It's Almost Perfection

I've been down with "something" since we got home on Sunday from the Delta. Yesterday I had to run to Sacramento on an errand and was finally feeling like my old self again, almost. 

I decided that a day fishing was in order, except the weather guessers were all saying WIND, but only on the Western side of the mountains. What the hell, I went anyway.

After a quick stop at Cooks for coffee and some photos for tomorrows post, I headed up the highway. On several occasions I had to slow down because the wind was blowing so hard it was pushing me into the other lane. Good thing nobody was coming the other way.

By the time I got to Silver Lake, my hopes were all but dashed. I haven't seen water like this since Hurricane Donna in Florida in 1960.

Silver Lake

The spray in the picture above is off the waves.

The same area as above, just a different spot.

It didn't look to promising. Then, after being blown around a couple more times, I made it to Caples Lake. Trust me, it wasn't much better. 

Caples by the spillway

Same spot, different angle

It wasn't looking good for a day of fishing, but I continued on. Ever the trooper (gag). Once over Carson Pass (elevation 8650') and down to Red Lake the wind eased enough for me to get my little Okuma out throw a few Kastmasters. Might as well not have wasted my time, nothing showed.

Next stop Lower Blue Lake. Haven't fished it yet and wanted to give it a try. Drove through the campground, but couldn't find a place that looked interesting so I kept going to Upper Blue.

Grabbed my gear and walked down to the lake to my usual spot. Wind was blowing, but not the gale force wind at Silver or Caples. Put out two rods with rainbow Power Bait and parked in the red camping chair. One rod to the right, one to the left.

Over the next two hours it was wait and see if you get a bite. At one point the wind all but stopped and I saw a deep blue spot at about 11:00 o'clock so I put one rod out in that spot and then the second rod. From then on, it was bite after bite after bite and in a matter of about 20 minutes I put five on the stringer and when I was reeling in the last rod so I could leave, released the 6th fish.  

Once again, Upper Blue Lake produces. I do have to tell you that it was DAMN cold up there. The low in South Lake Tahoe was 29 this morning and Upper Blue Lake is almost 2000 feet higher in elevation so you know it was cold. But like all former (actually I never was) Boy Scouts, I came prepared with my parka, gloves, and hand warmers.

Bob (I plow for fish) is now sufficiently supplied with fish for a while so if we do get some snow, my drive will be plowed.

Tomorrow I will be doing a post on Cooks Station. Y'all come back.

Mark