adolson Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickeral eater Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Great post. Nice Brookies, beautiful looking fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 That's a prettier fish then them damn illusive Auroras anyhow Dana!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Today Brook Trout tomorrow the World!!!! Good Job Dana Still a week or so left to get that Aurora Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Caster Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Very nice brookies ya got there! The males get fiery red this time of year. The curse is broken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolson Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 That's a prettier fish then them damn illusive Auroras anyhow Dana!! That's true! And you can keep more than one! Maybe I'll just give up on auroras anyhow, and go after brookies in the stocked lakes... There is a stocked rainbow lake and a stocked splake lake near me... Might have to slam those until something bites instead of spending all that time on auroras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 WTG Dana!! An excellent report. Looks like nice wather too.I got out in my boat alone, for the first time.Tough job in high winds like we had here on friday. Its been raining ever since Good Job !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nipfisher Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Good job Dana. My question is.....why not stick with bobber and worm if it was working? I think I found a Brookie lake close to the city too. Gonna have to go check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.M.05 Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Dana you may not have caught your auorora trout yet but that is a Beau-T red belly spec you hooked into. Welcome to trout addiction . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolson Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Good job Dana. My question is.....why not stick with bobber and worm if it was working? I think I found a Brookie lake close to the city too. Gonna have to go check it out. Excellent question. My biggest regret was not buying more worms before I left. I only had a few in my fridge, and I didn't know how many I had. I opened the lid and I saw them, looked like a lot. It wasn't. I ran out. I did stick with the bobber and hook until I had no more worms left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocheleauc Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 great report + nice fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spincast Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 that male is a beauty fish - congrats. Try tying a bucket to a length of rope when the wind is blowing like that and you're drifiting. Its not perfect but it helps. I used to keep a few bricks in the front too tied to a rope. If I found a good spot iit made an anchor, and when I wasnt anchored they were the front ballast. Nice lake to have 5 minutes away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Dude...what an awesome report!!! From one procrastinator to another....I will get around to congratulating you on the bathroom reno after I finish going on about the fish! It's been amazing to watch this transformation....you're out there picking off structure....slammin' fish..way to go! Those brookies are just amazing. I still want to see you land that Aurora...just sayin.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolson Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 that male is a beauty fish - congrats. Try tying a bucket to a length of rope when the wind is blowing like that and you're drifiting. Its not perfect but it helps. I used to keep a few bricks in the front too tied to a rope. If I found a good spot iit made an anchor, and when I wasnt anchored they were the front ballast. Nice lake to have 5 minutes away Yeah, I was wondering if the gender made the difference in color.. It was so beautiful, I could hardly believe it... The picture didn't turn out great - in real life, it was brighter and more saturated. I have an actual anchor, as well as rocks up front, but I didn't use it... I just have a hard time choosing one spot for very long, a sort of fishing ADD, so maybe I should start forcing myself to drop anchor sometimes. I was trying to troll when the worst of it was going on, haha. Can't keep the thing straight if my life depended on it. The bucket you mentioned, I might try that sometime! Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirogak Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Nice catches Dana - I am glad to see the curse lifted off of your shoulders. Now its my turn but I can't try again till next Spring in AP as I live in the GTA and there don't seem to be any good spots around here. Great report too. Miro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Oh, I meant to mention....a drift sock is SO useful when fishing out of the canoe in the wind. Some guys use buckets (as mentioned above) or ikea bags....basically anything to drag behind and slow you down...this will also keep you relatively straight. When the wind is blowing along a shoreline, you can drift nice and slow, trolling or casting to shore. I bought a drift sock a couple years ago, and rarely fish without it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Awesome Report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jds63 Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 very nice , my favorite species for sure !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saneryin Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Great report !! I have never caught a trout or salmon before Awesome Report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeyangler Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 Never caught a brookie before either! have not finished my washroom either! Now i have to things to do....i wonder which one will be attempted first. LOL...i bought a book about how to avoid procrastination...guess what...i still haven't got round to reading it....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adolson Posted October 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 i bought a book about how to avoid procrastination...guess what...i still haven't got round to reading it....lol That's kinda like buying Hooked on Phonics, how are you supposed to read the instructions to get started!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cl_fishin Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) Nice Brookies Dana! Edited October 5, 2011 by cl_fishin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 NICE FISH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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