Be warned that the following text contains a little puffery. OK, maybe a lot. If that’ll bother you, please stop reading, otherwise enjoy.
As many know, over the years I’ve been collecting master angler certificates with a bit of a twist. My goal to catch at least one master angler sized fish of all those currently listed, and maybe a few others. It should be noted that the species list and qualifications have changed since I embarked on this quest. There is a second part to this endeavor that is strictly personal, all the fish must be fair hooked with a fly using a fly rod and released.
Once I have a Master Angler certificate for any given species, say a largemouth bass, the only time I apply for another one is if I catch a larger specimen, an upgrade, so to speak. I don’t need to wallpaper my house with MA certificates, which in my opinion isn’t that difficult to do. As examples, one day on Quincy I caught a dozen bass, of which only one wasn’t MA sized. On another occasion, at Jerry Creek Reservoir, I actually caught three MA size bluegills on a single cast. Yes, I do fish three flies at a time on occasion. It’s a rare day on the White or Roaring Fork River that you can’t catch a master angler sized whitefish, often several of them. And under the right conditions at Jackson it’s possible to land a number of MA carp in a day. Simply, I don’t need to record every MA qualifying fish I catch, just my personal Colorado bests.
The first couple of years produced the most different species, as I went for the easier one to obtain, such bass, bluegill, whitefish, carp, and pike. Since then it’s been a much slower process, but somehow I’ve manage to add another species each year. This year’s is a 22.5 inch brown I caught Monday and will submit my application this weekend. Actually, I should have added three, but the 15.5 inch grayling at Joe Wright didn’t get recorded as I was the only angler on the water at the time. Then I lost a crappie that I believe was pushing 15 inches at the boat a few weeks ago and I have a witness, but you have to land it in order to count it. Ah, well there’s always next time.
Missing MA’s because I was fishing alone and no one was around is a common occurrence for me. Even more frustrating are the fish that have been within a quarter to half inch short. Oh, I know many would have submitted them anyway, but my pride doesn’t allow me to. Close doesn’t cut it, and besides what’s the value in cheating oneself?
I began this quest for several reasons. Foremost, it was to show that fly fishing can be an effective method for all species, not just trout. Second, it’s a way to demonstrate flies are not just for small fish, they work for big fish also. Third, I figured it would be an interesting challenge for the long rod, and it has been. And finally, as I’m not a guide or pro, I figured it was a way I could demonstrate that I have some skills with the long rod.
While I have a long way to go to complete the list, I figure I will be able to catch the majority of the species on the list. The only ones I see as being nearly, if not totally, impossible are Chinook salmon and American eel, as I’m not sure they exist in Colorado any longer. Others such as tench, rock bass, sauger, golden trout, Sacramento perch, and Arctic Char will be challenging just because of the limited number of opportunities. While I know of waters that hold them, waters capable of producing trophies are harder to come by.
There are also a few species, such as redear sunfish that aren’t currently on the list that I may submit and see if we can’t get them added. But before I do that, I’ll have to catch one worthy of submitting, which I figure is 80 percent or better of the maximum expected size or state record.
Anyway, for those who are curious the list of different species that I have MA’s for follows. Note, that in the case of the common carp, they don’t recognize the mirror as separate species so I don’t count it as such, but I do have a MA for a mirror as well as one for the run-of-the-mill common. I also have MA’s for both male and female kokanee in spawn and I’m still pursuing a MA kokanee that’s bright. My near miss list, missed by less than an inch or no witness, includes crappie, white bass, bullhead, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout (couple of species), lake trout, grayling, wiper, grass carp, white sucker, longnose sucker, and drum.
How you play the MA game, if at all, is strictly your choice. What really matters is that you’re having fun fishing along the way. If not, maybe you should take up golf.
Flyrodn’s MA species list.
Bluegill
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Channel catfish
Common Carp (and mirror)
Cuttbow
Green sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Kokanee (both male and female)
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
Rocky MountainWhitefish
Smallmouth Bass
Walleye
Yellow perch
