2016 Iceout

Ice is Thin

Thunder Roll'n In

Jig'n Deep

20" LCT

Year of the Striper

Spook'n it in the Dirty D

 

 

 No Salmon Yet

 Tacos

Lake Low

Frozen Sands

Kastmasters Low

Patent K Jig'n on the flow

 

November 2013

Quite possible my favorite overnight lake to date.  at 1.5-2 miles in with 3-400 ft in elevation climb makes for a nice and easy approach with a float tube and a loaded pack.

For the past couple years I have fished this lake, i have found the Cutties here to be very eager to rise on a glassy, wind chopped, or textured surface.  I have missed so many takes here just dragging my dry fly while kicking around.  And on top of all of this there are fish in there which haunt me just as the Phantom Brown did the year before.

Earlier this year i met the lurkers of this like which decided to follow my 1/8 oz Kastmaster into shore.  Bursts of crimson red footballs swarmed my lure.... no strikes.  I now knew the potential this lake could hold.

Eager to get my hands on one of those chunkers, I ventured back in September to achieve my goal.  Sure enough the footballs cooperated as my friend and I each caught and released 12x 14-17" Lahotan Cutthroat Trout.

We entered the valley via 2WD.  The roads had ended.  The sun was setting.  The flows perfectly controlled by Man.  A top the bridge we looked down.  We saw something weaving in the current.  Dark and thrusting this fish was definatley feeding. We could see it weave back and forth with flashes of the mouth present.  Then it rose.  We knew it was on.

I quickly strung up my rod and made my first cast.  Got a look and a denial on a lightly colored parachute.  I made a couple more casts with diminishing returns.  Needed a new plan as we watched the easily, seemingly 16"-18", fish slowly make its way up the creek feeding along the way.  

We moved to the creeks edge.  We saw a fish rise.  Large winged insects which reminded me of a PMD or MF were hatching.  Maybe a brown to cream color with large wings.  Darker brown to black colored nymphs were observed in the pocket water next to the bank.   They looked like casings but I did not examine them long enough to come to a conclusion.  We came to fish and we were losing light.  

My comrade was fishing the opposite bank with an Adams dry.  The fish were cooperating.  Casting to rises was producing strikes.  There seemed to be smaller fish hitting flies on the surface.  Finally my comrade hooked up on a colorful little Brown trout.

We continued to fish as the sun faded behind the granite outcroppings.  I wedge of a nose popped out and tugged my line more than a small 10" trout would.  I missed the fish.  Getting darker I switched to a more streamer like imitator.  Casting upstream with a fast twitch and I felt another tug.  I raised the rod and my line was moving right towards me!  Taking in line as fast as I could until the fish was less than 12' from me. I could see it, a nice dark rainbow I thought at first, then I realized it could be a brown.  My friend grabbed the net and landed it as I tried the keep the fish out of the overhanging rocks lining the bank.  We were rewarded of a nice brown with some blue cheekbones.  Not sure if it was a M or FM.

The Journey Begins

Bows n Brookies

Cali is a great place.  Getting semi skunked on a trip is never a deal breaker.  There is always a possibility for a consultation prize nearby.  We opted to fish a lake accessible by canoe portage and were skunked do to timing.  The inlet was low, the skies were overcast, and the banshees were wailing.  Bows were brought to net but not in numbers like last year (a late season).  Despite the weather and conditions there were still a couple fishies looking up at dusk.

 Not far were the Headwaters.  Here are some of the local inhabitants....