Took out the first clients of the year specifically targeting trout yesterday. Corps of Engineers dropped the water level by 3 feet overnight to do some repairs .....so it made boat launching and location of fish a whirling derbish!
LOWER RIVER/LAKE SECTION--surface temp was about 60 degrees. most fish were at around 10-15 foot deep suspended over deeper holes of 20-40 feet. The bite was slow, but patiently retrieving #0 and #1 Mepps spinners and Panther Martins through the suspended schools as well as jigging 1/8 or 1/4 ounce Little Cleo's and Fjiord spoons put 10 rainbows in the boat.
KICKER- My client and I both boated 1 HUGE rainbow each on crankbaits. It is an option I am leaning on more for BIG rainbows and browns. Rebels crawdad and Rapala's Risto Rap were the big fish tickets for the day.
STREAM SECTION--water temp was about 44 degrees. Small marabou jigs, sizes of 1/32, 1/64,and 1/80 ounces were excellent. Black, brown, and olive were by far the most productive. Most fish were tight to logs and log jams. Far fewer fish than normal were in the breaks as there was less generation to push the current as hard. Micro 1 inch crawdad crankbaits also took a few fish.
Although this day we did not fly fish , the fish were surfacing and would certainly have been caught on a dry fly as well.
The only browns were on the smallest size Rapala Husky Jerks fished tight into log jams.
A tough day by the standards of that fishery.. but we all had limits and several really nice fish as kickers. Can't complain about that!
HELP--I can't get my pics to unload from my camera into my computer...I just get a message indicating that my computer believes I am wanting to safely unplug the camera and is helping with that???? Anyone have an idea? I have tried the startup wizard again for the camera and everything else that you can try to my knowledge????? So until I get this resolved pics are still in the camera. Any help on this would be GREATLY appreciated!
...trout that doesn't think two jumps and several runs ahead of the average fisherman is mighty apt to get fried. ~ Beatrice Cook, Till Fish Do Us Part, 1949
