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

[ness]

6 hours ago, BilletHead said:

 

 

Is that fish shaped weird, or is that from the net?

Love the big smile!!

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, ness said:

 

Is that fish shaped weird, or is that from the net?

Love the big smile!!

            Just humped up in the net. Pat is holding the same fish in the photo besides. I think her smile was a cross of happiness and relief we found one.

  BilletHead

[BilletHead]

          Part 6 the "Hunt For Tigers",

 Leaving Arizona we headed North towards Utah and the High Uintas where we had fished last year at this time. We really loved that trip and wanted to revisit the place where we had caught our first tiger trout. It was to be a long drive so we overnighted in a commercial campground in Tuba City Arizona. Up early the next morning, you guessed it 4AM. North we go crossing the Dam at Lake Powell,

  A display at the Dam visitor center outside, Finally going up through Utah we drove up from Provo to Heber city following the Provo river . Here we secured our Utah Fishing license, Ice, grocery items including a ribeye and fueled up the truck. We planed on three nights in the Uinta National Forest and wilderness. Up at Kamas we took 150 highway. Once you get into the forest they get you for a use pass. Daily or weekly. Cheaper for the week pass we paid and displayed it in our window. Onward and upward we went  until we hit the choice of two campgrounds. Washington and Trail. We have stayed at both but Trial was closest to where we wanted to go. Paid for our nights and set up, We had a view of Trial lake, nothing like last year it had been drawn way down. Last year it was Washington lake that had been drawn way down. We asked and know one seemed to know exactly way. One guessed that they needed water for all the fires. I have a better guess. Both of these lakes feed the upper Provo River a main source for recreation, and water for the city plus irrigation. We seen kayaks, canoes and float tubes out there and folks fishing from them.    it was time to wind down from the first week of the sprint, now the trip became a marathon.

An evening fire and the marshmallow roast Mrs. BilletHead had been waiting for. Most everywhere else had fire restrictions and here we did not,

  Tomorrow the Tiger hunt begins,

   BilletHead

[BilletHead]

    Up early and not at 4AM but 5, see there I told you we were going to slow down some. The tiger hunt starts. We loaded our little packs. Rods strapped to the side and began the hike to Star Lake. This lake was the first place we caught the Tiger trout last year. We began to ascend up the trail,

And as we topped the dam we found,  Rods built and strung up we began to beat the water with hoppers catching tigers,

  While Pat continued to fish I cooked lunch . 

 Ramin noodles on the menu,  First time using our new purchase the MSR pocket rocket 2. Impressed with the little unit. Folds up to fit in palm of hand. The small fuel tanks are light too,  We dropped out of there back down the trail and followed the trickle in the creek. It came to a deep narrow almost covered by grass section. Pat dropped her hopper over the side and caught back to back brookies,  Did I mention I cleaned two tigers? These are stocked Hybrids for catch and release or take. I imagine they were air dropped up there. They are wild now and have orange flesh from eating what they get up there. So we had a fish meal that afternoon and it was very good,

  The lake we were back on camping had whitecaps from the afternoon wind. As it laid we grabbed our rods and walked around it. The tigers were hunting the shoreline. Skinny gaunt fish. Poor looking examples. I am sure they were starving from the lake drawdown. Hunting for what could be caught. We pitched hoppers to them and some would hit and some refused. A few would chase minnows out of the water along the banks. Finally pat caught one that looked decent,

In the sand we tracked animals. Found this,

   I am not sure what they call this creature in Utah? . As the sun set it began to cool and back to the camper we went. No fire tonight just cleaned up and went to bed. Tomorrow a longer hike and more tigers,

  BilletHead

 

[Johnsfolly]

As always Marty we love coming along on these western trips! Great reporting and photos! I have to catch some of these guys. Don't know if we will try to catch them all like you two. Once we catch the first one or two species that thought may change😁.

[Johnsfolly]

You also know that we Follys have been chasing our own natives but in a very different way. Fishing baits in the brine😁.

[BilletHead]

51 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

You also know that we Follys have been chasing our own natives but in a very different way. Fishing baits in the brine😁.

          Yes and I have been receiving the harassing texts and photos like you did. How come you are not wade fishing for them? Worried about great whites?

BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

2 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

          Yes and I have been receiving the harassing texts and photos like you did. How come you are not wade fishing for them? Worried about great whites?

BilletHead

Don't have the gear...YET😌!

Got to finish this move before I commit to the stuff needed to land sharks in the surf. For now take 'em from the boat.

[Johnsfolly]

Would be a blast with a 12 wt fly rod.

[BilletHead]

              Next morning up early 5AM to hot coffee and homemade granola cereal.  We packed up again for the Trip to Wall Lake. Had not been there before so this was new. It was a longer hike but we were told an easier trail. It was, well used and easy to follow,

  Mrs. BilletHead took the point. I am sometimes pretty slow but steady. With my failed back I need to pick my steps carefully to prevent tweaking the lumbar and aggravating  nerves. I can go far without a load and even though we had packs they were ultra light and kept us from having our hands full. We crested the trail to see,  A much larger lake that Star. Wall seemed huge! We assembled rods and strung them up. Then Fishing as we beat the water again with hoppers,  The fish began to come to hand,

   Some small brookies too and I had a nice one that ambushed my hopper next to a downed tree but it came unbuttoned and no picture no proof  

   We actually walked all the way around this lake and at midpoint a foil pack of tuna and crackers. No hot meal, we only bought one but that will not happen again. Maybe even instant coffee next time? Back down the trail to our camp at Trial lake. It had been a big day and we were very tired. Slow and steady wins the race. I have a walking App on the phone. It registered at the end of our day 8 miles. Yes 8 and we both were surprised. Both of the trails to these lakes are easy and if you take your time as we did you can do it. We  even seen some little children at Washington the longer hike. We did nothing but relax the rest of the day. Burned up all the firewood we had and even stayed up to see the stars. Next morning up over the pass into Wyoming and then dropping once again into Utah we did a shower and laundry at a KOA and continued on to another local with a hiccup,

   Billethead