The New Huntmastersbbs!: Fall Colors Are The BEST!

This is topic Fall Colors Are The BEST! in forum Member forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.

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Posted by ursus21 (Member # 3556) on September 23, 2015, 05:32 AM:

I haven't been around much lately. Too busy with work, life, and sneaking in a fishing trip here and there. While I have been out calling a time or two, I'm having a streak of bad luck. I'm seeing coyotes, I just haven't been able to get a bullet into any of them for various reasons. Sooner or later though, their luck will run out and mine will improve. In the mean time the Fishing God's have been pretty decent to me. So without further delay, here's some fall colors for you boys.

Fishing-wise if there is anything more fun than fishing a high mountain creek for native West Slope Cutthroat I don't know what it is. Their spawning colors are absolutely beautiful!

The only thing that might supersede a West Slope Cutthroat is a larger than normal brooke trout all spawned out in it's vibrant fall colors. A friend and I really got into to some fantastic brooke trout fishing over the weekend on a small, off the grid pond, on Forest Service land. Both of us had to swear our lives to secrecy on its location, but it's worth it.

Last night after work I had the rare occasion to not have a hundred things demanding my time and attention. So I decided it was time to slip into my favorite TOP SECRET fishing hole after work. It's one of my favorite places to fish, but due to an unusually hot summer I haven't fished it for months. It's been a little cooler the past couple weeks so I decided to give it a try. I like the place because the odds of catching a decent sized rainbow or brown trout is pretty good. It took me nearly 3 hours but I was finally able to convince one trout to bite on what I had to offer. There is a reason big trout get big, and it's not because they readily bite a hook. Anyway, sometimes one is enough if it's one like this. I only had him out of the water long enough for a photo and back into the water he went. Perhaps we will meet again someday. He might even be a little bigger the next time around. [Smile]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 23, 2015, 06:06 AM:

YOU SUCK!

No, really, you are to be envied. Damn nice fish, buddy!

Now, it's September and I need to get out and kill something.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on September 23, 2015, 07:33 AM:

Nice....!

- DAA

Posted by booger (Member # 3602) on September 23, 2015, 07:47 AM:

Awesome, Troy!

What were you catching them on?

Posted by ursus21 (Member # 3556) on September 23, 2015, 09:07 AM:

Booger each fish was different. I used salmon eggs for the cutthroat, marabou jigs for the brookies, and a dry fly for the rainbow.

Posted by booger (Member # 3602) on September 23, 2015, 09:33 AM:

Another dumb question, Troy...bear with me...do you use a casting bubble with the fly?

I have tried that on some Colorado streams with limited success.

Posted by ursus21 (Member # 3556) on September 23, 2015, 10:42 AM:

I have more luck using a casting bubble on lakes and ponds than on streams. It is effective and does work. These days however; I'm trying really hard to use my flyrod when using flies. The biggest problem I have is I love to use jigs to fish and usually my spinning rod wins out. Jigs just work so stinky well it's hard to try much else. This year I've caught trout, bass, walleye, and perch all on jigs. They just get'r done.

Posted by knockemdown (Member # 3588) on September 24, 2015, 04:58 AM:

Gorgeous fish!!!

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 24, 2015, 06:05 AM:

I'm with ursus, whatever works. But bubbles are the cat's ass on lakes and impoundments. I like the ones you can, "match the hatch" with a stopper that you can add a little water, hence weight, for longer casts.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by ursus21 (Member # 3556) on September 24, 2015, 07:24 AM:

Speaking of bubbles and flies here's a method I used to use when I lived in Southern Utah. There was a lake high up in the mountains above Parowan Utah that was full of brooke trout. However, not a lot of guys caught very many. I used to take my bubble and fill it until it was 3/4's full. Then tie on a small pheasant neck nymph. I would then cast out and drag it back slowly across the bottom of the lake. I pretty much caught my limit and then some each time I went. I never keep trout so catching over the limit is not an issue. Man, I kind'a miss that lake and often wonder if it still holds nice brookies like I used to catch there 20 years ago.

[ September 24, 2015, 07:26 AM: Message edited by: ursus21 ]

Posted by earthwalker (Member # 4177) on September 24, 2015, 10:37 AM:

I agree with LB You SUCK!
You should not be allowed to post pictures like when I'm stuck on a mountain top just outside of suburbia looking at smoke and smog and to many stupid people. lol
Those are some nice looking fish. LOL
Great job.

[ September 24, 2015, 10:38 AM: Message edited by: earthwalker ]

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on September 24, 2015, 01:31 PM:

It could be worse, Earth Gal.........You could be down in suburbia looking up at the mountain.

[Smile]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on September 24, 2015, 01:32 PM:

Yes, I'm the same way. I catch trout, but never found them to be decent table fare. A million (dangerous) little bones.

And, the lunkers are worse! For sure, throw them back. Steelhead, various salmon, different story. Any bass is better eating, in my opinion.

Those little stunted rainbows you find in the Sierra's @7,000/8,000 feet. Nice firm meat. Worthwhile.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by earthwalker (Member # 4177) on September 25, 2015, 03:47 AM:

Kokopelli, you're so right.
It's just been a long summer and I can see the end to the tunnel even though the ending comes with hip surgery.

Posted by Dave Allen (Member # 3102) on September 25, 2015, 05:48 AM:

Smoke & smog and too many stupid people..Lol

Pray for me. That might be changing ? Good luck on the hip surgery.

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on September 25, 2015, 08:13 AM:

Just make sure that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an oncoming train !!!!

Good luck & stay strong.

[Cool]

Posted by earthwalker (Member # 4177) on September 26, 2015, 07:53 AM:

It isn't a train (I hope) its the sheading of a job for the freedom of the winter month hunting and trapping. Or will be when I get back on my feet.

Thanks for the good thoughts.
I hope all of you have a great winter.

Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on September 26, 2015, 08:57 PM:

To be envied for sure
Good Luck earthwalker thoughts and prayers.

[ September 26, 2015, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: Paul Melching ]

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