He was probably the 12th person I talked with that knew this "secret" lake. Guess it's not so secret after all.
0700 this morning I headed up the hill with a stop for coffee and crawlers at the Shell station in Pioneer. This time I looked at the crawlers and made sure they were alive and they were.
Got to secret lake #3 which is now and forever know as (name removed to protect the innocent) just before 0800. Since it's not so secret, might as well call a spade a spade. I walked over to the inlet and set one rod up with a white Power Egg and a crawler (and a little air) on a slip sinker rig and put it out some 50 feet.
Then I rigged up my little Okuma with the smallest hook I had, the smallest split shot, and stuck a cricket on the hook. Yes, a cricket purchased from Petco yesterday after shopping.
Interesting story about purchasing crickets at Petco. Walked in the door and asked the girl at the counter if I could get some crickets. She asked if I wanted 7, 14, or 30. Oh, definately 30. She pointed below where I was standing and there was a blown up bag with a 30 on it and a small black spot on the bottom, inside. I guess there were 30 microscopic crickets in the bag, but I sure couldn't see them. Then I asked her if they had some big enough to fit on a fishing hook. She made a call and I walked out with the same size bag, but with crickets I could see.
First cricket out and fish on! Now I realize that this picture below looks like a minnow, but that's because it looks like I took the picture from a half mile away. I was just standing up when I took the shot. The fish was actually around 9 inches.
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| First fish of the day |
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| Same fish |
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| Second fish of the day |
Three fish on the first three crickets. Man, was I stoked and just as fast as I was up, the bite came crashing down. 0830 and I'd already landed 3 nice browns. The next one came an hour and a half later (1000). I had stopped with the crickets and went with a crawler, then half a crawler because the other half flew out into the lake, but half a crawler was all I needed. It was another 12 incher and went on the stringer. Then in the next half hour while fighting off a zillion meat bees, I managed one more on a cricket, but put it back as it was another 9 incher. I packed up my stuff and made a dash for the truck. For some reason they followed almost all the way to the truck. Must have been the Power Bait I dabbed behind my ears.
OK, the stringer. I'm collecting a half dozen or so browns for the smoker and had hoped to get a limit (5) today, but I'll have to go another day. I cleaned them and after they freeze, I'll get the Food Saver out and vacuum them till I can get a couple more. Smoked Brown Trout. That ought to be good.
Maybe I'll force myself to run up there once more this week. It's not even as far as Bear River Reservoir. I'll let you know.
Mark
Mark
ReplyDeleteThat first fish is good to get into the swing of things--that 14 1/2" is awesome!!
We, anglers, are a different bunch. Hold close to your heart and don't tell anyone our fishing secrets, and, those who like to share and enjoy sharing and watching others be successful. Even though I have never fished in Northern California, I do appreciate the fact that your willingness to share tips and success is quite honorable.
ReplyDeleteI love smoked trout and have no problem saving a few for the smoker. I'm supposed to be gifted on soon and I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark. Lately hoppers have been good. I catch them in the fields. Hook under the collar it's amazing how well they stay on. Do you drown the crickets casting with split shot I take it? On the stream some float on top especially downstream into pools. All of my action with hoppers has been on the bottom. I've found without a split it's hard to cast serious distance anyway.
ReplyDeleteHey Mark. Yeh, with a very small split shot and the crickets drown. That's why I bought 30.
DeleteMark
Why are you killing wild browns for the smoker with all the truck trout that are stocked all over the Sierra's? The Mokelumne River drainage can not support that kind of fishing and harvest. Low water years, like we are having right now, will concentrate those fish in the afterbays and small lakes along the river making them easy pickens. The local wack and stack crew has almost destroyed what was once one of the best Brown fisheries in the State. Then complain how poor the fishing is. I don't get it.
ReplyDeletesmoked browns is worth putting up with a few meat bee's
ReplyDeleteBrowns, Crickets, and Secret Lakes....sounds like the title of a New Book.
ReplyDeleteWhat in the world are meat bees??
ReplyDeleteHey Tim. Meat Bees? Small bee, mostly around a camp. Bite like hell. Most of the time when camping I set out a piece of meat on a string over a can of soapy water. The bee eats the meat (and not you), gets fat, and falls in the water and because of the soap, can't get back out and drown.
DeleteMark
Nice post Mark. I pictures you physically tackling the guy in the supermarket and interrogating him on his fishing secrets. Lord knows I've come close that before haha.
ReplyDeleteJosh
Well done Mark. Those trout sure are pretty.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have finished your book. Well done. It was a great read and I was transported back to my own youth.
You can now say you are an internationally renowned author.
Callan