FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Absolutely inhaled the chartreuse squarebill!

After not fishing a couple of weeks I was back on the lake at daylight Friday.  The water color has really cleared, the temp is still in the low 70’s and the wind was starting to blow some.  With it partly cloudy my hopes were high, so I headed to the place I have been whacking them.  And guess what?  They do have trails and they swam away.  Not a bite.  I have always thought it was interesing when they disappear like that, but never really surprised.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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From then on until I quit at 1:00 it was a hunt and peck day.  Never more than a couple in a place, and about half the places I have caught them did not produce a fish, and couple of different places produced one or two.

And they are still eating the Honeydew Knockin Tail.

The jerk bait and A Rig did not produce a bite which surprised me some.  Of course the Honeydew Knockin Tail on a 3/16th jig head continued to catch them.  Since I fished several different baits I do believe that if I stayed with the Honeydew all morning it would consistently put fish in the boat.  And did I say points?

Until the wind started it was fairly consistent on the Honeydew.

The best one for the morning, and 3 or 4 others, came on the chartreuse squarebill.  And they came off a little different place than I have been catching them, a flat bank covered in stumps, set off the main creek channel.  A slow steady retrieve was best and today none of them smoked it.  Really a early spring crankbait pattern, but without the cool water temps.

So now winter is rearing it’s ugly head, or welcome, depending on how you look at it.  That will bring cooling water temps, with night temps in the low 40’s with a dop into the high 30’s, it should cool the water quite a bit.  One thing that will happen is the white bass should head up lake like madmen, and I will be happy to whip on the for a week.  But first up is the bay.  So will give them another day to calm down, and Tuesday it will be off to the bay.  It will be one of those go ahead and pack some stuff and if the fishing is good stay the night and go it again.  Plus have some new stuff from Michael at My Coast Outdoors that needs fishing.  Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what it is yet or I would have to kill me.

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I did want to share a couple of comments on our trip to Moab.

I just read your email about your trip to Canyonlands and I’m really envious. I really enjoyed the writ up and the photos. We were out there many years ago camping in a pop up trailer, but no 4×4 so there’s a lot we didn’t see. I’m wondering where you stayed while you were there since you didn’t mention camping. My wife says that if I’ll plan the trip, she will go. I always enjoy reading your stuff.
Ervin

First the main roads in the parks and on the forest drive are all paved.  But once you get off they are rough, it is all rocks.  But there are plenty of folks in cars, and you can see most of the stuff we took pictures of with out a 4×4.

We stayed at a small condo/apartment right in Moab, Su Casa Inn Suite, which is on Travelocity.  It is not cheap,  (Since I just go where and when I am told I have no clue how much it was.) but it is 3 blocks from the stores and eats.  Good private parking, hot tub if you are so inclined, and well appointed.  We have stayed from high dollar to rat infested and this is absolutely one of my favorites.  The only negative the internet was a little sketchy at times but that is not uncommon for places like Su Casa.  It was perfect for our needs.

But there are tons of motels, many well under a $100 a night as it is still not prime time.  And one thing about going this time of year, it was not crowded.  The food was reasonable and Victoria should be so lucky to have so many good options.  And this from Don.

Its probably too cold already, but…if you are in Utah in a warmer time you should go to Fish Lake. Its a small lake up in the mountains that is fed by snow melt. Its like a throwback to the 1950’s. you can rent aluminum boats with like a 10hp ob. Depending on time of year you will catch lake trout. It is a beautiful area. First time I heard the name “Fish Lake” I thought someone was pulling a joke on me. The lake itself is crystal clear so light line is of course very important.  Don.

We did not see Fish Lake in our travels but we did visit one outside Moab and it was down an easy 4 foot.   None of the others we saw had any more ice than just a thin coating on the bank.  It has just not been that cold and they are in somewhat of a drought and needing rain and snow.  The day after we left the bottom dropped out and they are having some winter now.  So thanks for the comments and I really appreciate you reading the  blog.

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Off Topic Rant

What the f’ is wrong with people.  You go to college to get a degree and hopefully have a better life.  There are several paths to get this done, work your ass off and borrow little to nothing, or you take it all and don’t work, drive a nice car, go skiing in winter, and the beach on spring break.  So with these as your options on the spectrum many just borrow it all and justify it so they can “live.”  Well after going to law school with a bunch of kids who borrowed money like it was a cash machine while I worked basically full time, and my wife worked more than that while driving 120 miles to do it, I have no sympathy and am flatly against the wiping out of student loans.  This drive to go to “that” university, the one with big costs, in the end means little other than you can be some kind of snob.  It does not have jack squat to do if you are good at your final work life.

So what brought on today’s rant?  Well here it is in all its glory:

A senior Democratic staffer who graduated from law school with $160,000 in student-loan debt said he struggled during his first few years on Capitol Hill because of his monthly payments.

“My income wasn’t enough to pay student loans and have a social life,”