Winter SNP Trip

 

Was able to get out this past Monday with a few friends and hit a SNP stream.  This stream typically produces very well for me, but was not the case Monday.  I'm chalking it up to because it was winter and overcast all day.  Still, nobody got skunked and a good time was had by all.

 

 

 

Sunday Coffee Break

This past Sunday I managed to sneak out for a couple hours on to a stream that is close by with a friend for some brookies and coffee.  In 4 hours of fishing I must of landed about 30 to 40 fish, they just all lacked the size I have grown accustomed to seeing on this stream.  Either way, it was a great way to burn a couple hours.

 

Cannot think of a better way to enjoy a cup of coffee.

On the Route Brookie Stream

After a few days of camping and not catching fish we packed up camp and hiked out of Stream A.  On the drive back we hit a pretty little quartz base stream that has always treated me well.  Lots of brookies and bows were caught including one brookie pushing 11 inches.  Not a bad way to round out a good camping trip.

Friend's first wild brookie.

Always good to have a stream that produces in your back pocket.  Not a bad way to finish out a good weekend. 

Late Fall Backpacking Trip

About three weeks late posting this but better late than never.  First weekend in November, two friends and I decided to head back on a fabled brookie stream for a weekend and try our luck into tricking one of the big brookies that live in that stream.  Unfortunately, the fishing on the stream was really slow.  In two days, 5 fish were caught.  A cold front pushed in the day before we got there and really put the fish down.   It got down to 28 degrees the first night and 30 degrees the second night.  I personally do not believe temperatures affect the trout bite, but am a big believer in barometric pressure in those cold fronts affecting the bite.  Especially when you have a drastic pressure change like we had.  Water levels were also a little below average, but very fishable.  The camping was good with a good fire going each night, almost made you forget how cold it was going to get each night.  I really enjoy cold weather camping.

3 mile hike in.

Few of the fish from the first day.

First evening fire and drying some stuff out.

Hammock setup.  Stayed nice and warm with the lows getting under 30 degrees.

Campfire potatoes.

Steak, potatoes, asparagus, and warming up my feet.

Next morning everything was frozen.

Coffee and small fire.

Thawing out waders.

Good layer of frost on tarp.

Neat tree a beaver was working on downing.

Got a raging fire going on the second night.

Friends bolognese dish.  Hit the spot.

Did I say we had a good fire going?

Awoke to a cup of coffee and packing out.

While the fishing was really slow, a good time was had by all.  It was also worth it just to see two of the biggest brookies I have ever laid eyes on.  I will not make you all roll your eyes at me by throwing out a guesstimate that you will not believe, but lets just say we got some good long looks at these two fish with our jaws on the ground and they could of made a meal out of a 10 inch brookie.  

We decided to pack out the next morning and hit a stream that aways produces for us on the drive back home.  Ended up being a good call, and pictures to follow on another day.

After Funeral Brookie Trip

I'm a little late posting this report, but came down with a stomach bug shortly after this trip that delayed me posting this.  Had a fishing friend whose dad passed away, so another fishing friend and I attended the service up in the mountains.  Always sad to see someone pass away, especially in a small mountain community where everyone knows everybody there. 

After the service my friend and I took advantage of the perfect fall weather and hit a brookie stream real quick on the way out.  From the looks of the females we caught, the fish have been done spawning and did not see a single fish holding on a redd. Fishing was also surprisingly different from what I was expecting.  It was an 80 degree fall day and figured I'd whack them with a dry/dropper combo.  It was so slow of fishing that my friend and I swore we were fishing behind someone.  I cut off my rig and tied some tungsten on and immediately started picking up fish.  They wanted the fly glued to the bottom and moving slow.  Takes were very light too.

Fish above came from this little feeder stream culvert pool.  Isolated pool with no way to get upstream or downstream without some flood condition water.

Big ugly stocker rainbow that made its way far from where it was put.

Enjoyed a cup of stream brewed joe as I watched my friend work a pool.

Some chestnut making an appearance.  Will not have long until it succumbs to blight.