BilletHead's ride again. 2018 trip, new fish,new places!

[Ham]

Fun paint jobs on those little fish. I’m proud of y’all for going the extra mile to catch fish. 

I bet you COULD micro fish with a fly rod. I mean more than you already have.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

Fun paint jobs on those little fish. I’m proud of y’all for going the extra mile to catch fish. 

I bet you micro fish with a fly rod. I mean more than you already have.

           We did catch some mini trout. The size you find in a double stack can of sardines. A pickled herring would dwarf some of our catches . Let them grow up so that folly guy can catch them in the future. 

  BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

           We did catch some mini trout. The size you find in a double stack can of sardines. A pickled herring would dwarf some of our catches . Let them grow up so that folly guy can catch them in the future. 

  BilletHead

I bet those non-native brookies would be good served like pickled herring😁. 

[BilletHead]

3 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

I bet those non-native brookies would be good served like pickled 😁. 

       Did not pickle but did eat some .  That part of the trip will be later!  The best part of being an invasive brookie in the West is being dead and on your plate ,

 BilletHead

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Great report as always.  I can't help but notice you are one less.  I haven't heard, is Sadie ok? 

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

Great report as always.  I can't help but notice you are one less.  I haven't heard, is Sadie ok? 

          Thanks Daryk,

     And for your concern for Sadie. Yes she is Ok but 13 years young now and slowing down. Trouble getting up and down steps. Hard of hearing and showing her age. This and last year stays with a sitter while we are gone. She just doesn't act comfortable doing some things now. Used to be when I got the keys to the four wheeler she would about knock me down to get a ride. Now she just looks at me like go ahead I will just stay here. There is no more chasing squirrels in the yard. Let her out and one goes to running she just watches it go. If i grab the air rifle and go out she is waiting at the door. Goes out and checks the kill and follows me to the shop where I clean it and watches. Trips like this are not the same without her,

   BilletHead

[BilletHead]

      Part 5 the Apache. Arizona's state fish,

  So we had decided after the Gila to drive into Arizona on the East side and work North towards Utah and revisit a couple of places from last year and do a tiger hunt. So as we drove through Arizona we skirted The Apache National Forest. As we closed in on the towns Springerville and Eagar to fuel up I told Pat there is another native trout here in this state. When we got cell service she googled the up the Apache trout. It said could be found in the Apache National Forest So at the gas stop she went in for a mega drink as I fueled up and asked the lady behind the counter as she was paying if she knew of this fish. The response was instantaneous. Yes and I have caught some! She then proceeds to tell Pat where we could go. So a trip to the Hardware / sporting goods store. We so to the back counter to a young man in front of the gun display. Ask for licensees and info. He knows nothing about this fish, nadda but he could tell us where to catch rainbows.  Another fellow in line says you can catch them and I will tell you right where to go. Gives us the same location as the gas store lady. licensees in pocket we check the maps and head once again into the higher elevations. We are again in the Apache National Forest not far from the White Mountain Apache Tribe  Reservation. The destination was the headwaters of the little Colorado river. Soon we made it to a trailhead and hiking trail which ran along the stream. A bit more water than we had been fishing for our other fish. Deeper in places. looking good. Three spin fishermen were gearing up in the parking lot and heading upstream. We decided to drop in and head downstream. There were well worn trails in and out of the tangles of willows. Water looked nice. Lots of plunge pools with logs that had been placed for habitat. So as we fished in and out of the  places we could access. There was not a fish to be seen. Never turned one, had a look or refusal, nothing. I was puzzled but not disheartened. There had to be fish in here, had to be. I would guess we covered close to a mile. Then the Monsoon clouds began to form. A little thunder then a sprinkle. We got cover under a spruce,

When it quit we hit a straight higher trail away from the creek and headed back towards the truck. Pat says look at all the yellow flowers up there, When close enough she says in a loud voice columbines! Big and yellow!, I was even impressed. Bright yellow and as big or bigger than a silver dollar. Back at the truck I stayed down at the creek while Pat got rain jackets . We would now work the stream and trail upstream and fish until the storm ran us off the water. The again darkening clouds let us know the imminent rain would be hitting soon. We again worked the stream. Leap frogging each other from likely place to another. There is no Fish hogging when we work a stream together. Looking ahead we actually pick spots for one another. Fish this spot, I can't get a cast in there but bet you can, drop over that bank or root wad it looks good, look at that plunge pool but there is one in that spot. So on and so forth,

We found beaver dams and ponds with deep dark tannic looking colored waters in those deep holes. We fished every place with again nothing. Did we finally get jinxed? Were we chasing a ghost?  The stream and all the potential is should have was perplexing us. So again I figure we were know we had again done another mile upstream we continued to work when the thunder began to roll in the distance. Dang. We came upon a deep cut bank with overhanging thick grass. I watched as Pat dropped over the edge. Then it happened a splash we could not see, Pat smoothly swept the rod upward and the hook set I slipped into the water and netted her prize. A well earned one at that she had her Apache! ,

  Pictures no justice to this fish we were in a rush to get it back into the water. They are protected, we went barbless and wanted to get it revived for someone else to catch. So in it went and the Mrs. Got a big hug. With the thunder even closer I began to work another likely place, another cut bank. Now groups hikers on the trail were going down in a hurry. This is where I set the hook and netted my prize, little but I will take second place to my Bride anytime. All that time fishing and within ten minutes of Pat's fish we had another,

  Not only did we have thunder but flashes of lightning it was time to join and get in line behind the hikers to safety. Finally back at the truck we got out of wet shoes and pants just in time for the deluge to hit. We now had another Native bonus in our resume. The best looking waters made the hardest fish to find and catch, go figure?,

   BilletHead 

 

 

[ness]

Maybe those Apaches had been educated?

[BilletHead]

9 minutes ago, ness said:

Maybe those Apaches had been educated?

              I am thinking the same thing buddy. I hope to revisit them again someday and if we get to it will be an early, early excursion. Go as far as our flatlander mobility will take us and then start fishing. The reservation has good fishing we heard but that consists of a trespass and another fishing permit. That leads to more cost to catch them. I think we could go far up there without much trouble. Easy walking,

   BilletHead

[ness]

Yeah, the reservation is what I’ve heard about. Really hope to get there while these legs of mine can manage it.