atlanta chapter of Ducks Unlimited. We were asked by a long-time client to procure a special pair of our renowned AOC/SG side by side shotguns, and we were honored to. For the second year in a row, Aspen Outfitting Company helped to make the Atlanta fundraiser the biggest in the country.

"...that is a lovely shotgun miss"

Off-Season In Aspen

2006-10-12T18:20:00.000-06:00

The Fall Colors have fallen

Now that it is almost the middle of October, things in Aspen are officially starting to slow down. The leaves are gone, and with them are the leaf people who come to see them. Today was a beautiful, almost summer-like fall day, and according to the weatherman there are more in store. The river is still fishing impeccably, and for all intents and purposes it is completely devoid of people. It is interesting then, that this is the time of year that Aspenites have traditionally chosen to vacate town. And until today, I just can't immagine why. When they go, they go to Moab for some mountainbiking, or the Yucatan for the beautiful Yucca (...I guess) or they return to the East coast or the Midwest to visit their worried families. All valid reasons (minus the Yucca-watching), but also a painfully beautiful time to leave. As I said, today I realized why they go - because they can! This is the first time since the beginning of June that many people have gotten more than a day or two off in a row. The work here is slow enough that it makes sense to leave.

Jarrod and Jon Cast and Blast in Colorado

2006-10-11T08:39:00.000-06:00

Chris Dobbins' Family Ranch on the White River

My Dad and I took last Sunday off. It was the first time since the middle of the summer that neither of us had anything pressing to take care of, so we seized the opportunity to spend some time together. We stayed up late on Saturday packing, and we loaded into the truck before sunrise on Sunday and were heading down the Roaring Fork Valley before either of us had actually woken up. In Glenwood Springs we turned onto I-70 West, and in about an hour and a half later we were far, far away. I had gotten some criptic directions over the phone from our friend Chris Dobbins, including one snippet of instruction to "...go until the pavement ends and then turn right..." When it is an adventure getting there, you know that your destination is going to be interesting. My Dad's truck was completely full; two pointers, two shotguns, two flyrods, and a heap and pile of all the accessories that make such trips work. Extra clothes, lots of ammo and flies, and a couple of ugly straw hats to ensure that the pictures are memorable. The weather had been bad, drizzling and foggy for the entire drive, but we remained optimistic. We listened to some good fishing tunes to keep our mind free as the scenery went by. The drive was mainly silent, with the highlights provided by the intermittent Lyle Lovett tunes from several of my friend Cody's unbeatable country mixes. There is something that songs about cowboy bars, women and regrets does for an expectant outdoorsman. By the time we had made it to the South Fork of the White, we were ready for some walking. The first order of business was a Blue Grouse hunt. Although no one had hunted Blue's there, we had heard from our host that they were pleantiful. So many Blue Grouse hunts start in that very way, "...well, we see 'um all over the place when we are on our bike (or our horse, etc.)..." We hunted hard for two hours. Mac and Mitzi, the pair of Shorthairs, left no stone unturned. Unfortunately, due in our minds to the preceeding rain, the birds were not feeding in the pleantiful Choke Cherries and Service Berries, and we didn't see a feather. It is a distinct possibility that the birds were in the coniferous trees, sitting on branches close to the trunk in order to avoid the mositure (see pic below).

An Elusive Blue

When we got back from the hunt we put the dogs in the kennels, and went into the main house for lunch with Chris and his family. The building is log, and the interior is beautifully decorated with artifacts from days gone by. We ate in the warm and inviting kitchen, at a large round table, and after the fruitless morning hunt, it was nice to relax and chat in such a welcoming atmosphere.
When the dishes were done, I headed out to the truck and rigged my flyrod. The sun was starting to poke through the clouds, but it was still quite chilly, so I dressed warm. I put on the aforementioned ugly fishing hat, and looked around. Apparently I was missing something, because my dad was nowhere in sight. I finished getting geared-up (boots and waders) and went to see what was taking him so long. I found him still in the kitchen eating home-made apple pie. What a jerk! Julie, Chris' sister, kindly offered me a slice as well. My mind however, was now on the beautiful White River that I could hear through the screened porch, so I politely declined and snuck back outside.
The South Fork of the White River is a fantastic piece of water. The vast majority of the access is private, and some of this has unfortunately been 'troutscaped' for the benefit of the evil fishing ranches. Two of the most untouched and productive miles however run right through Chris' property, and as I walked out behind the main house, I could tell that I was in for a treat. The level was high for October, with a strong current running to the the very top of high water mark. The streambed was mainly free stones, but there was also a component of grayish sand, which made for the odd false hole.
I started by fishing a small streamer, but I quickly changed to a bead-head dropper trailing a large attractor nymph. The river was the perfect size that you could wade carefully to the middle, and then comfortably fish either side. It didn't take too long for me to find my comfort zone, and I casted contentedly for several minutes. Nothing doing. I looked back up the trail on the bank towards the house to see if my dad was done with dessert yet, and noticed that I had attracted an audience on the porch. With everyone just sitting there watching me fish, I had to catch something. I needed to make a change. Turning over some rocks though, I was at a loss as to what change to make. With no other options presenting themselves, I put on more weight. I was starting to sweat.
The first cast landed a little closer to the bank than I had wanted, and I felt my rig grind on the shallow rocks. I picked up my flys so as not to get hung up, and let them fall downstream behind me. The second cast was dead-on, and I lifted my rod tip in anticipation. About half-way through the drift, my line paused. I rolled my arm to the side, and gave a quick set. Half a moment of complete silence, and then the trout made itself apparent.
It ran upstream, directly into the fastest current, and then quickly changing direction shot back downstream to my right. I fought as well as I could, angling the beast back and forth, frantically searching for an eddy or some slow water. Eventually I realized that I would have to move with the current into some of the pocket water below. I needed to get it on the surface if I was ever going to get the fish close enough to use my net.
I started moving downstream, my mind split between keeping pressure on the fish and keeping my balance in the rapid current. Initially there had been shouts of encouragement from the porch audience, but now they were quiet and watching. It took some doing, but I finally got the fish to the surface. I didn't net on my first attempt, so I cranked a couple more times on my reel and reached again. My rod was bent almost in half, and I was intensely worried about my knot. Everything held, and as you can see, I netted a nice Rainbow.

It only looks like I am standing in really deep water, in all actuality, I am kneeling. I didn't have a tape, but after doing some calculations upon return to the shop, we guessed that this fish is somewhere around 18". Now, after looking at the pictures and thinking back, I gotta say that the fish seemed much bigger than that during our fight. I guess thats how it goes...
We kept fishing into the late afternoon, and it ended up being a wonderful day. On our way home, dad told me that when they were watching me and my fish, Chris told him that there had been a 24" Brown caught by his brother-in-law just a week or so before. I think that like me, Chris thought my respectable 18" Bow was something bigger too. I can't wait to go back!

Hunting in Aspen - Phesant and Partridge

2006-09-20T16:42:00.000-06:00

The phesant and Partridge hunting has started and so far the trips are are going really very well. The pointers are just back from the trainer, and the weather is beautiful, and there really isn't any better way to spend some time outside in Western Colorado.

Hunting in Aspen - Opening of Dove a huge success

2006-09-02T13:08:00.000-06:00

The reports are coming in, and by all accounts this year's dove opener was epic. Long time AOC clients Frank Ziska and Keith Withycombe popped by the shop on their way to lunch to let me know how things went. Both men wore the look for the successful hunter - somewhat tired, but also satisfied. I'll keep posting as more specifics are uncovered. I'd be willing to wager that there were several humorous happenings, and probably more than one case of early season rustiness.

The McGlinn Finale - Beautiful day with LARGE Rainbow

2006-08-30T13:50:00.000-06:00

This is Kristin McGlinn with a Roaring Fork Rainbow. The McGlinns fished with me three days in a row, and this fish was definitely one of the nicest ones that we saw.

It took some serious work to get this fish to the net, but the above image is priceless. I actually fell in the water more than once trying to net the beast, but Kristin kept a tight line and eventually we prevailed.The McGlinns had never fly fished before, and in three days they both became very proficient at both dry fly and nymph fishing (not to mention wading - yikes!). It was a beautiful morning for their last day, and we look forward to seeing them next year.

Pic of me (Jarrod Patrick Hollinger) fishing in early summer... Nice Smile!

2006-08-29T16:07:00.000-06:00

Where has the summer gone? Pics and memories from a season expired

2006-08-29T10:00:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that my last post was almost three weeks ago. The fishing has been spectacular, with numerous big fish and lots of very memorable guests, and I have been so totally focused on the river that the summer has literally flown by. The first hunting starts in just three days (dove season on sept. 1), and I have to admit that I am having a hard time accepting the change. There has been a dramatic increase in shotgun sales, the purchase of ski passes and elk tags is on the to-do list, and I have spent recent days off hunting chantrelle mushrooms in the high-country. I guess that I had better just accept the change to Fall, and trade in my micro-baetis for some big, flashy streamers (a little inside terminology for the fly-fishers out there). In an attempt to find some summer closure, here are some of my favorite pics and memories from a season expired... Is this the guy from Dawson's Creek? No, this is Richard, one of the better young flyfishermen that I got to introduce to the hallowed waters of the Roaring Fork River. He was in Aspen with his friends Robert, Andrew and Owen. The boys had been fly fishing their way across the country, hitting Montana, Idaho, New Mexico and Colorado before turning East and finally heading back to school at Ole Miss. These lovely young ladies are Megan and Alexandria (Ally) Schwartz. The Schwartz family has been fishing with AOC for years, and Ally has been hooking rainbows like this one since she was as small as her cute little sister. Their brother Aaron was also catching trout with us that day. In addition to fly fishing, Aaron considers attending the Winter X-games one of his favorite things to do...These are the Boesky Brothers. I capitalize that phrase because these guys are a zany pair. They caught lots of fish, and also kissed lots of fish, and played pranks on eachother the whole trip. A couple of days after our trip, the Boesky Bros. went on a float trip on the lower Roaring Fork with our most popular float guide, Matthew Thomas. Matt is possibly the best float fisherman in the valley, and is very serious about catching big trout. I have a feeling that the fish kissing wasn't as popular with Matt. Looking forward to seing these guys again...

Antique Decoys

2006-08-09T17:54:00.000-06:00

An Antique Canvasback Decoy by Bob Cook

Another new addition to the Aspen Outfitting Company shop this week is the hand-carved decoy's of Bob Cook. Mr, Cook is a native Georgian who began carving and painting wildfowl decoys over 30 years ago. His father, Clarence, was an accomplished wood worker and cabinet maker while his brother Nick is world renowned as a wood turner and wood turning instructor.
Bob has studied painting at the Atlanta College of Art and Colorado Mountain College. He has also studied with nationally recognized bird carvers such as Ernie Mills (shore birds and fish decoys), Mike Mason (decoy carving, painting and finishing), and Ernie Muehimatt (power carving raptors).
Since retirement, Bob, his wife Marsha and Abigail, their Bearded Collie, divide their time between Lake Burton in the mountains of north Georgia and Aspen where he specializes in decorative and working bird and fish decoys.
Bob is a member of the Ward Foundation, Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited.

Aspen Outfitting Company's Hunting Knives

2006-08-06T13:56:00.000-06:00

I am just recently back from a trip to the Great White North (Toronto to be exact), so excuse my slow posting recently... When I was gone, we acquired a couple of nice hunting knives. The first is a set of two knives in a custom sheath by famous knife maker Sean McWilliams. They are hand-forged stainless steel (he is one of the very few to do this) and the handles are carved of fossilized Walrus Ivory. The smaller knife is for evisceration and the larger for skinning, and together they make a rare and beautiful set, worthy of the most discerning collector.

The other knife was made by Steve Barminski when he was producing knives in Craig, Colorado. It is a single knife in a custom sheath with a beautifully laminated wooden handle. Seeing that I am Colorado born and raised, this knife is my favorite, and is something that would go nicely in any woodsman's christmas stocking.

Natalie, The Gittelmans, and Big Trout

2006-07-25T11:33:00.000-06:00

Natalie - One of AOC's Best

Just finished talking with Mr. Gittelman about his fishing trip with us yesterday. He came by just to let me know how much fun he had catching 20 inch trout with our guide Natalie on the Roaring Fork last night (he said that it was the highlight of his trip). The scenerio is pretty familiar to me, but I'll relate it for posterity...
The Gittelmans came to our shop at around 4:30PM, and after signing the waivers and getting fitted for Gore-tex waders and boots, they headed down valley. The drive lasted only about 15 minutes, and although it took only a couple of minutes to get the waders on and get rigged up, it was just after 5PM by the time they stepped into the water. Natalie is arguably our best guide, she fly fishes around the world to much acclaim, and it didn't take her long to help the Gittelmans get over their first-time jitters. She started them out nymphing (fishing sub-surface), and they got onto fish almost immediately. Mr. Gittelman was all smiles when he laughingly admitted that they didn't actually net the first few fish that they hooked. He continued to say that it didn't take long for him to understand the importance of letting the fish run, and keeping the rod vertical after hooking a fish. He was very complimentary of Natalie's netting skills, and he also mentioned how much he liked the actual net - which was handmade for Natalie by her boyfriend Matt.
As is typical this time of year on the upper Roaring Fork, the big fun came for the Gittelmans as dusk decended and the trout started to feed on dry flies. Natalie easily recognized the change of tempo on the river (this girl is a predator!), and she had both Gittelmans changed over to drys when the action started. Needless to say, many trout were caught in the increasing darkness, but the highlight was a 20+ inch rainbow that Mr. Gittelman landed in a big silky pool above the swinging bridge. When he told me this, I gave him a firm handshake and a pat on the back - a 20 inch fish is quite a milestone. As he headed out the door to hike Aspen Mountain, he assured me that on his next visit he would fish with us at least two nights. You know what? I don't doubt that he will.

New Website with copy by Gary Hubbell

2006-07-25T10:37:00.000-06:00

One of Gary's Images from our new site

Wow, I've been really busy the last couple of days and I haven't had a chance to update the blog. One of the things that has been keeping me occupied since I last posted, is the new website. Gary Hubbell, an ex-guide and friend of ours, produced the copy and layout with help from my father and a web-designer named Roy Brandt. The new website is currently its own entity, but it will soon be linked to aspenoutfitting.com, and also have a link to this wonderful blog. The articles that Mr. Hubbell, a nationally renowned outdoor writer and photographer, have written include the creation of the Ugartechea AOC/SG, an explanation of balanced shotgun loads, the superiority of side by sides for upland bird hunting, and the virtues of a custom-fitted shotgun. He also put together information on our other boxlock and sidelock guns, the actual process of custom gun fitting, our pricing and current inventory (soon to be updated), information on our highly acclaimed shotgun instruction and clinics, and discriptions of our variety of guided upland bird hunts. I really like the look of the new site, and the content is fabulous, so here's hoping that you enjoy it too!

Floating The Roaring Fork River

2006-07-22T15:27:00.000-06:00

This AIRE Super Puma with Downriver Gunnison frame is ideal for 'the fork'...

Starting near the top of Independance Pass on the western slope of the Continental Divide, the fabled Roaring Fork River runs for nearly 70 miles in a northwest direction. After passing through the town of Aspen, 'the fork' picks up volume from various tributaries such as Hunter, Castle, and Maroon Creeks, and continues on down the valley to be bolstered by the famous Frying Pan River and eventually to join the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs. Much of the Roaring Fork is designated as Gold Medal Water, and although there are several public access points to this top-notch trout habitat, much of the river is protected by private property. In the upper end of the valley, AOC has leased substantial stretches of private water for over 20 years. Once you get past the Woody Creek section of the river however, the average property size drops considerably and it becomes difficult to accumulate any useable amount of river footage.
Due to this situation, floating becomes the best way to access the choice spots on the middle and lower Roaring Fork. Although we are small in comparison to some of the larger generic fly-shops in the area, we have been incorporated since 1969 and we tend to employ the classiest and most successful float-guides in the area. Most float trips last all day (8 hours), and in addition to accessing a longer strech of the river, floating the river shows our guests a different and often superior perspective.

Logging some shop time...

2006-07-22T09:45:00.000-06:00

The Lobby Entrance of The St. Regis Aspen

(AOC is through the doors and to your left...)

Today is a Saturday, which is traditionally kind of slow. I've been in the shop since 7:30AM, we had a shooting trip go out at 8:00AM, and we have several fishing trips thisafternoon/evening. But at the east end of the St. Regis lobby right now, things are kind of quiet and slow. In the interest of keeping sane, and also in an attempt to draw any wandering guests into the shop, I am playing a fly-fishing classic on one of the video monitors... That's right folks, we are watching the Gary Borger South Island Sampler. Mr. Borger, a perennial favorite with the Wrangler Jeans wearing, hankerchief-around-the-neck, Slouchy hat and Poloroid Glasses old-school fishing club, is viciously assaulting some Sea-run Rainbows on the South Island of New Zealand. Awesomeness ensues...
WOW, I am getting kind of bored. I guess that its time to bring my vest and rods into the shop and do some reorganizing and rigging for my trip thisafternoon. I am wicked excited about each and every trip at this time of year because the Roaring Fork has been fishing extremely well, and I am looking forward to getting my net around a couple of big browns. The Green Drakes have finally made it to the upper part of the river, and evening trips have been having huge success with H&L Variants, Royal and White Wulffs, and pretty much anything else that is big and fluffy and floats.
Due to the pace of the day, you may hear from me again later thisafternoon, but I will definitely give an update when I get back after dark...

Another Awesome Shooting Trip

2006-07-21T19:41:00.000-06:00

We had another awesome shooting trip today. This time of year we are putting out lots of trips each day, and although all of them showcase our passion for service excellence, some are exceptionally successful and just too enjoyable not to talk about. Today's trip was an especially good example of how successful our teaching technique is. Over thirty years, Jon Hollinger (co-owner and chief shooting instructor-and my father) has developed a knack for introducing people to shotgun shooting. He begins the lesson with a short safety and general shotgun information session, and then starts the client out at a stationary target. While in front of the stationary target (called a 'patterning plate') Jon works on the mechanics of gun-mount, and reinforces the importance of stance an balance. Interestingly enough, properly mounting a shotgun takes some practice. From the stationary target, Jon moves the client to simple moving targets. "Incomers", as he calls the slow and level incoming clay targets, are Jon's favorite target to start novice shotgun shooters at. Once they start hitting the easy shots or "dusting" them as we say, Jon moves on to harder shots, and eventually a round of Skeet. It makes for an exciting half-day.
The clients yesterday were a charming couple from Hoboken, New Jersey. Sanford and Jan had done some shooting when they were younger, but estimated that they hadn't held a shotgun in over twenty years. Jon went right to work, and in no time they were breaking even the toughest targets. It made for a very enjoyable afternoon, and as Sanford and Jan have just recently purchased some property in the area, I am sure that we will see them again very soon.

Cloudveil Makes Fantastic Gear

2006-07-21T15:57:00.000-06:00

This year, before I arrived back in beautiful Colorado from Eastern Canada, my father scored a Cloudveil Angling Apparel dealership for the AOC shop (the only one in Aspen-woo hoo!). The gear is well designed, engineered, and made. Also, the people involved in the company are awesome to deal with. Needless to say, we have been selling lots of the product (...completely sold out in some cases), and we are extremely pleased. One of my first chores upon my arrival was to get a uniform together for our guides. I chose the Cloudveil Ripple Shirt in Tourmaline (dark blue), got it embroidered with our logo, and the guides love it. It looks really sharp and is utterly functional. The fabric that Cloudveil uses for their fishing shirts is UPF45+, and sheds light moisture with a surface DWR. All in all, this is one of my favorite pieces of gear...
Just picture 'Aspen Outfitting Company' on the left chest... I LOVE this shirt!!!

Fishing on Private Water

2006-07-20T22:18:00.000-06:00

Just got back from a PM fishing trip to some of our private water on the illustrious upper Roaring Fork River. We fished at the Phillip's family property, a lease that we have maintained for almost 20 years, and it was spectacular. I was fishing with Dana Winkler, who is an accomplished fisherman and a first- time client for AOC, and we netted 10 good sized trout. The fishing started a little late, probably becoming really active around 7PM. With the exception of two rainbows, all the fish were beautiful healthy browns. My father's favorite fly (sorry, not telling...) was working really well, and the sunset was a beautiful addition to the evening. I worked really hard on this trip (and the one with Dana and his wonderful wife Susan last night) to provide the 'bespoke' service that the St. Regis is striving to make a key part of its brand. The Winklers seemed to be really happy with their experience, and I am looking forward to seeing them again in the future. Now home for a quick dinner and an early bedtime.

The Fly Fishing Bible (Fully Illustrated)

2006-07-20T12:21:00.000-06:00

The Curtis Creek Manifesto is quite possibly the best book on flyfishing ever written. That's saying a lot seeing that The Mainfesto weighs in at under 50 pages and is written like a comic book with a roomy layout. Sheridan Andreas Mulholland Anderson is the hippyesque author and illustrator of The Manifesto, and both his surprising fishing acumen and his rebellious world-view are evident on every page. The drawings are entertaining and the wisdom is priceless and as a bonus, Anderson used words like Froofaraw in section titles...
One of my favorite techniques is the 'Curtis Creek Sneak'...

An Act of Small Rebellion

2006-07-20T12:12:00.000-06:00

I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful, and hate the environs where crowds of people are found, which are invariably ugly; because of all the television commercials, cocktail parties, and assorted social posturing I thus escape; because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once and endless source of delight and an act of small rellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience; because I suspect that men are going along this way for the last time, and I for one don't want to wast the trip; because mercifully there are no telephones on trout waters; because only in the woods can I find solititude without loneliness; because bourbon out of an old tin cup always tastes better out there; because maybe one day I will catch a mermaid; and finally not because I regard fishing as being so terribly important but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant - and not nearly so much fun.
-Robert Traver