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Take them all with you and rig each one up differently, then you can instantly change lures, or you can just have them identical if you're using live bait. Handy if you snag and break off or whatever.

I said I'd do this with my Ugly Stik, but I don't. The only thing I'll use that for now is if somehow I lose my Voltaeus in the lake... Then I'll troll over the spot with the Ugly Stik until I hook my good rod. Haha

Yep. I can tell they're good because if you look closely, the two reels say "Shimano."

/fanboy

OK, so I wanted to go to Liberty Lake this weekend and try for an aurora for the fifth time, but nobody could make it and I figured it'd be better chances to have two lines in than one. So, I planned to go after brook trout on Saturday morning.

So I wake up, and get ready to go, and long story short, I angrily stay home to work on my bathroom renovations. After many hours and a sore back, I finished putting up the walls of the new tub surround, and I figured that was good enough for the day and headed out for the afternoon for a quick fish by myself. This is the second time I've taken my canoe out by myself, Rod Caster style with rocks up front for company...

I went to a lake that is very close to my place, about 5-10 minutes away at the most. I have seen people fishing off the shore there, and I have tried myself but only ended up with a tiny perch and a tiny rock bass for my efforts. Aside from that, the lake is supposed to have pike and that's about it. I trolled around and then I came upon a place that looked very much like a haven for smallies, so I figured it was worth a shot. I put on a tube jig, and bam, first cast I pulled in an 11" smallmouth bass! I was super happy, because I didn't think there were bass in this lake.

I made some more casts as I worked my way along the shore, and I got a 1lber or so (15"), and took it home for dinner.

The rest of the night I caught nothing, even though at least a hundred fish jumped in the lake right near the boat. I tried different spoons and lures and nothing... I don't know what these fish are, but it's crazy. I could see them from the road a few days before, just going to town, so that's what prompted me to try my hand in the lake in the first place.

I didn't take my camera with me, so the only pic is of this one, and the background you get is my kitchen sink:

Several other people were fishing off the shore when I was out there, and I packed it in and went home with no further luck. I did have some more bites through the trip, but no hooks. The sun set.

I called it a night.

Sunday morning I spent finishing off the bathroom, caulking the seams on the tub surround. It's done! We can finally stop bathing at other peoples' houses and/or in our sink. I put this off for far too long, but that's me, procrastinator extraordinaire.

I also put off brook trout fishing for far too long, and so, off I went, again by myself.

It was windy, but not cold today. The canoe was blowing ALL over the freaking lake. It was frustrating because my canoe does not have any keel, and so the slightest wind blowing or current will push me all over and turn me, etc. I wish I could just slap one on with krazy glue or something. Anyhow, I first tried some trolling, and then some casting, no luck. Then I started seeing them jump, and so I went to one end of the lake where the wind didn't seem to hit the water as much, and I did a few casts with a 2/5oz silver/blue Little Cleo with the treble replaced by a Kamakazi #4 single (smallest I have) and a piece of worm. A few casts in, and I had a bite! I failed to hook it, but that was a good sign - it means there's actually fish in there.

I troll around a bit, try different things like Panther Martin spinners and even tried a kernel of corn on a hook, but could not get them to bite. The wind was blowing my canoe into the exposed portions of downed trees, and I thought, "yeah, great, that's not gonna spook them at all..." I started thinking to myself that I was gonna do one more round and then pack it in, and literally as I resigned to leaving, I hook into one! But then it was off... No wait, it's still on! I reel it up and wow, my first brook trout of the year. I only have vague memories of catching any trout in the past at all as a kid, so this was almost as good as my first time. It was beautiful. I wet my hand and took out the hook and snapped a quick pic, admiring it.

I did measure it real quick with the Rod Rule, and it was about 8.5". This lake is stocked (also it's open year-round), but I don't know how big they should be for you to keep them and eat them. It seemed too small to me, though, so back he went. As I watched it swim away, I was fueled for another few hours of fishing the little lake.

I didn't know it, but my SD card was crapping out on me. That's why there's a gray bar along the bottom there. This pic was nearly lost!!

At this point, I want to thank all of you who took any time to offer me advice for brook trout fishing. I'd also like to call out Musky or Specks, as he really helped fan the flames of my interest via PM for the past number of weeks, and he is the one who put me onto this lake in the first place. Thanks to all of you, again!

I go back up to the calmer end of the lake, and I cast a bit between gusts of wind. At one point I saw a fish attacking the lure, but it wasn't taking it. Then it spotted me I guess, and it took off. I did a bit more casting anyhow, and I hook into another one, and this time I land it and it was a bit bigger, and freaking gorgeous! What a pretty fish... Same setup for this one, Little Cleo.

I'm super pumped now, but time ticks on and nothing bites so I change lures, and nothing works. I had a couple bites here and there, but nothing.

Then, a vehicle (second one of the entire day to pass the lake) pulls up, two people and two dogs get out. I hear them calling my name, so I motor over to them and chat a while. It was my friends, Dan and his wife Rachel! They were out to hunt and/or fish, and they recognized my car parked at this particular lake. Crazy. They left and wished me luck.

The luck panned out, because shortly after, the wind stopped for the rest of the afternoon/evening. It was peaceful. A huge tree fell down near the lake. A bear or moose or something else fairly big was lurking near my car at one point, but I could only hear it. A beaver slapped his tail on the water. Two beautiful fish, and a beautiful night.

I wasn't done. They were jumping all around me. Not crazy like at the lake from Saturday, but often enough, as if to say, "Dana, don't leave yet! You can get me if you try!" Some of them seemed big, too. Others were small.

I did some more casting and had nothing, so in desperation I put on a good ol' red/white bobber, tiny Eagle Claw hook and worm and a split shot. Tossed it out near a tree. Less than a minute in, I hook into a fish, but I lose it. I did see it at the surface, though! But it doesn't count. As I was losing this one, another jumped to my left. I made my next cast near it. Within ten seconds, bobber bobs, I set the hook and land the fish!

Not quite as brilliant as the second fish, but pretty just the same! I love the look of these fish.

I did a bit more trolling and a bit more casting, and then decided, despite the jumping going on, I was simply too tired, cold, and completely satisfied, and packed it in for the night. I did take one more opportunity to admire the scenery so that hopefully it lasts until the next time I journey down that rough and rocky road.

You shoulda tried catching bass, that's when I get all my pike!

lol... Odd how I am permanently linked to the aurora now, even though I never caught one and everyone else has.

Being still newly returning to fishing, and very green on trout fishing, I admit I am ignorant - I don't even know if there's any salmon close to my location, but there's definitely trout. I woulda never known this. Well, not never. I would have learned it some day, that day just happened to be today. Thanks.

It is sad when it comes right down to it. The illusive trout finally caught and photographed and it's disappeared as the highlight.

You're right... It's obviously a major event for him and really the entire board, and I came in and ruined it. Apologies to cl_fishin.

Seeing another man holding my Trout, and even wearing my pants, I feel so violated

Is this one better?

You'd have a big head, too, if you caught an aurora trout!

I didn't know what this was, so I looked on Google Images.

If I ever catch something that looks like this, I'm done with fishing.

It looks like a green version of John's blue bike in the SAMCRO clubhouse!

/knowsnothingaboutbikesbutlovessonsofanarchy

I think we should try and convince the MNR to stock her pond with Aurora trout

That's where I've been putting all the ones I've caught, they're now naturally reproducing and the population is booming.

I guess "...whatever" won't sit

 

If it was that one thread alone I would have said nothing and let it go as low end humor among those on the inside.

 

You started the tone with the "I don't believe you statement" I gave you the benefit of the doubt and took it as a humorous statement? If you are being sarcastically humorous am I not allowed to continue in the same manner?

 

I now take it your first post "I don't believe you" was not a friendly or humorous one and only done to pick a fight or start an argument. Correct?

I agree, there is no substitute for homemade mac and cheese!

Hmm, there's a pond on my mother-in-law's property... No golf course, mind you, but maybe I should cast a line in there and see what happens.

I'm inspired to give it another shot as well. 3 years is a long time to wait for another opportunity.

Oh yeah? Saturday? Sunday? Gonna be freaking COLD, though!

I see you got a new reel, two new rods and one hell of a new workout routine! You had me for a second.

No, that's my Spirex reel in the pic!

You will get one Dana !! I can almost garantee it.

You inspired me to give it one more try. I went down at lunch and I got one! I am so happy!!!! Here's the pic:

You own EIGHT of them? Can I have one? lol

Wow, it looks like it could eat your whole head in that first pic! Nice fish!

Hey cl_fishin, what time of day was it when you went? I know early in the season you have to get down deep and worms work best, and, I was told by the one guy there who caught one (along with two others who were with him) that you had to be there first thing in the morning. I'm guessing it maybe changed now that the temperature is going down? If I don't have to get up at 4am, that increases my will to try again.

Congrats, again, anyhow. I can't tell if your success is encouraging to me, or discouraging.

What a catch! Once in a lifetime catch for many of us... Very jealous.

Dana: I'm betting you'll be out there this weekend after seeing these photos haha

I doubt it.. I don't have a fishing partner this weekend and I promised the wife I wouldn't make her go back there because it's hard on her, getting up at 4am, sitting in the car for an hour and a half or so, rough road, etc. My cousin is unavailable, and my other local friend says it's too early to fish and he's scared of canoes or something.

At the same time, I can't fail if I don't try! haha

But it's tempting, that's for sure. I do plan to try for brookies ASAP though, since I missed out on lakers this year and that disgusting ice is coming sooner than I want it too... (Maybe I'll learn to love it.)

If you don't mind sharing, what did you get it on? I don't have a fly rod (yet) and it looks to me like maybe that's what you used? I haven't decided if I'm going to try again once more this year or not.. Actually, I probably won't. I still don't think they exist in Liberty.

I think you guys are over thinking this it`s a twenty year old 500 dollar vehicle and in all likelyhood it will have a problem or two!

 

Probally not worth the cost of a new windshield.

Hey, how did you know the asking price!?

Anyhow, I am starting to feel like it's a waste of time. Unfortunately, I've never spent more than $5K on any vehicle, and I won't be able to spend even half that on a truck for a while yet. I'll just wait it out, I guess, and stick to buying from a dealer - seems the safest. And yeah, I'd want to take it to my mechanic to get an idea of what I'll have to do on it. Thanks all.

Well, I know it wasn't at Liberty Lake!

Looks like it in the pic though..

Congrats. Obviously I don't know how to use a fishing rod.

Nice work, wish I coulda got out for bass today. It was beautiful out.

17 and 19 years old? If they're more than a couple hundred bucks, walk away. Walk very fast. Don't look back.

so the '71 F100 for $600 is out of the question?