Question:
Big river, or small creek, with just enough fish to be challenging and *no* other people around is quality. The rest is fluff.
Interesting concept. I would partially agree with you in that the number of fish doesnt’ control the quality of the experience. Where I would disagree with you is when you use a small number of fish present as a positive measure of quality. You want to be challenged, avoid the easy pocket water where you know you can pick up twenty a day. Control your behavior (no not you personaly, you as in all of us), protect the environment (insert your definition here), and the rest will take care of itself. phil
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snip
If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the appreciation to faden then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion" snip
I agree with the premiss that the excitement of fishing is the reuslt of not knowing whether you will catch fish on a given stretch of river on a given day. It is those days when I struggle to catch fish that make my succesful days exciting and rewarding. Those struggling days provide a definition of successful ones. A good example of this was last spring when I was still working very hard to catch any fish on a dry fly. I would fish all day and catch one or two small trout. One day I hit a Hendrickson hatch that was unbelievable. I stood in the rain on six foot wide stream throwing without a fisherman in sight and caught more 13-15" trout (that is a nice fish here in Minnesota) than I could count. I know because at first I was counting. I rememeber getting to 25. At some point after twenty five I just stopped fishing. It wasn’t dark yet and the fish were still biting but I stopped. I was bored. It was too easy. I fished that stream around 50 times last year. I never had another day like that. Still, the memory of that day and a possible repeat is what got me out of bed at 3:00am to drive 80 miles to that same stream. I don’t think I would fish that stream if I caught fish like that every time. I also don’t think I would fish that stream if it were packed with fishermen (I saw a total of two fishermen all year). I think I would go somewhere more challenging and rationalize it by saying it had bigger fish or more exciting fish to fight or less people. Mike H
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserves to be individually remembered and appreciated. If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ appreciation to fade then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion" I concur in this! As I have said before, this is how I make my decision to stop fishing. -Burton — L. Burton Hawley 2330 NW Hummingbird Corvallis, ORSorry boys, BUT I WANT TO CATCH SO MANY FISH THAT I CAN’T REMEMBER ANY
OF THE "NORMAL" FISH, JUST ALL OF THE GIANTS. (I release most anyway!)
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I believe there is one thing Tim and Myself may be able to agree on and I hope so can most other readers of this group. Quality; angling should be about quality. I came across this in "Wild Steelhead and Salmon" V3 No 2 Winter 1997 from Bob linsenman’s 10 ways to Seduce Michigan Steelhead "Under the right conditions it is more than possible , it is probable, that a reasonably skilled fly angler will hook up in excess of 10 times over the course of a day. And that same skilled angler will bring to hand a high percentage of hooked fish. How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserve s to be individually remembered and appreciated. If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the appreciation to faden then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion" All emphasis is mine
You’re going to get mad at me…in advance 8^)… My serious contention with C&R is just that. It reduces the quality of the experience 10 fold. What happiness is there in catching a fish in an area with a fish behind every stick ? or an angler around every bend ? Big river, or small creek, with just enough fish to be challenging and *no* other people around is quality. The rest is fluff. — TimW Halfordian Golfer
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How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserve s to be individually remembered and appreciated. If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the appreciation to faden then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion" All emphasis is mine Ralph H
I agree. One steelhead is a great day. Ten or twenty days of fishing between hookups makes that one fish even more rewarding. Even trout get boring if you don’t have the occasional day where nothing works, to help bring some mystery and questioning back to it. Mark Vinsel — http://www.lanminds.com/local/vinnie/gallery.html
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How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserves to be individually remembered and appreciated. If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ appreciation to fade then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion"
I concur in this! As I have said before, this is how I make my decision to stop fishing. -Burton — L. Burton Hawley 2330 NW Hummingbird Corvallis, OR
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Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.fishing.fly Organization: Internet Direct SNIP I came across this in "Wild Steelhead and Salmon" V3 No 2 Winter 1997 from Bob linsenman’s 10 ways to Seduce Michigan Steelhead "Under the right conditions it is more than possible , it is probable, that a d reasonably skilled fly angler will hook up in excess of 10 times over the course of a day. And that same skilled angler will bring to hand a high percentage of hooked fish. How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserve s to be individually remembered and appreciated. SNIP Ralph H Not to disagree with you in any way (I too worship steelhead), but it struck me as odd to see an article about Michigan Steelhead in a magazine called "Wild Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon". They should start a magazine called "Introduced and Hatchery Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon" for this topic. Though, I should say that I’ve never really understood the scope of this magazine anyway. cheers, -tgades
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I believe there is one thing Tim and Myself may be able to agree on and I hope so can most other readers of this group. Quality; angling should be about quality. I came across this in "Wild Steelhead and Salmon" V3 No 2 Winter 1997 from Bob linsenman’s 10 ways to Seduce Michigan Steelhead "Under the right conditions it is more than possible , it is probable, that a reasonably skilled fly angler will hook up in excess of 10 times over the course of a day. And that same skilled angler will bring to hand a high percentage of hooked fish. How much is enough? What is reasonable gratification? I feel strongly that each of these splendid wild creatures deserve s to be individually remembered and appreciated. If we hook and play a number that causes the memory to blur, the appreciation to faden then WE HAVE EXCEEDED THE ETHICAL LIMIT. My opinion" All emphasis is mine Ralph H
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Question:
I try to bring a rod/reel with me when I backpack (my friend always brings his). I mainly bring a few flys with me. I think a good time to fish is when the mosquitos come out. If you look at a lake you’ll see if fish are in there when the mosquitos are out (feeding time). Harold. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Alright, the truth has to come out sooner or later. Why is there never a post on fishing and backpacking? Don’t ask me to go to the alt.fishing newsgroup–those people are dedicated. I am not. I just want to know what I can expect if I carry a very small collapsible rod and mini-reel. Whenever I try to fish in the backcountry, I come across tiny streams that look like there is no hope or mountain lake that is snow-free for all of two months a year and you can see to the bottom of and personally verify there are no fish in its sterile environment. In 25 years of mountain backpacking, I have never caught a fish–although I do pretty good in the stocked lowlands. Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . . — John Kiljan
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude above which you will not find fish ? We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll be fish in it ? I don’t know the answer but the highest lake I have fished at with success is the Upper Hancock Lake (near the ghost town of St. Elmo) and it is, if memory serves me, just over 11,000 feet. One other lake (where I had the best fishing day of my life) is also just over 11,000 feet. Geez, 13,000 feet seems pretty high up there for fishing? 
To the best of my knowledge, trout are not native to most alpine lakes. There is always a fall or bad rapids that prevents upstream migration. If there are fish in high country lakes, they probably are stocked. You’ll just have to ask. the best place is a local fly shop. …… Seek harmony and balance in the mountains, find harmony and balance within…..
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Alright, the truth has to come out sooner or later. Why is there never a post on fishing and backpacking? Don’t ask me to go to the alt.fishing newsgroup–those people are dedicated. I am not. I just want to know what I can expect if I carry a very small collapsible rod and mini-reel.
Well, here is an answer from a dedicated fisherman who backpacks. Whenever I try to fish in the backcountry, I come across tiny streams that look like there is no hope or mountain lake that is snow-free for all of two months a year and you can see to the bottom of and personally verify there are no fish in its sterile environment. In 25 years of mountain backpacking, I have never caught a fish–although I do pretty good in the stocked lowlands.
Hard to say why you have never seen a fish up in the mountains… They are harder to see because they are wild and blend in with the bottom better, and they tend to be a lot smaller due to the restricted growing season. Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . .
The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. Darryl Hayashida
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snip Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . . — John Kiljan
Hi John, I do a lot of solo hiking and always carry fishing equipment which pays for the space and weight. Most of my experience is in Yosemite and Sequoia, and I’ve never failed to catch small native trout. I know there are a lot of purist who’ll object, but this is food, and I eat every one. I carry a collapsible 7′ rod, a mini spinning reel with 4# mono line. I use #18 bronze treble hooks and carry a black film canister filled with fresh velveta. I barely cover the hook, this is small, like the head of a book match. More will work, not any better though, and the fish are usually small anyway. I fly fish some, so I understand a little about reading water. I found fish in 4" slow runs, places too small to hide a canteen, places you’d swear wouldn’t hold a 6" trout. I don’t cast, just drop it in and let the water pull off some line, and when it stops I reel in the slack. Never counted how many tries to catch a fish, but I’ve never gotten bored or hungry. Landing the fish is no problem. I use the 2" blade on my Swiss Army knife to clean them per the Rappalla book. I rinse them well and nestle them head to tail, wrap them in aluminum foil, and place them in the hot embers. They have a lot of flavor. Other things in my fishing kit: Red plastic hook disgorger with the big end cut off and the shaft roughened A clean plastic super market vegetable bag which I rinse and use again to put the dispatched fish on my belt 1/4 of an old facecloth for picking up wigglin’ fish Guess there are some other things I carry, sliding sinkers for lakes, a couple of small casting lures to amuse myself with, and a couple plastic look-alike bugs. Hope this helps. –Charleroi
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Do you really think that experienced people are going post their favorite fishing spot? Would you like by some land which occasionally above water? I don’t fish, so I won’t suggest that people fish at the V. place. But others can.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado. I go for the fly fishing also. But, the learning curve can be brutal. For someone not into fly fishing, I recommend spinners (ie: Mepps ‘0′) on a high quality 2 lb test line, -or- Power Bait fished 6 to 9 inches off the bottom with a tight line. Nothing to be proud of but they will catch fish. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George POWER BAIT??? That’s as bad as baiting bears!!! Shame on you.
I thought they were talking about trout. When I go for bear I use a much heavier line. 2lbs test is just not strong enough for bear. My mistake. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado. I go for the fly fishing also. But, the learning curve can be brutal. For someone not into fly fishing, I recommend spinners (ie: Mepps ‘0′) on a high quality 2 lb test line, -or- Power Bait fished 6 to 9 inches off the bottom with a tight line. Nothing to be proud of but they will catch fish. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George POWER BAIT??? That’s as bad as baiting bears!!! Shame on you.
Actually, I thought they were walking about trout. When I go for bear I use a much heaver line. 2 lbs test is just too light for bear. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado. I go for the fly fishing also. But, the learning curve can be brutal. For someone not into fly fishing, I recommend spinners (ie: Mepps ‘0′) on a high quality 2 lb test line, -or- Power Bait fished 6 to 9 inches off the bottom with a tight line. Nothing to be proud of but they will catch fish. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George
POWER BAIT??? That’s as bad as baiting bears!!! Shame on you.
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The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado.
I go for the fly fishing also. But, the learning curve can be brutal. For someone not into fly fishing, I recommend spinners (ie: Mepps ‘0′) on a high quality 2 lb test line, -or- Power Bait fished 6 to 9 inches off the bottom with a tight line. Nothing to be proud of but they will catch fish. — I find that most people fall into one of two groups. Those that are quick to tell you that it can’t be done, and those who are quick to try to make it work. When all is said and done, I hope to be counted in the second group. - George
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writes: The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish.
I use flies, but I don’t know how to fly fish in the traditional sense. I use a spinning rod and reel. About 2-3 feet from the end of the line I attach a elongated teardrop-shaped bobber. It has a rubber tube inside that the line slides through, then to secure it, I just give it a few twists. A plug opens on one end that I can fill with water; too much and it’ll sink, too little and I can’t cast far. Simple! Then I just tie on a fly on the end of the line and, wallah, flyfishing for people like me! My knowledge is that most high lakes in Washington state are stocked. I’m not sure how to tell the difference between wild and harvested fish. Anyone know? Jason R. wherever you go, there you are – HDT
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: An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the : experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there : a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude : above which you will not find fish ? : We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous : little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll : be fish in it ? I’ve fished Ice Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and caught many 6 – 8 inch trout. Ice Lake is at 8,000 ft. That’s the highest lake with fish that I know of, but it was stocked back in the ’20s.
Colorado has excellent fishing in alpine lakes above 9000′ primarily as a result of aerial stocking begun in the 1950’s. Cutthroat trout are the most common with brook and rainbow trout doing well also.Due to the pristine environment, abundant aquatic insect population and light fishing pressure these trout can grow larger than their cousins in low altitude streams and rivers. The dramatic changes in water temperature of high lakes probably has the greatest effect on fishing success. As the sun warms water close to shore the fish will migrate to the center or to deeper areas of the lake. Not very productive for a fisherman stuck on the shore. For this reason the higher the lake is the better, especially as summer wears on and the lower lakes gradually become warmer. Regards, Brian
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Third, the biggest mistake that people make when they fish alpine lakes is that they do not fish deeply enough. Most of my fly fishing is with an extra-fast sinking shooting head (this will mean something to flyfishers), at depths of 20-40 ft. Fishing deep is easy with spinning gear; you just need to let your spinner sink.
Would you mind terribly to expound a little bit on "extra-fast sinking shooting head" for us novice fly fishers? I mean, this is some sort of wet fly? Do you need a sinking line (maybe that is obvious but I will ask anyway). Thanks, Lawrence Kennon
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Alright, the truth has to come out sooner or later. Why is there never a post on fishing and backpacking?
There are: In "rec.outdoors.fishing.fly" Virtually all of my backcountry travel centers on fly fishing. I usually make one trip a year into the GSMNP and one trip into the Wind River Range. The former is stream fishing, the latter almost exclusively lake fishing. Most of these lakes are at or above timberline. I don’t want to rub it in, but we always catch fish; lots of them too. Let me take the liberty to answer some questions and clarify some misconceptions: First, just because you can’t see fish does not mean they aren’t there. You have to look VERY carefully to see fish, must have a trained eye, and you must have polarized glasses (to reduce glare). Keep in mind that trout are prey for many beasts of the wild, and if you can see them, they can almost certainly see you. On many occasions, the only fish I ever see are those in my hand when I’m releasing them! Second, there are few lakes of any size in the U.S. that really have only a 2-month ice out. There are lots of lakes, however, that may be completely iced out for only 3 months or so. This does not preclude a productive fishery. I have fished lakes in the Wind River Range that are ice free for at most 4 months a year (July-Oct), and yet are extremely productive. I fished a lake last year at 11,000 ft that held cutthroats up to nearly 30 inches (yep, 30 inches, not 30 centimeters). This lake was still 1/4 iced-in the first week of August! There probably is a limit to how high a lake can be and still support fish, but it is probably about the same limit as for people, which is higher than 13,000 ft (I think it is between 15K and 18K, but can’t remember). Third, the biggest mistake that people make when they fish alpine lakes is that they do not fish deeply enough. Most of my fly fishing is with an extra-fast sinking shooting head (this will mean something to flyfishers), at depths of 20-40 ft. Fishing deep is easy with spinning gear; you just need to let your spinner sink. Fourth, although it is true that few alpine lakes outside of the Sierras have native trout, many alpine lakes have self sustaining populations of wild trout. For example, none of the lakes in the Winds originally had fish. Much of the stocking was done by Finis Mitchell and his family in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of these lakes have received no fish since then. Fifth, there are fishless alpine lakes out there, no doubt about it. Lakes can be too shallow (they freeze solid, or nearly so); they can become oxygen depleted in the winter (esp. a problem if there is no inlet or outlet); and the water can be so sterile that there aren’t enough nutrients to feed the bugs that feed the fish (typically a problem for the first lake immediately below glaciers, etc.). If you have any questions, I’d be happy to try to answer them, except for the names of the lakes 
. 2-3 months of the year, and yet are extremely productive fisheries. are ice free for
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The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains. I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado. lk
Spinners would be my second choice if I didn’t have my fly fishing gear with me. I fished spinners for ten years before I started fly fishing. It isn’t that one is more successful than the other, I just enjoy fly fishing, especially dry fly fishing more than spin fishing. My favorite spinner was (still is on the rare occasion that I spin fish) a size 1 or 2 (small) Panther Martin black body with yellow spots, gold blade. Darryl Hayashida
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: An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the : experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there : a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude : above which you will not find fish ? : We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous : little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll : be fish in it ? I’ve fished Ice Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and caught many 6 – 8 inch trout. Ice Lake is at 8,000 ft. That’s the highest lake with fish that I know of, but it was stocked back in the ’20s.
As someone else commented, most of the alpine lakes in CO were stocked at some time. My father-in-law worked for Colorado Fish and Game, and one of his jobs was stocking wilderness lakes. He’d ride a horse and lead a pack string with panniers filled with fingerlings! Lakes that were farther than a day’s ride, or inaccessible by horseback, were stocked by helicopter. That must have been a sight! We’ve caught trout in lakes at 12,160 feet. Most very high lakes are small and freeze thickly in the winter, so many are sterile unless there is ongoing stocking. Trout are able to swim through some pretty impressive falls, though, so there is some migration, and if the lake is big enough the fish will be ok through the winter. Most of the lakes I’ve backpacked to in the Colorado high country have fish in them. This doesn’t guarantee dinner, though. — _][ Data Support Section * National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) __PO Box 3000, Boulder, Colorado 80307 * 303/497-1214 * 303/497-1298 fax
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: An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the : experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there : a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude : above which you will not find fish ? : We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous : little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll : be fish in it ? I’ve fished Ice Lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and caught many 6 – 8 inch trout. Ice Lake is at 8,000 ft. That’s the highest lake with fish that I know of, but it was stocked back in the ’20s. greg rose
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The secret? Flies. Pure and simple. Wild trout feed on insects. Learn how to fly fish. I rarely fail to catch at least a few in most of the high mountain streams and lakes. At least in the California Sierra Nevada Moutains.
I like fly fishing too, but I doubt that it is "the secret". I have used a lightweight (4 lb test) with 1/16 oz. spinners and never failed to bring home fish for dinner in Colorado. lk
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It’s not hidden, you didn’t bother looking: Panel 26: Fishing alt.fishing alt.archery rec.outdoors.fishing rec.outdoors.fishing.fly rec.boats Just like the white water paddlers. Like Muir said, Fishing is boring.
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An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude above which you will not find fish ? We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll be fish in it ? Gary
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An interesting thread. I’d like to ask a question of the experienced mountain fishermen out there : Is there a "fish line" analogous to timberline ? i.e. an altitude above which you will not find fish ? We’re heading for CO next week and I know of a gorgeous little lake way up around 13,000. Any chance there’ll be fish in it ?
I don’t know the answer but the highest lake I have fished at with success is the Upper Hancock Lake (near the ghost town of St. Elmo) and it is, if memory serves me, just over 11,000 feet. One other lake (where I had the best fishing day of my life) is also just over 11,000 feet. Geez, 13,000 feet seems pretty high up there for fishing? You will let us know how this turns out, won’t you? Lawrence Kennon
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alt.fishing newsgroup–those people are dedicated. I am not. I just want to know what I can expect if I carry a very small collapsible rod and mini-reel. Whenever I try to fish in the backcountry, I come
I always do the same thing. Most of my hiking is done around larger bodies of water (lakes and such) Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques?
I’m always glad I packed the rod. Even if I don’t catch anything (most of the time) I like to fish anyway. Gives me an excuse not to do the dishes after supper! Andrew Roberts
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Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . . I’ve had reasonable success in the last few years in fishing the
backcountry. My buddy and I mostly catch-and-release (e.g. last year in Colorado we landed over 30 in an afternoon), but we sometimes keep enough to "have a feast." I guess I could say that the secret is to be prepared for a "hunt" to find what the fish are interested in. Last year, it was easy enough because they were hitting small spinners (e.g., Panther Martin’s and Mepps) on very light line (e.g. 2 lb.). However, the previous year (in New Mexico), the fish just weren’t interested in anything in our "tackle box." So, we resorted to using little grubs found in the stream bed (helgromites (sp), I believe they are called), and the fish went nuts. We used a very small hook and "bobbed" the bait up and down. Actually, it was more like try to get the hook into the water and out again before one latched on. (I actually had one fish–they were native cut-throat–jump out of the water to get the bait). So, a lot of trial-and-error will probably be necessary to find what they are attracted to. However, it has been load of fun. BTW: These cases were both streams above 9000 feet. My only recent experience with mountain lakes was a small lake in Apache-Setgreaves (Arizona), which had obviously been stocked with Artic Grayling (and "interesting" fish to pull out of the water in Arizona!).
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Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . .
In Colorado I have had very good luck with a small spin casting rod/reel (4 lb test) using little 1/16 ounce spinners (Wooters, or Hooters, or something like that are my favorite). I have caught trout in lakes over 11,000 feet while standing on old snow on the bank and icebergs floating in the lake. Most of the lakes _do_ have edible (_very_ edible) trout in them. Have never had any luck on streams (haven’t really tried) but have seen fly fisherman catch them in streams. There is the little lake around Garfied (sorry, can’t tell you the name, that is my secret!) up about 11,000 feet or so, very small and fishable only at one end where it is deep enough. I had the best fishing day of my life there a couple years ago. We set up the tent and left the wife and kids to go look for a place to fish on this lake (first time there) and I found this little "hole" at one end. In a few minutes with approx. 7-8 casts I caught 5 great trout, several of them quite big. Needless to say we feasted that night. The bad news is that it is quite a hike off the beaten path to get there. Perhaps that is why there were a lot of hungry and unwary fish. Look for a lake like that, one that is _hard_ to get to, one that isn’t visited often. lk
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Alright, the truth has to come out sooner or later. Why is there never a post on fishing and backpacking? Don’t ask me to go to the alt.fishing newsgroup–those people are dedicated. I am not. I just want to know what I can expect if I carry a very small collapsible rod and mini-reel. Whenever I try to fish in the backcountry, I come across tiny streams that look like there is no hope or mountain lake that is snow-free for all of two months a year and you can see to the bottom of and personally verify there are no fish in its sterile environment. In 25 years of mountain backpacking, I have never caught a fish–although I do pretty good in the stocked lowlands. Does anyone have any wilderness fishing secrets to share with us? Who packs a rod and are glad they did? Secret bait? Techniques? Equipment? Eggs, worms, lures? Just give it up? Hunt for crawdads instead? Catching local bait? Set a line overnight? Anything . . . — John Kiljan
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