FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

I am actually taking a little weather break for a few days.  As the heat index exceeds 100 degree plus everyday it is hard to get motivated.  If the fishing was a little better it would help, but for the time being it is just to humid and hot for me much after 10:00 or so.  But that is not going to last, and neither is my break.  So who knows when that will be, it might even be tomorrow,  (May be clouding in the morning.) just wanted to let you all know we are alive and well, upright, and taking nourishment.  (Which includes air conditioned happy hour!)

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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From Colby this on Colorado.

Hey Doug,
Here’s a tip for your upcoming Colorado trip. Fish Lake Navajo for smallmouth and pike! A close friend just got back. He had 35-40 smallmouth in one day and several nice pike. Fished with a local guide and had a blast. Guide said it was a bit off that day. You can fish the lake one day and then go below the dam and fish for coldwater trout the next. Great combo day. Just like I used to have on the White and Norfolk. 4 species of trout and then largemouth bass and sunfish right after lunch on topwater poppers in Otter Creek. When we got lucky we could add a walleye. Have fun. Colby S.

First for you folks that have never fished Arkansas there is no better place than the Twin Lake area.  From stripers to trout, smallmouth to walleye, it has it all in about a 50 mile radius.  I fished it all for 25 years and it is a world class destination with options few places can top.

I have looked at Navajo Lake several times, online and with my own eyes.  It is famous for its smallmouth and big pike, much less trout.  So I will definitely consider it this trip if my trout waters are not conducive to catching.  You never know in September what the conditions will be, but one thing I plan to do is fish some private waters.  So we shall see how it all shakes out, but if I do not end up spending my $$$ on private waters a guided trip on the Navajo will be a great alternative.  Thanks for the information and as usual appreciate your comments.

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And another tough day at the boat ramp.  A woman in Michigan shot another woman after a dispute over a boat ramp.  It did not have many details but apparently the woman was upset as she tried to take her boat out and the other party was loading jet skis on the same ramp.  You know that I have long said, be nice, be the bigger guy, give the right of way, just do not be a horses ass and things should be just fine.  Act a fool out there and trust me, there is another fool just looking for a fight.  (And after representing idiots like this they are always crying for their mama when they head to the pen.  Everybody is a tough guy until the door slams, their cell mate choked a child to death, and the meat in the soup has hair on it.)

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The one trip I just did not get done this year, mostly due to the boat being in the shop almost 4 months, was Grand Isle, La.  And since I am headed out soon for almost a month in Colorado it will not happen until next year. The reports from Bridgeside Marina have been nuts.  Most limits are done by 9:00 am, and that would be 25 per person.  Though I generally just redfish when I am there no way I would pass up trout fishing like that.  At least once.  But on the bright side, it is the Chandeleur Islands in mid October, so Louisiana is not a complete loss this year.  And on a side note:  I have never had a trip to Grand Isle that did not produce the fish, best place for numbers I have ever fished.

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The Boss got a taste of the kayaking, and now off she goes around the kitchen.

I was a little skeptical of an inflatable but she bought a Pro model, and after going through the process it makes perfect sense for her needs.  It is not the Academy blow up type, (Did I just say cheap and good for a swimming pool!) and it is actually the only one in the US as it just arrived.  It folds up in a bag, is easy to transport, and put together by yourself.  It will fit in her trunk, and easily in the 4Runner when we head out west.  She wants it specifically for when we are fishing the many lakes in Colorado, I can fish and she can paddle, perfect.  The Colorado trip is starting to really take shape!  And who knows, I might actually get in that thing before she gets out there, though I am still a fan of motors on boats.

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And speaking of the Boss, the covid is really running rampant in Victoria.  We are back to masks, but not for us, for you.  But more importantly for the children.  As the numbers rise dramatically the number of children hospitalized, some on ventilators, is climbing.  The last thing in this world we would ever want to do is infect a child.  The Delta variant is killing folks, many younger, with a huge rise in the number of 20 and 30 year old’s.  So do as you will, all the talking in the world has not changed some folks, and I am done ranting.  Just remember, the little ones have their whole life ahead of them and they did nothing to deserve this.  So keep  taking your advice from the knuckleheads on Facebook with a GED.

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Reservations made for the first part of the Colorado trip.  Will be between South Fork and Creed on the Rio Grande River.  From there it is easy to fish a full 7 days, and never re-fish anything.  Of course if I hit the jackpot will fish that place again, but part of the fun is different places which also increases you chances at seeing major wildlife.  And getting to see elk, deer, and rams is just as important as catching fish.  But just fishing the local lakes full of trout is days worth, most of them with easy bank fishing access.  And I added a 7’6″ 3 weight flyrod for the small streams where even a rookie like me can cast across the creek.  Then a couple of days over in Pagosa checking it out before I pick up the Boss in Durango. Even though it is weeks away will start making piles.  Preparation is the fun part, the drive is not.  But the results are worth it all.

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That is it for today, just wanted to touch base.  Summer is coming to an end, the kids are headed back to school, and folks are getting the guns out.  With that comes my favorite time of year to fish, as it never gets any less crowded than that.  As an example, one of  the Falcon trips we scheduled during the first week of deer season resulted in us having the place to ourselves, and we smoked them.  As the fishing pressure/traffic increases on our waters any minute of solitude is welcome.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines