@bushart1 said:
Now you'll get...Dad can we go fishin??---till he discovers girls
This is the third year we've gone fishing before he goes back to school. He reminded me, multiple times, that we had to go fishing at least once this summer. What I need is a boat. Even a canoe...
I am not advocating for great amounts of debt or living beyond your means
When our kids were young we spent a lot of time fishing together---so when there's so many toys a guy could get---we got a boat---big enough for safety on bigger lakes and accommodate us all (17ft deep V)
From a parenting veteran----the window for memories when they're young is fleeting and is gone in a blink
I never regret those great times we had together on the water---they remember as well
When I was 1st married and pretty much starting out---I too wanted offshore---and drove a car
I got me one of these---I was able to fish smaller lakes---it was stable---and I got away from the crowds
If you are considering a canoe---this also works
I had a tiller handled electric and off we went
Now I know less than nothing about Florida----not sure I'd put it gator waters---or where some guy with his 350hp ranger wants to show how small his pecker is
it was a starting point that didn't break the bank and it carried with ease
I'd rather have a canoe, regular or square transom, and mount a trolling motor. More speed, easy to cartop, greater range, and easier to avoid other boaters.
Made my annual trip to WY / CO. Fires were not a problem for traveling or fishing. Only 1 day of the 7 day trip where the wind switched around and there was the faint smell of smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. Trico spinners available every morning...Lots of rising fish. PMDs were sporadic in the afternoon and evenings were PMD spinners and trico duns.
View from the tent in the morning...
Almost ended up as dinner...
Did some off-road exploring. Might not look like much but the road to get here was hell to drive.
@TheBirdMan said:
Looks good, Joe. Really brown, tho, and not that nice golden brown.
Yes. Things are a little dry there now...lack of rain and I believe some irrigation was also to blame. The river we fish is the lowest I have seen it. Despite low water, the fish were still there and water temps were just fine.
I think the lower water and hot temps had something to do with the sporadic afternoon PMD hatches. Previous years the PMDs were like clockwork...could almost count on them being there from ~2-5 pm everyday. Not so much this year.
@MikeA said:
You can’t really do much here without a boat. Unless you like combat fishing with drunk kayak people.
Well excuse me, Lord Lordington, his Lordship of Alabama, for the mere suggestion of mingling with the unwashed.
No worries. It's not the unwashed that bother me. It's the drunk people from the city trashing the river. A commercial kayak rental company has taken control of our best Trout tailwater and this is pretty much everyday that its nice. This pic is actually a moderate crowd. I've seen everything from fights with fishermen to doggy style in the open on the gravel bars.
@NZ Indicator said:
Made my annual trip to WY / CO. Fires were not a problem for traveling or fishing. Only 1 day of the 7 day trip where the wind switched around and there was the faint smell of smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. Trico spinners available every morning...Lots of rising fish. PMDs were sporadic in the afternoon and evenings were PMD spinners and trico duns.
And the funny thing was, not one of those trout were wearing masks. There were signs along the river, but none of the fish were socially distancing at all! They just don't care!
@NZ Indicator said:
Made my annual trip to WY / CO. Fires were not a problem for traveling or fishing. Only 1 day of the 7 day trip where the wind switched around and there was the faint smell of smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. Trico spinners available every morning...Lots of rising fish. PMDs were sporadic in the afternoon and evenings were PMD spinners and trico duns.
And the funny thing was, not one of those trout were wearing masks. There were signs along the river, but none of the fish were socially distancing at all! They just don't care!
That isnt the funny thing. The funny thing is that they are all invasives - even the mountain lake cutthroats are progeny of previous stocking into a fishless lake, as most, nearly all, alpine lakes are.
I am not judging, Joe, and I am not exactly some native fish snob. What is, is. I am just musing on traveling a quarter way across the continent to fish for and catch the same McCloud rainbows - progeny of hatcheries, even if a couple generations removed - you can catch at home!
Actually can't catch those at home on the inland streams. They don't reproduce here. Closest we have are steelhead which run up a few tribs from the great lakes. But they are lake run rainbows...they grow bigly. And only a spring / fall run depending on the stream. The stream I fish steelhead on...all naturally producing at this time.
My research indicates these rainbows have been naturally reproducing since 1972 in this river system in CO/WY. I'm ok with that.
Some of my favorite local fishing is for wild native brookies in a mountain (big hill by out west standards) creek running through mixed woods that officially is listed as devoid of fish due to acid rain. No it ain't. It's full of six inch beauties, with the occasional nine inch monster. Lots of fun with a six or seven ft 2wt or 3wt and a size 16 or 14 Irresistible, or similar dry.
The GOP big tent now is the size of a pup tent, its floor splattered with guano.
There are a lot of trout streams near where I live. The fishing on the bigger waters has been slow as water levels have been low and the temps high. Whacking the brookies on the mountain streams has been the best option. But, we’ve had rains and things are cooling down. I’ve had some of my best fishing in September and October here in VT and over in Maine, where I try and make at least one trip to in the fall. The land locks come out of the lakes on their spawning runs and one can catch some pretty big ones on smaller water. They are fickle though. But, during or right after a decent rain with the barometer rising they can be very aggressive. The big stream resident browns near me can also be on the bite.
I am on the upper Madison now. We arrived this evening.
I don’t suspect the fishing will be good over the next several days but we needed to GTFO town, so here we are. I’m praying for clouds & light rain for a BWO event. In the meantime I’ll indicator nymph as suggested (when in Rome, as they say...).
I will report back later with lies about how I didn’t photograph the fish we caught.
@ShawnC2 said:
I am on the upper Madison now. We arrived this evening.
I don’t suspect the fishing will be good over the next several days but we needed to GTFO town, so here we are. I’m praying for clouds & light rain for a BWO event. In the meantime I’ll indicator nymph as suggested (when in Rome, as they say...).
I will report back later with lies about how I didn’t photograph the fish we caught.
Toss hoppers in the middle of the river. For real.
Replies
I am not advocating for great amounts of debt or living beyond your means
When our kids were young we spent a lot of time fishing together---so when there's so many toys a guy could get---we got a boat---big enough for safety on bigger lakes and accommodate us all (17ft deep V)
From a parenting veteran----the window for memories when they're young is fleeting and is gone in a blink
I never regret those great times we had together on the water---they remember as well
Problem with the boat is you also need a tow vehicle. I am working on some stuff.
When I was 1st married and pretty much starting out---I too wanted offshore---and drove a car
I got me one of these---I was able to fish smaller lakes---it was stable---and I got away from the crowds
If you are considering a canoe---this also works
I had a tiller handled electric and off we went
Now I know less than nothing about Florida----not sure I'd put it gator waters---or where some guy with his 350hp ranger wants to show how small his pecker is
it was a starting point that didn't break the bank and it carried with ease
I'd rather have a canoe, regular or square transom, and mount a trolling motor. More speed, easy to cartop, greater range, and easier to avoid other boaters.
I fear humans more than gators.
No kidding---gators are probably smarter than most people out there
Boats are for fats, cripples, and the elderly. If you are a young and/or healthy, you have no need.
So ya sold that nameless drift boat???
No, but the trailer tires are dry rotted and no longer hold air so it has been parked in the garage all year.
You can’t really do much here without a boat. Unless you like combat fishing with drunk kayak people.
Made my annual trip to WY / CO. Fires were not a problem for traveling or fishing. Only 1 day of the 7 day trip where the wind switched around and there was the faint smell of smoke from the Cameron Peak fire. Trico spinners available every morning...Lots of rising fish. PMDs were sporadic in the afternoon and evenings were PMD spinners and trico duns.
View from the tent in the morning...
Almost ended up as dinner...
Did some off-road exploring. Might not look like much but the road to get here was hell to drive.
10 mile hike into a mountain lake...
Last fish of the trip...
We have nothing like that in my part of state for Trout. Amazing! I'd park my boat more if we did.
Well excuse me, Lord Lordington, his Lordship of Alabama, for the mere suggestion of mingling with the unwashed.
Looks good, Joe. Really brown, tho, and not that nice golden brown.
Yes. Things are a little dry there now...lack of rain and I believe some irrigation was also to blame. The river we fish is the lowest I have seen it. Despite low water, the fish were still there and water temps were just fine.
I think the lower water and hot temps had something to do with the sporadic afternoon PMD hatches. Previous years the PMDs were like clockwork...could almost count on them being there from ~2-5 pm everyday. Not so much this year.
No worries. It's not the unwashed that bother me. It's the drunk people from the city trashing the river. A commercial kayak rental company has taken control of our best Trout tailwater and this is pretty much everyday that its nice. This pic is actually a moderate crowd. I've seen everything from fights with fishermen to doggy style in the open on the gravel bars.
And the funny thing was, not one of those trout were wearing masks. There were signs along the river, but none of the fish were socially distancing at all! They just don't care!
Episode 5,785 of Joe’s Anecdotal Fishing Myopia!!!!
That isnt the funny thing. The funny thing is that they are all invasives - even the mountain lake cutthroats are progeny of previous stocking into a fishless lake, as most, nearly all, alpine lakes are.
I am not judging, Joe, and I am not exactly some native fish snob. What is, is. I am just musing on traveling a quarter way across the continent to fish for and catch the same McCloud rainbows - progeny of hatcheries, even if a couple generations removed - you can catch at home!
Actually can't catch those at home on the inland streams. They don't reproduce here. Closest we have are steelhead which run up a few tribs from the great lakes. But they are lake run rainbows...they grow bigly. And only a spring / fall run depending on the stream. The stream I fish steelhead on...all naturally producing at this time.
My research indicates these rainbows have been naturally reproducing since 1972 in this river system in CO/WY. I'm ok with that.
I guess in the end its all just impaling things in the face with sharp objects then dragging them around! to each his or her own.
Some of my favorite local fishing is for wild native brookies in a mountain (big hill by out west standards) creek running through mixed woods that officially is listed as devoid of fish due to acid rain. No it ain't. It's full of six inch beauties, with the occasional nine inch monster. Lots of fun with a six or seven ft 2wt or 3wt and a size 16 or 14 Irresistible, or similar dry.
There are a lot of trout streams near where I live. The fishing on the bigger waters has been slow as water levels have been low and the temps high. Whacking the brookies on the mountain streams has been the best option. But, we’ve had rains and things are cooling down. I’ve had some of my best fishing in September and October here in VT and over in Maine, where I try and make at least one trip to in the fall. The land locks come out of the lakes on their spawning runs and one can catch some pretty big ones on smaller water. They are fickle though. But, during or right after a decent rain with the barometer rising they can be very aggressive. The big stream resident browns near me can also be on the bite.
I am on the upper Madison now. We arrived this evening.
I don’t suspect the fishing will be good over the next several days but we needed to GTFO town, so here we are. I’m praying for clouds & light rain for a BWO event. In the meantime I’ll indicator nymph as suggested (when in Rome, as they say...).
I will report back later with lies about how I didn’t photograph the fish we caught.
Good luck Shawn. Hope you slay em.
Toss hoppers in the middle of the river. For real.
Getting out a bit here and there........
The weather is changing and so is the attitude of some predators.....
Made it into Cheesman Canyon last week...
Scored some fish while there...
Spent Sunday Grouse hunting my local haunts...
Joe has spent infinitely more days fishing in CO this year than I have.
What is the best 5 wt to hang yourself with?
What kind of grouse, Joe? They all look the same when they're dead.