The Very Large Trout Lover's Thread (ot)

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perswig

climber

Oct 29, 2015 - 02:52pm PT

Dale

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Oct 29, 2015 - 06:44pm PT

Yesterday, I took a scan of a 1991 photo of me fishing in Idaho's Sawtooth Range, under the Finger of Fate. Although Heidi's photo captured the moment, the camera couldn't catch the terrific background that our eyes could appreciate.

Here's the background.

However, the fishing was never that good in the Sawtooths. We barely caught enough fish to feed ourselves & they were all small. That is sooooo-often the fishing story in Idaho;)

The Chief

climber

Down the hill & across the Valley from......

Oct 29, 2015 - 07:16pm PT

Fritz...

You need to head north up to the Priest River. Was up there for a week in Aug visiting friends/family and scouting properties. Hooked up on over 20 decent Bulls in a four hour session just below the lake by shooting out 100', going deep and sweeping some big azz Conehead Boogers. Most avg'd 14-17". I saw plenty of monsters in that river as well. Oh Man.. can't wait till next Spring.

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Oct 29, 2015 - 07:29pm PT

Chief: There are some huge Bull-trout in those N. Idaho, W. Montana, Columbia River tributary streams. They used to grow big & fat off eggs from spawning salmon & then baby salmon. Now since the salmon are endangered, the salmon predators, including Bulltrout, are also endangered. Another strange government regulation we might find some (rare) common ground on.

My biggest Bulltrout was a lean 27" one that surprised me by taking a dry fly on a 5 weight rod & leader on a Middle Fork Salmon tributary in Idaho in 1999. That was a fight, mostly on his rules, since when he ran downstream, I could only swim to keep up with him, due to a cliff on my side of the river.

A friend took this photo when I finally corralled the rascal.

The Chief

climber

Down the hill & across the Valley from......

Oct 29, 2015 - 07:48pm PT

That^^^ is precisely why we are looking at properties in Bonner Ferry and on the Priest just above Priest River to move to permanently next Spring.

perswig

climber

Oct 30, 2015 - 12:34am PT

Nice work, on a 5wt, Fritz! Worth the swim...

Dale

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Oct 30, 2015 - 08:39am PT

Dale! Thanks. It wasn't a big swim & the water was mostly deep, but the Bulltrout had run through that hole & was starting down some fast water to the next hole, which is where I landed the brute.

Chief: I lived in Moscow,on the southern edge of North Idaho for 14 years, & although I enjoyed visits to deepest north-Idaho, I couldn't live there. Too much rain & way too many trees for desert-loving me. Those trees get to me after a while.

The trees start closing in on me late afternoon in North Idaho.

Of course there are some fish.

The Chief

climber

Down the hill & across the Valley from......

Oct 30, 2015 - 08:54am PT

^^^^^^^ That there Native CUT is what it's all about for me Fritz. The rain and trees are total non-issue for me. Can't wait to find super tight and secluded runs up there and start chucking and swinging bigazz Boogers for them CUTS and BULLS!!!!

May not be Steelies, but the Monster Cuts and Bulls will do just fine.

This is what it's ALL about for me.... Min 8:25 on!!! totally Badazz! Should bring back some fond memories of your 27" Bull, Fritz!!!

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Oct 30, 2015 - 11:39am PT

Holy fuk chief. From about 8:30 on, that video you posted is pretty amazing. I am surprised that steelie stayed hooked.

I forgot to bring up Kokanee. You can throw big streamers at them with some success, when they are in fall spawning-mode. Lots of locations in N. Idaho with Kokanee.

However that Cut I posted was caught on a #18 winged black ant. Big pods of Cuts were surface feeding on ants that fall afternoon & wouldn't take anything else.

The Chief

climber

Down the hill & across the Valley from......

Oct 30, 2015 - 12:45pm PT

I forgot to bring up Kokanee. You can throw big streamers at them with some success...

Yuuuuuuuuuup... on the Kootenay River above and below Bonner Ferry!!!

micronut

Trad climber

Fresno/Clovis, ca

Oct 30, 2015 - 02:55pm PT

Just bought a nice little four piece rod for my upcoming trip this weekend to the Eastside. Nothing special but it sure feels good in the hand. Slammed the tip of my nice little Orvis in my car door last week. Slammed the tip of my nice little Orvis in my car door last week. Doh!

perswig

climber

Oct 30, 2015 - 03:36pm PT

Trying to get switched over to upland bird here, but the Chief's videos are not helping, especially with Maine keeping more open-water fishing avail this year, in addition to tidal water as per SOP.

Looked like they got a wee bit lucky on that last run (more likely they're that good) - rod was pretty straight at the fish couple/three times.
Dale

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Oct 30, 2015 - 07:13pm PT

Inspired by my trout posts, I decided I needed to go fishing this afternoon.

In my senile enthusiasm, I ignored the full-moon this week & the huge storm system bearing down on Idaho. (When I was less senile I knew that full-moons, when the fish party all night & are hung-over and lethargic during the day, & big storm systems with low barometric pressure, which makes trout ache all over, are going to negatively affect my trout fishing fun.

So------I drove 10 miles down to my secret “honey-hole” below a commercial fish hatchery, where I have caught a lot of big trout, including several football-shaped rainbows that were in the 8-10 lb. range, over the last 20 years and had a slow fishing afternoon.

Dry flies produced nothing, & no fish were rising. I switched to a #12 rubber-leg hare’s ear & got some good strikes, and finally caught some small rainbows. My one fish photo of the afternoon did not focus, but it’s all I’ve got.

Around 5:00 Heidi called, and politely inquired about what time I might be home, so she could plan dinner. It started raining very lightly & immediately after her call, the fish woke up.

I caught another couple small ones & had several hook-ups, & then with a big splash, I finally hooked a decent trout. After playing the 16-18” fish for a few minutes, I brought it in close enough to dig my camera out while talking it in.

“OK fish”, I said, “no-one gets released without a photo.”

With that admonishment, it unhooked itself, flipped me the bird with its caudal fin, and swam off.

It was time to leave, but I wasted another 10 minutes flailing the water in the rain, before giving up.

Damn! That was kinda fun!

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Nov 12, 2015 - 09:32pm PT

I went back to my secret fall fishing spot, 10 miles of 2-lane highway, & 1/2 mile of gravel from home,this afternoon, for another try at some big fall trout.

It was a beautiful late fall day & 55 f, when I started fishing at about 3:30 PM.

A few Fish were rising to a plentiful midge hatch, but it was not a feeding frenzy and I chose not to try to match the mob of size 22 midges, because I couldn't imagine a fish taking my size 18 midge.

Instead I fished the two upper holes with a size 12 rubber-leg Hare's Ear, and got two substantial hits in the lower of the two holes & nothing in the upper. Then I switched to a green # 8 Flash Wooly Bugger & got no bites in the upper hole. I didn't see any fish at all there.

I went back to the next hole down & fishing downstream & got a couple light hits, then wandered 1/4 mile downsteam and saw some nice fish, but not even a strike, as the sun went down. Back up to the upper two holes at 5:00 PM and finally a 10" trout, then a hit or two & nothing.

I moved up to highest hole under the fish hatchery, aka, the Glory Hole, & did about 30 casts without a hit, but saw a couple nice sized trout rolling & jumping. Finally turned up this fat 14"er.

Then a 8" trout, then a couple hits, then nothing for another 20 casts, and it was getting dark & my hands were numb. Even nothing, fishing downstream with a current swing on hole #2 on the way out,which has hooked some big trout in the past.

It was scenic.

So it goes.

Sluuuurp.

Beats working.

& I have the memories to keep me inspired.