Put-n-take lakes

[Tom Butler]

I was mentioning in another thread we have these man made impoundments to fish, and while the fish aren't impressive per se, it is pretty in it's own way, and it's an hour from home.

The trout usually consist of the standard WDFW plants.

sometimes there is a holdover, just a bit bigger but feisty, or a jumbo

I usually release them but sometimes 2 will get eaten

There may be some bro/bubba stuff, see the wires, but really mostly it's cool, and I see the same folks most days.

Lots of wildlife like my friend this morning

I just really wish people could clean up. I policed this area the other day. Maybe someone would have realized they left their fly on the leader and their nice tool.

 

[Jim F.]

Like all but the last photo . . . spent lots of hours there with my former Bride & the Kids when they were little. They had fun fishing, I improved on my untangling expertise . . .

Thanks for the memory lane reminder, Tom!

 

[Eastside]

Like all but the last photo . . . spent lots of hours there with my former Bride & the Kids when they were little. They had fun fishing, I improved on my untangling expertise . . .

Thanks for the memory lane reminder, Tom!

Same here, except with my son’s Boy Scout troop. Lots of great memories and a few of the boys converted to fly fishermen. Eventually, the BSA included the Fly Fishing Merit Badge and some of the scouts earned that badge. I still enjoy camping and fishing in that area.

 

[Wayne Kohan]

Same here, still laugh when I think about my trips up there with my young kids. Always had to go on the busy weekends due to work, lots of people laughed at me running back and forth tending 3 snoopy fishing poles.

 

[Flybox1]

Good on ya for cleanin up...I hate lazy fkrs.
...guess your karma reward is a nice tie-fast tool

 

[Tom Butler]

Same here, still laugh when I think about my trips up there with my young kids. Always had to goon the busy weekends due to work, lots of people laughed at me running back and forth tending 3 snoopy fishing poles.

My boys fished here, and so does the next generation of fishers (my grandsons), like weekend before last. Great training ground, both for fishing and etiquette It puts a smile on this old mans face regularly too.

 

[Tim L]

Tip on early season, speaking of P/T lakes. That short window after winter and before spring planting can be really worthwhile, depending on how you like to fish. I got onto that in western WA and continue to benefit here in Ohio where, on a good day, the prospects for trout in lakes are slim to none. I have less than a handfull in striking distance but I'll take what I can get. At my most frequented, ice-off began a week and a half ago with about an acre opening up in one of the corners. After a 45 min drive to have a look, I decided an acre was enough to jump in and got to work.
Despite frigid water, the earlier fall plants were ready to eat after the extended winter season we had. Of course they were as sick of the ice as I was.

Still, the ice made for good asthetics that day, including sunset.

A few days later I snuck out before work for a "progress check." Ice gone but the photo ops remained.

So back to the idea of that little window. These older established fish are affording me the perfect blend of size, health and habits that make the hunt challenging and worthwhile. Surprisingly, they don't winterkill, however summerkill is a different story.
In Ohio there's essentially no such thing as a stillwater trout population that survives summer. Extended heat and lack of depths make for a three season fishery where catchable sized trout have to be reintroduced at least once a season. Yes, that limits the overall size potential for trout in lakes, but we have the best steelhead in the country to make up for that (different subject).
Finally, if you know anything about the effects of new plants, you'll realize my utopia ends the day the truck arrives. Add the obvious here, yay-hoo city begins immediately following and I'm left with an entirely different lake setting. Not the end of the world, it's just the closing of my little window for another season. But until then, you'll know where to find me...

 

[iveofione]

Tim, have you considered moving back to the west coast? Spending a summer in the humid Midwest seems like a self inflicted punishment. And year around?

 

[Triploidjunkie]

Ive beat me to it...

 

[Ceviche]

Tip on early season, speaking of P/T lakes. That short window after winter and before spring planting can be really worthwhile, depending on how you like to fish. I got onto that in western WA and continue to benefit here in Ohio where, on a good day, the prospects for trout in lakes are slim to none. I have less than a handfull in striking distance but I'll take what I can get. At my most frequented, ice-off began a week and a half ago with about an acre opening up in one of the corners. After a 45 min drive to have a look, I decided an acre was enough to jump in and got to work.
View attachment 9567Despite frigid water, the earlier fall plants were ready to eat after the extended winter season we had. Of course they were as sick of the ice as I was.
View attachment 9543
Still, the ice made for good asthetics that day, including sunset.
View attachment 9545
A few days later I snuck out before work for a "progress check." Ice gone but the photo ops remained.
View attachment 9566
So back to the idea of that little window. These older established fish are affording me the perfect blend of size, health and habits that make the hunt challenging and worthwhile. Surprisingly, they don't winterkill, however summerkill is a different story.
In Ohio there's essentially no such thing as a stillwater trout population that survives summer. Extended heat and lack of depths make for a three season fishery where catchable sized trout have to be reintroduced at least once a season. Yes, that limits the overall size potential for trout in lakes, but we have the best steelhead in the country to make up for that (different subject).
Finally, if you know anything about the effects of new plants, you'll realize my utopia ends the day the truck arrives. Add the obvious here, yay-hoo city begins immediately following and I'm left with an entirely different lake setting. Not the end of the world, it's just the closing of my little window for another season. But until then, you'll know where to find me...View attachment 9560

That’s how you do it!