[High On Octane]

Yesterday, I decided to try out a new fishing spot up in the mountains.  I was originally just looking for some new dirt roads to take the Blackhawk on.  I had the bike all loaded up and my gut told me to unload the bike and take the Subaru instead.  I am glad I decided to do that, because the road was nothing more than a rock trail that sometimes makes your butthole pucker.      I only got a small amount of video traveling the actual trail, because I needed 2 hands to drive and I didn't bring my dashboard mount for the camera.

As I'm traveling up the trail, I come to a sign that says the next seasonal gate doesn't open until July 15 and this is the last area to turn around.  And it was as the trail is mostly a single track for trucks.  I parked my car and called the number on the sign for the ranger district and found out the lake is only another mile up the trail.  So I loaded up my gear and started hiking the rest of the way up.  About a 1/4 mile later as I get to the gate I see that the gate is actually open.  Then a father and son, Rick and Jamie, were driving up in their Explorer and asked if I wanted a ride up to the top.  I took their offer and ended up fishing with them for the afternoon.  As we start nearing the lake we find that there is a glacier covering the road to the parking lot.  So we packed up our gear and hiked the last few hundred yards.

Once we got to the lake, we were rewarded with some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.  Absolutely gorgeous.  I need to get going to work so I'll add some more details and video later this evening.  But I will say that I did catch 1 brook trout.  And it was delicious. 

























Scottie J

[barenekd]

That road looks about like the Nate Harrison grade I took my Guzzi on going up to Palomar. Definitely an EPIC moment!
Bare

[azcatfan]

Great pics, would be hard to not camp and stay a while...   

[High On Octane]

I finally put together a video last night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdAiBObafog&feature=youtu.be

[ERC]

Way to much traffic and homes built along the way there. Can't you find a more rural place to fish?      ERC

[Arizoni]

Good lookin' fishin' hole you found up there.

[High On Octane]

Way to much traffic and homes built along the way there. Can't you find a more rural place to fish?      ERC

Well, I could hike to the top of that waterfall and fish the lake on top of there.  It's a little bit more rural.   

I'm going out again first thing in the morning before the sun comes up.  There is a reservoir about a mile from my house that sounds promising.  You have to pay to fish there which deters a lot of people, and when I talked to the ranger there he was saying most everyone catch and releases there.  So much in fact that they have been encouraging the fisherman to take some home to eat, which is exactly what I plan to do.  The reservoir is full of HUGE tiger muskies, trout, large mouth bass and perch.  Actually the state record for tiger muskie was caught there, 53" 40 pounds 2 ounces! Now that I have my schedule changed to working 4 10's I have more free time to do what I want so I plan on doing a lot more fishing.  I've only been out a handful of times since I moved here which is a shame.  When I lived in Wisconsin I would go fishing at least 2 or 3 times a week, some weeks every single day.  I miss catching/fighting walleye, but I sure do love me some fresh trout on the barbie.   


Scottie J

[mattsz]

Scottie - you're headed in the right direction!!!

[High On Octane]

Hey, I bust my hump at work.  I deserve 3 day weekends. 

[mattsz]

I agree - you do!

I bust my hump for seven 12-hour days.  Despite the numerous hassles of my job, I get a 7-day weekend for my pains! 

[High On Octane]

Don't you work on a ferry or something like that?  You could fish on the clock. 

[mattsz]

 

Seriously, no point. There's fishing, and there's... fishing.

I would be fishing.  You're fishing!

[High On Octane]

I got to the reservoir about 5:45 this morning and ended up catching a real nice 17" largemouth.  I was reeling him in when went in thicket of weeds and a sapling tree about 10-15 yards out and got tangled up.  Luckily there was another gentleman fly fishing about 40-50 yards down from me so he came down and netted him and got him untangled for me.  I guess it was about 2 pounds or so, but 1" under regulation so I had to put him back. 

I'm going back down again right now and work the damn shoreline for trout. 

Scottie J

[High On Octane]

My video finally published on youtube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wuNb8DcPc&feature=youtu.be

[Arizoni]

Nice guy for helping you out.