FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

I have now covered over 6,000 miles this month, and I must confess I am tired.  We got back from Colorado yesterday and I finally got around to the blog.  Let me say it was another successful trip.  Part of that is I am headed back in just 6 weeks for a couple of weeks of fishing, and maybe just a little more real estate research.  We will just have to see what comes of that but we are more than ready.

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The Wade Right Fishing Belt and the new Madre Sling.

For all your wading needs.

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We never get tired of it!

That is one big bull Elk.

This guy lives at the jerky store, probably his kin in the summer sausage.  He gets bigger every year.  The only other elk we saw were south of Chama NM, where we intend to drive some next trip.

Lots and lots of turkeys this trip.

And the muley bucks were in full velvet.

Lots of mule deer this trip.  One thing I will give them they do cooperate better than any other animal.  When I get out there hope to have them on the menu regularly.

With the rain they had lately the flowers were in full bloom.

Love the top rod box.  8 full rods and reels, lockable and convienant it is worth every penny for a traveling fisherman who needs lots of stuff.

We got in our daily hike somewhere.

Checking out the creek in a new area.

As I explore more and more there are plenty of cool places for lots of different water conditions.  And with the lakes plenty of places to fish.

Ground squirrel Game of Thrones.  A great castle. 

Lots of grouse.

We get up and get in the truck at daylight.  If you want to chase the critters time is a wasting!

Love fishing the streams, a real change of pace.

It was an evening of rainbows, some doubles and even a triple.  Beautiful in that clean air.

A couple of real ones!

The prairie dogs were out and about.

I will try to get the video the Boss shot of these as the whole bunch jumped up.  There was 13 bucks in this bunch, it was something.

One of the many area lakes.

A quick stop at my Brown trout hole, can’t wait for next month.

I fished very little, though the places I did I caught fish.  And while my fly-fishing skills leave something to be desired, I did manage a couple at the last 2 places I checked.  It is looking like the water will be about perfect when I get there next month, and at least half of it I will be by myself so it will be all about the fishing.

I watched this Pine Marten so long before I finally took this crappy picture.  I was not even sure what it was but it is right up there with the greatest animals I have seen in the wild.  Way cool.

I spotted it right after I took this picture.  Up a rough dirt road to past 2 lakes.   Then a 3 mile hike to 10,000 feet or so.  It just does not get any better than this.

The view from the overlook at the pass as we headed out on our morning search.

A great shot of a grouse.

My first trout on a squiggly worm which I tied myself.  Cool bite as I watched it eat.

The Boss loves her kayak!

She was bedded down and just watched us.

Me and the Boss just hanging in the mountains.

Ready, set, go.  This says it all about what we love to do, explore.  There are literally hundreds of roads going into the mountains.  As rough as you like and high as you want.  It has led to what we call cartography.  Get out early and be ready. 

So there is the trip in pictures.  We love the mountains, and it sure was nice when it was in the mid 40’s as we hit the high mountains in the mornings, with the high 70’s in the daytime.  The weather was perfect, and it was so nice to sleep with the windows open, much less drive with them down in our morning wildlife chase.  And with all the public lands you can actually get away from folks to some extent, something that is shrinking every day.  But the upside, folks outside doing stuff in the woods.  The place we stayed did not have a tv, a bonus.  Add little to no cell service in some of places we travel it is a great change for the everyday noise we are all subjected to.  Last, we love the 4Runner and sketchy roads, it just all works together.

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I told you this was coming months ago!

I just do not get TPWD at times.  They have now instituted new regs for multiple counties in Texas due to Chronic Wasting Disease.  It is and will continue to spread (Sure these rules will contain the spread.)  and only time will tell if we have a potential disaster on our hands, but it is not looking good.  For the love of God do what you are chartered for:  Protect our native wildlife.  Time to end captive deer breeding, at least for the time being, or at least until those deer are all declared clean.  But as so often happens there appears to be $$$ involved in some of their decisions.  (Shocker!) Commercial interests should have no place in a wildlife department decision, ever.  It is why it is called “Wildlife”.

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Going to take a couple of days off, at least until I can’t take it anymore and have to put a rod in my hands.  Definitely want to do some bay fishing, and with school starting in many places and the holidays and dove season right around the corner, the traffic will start to decline.  Hunting season if my favorite season, so please all you all head to the woods and I will watch the water for you.  Then hopefully the temp will follow, and we sure could use some rain.

I appreciate all of you who keep reading the blog.  I may not work as hard on it as I did but as long as the fingers can translate some of what the mind says I will stay at it.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines