Met my Son and Grandson at 7:00 am where Iron Mountain Road (Emigrant Trail) meets Highway 88 and drove up to Caples Lake for a little Rainbow fishing. As you know from my past posts, I always stop for coffee before going up the hill. I passed Cooks Station at 6:30 am. they don't open until 7:00 am.
Would I be able to bypass the superstition????
Got to Caples and walked to the spot where Roys and I fished August 20th and caught 16. The three of us put out slip sinker rigs with Rainbow Power Bait (the old stuff). I caught one about 8" and was able to release it. Two hours later, that was the only one caught. Caples was dead. At 9:30 am we decided to wander over the hill to Red Lake, which is green again, and try our luck there.
Remember the superstition!!!!!
I put out one rig with Rainbow Power Bait and put my secret Cutthroat lure on the other rod. Cast after cast - Nothing. Ken was using Panther Martins and Kastmasters. Nothing. I put on Gold, Silver, and silver/blue Kastmasters along with silver and gold Little Cleos. Nothing. This was turning out to be a real bummer of a day and after all the work to get Ken and Charles out, I was hoping for something better.
All of a sudden the line with Power Bait straightened and a nice 10" Brookie was landed. Put the line out again and decided I'd just put the other one out with Power Bait too. I landed another and Ken just stood there shaking his head. I landed another and more shaking. I landed another and still more shaking. He was using the same rig and the same bait and still, he was shaking his head. Charles, on the other hand was having a little trouble staying out of the rocks. It's hard for a 7 year old to focus. I'd tell him " just cast it out, tighten the line, and leave it until a fish bites. Next thing I know, he has the rod tip up and is reeling in the line. Just in time to snag it and lose the rig again. I finally hooked a couple and let him reel them in. Ken on the other hand, was still shaking his head. By then I was feeling bad because Ken wasn't catching anything and it's not that he doesn't know how to fish, because the last time we were at Red Lake, he caught most of the fish. So I had him cast where I was fishing and low and behold, he finally got a bite. For some reason, he set the hook and the line broke. Re-rigged, he was back out in the same place and finally landed one. That was it for the day. We finally called it a day after an hour of no hits.
The final count was 8 Brookies that Ken and Charles took home for a BBQ trout dinner. All in all, it wasn't such a bad day.
The superstition? Guess it didn't apply today.
That's it for this post. Next week I'm trying fly fishing. Think I'll zip over to the Carson River and see if I can scare up some of those big Rainbows that everyone seems to be catching. That should be an experience.
Till then, remember: " A bad day fishing is better than any day at work".
Shoreman
I'd take a haul of 8 brookies any day, even if it was a little harder to land them than expected. That's what makes it fun anyway.
ReplyDeleteRe: the fly fishing, I think you and I are somewhat in the same boat. I only took it up this spring. It can be very frustrating to start, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it...so I'm sure you will too. Good luck - can't wait to hear how it goes.
This reminds me of catfishing on the river. My friend and I will be right next to each other, and he'll catch all the fish that night. I'm glad you found some success in the trip. Good luck with the fly fishing!
ReplyDeleteEven though it was a struggle to finally get some fish, maybe, the prize for the day was getting all three generations out fishing together. They are always memory makers. Have fun on the Carson.
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