Where We Fish: 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Johnson's Creek Aug 25th, 2014 & A 31" Brown!

I am not a superstitious person. For me, the mentality of, "just one more cast" has always been about keeping me on the water for just one more cast. I have to admit, now, that sometimes that last cast with the last lure in your tackle box does pay off! Such was the case on my last day this year at Johnson's Creek Airstrip in Idaho. We left McCall early in the morning on Aug. 25th to return to Moose Creek, Wilson Bar, or anywhere. However, all strips we tried were completely socked in with clouds except Johnson's Creek. That was fortunate. Since we were leaving around noon to return home, I thought I would try a new hole I found on the river the previous day. It was a honey hole! I caught several nice 12-14" plus Cutthroats, and then I saw them! Huge browns surfacing on some emerging insects. The closer I looked the more I saw. In all, I would say there were between half a dozen to a dozen enormous fish in that hole. All I had was my ultra light spinning rod and a retainer box full of spinners, spoons, and a crank bait. I literally tried them all with no success. I put on my last lure which was a white Jake's spoon and threw it. I briefly hooked a monster--the one on the video that nearly comes completely out of the water vertically. I thought I had missed my chance. Then I mentally uttered those fisherman faithful words..."just one more cast". I jigged the Jake's and when she hit, I thought I snagged a rock there was so much weight on that little ultra light spinning rod! As you will see in the video, she did not run. There was no reason to with the current and her weight. Neither my light weight rod nor the reel could handle it well. Fortunately, I got her steered between two rocks that broken the current and landed her! It was incredible, and a fish like that is the sole reason every fisherman picks up his rod to go fishing and makes, "just one more cast" before he leaves.

Johnson's Creek ID Flying & Catching Big Fish

SPOT Images:

Home of the Big One

The Flight Home

Fishing Pics:

31" Female Brown Trout

Flying Pics:

Monday, November 24, 2014

Johnson's Creek Trip Aug. 24th, 2014

Now, I don't condone breaking the Sabbath Day, but...when one finds one's self in the back country of Idaho in an airplane that keeps landing by very fishy rivers and also happens to find a fishing rod in-hand, what is a fellow to do but fish? So, I did, and I enjoyed it. August 24th my Dad and I flew from Johnson's Creek Airstrip to Wilson Bar on the Salmon River. Unfortunately, it had as much boat traffic as Pineview Reservoir in August! So, I caught no fish, but we had a spectacular flight. We flew to Moose Creek from there, and fished the best stretch of water in Idaho--the confluence of the Selway and Moose Creek Rivers. It was quite rainy that day, and since I was a bit slow getting off the river that evening we could not get back to camp. Turns out, that was a good thing since we found out it rained all that night with a foot of water around out tent while we slept in a nice hotel room in McCall, ID. I hope you enjoy the pics and video below with lots of flying and fishing action!

GoPro of Wilson Bar & Moose Creek Idaho Flying & Fishing Aug 2014

SPOT Images:

Day's Flight Path

Wilson Bar Landing Spot & Fishing Attempt

Selway (on the right) & Moose Creek (left) Fishing Hole

Fish Pics:

Jet Boat on the Salmon River (not good for fishing)

Huck Fin on the Salmon River (better for fishing)

Flying Pics:

Monday, October 27, 2014

Yellowstone 2014 - Great Fishing, Questionable Food Choices

In October of 2014 Aaron, Erin, Eric and Jason spent 2 1/2 days fishing five rivers in Yellowstone National Park. We based in West Yellowstone where the food was... gamey. I have uploaded a few of the many pictures I took. The pictures look a lot better than the fish I caught. Everyone else hauled in some large browns, rainbows, cutthroats and the occasional mountain whitefish.

October 9, 2014

The Madison