Recon

Next Monday I'm supposed to fish with the fly club at a place called Blue Creek. Thought I'd do a little recon before just showing up Monday morning.

Google Maps is a wonderful thing. Just look at where you want to go and follow the map. So, come on along and see what I found.

I got to Lower Blue Lake and instead of making a right turn to Lower and then Upper Blue Lake, I turn left. The road turned into the same type as I experienced on the way to Burnside Lake a few weeks ago. A little rough around the edges, but what road up there isn't?

Came out at a Day Use Area for Twin Lake. Since I was there for a pit stop anyway I thought I'd just take a few shots for you to look at.

Right

Across

A little further to the left

Left

Not sure if there are any fish in the lake, don't recall seeing it on the DFW planting list, but I did see some surface ripples, but could have been tiny fish.

Back the way I came to the outlet for Lower Blue Lake (actually I passed it on the way). This I assume (I hate using that word) is the beginning of Blue Creek subject of the fishout Monday.  

Not a cabin

Looks fishy

Looks fishy here too

Got an email from the guy running the fishout that said he fished the creek yesterday and C&R'd 21 Brookies. I didn't see any Brookies. I didn't see anything that looked like a fish, BUT.............

The continuation of the creek

This, according to Google Maps is a really long creek. Me, there is no way I can navigate down all those rocks to fish that creek. The arthritis in my hips would be so bad that I wouldn't be able to walk for a week and that would be WITH drugs. I'm already having some trouble with just the short recon I did. I did put a few flies in there (as long as I was there) to give "3" a little exercise. Unfortunately I'm going to have to pass on Monday's excursion.

Back out to Lower Blue Lake. To this day I've never fished it. Why start now? On to Upper Blue Lake and my spot of choice. Getting to be around 9:30 and time for a little something to eat.

Got my gear down to the lake, one rod out to the left with rainbow Power Bait and putting a dab on the other when the first one starts bouncing. Crap, I hadn't been there two minutes. Reeled in a 12" Rainbow for the stringer. Put that rod out and got the other one out. As I picked up my PB&J BOTH rods started bouncing. How's a guy supposed to get anything to eat with this kind of interruptions?

One was small and lip hooked and if this was to be the action for the day, I let him go. The other rod (still bouncing a couple minutes later) had another 12" Rainbow on it and it went on the stringer. OK, got both rods out again and my PB&J in hand and then NOTHING. Ate the whole sandwich, a chocolate granola bar and drank a half bottle of water and still nothing. What the heck?  

While I was sitting around, I took a picture of a bunch of little fish scarfing away on something on the bottom. There must have been a couple hundred of them.

Scarfing little fish

Just beyond them, there were larger fish (maybe 9") scarfing on something out there too. I put a little dab of PB on my little Okuma with a small split shot and dropped it into the middle of those bigger fish. They didn't even notice the PB.  

The picture below is of some wave action on the lake. The odd thing is a boat didn't go by, there was no wind, just this wave action moving across the lake. Lately I've been reading a story about the monster in Lake Champlain (the locals call him Champ) and maybe, just maybe, we have an Upper Blue Lake Monster. Oh, never mind. Sometimes my imagination runs away with me.  

Upper Blue Lake Monster?

Over a period of an hour and a half, I released that one and put five on the stringer. 

A limit

I thought that maybe a picture would be good for verification. Don't want you to think it's just another fish story.

The picture below shows you that while you're fishing, you should take in your surroundings. Just might find a nice red and white bobber for future use.

Tackle box addition

On the way out of Hope Valley, I stopped at the camp ground and gave the campground hosts a couple of the fish for dinner. They are the nicest people and have always been friendly when I've stopped by or we've been there camping, like last month. They've even read my book.  

The weekend trip (hint:Navarro River) has been moved up to early August, so the next outing will be with Juan and I've got a couple surprises in store for him.

Stay Tuned.