FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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Tenkara

Brook Trout on a dry fly.

Been a little quiet on the fishing front the last week or so.  The visitors are here in force and having at the woods and water.  As a perfect example was the fishing destination this morning.

The Boss has joined a hiking club and has been hiking wap in the mountains.  Her hike the other day was to an area we have driven in the past but I never paid particular attention to the creek.  After her group followed it, she said it should have some fish so for our drive this morning we headed way up so I could take a look.

A little of it looked like this.

It is an interesting area with both public and some private land.  Oh the way up the mountain there were at least 2 trucks parked, one on private and one on public land.  We went all the way to the campground and the Boss took off for short hike and I headed into the bush.  While not “deep’ it had plenty of runs and eddies.  I ended up poking around and it was not easy.  But in the end that is what makes it what it is, the middle of nowhere without souund.

Much of it looked like this.  And yes, there are fish there.

I still have a long way to go with casting and the creek is tree lined, as in heavy enough bear spray was a must have.  The bugs were out and there as a hatch of small white bugs so out came a really small white dry.  The first bite caught me sleeping, it was so shallow that when one darted out I was late.  But at least it was a good sign.  Before it was over missed two and lost one, plus the one above.

It is hard to put into words how cool it is to fish this type of place.  Water clearer than my glasses, brush enclosed banks in the real woods.  And with not a soul in sight, it is a pleasure to be there.  Of course I get hung up in the trees, fail to believe my eyes when one appears seemingly out of nowhere and miss it, but it comes with the territory.  It has been fun but times are changing.

The Rio

The big river has dropped like a rock this week.  Far enough that the drift guides are about out of business.  As a consequence, the wading will be much easier and the traffic way down.  Last year I was sick and really ending up missing the fall on the river, but that is not going to happen this year.  Time to get out the other rods and waders and start fishing the big river.  Next week the plan is to take the Boss’s kayak down the about 6 mile stretch above the ramp near the house.  It will primarily be a exploratory trip as it will be in an area with fairly good car access on public land.  So look out brown trout I am on the way.

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We see a lot of cool things on our drives in Colorado.  After heading north for a couple of days for the birthday thing we did see a few things along the way though the animals are hiding out as the whole state is full of vacationers.  We did see a couple of Bighorn Rams and what looked like an older Evinrude 25hp lying beside the road.  While unsure whether it was trash or just fell of a boat, who knows, but we left it there in case it just fell off someone’s boat.  Suffice to say the state is covered up with boats, ATV’s and trailers of all description.  But all that will be reduced to a dull roar in 6 weeks.  But that is the first motor I ever saw roadside.

A couple of days ago we took a drive north and with the traffic and ATV’s in the woods right now the big critters are keeping a low profile.  Combine that with warm weather and good stuff to eat way up they are a lot harder to find.  But on our drive the Boss saw a badger.  A rare sighting for us but when we came back it was gone.

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So Long

I used to like to read your stuff until i noticed you are a liberal and a Republican hater so bye!

Sorry to see you go but if you don’t like my stuff you are sure free to read whatever floats your boat or doesn’t get your panties in a wad.  One thing about a free country we all can do what makes us happy.  Bye.

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On That Subject

You can’t forget how our country is falling into severe divide. Our legislators seem to be afraid to stand up for what they know is right. Hopefully they will find a backbone and do what they know is the right thing to do before it is too late.

Good to hear from you and I decided to post these together as they are relevant to each other.  The divide is real and sad.   The days of old school democrats and republicans getting together over a drink and figuring it out is over.  I contend the underlying issue comes down to one thing – Citizens United.  Money has changed it all and both sides suck.  Pelosi made a bazillion, MTG made a ton by miraculously trading perfectly on the day of the tariff announcements.  I make that comparison for this reason, every single one in the elected federal government is getting rich.  Any attempt to blame one side or another is stupid.  Time to clean house across the board, rich guys cannot sympathize with the electorate as the gig is too good.  During this round of budgeting notice neither the house or senate cut any of their pay or benefits.  It is time for term limits and the end of stock trading, among other reforms.  If folks came into office with the understanding that with only 2 terms you could vote your constituents issues, and not what is politically or financially expedient the world would be a better place.

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And Speaking of Political Stupid

Florida continues to be Florida.  Having fished it for decades and having family there it’s like the rest of America, times they are a changing.  Now the governor, white go-go boots with lifts guy, has signed a new law that I find incredibly interesting as a retired criminal defense attorney and incredibly stupid as a fisherman.  Without going to deep in the legalese the simple explanation is game and fish folks doing safety checks on the water can open closed containers – coolers, live wells etc as part of the inspection.  It is a form of an administrative search, with examples like TSA, semi-trucks, restaurant kitchens, chicken plants, etsc.

The basic rationale has always been if you are in a boat with fishing equipment it is assumed you are fishing.  With that there has always been an exception in most places for checking not only license, but safety equipment and then take a look around at whatever they want aboard the boat.  I look at it through several lens.  First it is an exception to the search and seizure rules that is justified by the rational we just talked about.  I am not a big fan of some search and seizure issues as unfortunately some of the cases I worked on involved bad searches and even illegal activity by law enforcement.  But…….

Ass a fisherman I have no problem at all with them checking.  Knock yourself out, I support what you do.  Having been checked by everything from real jerks to great guys, fresh and salt, it is critical to keep folks from stealing our fish, much less operating a POS boat that is a danger to all of us, or maybe smuggling dope.  Can you imagine what will go on when poachers and smugglers know they can just carry on even if they get stopped?  Have your paperwork and equipment in order and you will be cool even with a dead body in the hold.  It will be chaos.

In the end it is one of the worst ideas yet.  Not sure where or who is responsible for this law, but as usual follow the money.  Otherwise, what is possibly the rational for the change?  Our wardens have a tough job every day and there seems to be no good reason for the change.

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Lots of festivals, rodeos, Logger Days, car shows, and a ton of other things happening in the valley right now.  The weather on the east side of Colorado is warm, here is is great, cool with clouds lately.  We have plenty to keep us busy and are trying to decided where to head west after the “summer” is over.  And our plans are set in stone for Patagonia fishing and lion search.  Until then plenty of exploring and fishing on tap.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stugg.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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The Kids are Here!

My daughter Carrie along with the kids, Ben and Mia are here and we have been having a big time.  From fishing, hiking, rail biking, to horseback riding it has been big fun.  They wanted to ride horses in the mountains, and it turned into a big adventure for them.  Not really experienced they had fun and will be doing it again when they come next time.  For me, I hate horses and they hate me.  So have fun girls, see you when you get back.

The Boss cowboys up!

Desperados!

At the edge of the cliff on Ice Cave Ridge deep in the forest. They had a big time as it was really all their first time riding a horse.  A 2 hour ride they admitted they felt it, but they said the view was fantastic.  But in the end they were glad they had not done the 4-hour trip.

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Wildlife

We had a great day today along with some real cool wildlife sightings, including the bear in the backyard after we got home.  But first on the way to the Williams Lake area for their horseback ride and lunch by the lake we saw a fox.  Not any fox, the one that crossed the highway way up on Wolf Creek Pass was stunning.  After much research it was a variation of a Red fox color that looked exactly like a African wild dog.  There was no doubt it was a color that is one in a zillion, and it was an honor to see it.

Now I know better than to leave the house without the good camera and binocs, but we did it and paid the price.  As we were having lunch lake side Ben said there is a bear, and straight across the lake from us was a big black bear.  It was just moseying along like they do, and while it was a long way off I could have got a shot.  A great reminder, bring the stuff!

Then topping the ride home off there was a really big mule deer buck standing in the timber.  Like all of them right now he was in full velvet, but what set him apart was the height and mass.   It was a giant and if I had had the stuff would have turned around to get a pic though really big critters usually do not stick around.  So, with three encounters without the camera the day was saved when our past visitor decided to pay us another visit.

But what made it special, all of a sudden a mule deer buck comes charging across our backyard.  I told everybody to get ready something is coming, maybe a coyote but it was a bear.  Just to cool.

Back again.  The bears are on the move.  This guy is shedding the last of his winter coat.

It is still amazing to me to see these guys in the yard.

My daughter spotted him first and like all “kids” had the iPhone in hand she got a couple of quickc shots and I was able to get a few myself.

There he goes, happens to be behind my bird feeder, which they hate.

If this little guy keeps coming, he is going to get in trouble.  I say it over and over -Do Not Feed the Bears.  Ultimately, they end up the loser.

While he needs to go back to the forest it was special to let the kids get a close-up view of a real live bear.  City kids, they are having a big time and he was icing on the cake.  But likes one of his buddies the other day the cops were happy to give him a bean bag in the rear end.

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Fishing

Mia and Ben were really excited about fishing and then having a fish fry.  I can not tell you how hilarious it was.  As we were trolling they took turns catching and netting the fish, laughing and acting the fool not wanting to touch them.  *

Mia.  That is as close as either of them would get to actually touching one.

Ben’s first fish. It was a hoot fishing with them.

They wanted a fish fry, and we had real fun getting it done.

But the highlight of the fishing was when one flopped off the Rapala and decided to leave his eye on a treble.  Screaming, gagging, and just plain having the time of their life.  Fishing has not been that much fun in a long time.  Remember to never take times like this for granted.  And best of all with my 72cnd birthday Thursday they made my all-time favorite birthday cake – banana pudding which has been my birthday go to for as long as I remember.  Thanks.

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Railbike – Float

We finished off their week with them doing the railbike ride to the bridge about 5 miles up and then a float back.  They were still whining about their horse ride yesterday.  Too bad, man up.

Ready set pedal.

The Boss and Ben leading the way.

Headed down river

Mia and Ben.

Safley back and nobody died.

They had a big time and 5 minutes after getting back were asleep.  So it topped off a good week and it is back to real life.

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They head home in the morning and we head off to northern Colorado for a few days of birthday R&R.  It has been fun but it will be nice to have the peace and quiet back once we get home. Me and house full of commotion can only last so long.  The old company and fish thing. But it will be back to the outdoors in a few days so keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

ISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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Just saying!

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Bears

After we saw a bear about 2 weeks ago we apparently have a bear invasion.  The neighbor next door had a cinnamon came down our hill yesterday, and then today a big black bear.  Not sure what is up but that it a lot of bear sightings.  They happened to be sitting on the deck and one came late afternoon, then the one today came at 2:30.   Now we love seeing wild animals, one big reason we moved here but there is a downside.  We do not need lots of bears who obviously are not scared of people roaming around in the daytime with kids and walkers everywhere right now.  The neighbor sent me a video and it was a pretty good sized black bear.

Unfortunately, it goes back to people feeding the critters, leaving garbage cans out, etc.  The downside is folks are calling game and fish and it can only have a bad outcome for the bears.  The one we saw the other day had a tag in one ear, so he might be a prior offender, the results are never a good thing for a repeat offender.  I keep saying that living here you have to just keep looking out the window, you never know.  We would have easily seen them,

UPDATE

The Boss decided to jump in the truck as soon as he sent the video and see if she could find him.  Well, she found a bear alright, but not the one the neighbor caught on camera a couple of minutes before.  So first the big black bear and then who knows when the brown one came down but they are both here right now.  While we never saw the black bear again the brown one walked on the hillside behind the house and I got a great look with the binocs.  It looked like the one from last week but I am sure that one had an ear tag and this one doesn’t.

Just moseying around to see what kind of trouble he can get in.

Nothing better than a good back scratch.

Think I will get in the truck with the Boss.

Headed back up the hill for a stroll behind the house.

Where it goes from here who knows.  This is their house and we are just living in it but when bears and folks collide bears lose.  So hopefull they will head back up the mountain and do bear stuff.  There is about a zillion acres of wilderness behind our house and as much as we love to see them we worry for their safety.  But hey it sure is cool!

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Tenkara

Decided to sneak out real early to fish the high mountain stream before we lose the water, and it is going fast.  And the real reason was to beat the crowd.  The area is in full fishing, rafting and floating frenzy.  There are tons of folks here and we are glad for the area businesses.  But if you want a spot on the stream, get out early.

Small but tons of fun.

Has a good morning and ended up catching 6 and losing a couple.  The stream I am fishing will soon be really low and so time to give it a rest.  But it is in such a beautiful place who cares, good for the soul.  With the kids coming this weekend it will be lake fishing to go along with the rest of it.  But it sure is nice to catch them on a new technique with a fly I tied myself.  The Rio is falling fairly fast and as soon as the tourists leave it will be back to wading the big river.

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Hail

The weather has been absolutely wonderful but there is this funny thing that happens occasionally.  The clouds come over the mountain the temp drops, and then it hails.

Small, it is amazing when it comes.

We have been lucky as it has not been all the big and it cools things off.  As much as we need water like so many other places we will take it in whatever form it comes.  But trust me, a little hail and cooling off, beats crazy heat and humidity any day.

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So things are hopping in Colorado.  As I was finishing this up the Boss said the gobblers were out back and a ground squirrel was trying to climb the screen door and get in.  After todays extravaganza guess I will put a hook on the screen door incase BooBoo tries to get in.  One of the benefits of living in the mountains, no AC and so the house is open most of the time.  Going to be a big weekend so please have a great time but be careful out there.  And keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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It is easy to forget how lucky I am to have so much fishing close to the house.  This week I hit 3 that are all different in not only character but in what you catch and how you catch it.  This is a good representation of what fishing the mountains is all about.

This – Away from it all.

There is a really small stream above 10,000 feet that I have fished in the past so with folks here for the holiday I figured I could get away from them and it was a good choice.  There is something about being way up in the mountains with only the sound of the wind and wild things.  Other than the occasional truck headed over the mountain it was just me and the fly rod.

Super shallow and clear as a bell.  But there are fish there, and critters.

The area I fished today was a valley with the creek running through it.  As you can see it is really shallow, and it takes a little work to get at all it has to offer as brush lines most of it.   Not sure who was most surprised when I jumped a mule deer who let me get within 10 feet before she bolted.  And with all the cover I wear my bear spray, especially now as they are roaming in search of food and who knows when you might run across one with cubs.  No cell service and little chance someone would just randomly find you it is important to keep the Boss informed where I am heading.  But all of that works together to make it what it is, amazing and breathtaking.

This is a good one for a small stream.

Casting accuracy is the name of the game, the bite window where they hold is tiny and poor casting = poor results.  But I am getting a little better, but I did learn a lesson or two today.  I took the Tenkara but I think the 7′ 3 weight fly rod would have been a little better choice simply for casting in really close quarters.  When you are fishing in the woods it isn’t exactly easy.  But when you catch one this size out of a small spot it is a thing of beauty.  Adding to it is the reward you get from tying the fly that closed the deal.

A common size in small creeks.

Most of the trout in this size stream resemble the one above. With more experience the occasional good one will show up.  Caught 5 and lost 2 lifting them up with the Tenkara, barbless hooks do that but are so much better for the fish.  The learning curve continues but the bigger thing – where it is taking place.  Air and water as clean as anywhere, the chance to encounter who knows what in the wildlife department, and basicallly just you and the mountains!

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Or That

The Lake

For a complete change of pace there is always the lake.  To say it is full of trout would be an understatement.   My search for the Kokane continues and either I am the worst Kokane fisherman in the world, or there are just not that many in there.  My search for the actual stocking records has not been successful but I will find them sooner or later.a

It was a good day as far as size was concerned.

Since I put the trolling plate on the motor the speed is not an issue, and it seemed that the rainbows were a little bigger.  Now that I am using line counter reels getting accurate depths is improved.  Just like all the fishing here there is a learning curve and I do not mind the process.  Next week when the kids are here I will get a chance to fish Williams above Pagosa where I actually have been able to catch the Kokane, hopefully that will continne.

A nice one on the Pro-Troll Kokane Killer.

It is so nice to not really have any competition.  As with many lakes in Colorado it is a no wake lake which keeps the ruckus to a minimum.  It is pleasure to not have folks blowing by you shooting a rooster tail.  The lakes here are summertime sure thing, and makes for a nice few hour trip right by the house.  Can’t wait to get the grandkids on some fish, perfect for new fishermen.

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Or Some of This

The Rio Grande, a brown trout factory.

The river is another animal.  It runs close to the house and is covered up with fly fishermen right now.  It would be nice if the water level was a little higher but the floating is still good and the dry fly season is about to get in full swing.  In my case fall is my river time, fishermen are reduced to a few and the water level is down and the wading is much easier.

One of the most beautiful fish on the planet.

But that is not to say they are not catchable on my old favorites, jigs and small Rapala’s. There is a deep hole close to the house, and it has been my go-to for catching browns on lures.  Their favorites, 1/8th olive feather jig or small Rapalas in a brown trout color.  If one does not work the other usually does, today it was the jig.  The average size is nice and they put up a great struggle in the current.  And one of the things I like about fishing for browns is once you figure out the method it can get really good.  They are aggressive and lots of fun to catch on 4lb test.

Love catching them on my hand tied jig.  They sure like the 1/8th olive.

I tried to fish it yesterday but by 10:00 the river was covered up with fishermen.  With the 4th on Friday the holiday week is in full swing right now.  4 wheelers and drift boats/rafts are everywhere and folks are taking advantage of all Colorado has to offer.  Our neighborhood is full of summer folks and they are all putting money into our small town.  We do not mind the crowds, it won’t be long the rush will be over but until then the businesses will be getting it while they can.  As the weeks results show in spite of the crowds the fishing is fine.

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Bigger than my Head!

Now that is a pork tenderloin.  Will be eating more of it for lunch today.

Our friends that opened a restaurant last month have been telling me about the pork tenderloin sandwich on the menu but was not available yet.  They were having an issue with one of their freezers and as soon as the part came in it would be ready.  Last night we went over to eat, and it was home run.  One of the foods of my youth growing up in Iowa, Ben’s put them all to shame.

The secret is he actually buys the tenderloin, cut and pounds, then puts it in his special seasoning, all his food is good but his fried is exceptional.  Suffice to say no wonder it was so good. Having eaten hundreds growing up I know a good pork tenderloin when I eat one and this was great.  I will be sure to ask him why he put this on the menu; it is not common in many places.  He is a real chef, and Chevy and Stevie the other owners are great folks, and it looks like they are going to be a real success.

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This guy is wide and will be a good one.

While the animal “traffic” is slow in the yard right now we still have plenty going on.  Just the other day as I looked out the back windows here comes a beautiful coyote.  There is a small “bench” on the side of the mountain that they all use traveling along the edge of town.  The coyote was heading towards the area the turkeys are using and the bear was at the other day. The turkeys saw him coming and headed up the hill and he followed.  We are so blessed to have the constant visits and we are so enjoying watching the mule deer.

The deer have seemed to have split up some from the big herds of early summer.  Now they seem to be hanging with a buddy or two.  Antlers just started to make an apperance lately and now the growth spurt is on.  There is some with the growth going straight up and others with wider growth.  But the splits have started, and it will be fun watching them grow this fall until the rut is on.  Bears, coyotes, turkeys, deer all are regular visitors, you just have to look out the window at the right time.

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That is enough rambling for today.  The kids will be here this weekend and Gramps and the Boss are about to spoil the crap out of them.  Fun every day from fishing to floating, rail biking along with a horse ride to the Continental Divide.  Growing up our family did not have the money to do this cool stuff, to many kids.  Nothing being able to spoil them a little, plus they are city kids and a little taste of the mountains will be good for them.

I hope you have a happy and safe holiday.  It is an unsettling time in the US, but it is still our country right or wrong.  So set it aside for the weekend and have some fun however you define that.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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We got a solid report on an area where the Bighorn ewes were bringing the new lambs down to graze in the morning so we were off at sunrise to see if we could spot them.   Unfortunately, we did not see them going or coming but one of the things we so love about the mountains is you never know.  As we were passing through a big valley where we have encountered a coyote or two the Boss slammed on the brakes and made a quick u turn.

Coyote puppies hanging out at the den.

She saw what she thought was a few fox playing on the railroad tracks but it turned out to be coyote pups.  She hopped out to take a few pictures and they took off, but only went a little way to what turned out to be the den.  These pics were taken with the 600 lens and then blown up some more, considering the distance am happy with the result.

The Boss got out of the truck when she saw them playing on the tracks and started taking pictures and it was back to the safety of the den.

Just hanging waiting for mom to bring back breakfast.

Clearly coyote pups, as long as they were around the mouth of the den they felt safe and settled down while we watched them.  What had been a slow morning turned around immediately.  We see plenty of coyotes here, way more than I would have thought, but this was the first pups at a den.  Now that it is marked in our memory it will be annual spring thing.  When I think about it we have seen bear, elk, deer, turkey, coyotes in the last week or so, and this is really off season for wildlife.

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Friends

He is definitely the Boss.  Guess this is what you would call a long beard.

The tons of turkey who inhabit the neighborhood are usually gone most of the summer.  A few stick around and these 2 guys are regulars.  The long beard leads them around as they pass in the back yard most days.

And this is his buddy who follows him everywhere.

Looks like someone is putting out some feed a few doors down and they hit the same area that the bear was in a couple of weeks ago.  Of course it is against the law to feed wild animals in Colorado and it is not a good thing for the animals in the long run.  But hey, we get to reap the rewards all year so no complaint from me.

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Tenkara

I really am getting hooked on fishing the Tenkara rod in really small and at times incredibly shallow waters.  The direct connection between the rod and the fly makes for an interesting dynamic.  It is really something to feel them bite, a change from normal fly fishing.

The learning curve continues.

With about 15′ of line out, 11 is the line from the rod to the tippet, a 4 – 5  foot tippet and no reel it is direct to the fish.  Casting once you get the hang of it, especially in my case, is much more accurate, which you need in small waters.  The location of the fish is very specific and usually really small.

These little guys are a blast to catch.

Once the fly lands the advantage of the Tenkara comes into play.  You lift the long rod so that the fly line is out of the water so there is no drag and no need to mend.  The tippet is near invisible, ask me how invisible when I am trying to tie on a new fly, and you basically follow the fly down stream.  It really is an efficient way to fish a target and occasionally you even feel them hit.  Keep in mind I am using a nymph style bait I tie myself, and fly is the appropriate word, they are 1/10 the size of an actual fly.

There are as many color variations as there is fish.

It really is time for this kind of fishing.  But the runoff is beginning to slow and you can see the water dropping every day.  What that means for the future is it will be back to the river as the flow diminishes and the wading is not so hard.  And of course the lake is calling and I will be spending time at the lake chasing the Kokanee as soon as I get over this Tenkara obsession.  I have never had so much fun catching small fish!

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A little out of focus but the antlers are on the way.

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And this question from Rusty a long-time reader.

Did you get up to Poge Lake yet? It’s where I got my first Kokanee salmon on a fly. I was
fishing for and catching trout and then there it was!!
Beautiful and way up there but worth the journey

Funny you should mention Poge, it happens to be on our way to the high roads we hike.  So now that you mention it, I should definitely stop and give it a go.  The problem right now is I am so into fishing with the Tenkara.  As the water starts to fall, and the runoff is dwindling, fishing small streams is almost perfect. As can be the problem here, too much stuff to do all at once.  I will get there soon but with the grandkids coming this week it will be boat fishing for trout in the lake.   Good to hear from you.

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It is full on summer here in South Fork.  Rafts everywhere as folks are fishing the Rio and floating.  The ATV’s are all over, the trails and lakes are being used with campers all over the woods.  It is tourist time, and we are happy local businesses are getting it while they can.  Plus in a few short weeks it will be back to a quiet little mountain town.  But this week coming up is going to be as busy as it gets.

With that said the grandkids will be here this Friday and they are going to get the full monte of living in the Rockies.  Fishing, hiking, rail biking out with a return raft trip back, and a horseback ride to the Continental Divide.  Things are shaping up for a fun week.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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Sunday Morning

Rockie Mountain Marmot – The Boss says they look like little grizzles.  They live in rock piles and come out late spring.

The weather is stunning so we hit the road for our big loop drive and then a hike way up, and it was a good day.  We still find it hard to take in we live here, for 2 kids from Iowa this is so far from our youth and we do not take it for granted.  You never know what you will see and today was no different.

When we came around a corner these 2 elk were drinking out of a roadside puddle and took off like a bat out of hell.  Love how they run with their heads up.

Until we checked the pictures we did not know they were young bulls.  Hard to tell from way out there at a dead run.

These 2 have a ways to go to achieve real “Bull” status.

Elk drop their antlers late and then start growing them at a rate of up to 1″ a day.  So these 2 have a ways to go but we love seeing elk, one cool animal.  And this time of year they are scattered and way up the mountains.  With the rain we have had lately there is plenty of good green stuff to eat and with the runoff plenty of water up high.

A new to us closed forest road at 11,00 feet with the tree line and snow in the background.

Our area has tons of marked trails from easy to hard.  Once I discovered that the forest service was closing some of the old logging roads they have become my favorite hike.  Almost void of people, many are way out in the woods and rarely do we see anyone else.  The goal is to let them return to nature and you can see depending on how long they have been open how it is going.  And the chance to see wildlife up close is a lot higher with no foot traffic.

We look for tracks, bones, and anything else worth seeing.  Today it was fireweed, which Nancy got schooled on in Alaska.  They call it that because when it catches fire it blows away and spreads the fire.

Really pretty

We also see plenty of wild shrooms, some are edible and some will kill you.  So we will be taking a foraging class in August and look forward to learning all we can.  Every walk is an adventure, and to do it without a sound or people makes it so wonderful.

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Resist

I will never stop advocating for our public lands.  An area up the mountain from the house is called Summitville.  It has been mined from the early 1800’s until the 50’s I believe.  The last miners were a Canadian firm.  They used the cyanide method to extract the gold and as soon as the gold played out they hit the road.  The creek was/is polluted for miles and miles and the land the same.  It is now a Superfund site.  There are over 1,300 designated in the US which are contaminated with hazardous substances that are a threat to people or the land that will cost billions and take decades to fix, if ever.

$250 million and decades to go.

This is my point and the basis of my opinion.  So, a corporation takes the resource and leaves a mess with the taxpayers footing the bill.  In the background used to be a beautiful mountain. We cannot let corporations mine, log, or drill unless we are willing to hold them responsible for the damage.  This is at the top of our 50 mile loop into the really high country and is an eyesore in the middle of some of the most awesome woods this country has to offer.  They can never be trusted, the land belongs to you and me not them.

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Friday Hike

The Boss at 11,000 feet.  The road goes on forever and the party never ends.  There are at least a dozen like this close to us, they go on just as far as you want to hike.  And not a motorized vehicle in sight.

Spring is here and the high mountain Aspens are in full bloom.

Get up high and see forever.

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Time to Call it Quits

I will always be proud of going back to school, then law school and passing the BAR.  The Boss and I worked hard to get it done and we paid for every cent and got through without any debt.  Though I could have kept my license it is finally time to call it a day.  It has been 20 years since I set foot in a courtroom and there is no way I will ever do it again.  I called them to find out if resigning was by motion to the court or what, turned out it was simply filling out one form and that was it.   I had a good run but do not miss it in the least.  And here is their response.

STATE BAR OF TEXAS
Membership Department
June 11, 2025

Douglas Ray Coppernoll – 24052960

Dear Mr. Coppernoll,
This will confirm the voluntary resignation from the State Bar of Texas for Douglas Ray
Coppernoll effective 6/11/2025. If this was processed in error, please contact me immediately at

Membership Department

Thanks, but no error here.  It was fun but I will never say it was REAL fun.  So if you whack someone don’t call me.

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Tenkara

Been out a couple of times with the Tenkara rod with mixed results.  Last trip it was a totally new area and I struck out.  So this morning headed back to the place I first tried it and did just fine.  The best place had already been fished so I gave it a rest and tried the other side of the road.

Brown Trout.  Looke closely, see that black thing in his upper jaw, super tiny fly.

It is hard to describe what it is like fishing the Tenkara.  A combination of cane pole fishing for bluegill, and a really technical method.  My area that of course needs work is identifying bugs.  Trout can be pretty particular as to what they are feeding on and consequently the fly you need.  They were feeding up a storm for a while but I obviously did not have the specific fly but that will come with experience.  But I have learned, just go small someone will eat it.

Brown with a nymph I tied.  

It is so interesting how you can control the line a little easier due to the small diameter of the fly line, which is really not like fly line.  As it is easier to manipulate you can maneveur the fly much easier, which works with the cast.  Kind of hard to describe but suffice to say it is fun.  Interesting bite and way to fish.

I try to get them unhooked and back as quick as possible.

I am really loving this “few minutes” from the house fishing.  There are plenty of areas I have not explored and with the crowd here now and the river running the small streams will be the place of choice for the time being.  Plus, the come and go as you please sure makes it nice.

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We have been watching the NCAA softball and baseball and the Hogs are still in it. We are Clark fans as both of us grew up in Iowa and the NBA finals have been good.  In fact I would still be fishing but time to root on the Hogs.  Everything else is good here in the Mountains.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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We got the car transferred in OKC so on the way back we decided to stop a night in Ruidoso.  It sure is nice not to have to be anywhere.  We used to stay there some and a room on the lake at the Inn of the Mountain Gods is one great way to wake up.  We saw plenty of game on the trip and are always happy to take the mountain route home.  It was good to get the car thing settled and get back to the outdoors.  And speaking of the outdoors South Fork is in full summer mode.  The floaters, fishermen, 4 wheelers and hikers have converged on our small town.  The bears have also joined the crowd and there have been plenty of reports and sightings.  This is the Rockies.

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TENKARA

Last time I mentioned the Tenkara fly rod and finally got a chance to use it.  A Tenkara fly rod is one interesting fishing pole.  Basically, it is a long rod without the need for a reel.  It then has a length of “fly line” and you attach a leader then a fly.

Brook Trout are one beautiful fish.

The one I got is 10′ long and the line and leader are also that length but time will tell on how that all works together.  The flies that came with it are a little different than others but in the 3 hours I fished they bit some of the “regular” stuff along with the Tenkara flies.  The method has plenty of small streams advocates and that is exactly why I decided to try it.

The first one almost as soon as I started.   The best Rainbow of the morning.

For the first trial I wanted a open area where I could learn to cast and get the hang of it.  So it was below the dam at Big Meadow with a nice pool right beside the road.  Little did I know it would be 3 hours of catching.

Brown trout.  It was a mixed bag.

Part of the learning curve is getting used to raising the rod after the cast and then following the fly letting it drift naturally.  The Tenkara style fly took me a strike or two to get the hang of hooking them but with everything happening so close it did not take long.

With the bite on I tied on a dry fly to get the hang of drifting so I could watch it.  That turned out to be fun as several hooked up.  It also let me see exactly what the fly was doing and how to handle the current.  At this point it was 3 different flies so before quitting I tied on the smallest fly in the box.  (With this eye thing tying a size 24 on a 5x was no small feat.)  And they liked that to.

The first attempt with the Tenkara was a real success.  And being able to catch an easy dozen plus on an assortment of fly styles really shortened my learning curve.  I have really begun to love fishing small places out of the way.  The size of the fish is not an issue, it is just plain cool to be on a small mountain stream with not a soul in sight.  It really was fun this morning and it will have a permanent place in the arsenal.

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MLF Boat Crash

Things are heating up in the crash that killed the guide and a couple of customers during an MLF tournament.  Of course, everybody is suing everybody and now MLF is suing Flint Davis their angler who hit the striper guide’s boat.  It is about to get ugly, but it tells you all you need to know about bass fishing today.  While the facts of course are in dispute the time has come to hold the MLF and other organizations responsible for what seems to be an uptick in accidents involving tournaments. (There was actually another one in a big tournament the same day.) Bass fishermen and the organizations seem to think they own the water and take priority over the rest of us, just fish on your local lake when a big one is being held.  I am sorry but the speed and horsepower thing is out of hand.  Then once one of their participants does something like this, they cut them lose in a minute.  There need to major changes to the whole sport and limiting speed would be a good start.  So the final resolution probably years from now will be interesting.

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Hope everything is good with you all.  It is lovely here, mid 70’s with cool mornings.  We do not have or need AC and our electric bill reflects that.  We are headed out to the high mountains for a hike this morning.  It is way to nice to stay inside.  And the planning for a car/boat port starts Friday with the removal of 3 trees, 2 in the way and one that needs to go.  Still waiting on bids but as they say this is Colorado.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

IT IS COLORADO

Bear out the kitchen window.

As I have said since we moved here you cannot just walk around the house without looking out the windows.  Being on a major game trail you never know what you will see and this morning it was a jackpot.

Cooking pancakes I looked out the window and there less than 15 feet or so was a bear just strolling along.  He/she looked to be a 2-year-old at most, it had a green or blue tag in one ear and was a nice cinnamon brown.  Who knows when it was tagged in the past but maybe for being a bad bear and hanging around people.  I tried to find the camera and he had moved on down the line by time I could get it out.

It is Colorado.

The Boss being the housewife she is now keeps things straightened up but there is a reason I keep the spare Canon out, for just this reason.  The wildlife encounters out our back door happen in an instant and you have to be ready with camera and binos.  We did get a great look at him through the Vortex binos and the whole thing made my day.  The outdoors is the reason we moved here and this is a great example.  To see a bear that close is a bucket list moment and we hope to have many more to come.

As a side note the neighbor was going to check his game cam out back and see if it captured him.  He did tell Nancy that a couple of weeks ago down the street 2 lions strolled out of the woods onto the street.  Ain’t nature grand.  We sure love South Fork.

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MITIGATION

One of the benefits of living in South Fork is the fire department and EMS.  For a small town we are very fortunate to have a real professional department.  They not only take care of us including mountain rescue, but fight fires all over the country, including those in California last year.  As it has been so dry, we are about 50% of normal snowpack there is a real danger of fires.  They had a quite extensive presentation on how to mitigate/lesson your risk around your property.  As they fight fires yearly, they feel it is not a question of if but when.  They even brought in a giant wood chipper to the department for folks to bring their brush after the cleanup.  We got lucky in that department as a tree company was working down the street and they came by and took our brush so it saved us a trip.

We took everything they said to heart.  (We are smart enough to know what we don’t know.  Somehow in the US folks have become medical, legal, and scientific experts with a red hat and a GED.) It has been work, we live on the side of a mountain, but it is amazing how just a few days of hard work have made a big difference.  Removing all potential flammables next to the house, cleaning up an area over 20′ around the house, and later to come is the removal of a few trees that need to go.

It really has been a labor of love.  When you work your whole life to have something it is worth it to take an active role in defending it.  And there is one more little comfort, we are right across the street from the main line with a hydrant.  Different to live on the side of a mountain with a bazillion acres behind the house and have a hydrant across the street. Hopefully it will be a safe year for everyone but in the event the unthinkable happens we can rest easy; we did our part.

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FISHING

Put a trolling plate on the 25hp to get the speed down for catching the Kokanee salmon.  The Lund would only get down to around 2mph on the troll and the Kokanee are best at .5 – 1.2mph.  It worked like a charm and bodes well for things to come.  Ater mounting it headed to Beaver Lake in my continued efforts to catch them there, and did not catch one.  But it did not stop me from catching a bunch of rainbows.  Speaking with a game and fish lady at the office she said Kokanee  are hard to catch there, and so far, that is the case.  Caught a couple last year but no luck this year, so far.  But as soon as we get back from a quick trip to OKC I will be fishing some other places I have caught them.  I am not giving up.

Up.                                                         Down.

And I finally took the plunge and bought a 10′ Tenkara fly rod.  Only a rod and line it is a simpler way to fly fish and is gaining popularity for small waters.  It is something I have wanted to add to the arsenal, especially for smaller creeks.  I spent some time getting used to it and setting it up, the good thing, it collapses to 15′” long and easily fits in a pack.  Maybe will get a chance to try it out today before hitting the road in the morning for OKC.  It looks killer.

The case.                                                          10’comes out of this butt section.

This new fishing has been a learning experience but change is good.  And it sure beats being a one trick pony.

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“STEVE”

After we left Fort Worth the fine upstanding Hispanic community in Fort Worth/Dallas spread my phone number around to get signed up for all kinds of fly by night electricity.  It took me months to straighten it out as my number was used maybe 20 times.  In an effort to get them to stop I had to continually tell these companies obviously I am not Jose or whatever else Hispanic name was used.  Often it was complicated by companies that basically used folks who had limited use of the English language.  And speaking of that here we go again with “Steve”.

Over the last couple of days I have gotten maybe a dozen calls from 817 area code numbers.  I have blocked them repeatedly and they just keep coming.  So, I decided to answer and “Steve” answered and said he was calling from my TV provider, which made him a lying POS.  I try to be culturally sensitive but screw it, after another attempt to get them to quit calling I answered and guess who was on -“Steve”.  It was a different “Steve” who should be running the gas station or a sleazy motel.  It seems to have finally stopped today, we shall see.  (It has not totally ended with another 4 or 5 in the last couple of days.) But listen you POS, first learn English then quit lying, and for God sakes quit calling me.  There is a reason for some stereotypes and “Steve” is a perfect example.  There is a 7-11 somewhere that needs you.  After a while my cultural sensitivity wears thin.

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I am looking forward to driving back to OKC about the same as going to the dentist.  But hopefully we will get the car thing straightened out.  I even called the DMV back to confirm we are good to go.  But I appreciate the issues considering it is being transferred from another state to an out of state guy to then transfer to an instate person with an unsigned title as neither of my parents signed it.  But in the end my granddaughter will turn 16 and have a car so it is worth it.

So off we go in the morning.  On the way back it could be anywhere but one thing you have to give OKC, it is not on the way to anywhere.  But with no plan and no timetable maybe Ruidoso or somewhere cool in New Mexico.  I so appreciate everyone who keeps reading the blog so stay tuned there is real fishing on the way.  Funny how now that we are fully retired I have not posted like I used to.  But thanks for stopping in and reading, it is what it is.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

Can’t we all just get along?

This little girl bedded down about 20 feet out the kitchen window.  We had seen a few young bunnies hopping around and when I looked out this morning there were 2 right next to the doe.  Our yard gives us so much pleasure and every time you get up you have to stop and look out as you never know what you will see.  The does with last years fawns have now separated and they are on their own.  And the bucks are starting to grow some new horns and it will be a great fall watching them grow.

And speaking of horns when we were in Canada I used the term horn for a whitetails antlers.  A pompus college professor corrected me and I let it pass.  What I wanted to say was come to Texas and say you saw a fork antler, see how that goes over.

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What A Trip

They opened most of the mountain roads this week getting ready for the holiday weekend.  There is a small mountain town, Platora, that is not that far from here by going over the mountains so we took off.  While the gates are open it does not mean the road is actually “open.”

Who doesn’t like a marmot?

It is probably about 20 miles or so over high mountain roads but that turned out to be a tall order.  With the cutbacks the services do not have the funds for a real cleanup of the roads and before it was over we were able to get over one down tree, past another, but the last one was to long though I tried to winch it out of the way it was caught between 2 other trees.  So when i winched it started to bend like a bow so we stopped that, nothing like getting a blow back in the face.  And at this point it started snowing.

A male grouse looking for the girls.

We took a couple of different roads including to a small alpine lake but there were big drifts still blocking the road.  One thing you learn, at least most of us, is this is not to be trifled with.  You realize there is no help coming and without cell service in most places you just might be there a while.  The whole back end of my 4Runner has plenty of stuff to keep us safe, but the biggest way is just don’t be stupid.

Strutting his stuff in the Lek where they call to the females. 

After a few hours we realized there was just no way over so we headed back out to the highway and went the long way around.  Platora is a good 20 miles off the highway, longer if you take the other way around, which we did.  It started snowing again and it turned into a blizzard.  It was a cool drive but other than a few deer not much was moving.  After an hour of driving we came to a road closed sign, so went down to investigate and they were working on a new bridge.  It was clear they were driving across it to do the work so we backed up and took a run to get across.

So you want to go for a ride? 

At this point we had been on the road for hours and finally made it to the top and started down to the small town and the lake, which was the original purpose of the day trip.  And there in the middle of the road was a big Expedition with a couple of guys from Kentucky trying to fix a flat tire.  It was definitely the old monkey and football thing.

The Boss took this out of the back window.  There is no such thing as to prepared in the high mountains.

Of course, we stopped as leaving someone that far in the middle of nowhere is out of the question.  They had at least managed to get the lugs nuts lose with that stupid thing that has taken the place of the 4 way.  The only problem they were havinf, they could not find the jack or the spare.

I opened the side compartment in the back end where the jack usually is, and then showed them how to open the plate to reveal the place to crank down the tire.  At this point it is snowing to beat the band.  I got the 4 way out of the 4Runner and they finally managed to get the tire on.  They had hit a rock, duh, and the inside of their tires was bald, clearly no rotation for them.  Then the great question:  Is there a place close to fix a tire?  OMG!  So I gave them a piece of good advice, turn around and head to the highway and the next town, there is only a worse road ahead and not a soul in sight.

So what was going to be a few hour trip turned into 9 hours, most of it in a snowstorm in the big mountains.  I am not expert at these high roads and isloted mountain passes but I am cautious.  Like so much in this life, it is often not what you know, but what you don’t.  But part of living here is the adventure and we are taking advantage of all the Rockies have to offer.

Great Hike

Halfway around Big Meadow.

Big Meadow is a lake close to the house which I fish some and we occasionally hike.  It is exactly 3 miles around and is a stunning hike.  There were a few folks around but that changed yesterday.  From a quiet mountain town to full on outdoor world it is game on.  The roads are full of campers, boats, 4 wheelers and everything else you need to have fun in the woods.  While we enjoy the quiet, our little town and many of the folks here rely on tourism, and with a 4 month season it is get it while the getting is good.

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The Boss getting ready to take off on another 5k.  And what a backdrop to do it.

We went up to Buena Vista for her 5k and like always the amount of wildlife was amazing.  Elk, sheep, deer, turkeys and even a moose to name a few.  Every drive no matter where we go can be an adventure.  And a great thing about retirement is instead of the 2 hour drive home we took the long way.  We crossed the divide twice, saw some new country and stopped at Blue Mesa to get the lay of the land with ramps etc.   It has fish to beat the band and has an interesting exotic invasive, perch.  They are some of the best eating there is, bascially a midget walleye, and best of all, there is no limit. So a trip for a few days of fishing is coming soon.  A freezer full of vacum packed perch sounds great.

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The Grandkids.

We took a quick trip to OKC to watch Ben pitch and spend a little time with the kids.  Ben is the younger one and she is really getting into fast pitch softball.  She is the pitcher and while her team leaves a little something to be desired in skill it sure was fun.

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That will do it for now.  We are loving life and spending time it the outdoors.  The weather is stunning, 30’s in the morning and 60’s – 70’s in the daytime.  We needs some rain here as we only hit around 40% of the usual snow fall.  IF we do not get a more the floating/fishing season will be shorter again this year, tough on the guides.  I have still been fishing and catching trout. my learning curve on the Kokane is still high but who cares.  When you look around and you are surrounded but mountains, no assholes blowing by at 70mph all is right with the world.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Knockin Tail Lures by My Coast Outdoors

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If you are going to walk a 5K might was well walk it in pure beauty.

We headed to Buena Vista a couple of hours from here so the Boss could do anther 5k.  A cool little town we had a good time, and it was worth the visit.  But other than her 5k our weekend was made with the number of animals we saw coming and going.  We took the long way home, crossed the Divide twice, visited a lake I will be fishing, and just enjoyed not having a schedule.  We saw plenty of stuff, deer, elk, antelope, sheep, and even a moose.  Going for a ride is always an adventure.

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It is not so hard to get used to no traffic or Majeks blowing by me.

Got out for a little today and as usual catching is not the issue.  It was a little windy for casting so kept with the trolling.  I have a lot to learn but that is part of it, glad I am not a one trick pony.  There is a great big fishing world out there and learning new stuff keeps it fresh.

An easy 20 today though had to fight with the wind some.

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Let The Rip Off Begin

I have continued to talk about this off and on for several years.  So here is  what the Republicans are wanting in the new funding bill.  Read closely and then I have seveal comments but maybe I am wasting my breath.

It mandates the sale of dozens of parcels totaling more than 11,000 acres of federal land across the two western states.

Beyond land sales, the legislation would significantly reduce royalty rates paid by companies extracting resources from public lands. Oil and gas royalty rates would drop from 16.7% on public lands and 18.75% offshore to a uniform 12.5%, while coal royalties would decrease from 12.5% to 7%. The bill also calls for four oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge over the next decade. It seeks to boost the coal industry by making available for leasing 6,250 square miles of public lands—an area larger than Connecticut.

1.  This land belongs to us – it is Public Lands, not Republican Land.  There is not one Democrat in favor of selling our lands to Corporations.
2. The justification is they will use the money to help pay for the tax breaks coming for corporations and the rich, it is not coming to the Public who own the land.
3. It is a drop in the bucket compared to our national debt and what little in the grander scheme of things is raised will be spent and gone in the blink of an eye.  Money comes and goes the land is forever.
4. So now, it is to be used to pay for tax breaks but includes a further tax/royalty decrease for the corporations.  Why would they lower the fees when the whole purpose is to raise money.  Think about it, what sense does that make other than a gift to their rich corporate and personal donors.
5. So when it is all said and done the reasons for the sale is bullshit.   It is nothing more than a land grab.

And one additional comment.  When the Canadian Prime Minister met with Trump in the oval office I watched the news conference.  Here is Trump’s exact words:

“We don’t need Canada or their resources.  In fact we have all the oil and gas and resources we need; in fact we have more than we need.”

Man I do not get it.

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See Above – Trump Executive Order 14270

These are just a few 0f the regulations they are doing away with.  So, you trust mining, logging, and oil and gas to clean up their mess or protect the lands the Republican’s are going to sell them.  (If you trust oil and gas and others then why are Texas landowners who reaped the $$$ now trying to get state taxpayers to clean up thousands of abandoned and dirty wells?  Why should taxpayers shoulder that burden?  Do you remember getting your cut?)

Air, Water, and Public Health

• Clean Air Act

• Clean Water Act

• Safe Drinking Water Act

• Toxic Substances Control Act

• Superfund cleanup authority

• Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

Land and Resource Protection

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

• Wilderness Act

• Antiquities Act

• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

• Federal Land Policy and Management Act

This is just a partial list of the regs they want to expire in 2026 unless the departments that control them reup them.  Sure, those would be the departments they have cut.  And here is a couple more.

・Endangered Species Act—gone.

・Migratory Bird Treaty Act—gone.

・Anadromous Fish Conservation Act—under threat.

・Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act—gone.

You can not tell me cutting all these regs across the board is a good idea.  Do your research, it is critical to understand what they are going to let corporations get away with.  Stay informed this is important.

Behind Trump’s Order 14270: A sweeping directive that dismantles a century of protections | Opinion

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Plenty to digest here but it is so important that we keep up with things.  There were plenty of things that needed changing and cutting.  But this wholesale approach is just not working.  An organized plan with a purpose is fine, but letting Elon Musk do it was nonsense.  (But I guess we are ok with the fact he got multiple investigations halted in the process.)  A full review of each department with a mandate for savings was in order.  Firing forest rangers and cutting food and health care for children is just a drop in the bucket.  Time for term limits and cuts in our elected officials salary and retirement at the same rate as the rest of the cuts.  We are being screwed by both parties.

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Off to see the grandkids for a few days.  Finally have my moms estate settled, kind of a struggle with 5 kids in 4 different states.  But as long as your affairs are in order things go fairly smooth.  Plus, no assholes in our family, everyone was fair.  So the Boss and I will review our whole thing, and you should too.  Other than that, all good out here in the mountains, hope you and yours are ok.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

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