A half-day this Friday spawned an instinct to hike something out of town, high enough to keep the temps a few degrees cooler and crowds away. The trail was severely overgrown and at times made me side step or carry the tube but an empty trailhead had me bursting with glee.
When these Cumberland tubes went on sale for $99 I bought two. An ability to inflate via mouth, patchable, and a relatively tough nylon exterior makes a no brainer when bushwhacking. Also when deflated can be made to a small footprint, probably more suited to this trail. After a couple mile hike, the lake was deep and cold no place to test an off-season storage hole. Glad I brought the pump and thankfully no patching was required.
As a first fish a 12-14in cuttie had my choice of a 4wt well suited, maybe not so much for what was to come.
Some time lapsed but I would see a rise every 30 minutes about the lake, with a couple being those large fish sipping takes. You know, the ones where you see roller waves and maybe an odd shoulder or nose? It was a midge hatch and intermixed mayfly, both extremely small.
Tight lining a hot headed timber at about shoal bottom (15ft) the next fish TOOK my fly. Right away it raced to the surface leaving rod and line pointing 90 degrees in another direction. The bow leapt to the sky like a heavyweight ballerina and flopped back in perfect cannonball contest winning form. Racing to the bottom, the fish screamed a run requiring palming backup to the Orvis 1915 reel. Too big to hold! Easily a 6lb trout or more and right before netting another of the same size followed.
She had a small slit to the dorsal but the caudal was strong and fin all present, even if a little small for her size
Afterwards a fresh PB&J accompanied my content, along with a very vocal young mottled eagle and my nemesis, otters! I swear there’s not a trip I don’t get peed on or in this case when they slapped the water while going, I about got myself. Walking back to my tube they snorted and slapped the water some more as if laughing, fun little sh*ts always bring a smile.
A pretty little cuttie was the last fish, a relatively slow outing for 3-4 hours. The temperature swing wasn’t helping, but no complaints obviously. An additional red fox (not pictured) made the wildlife worth it alone.
That subalpine lake somewhere you’ve been wondering about is calling, get out and enjoy a trip this late winter.
When these Cumberland tubes went on sale for $99 I bought two. An ability to inflate via mouth, patchable, and a relatively tough nylon exterior makes a no brainer when bushwhacking. Also when deflated can be made to a small footprint, probably more suited to this trail. After a couple mile hike, the lake was deep and cold no place to test an off-season storage hole. Glad I brought the pump and thankfully no patching was required.
As a first fish a 12-14in cuttie had my choice of a 4wt well suited, maybe not so much for what was to come.
Some time lapsed but I would see a rise every 30 minutes about the lake, with a couple being those large fish sipping takes. You know, the ones where you see roller waves and maybe an odd shoulder or nose? It was a midge hatch and intermixed mayfly, both extremely small.
Tight lining a hot headed timber at about shoal bottom (15ft) the next fish TOOK my fly. Right away it raced to the surface leaving rod and line pointing 90 degrees in another direction. The bow leapt to the sky like a heavyweight ballerina and flopped back in perfect cannonball contest winning form. Racing to the bottom, the fish screamed a run requiring palming backup to the Orvis 1915 reel. Too big to hold! Easily a 6lb trout or more and right before netting another of the same size followed.
She had a small slit to the dorsal but the caudal was strong and fin all present, even if a little small for her size
Afterwards a fresh PB&J accompanied my content, along with a very vocal young mottled eagle and my nemesis, otters! I swear there’s not a trip I don’t get peed on or in this case when they slapped the water while going, I about got myself. Walking back to my tube they snorted and slapped the water some more as if laughing, fun little sh*ts always bring a smile.
A pretty little cuttie was the last fish, a relatively slow outing for 3-4 hours. The temperature swing wasn’t helping, but no complaints obviously. An additional red fox (not pictured) made the wildlife worth it alone.
That subalpine lake somewhere you’ve been wondering about is calling, get out and enjoy a trip this late winter.
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