Opening Day Report YES MUTH dang FISHIN

[Musky or Specks]

Well we had planned on celebrating opener up Fort Irwin way but the dang late ice out/road wash outs blew those plans away. We decided despite our advancing years that we would stick around home,fish a small stream(Urg, all that kneeling and stealth is a young man's game) and anyway my son volunteered me to oversee getting his first car checked out before he buys it(2003 Focus). So we didn't have a lot of time.

 

One of the perks of my job is a lot of time spent driving around the area on back roads.All this winter, no matter how cold it got, I noticed this creek that would be frozen solid for a lot of its length but it had a trib that came in through a cedar bush that remained ice free and in fact had steam rising from it on the coldest of days. A great sign of serious groundwater influx. From the confluence of this trib down, the creek remained ice free all winter. The possibility seemed pretty good to me that brook trout would be present but obviously more research was needed.

 

What did I do? Did I come on OFC posting ,asking or PM'ing folks to spoon feed me what I needed to know? NO. I consulted readily available resources to narrow it down and did some legwork. First I consulted this religious tome

 

http://fisheriesreports.org/wp-content/uploads/Atlas-of-Brook-Trout-Streams-Rivers.pdf

 

Then one day mid-winter I stopped my vehicle and walked the banks right beside the road to see if I could kick any trout into action and sure enough Vroom there goes a dark shadow. While doing this I notice that downstream of where the apparent influx of groundwater enters- a NO BUZZING sign nailed to a tree. Another good indicator of trout being present. Did I swear and curse and make a post about can I fish posted water if I don't touch bottom?

 

Again No.

 

I waited till Thursday two days before the opener and drove up to the landowners house and politely introduced myself. Gave him my name ,my business card and informed him of my fishing habits(strictly catch and release, will pick up any toteable garbage that I find and leave no trace that I was there) could I have his permission to fish the stream running through his property on opening morning. He said, "Sure no problem thank you for asking. Could you please park your truck at the barn a kilometre up the road so people will not know that someone is fishing there."

 

I willing accepted the conditions neccessary to gain access to what I hoped would be PRIVATE TROUT WATER within 20 minutes of my door in a booming urban area.

 

Alarm goes of at 5 am. Buddy gets to my door at 5:30. Off to Timmy's . No time for the usual(XL) so small black only, still haven't got it finished by the time we park at the barn. Walk down the road loaded with dewage, ultralights and tackle. Fishing before six am.

 

First Drift

TAPPA TAPPA TAPPA SMILE SWEEP

On the bank

 

 

 

First trout of the 2013 season and it was like opening my Mattel electronic football game Chritmas morning when I was 11. Couldn't have been happier. Suspicions of trout presence confirmed. We hammered them and despite their lack of size, their beauty was magnificent. I wish I was better with a camera to catch their wonderful colours. All in all we landed 28 specks in 4 hours of fishing. and I couldn't have asked for a better way to start my 2013 speck season.

 

This was probably as big as they got

 

 

Here a nice action photo of the stealth technique

 

 

Everyone do the research, don't look for shortcuts, always ask permission, You will be rewarded. (Throws fishing rod down at his feet/leaves room)

[Roy]

Ha! Fantastic report! You worked for it, you deserve everything you get! Thanks.

[Moosebunk]

My God man! 28 of 'em in 4 hours. Nice.

 

Gotta respeck the specks no matter what.

[misfish]

Show off,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Nice report.

 

The tribs here were high and fast or blown out. Never seen it like this.

[solopaddler]

Well done Brad, glad to hear your legwork paid off. Wish I had a creek like that 20 minutes from my house!

[mirogak]

Awesome Brad! I was sniffing around in a creek today looking for these beauties but creek was infested with Steelhead anglers.

[timmeh]

Good stuff Brad.

 

Was thinking of getting some panfish tomorrow but this makes me want to get out the 4w instead...

[northernpike56]

Nice. I didn't catch any trout/char on my opener but I drove around and checked out some spots for later.

[mr blizzard]

Nice report, it does not get much better than that

[Old Ironmaker]

Good for you man. The little guys are beauties, as I always say it's not always size that counts. You did get the colours on the camera.

 

I agree bushwacking is for the young at heart and body. When I was in the best shape of my life, 2 a day workouts twice a week sometimes, we used to go up to Varney and almost had to machete our way into the bush and I can tell you it was tough then, and as well we were in tip top condition. Called it the Mekong Delta.

 

Once again good for you, and you didn't even have to ask anyone here before you hit the jackpot!

[Mike Pike]

Nice job on some truly beautiful fish. And you had the place all to yourselves. What a wonderful way to spend the opener.

[Musky or Specks]

Good for you man. The little guys are beauties, as I always say it's not always size that counts. You did get the colours on the camera.

 

I agree bushwacking is for the young at heart and body. When I was in the best shape of my life, 2 a day workouts twice a week sometimes, we used to go up to Varney and almost had to machete our way into the bush and I can tell you it was tough then, and as well we were in tip top condition. Called it the Mekong Delta.

 

Once again good for you, and you didn't even have to ask anyone here before you hit the jackpot!

OMG I've come out of the stretch behind the Speedway filthy from head to toe from belly crawling through that crap to get the right presentation. Wouldn't even dream of it these days.

[Rod Caster]

Yes! Great report. Looks like I just sealed my fishing plans for the day...thanks for the inspiration

[TJQ]

Awesome report... like finding buried treasure!