Finally made it to Crane

[LuvToFish]

2 hours ago, netboy said:

Looks like a great trip.

The saying about the 3 stages of fly fishing is...

1. You want to catch the most fish.

2. You want to catch the biggest fish.

3. You want to catch the smartest fish.

How clever is this? I must be somewhere between 1 and 3 lol. 

[Ham]

10 hours ago, netboy said:

Looks like a great trip.

The saying about the 3 stages of fly fishing is...

1. You want to catch the most fish.

2. You want to catch the biggest fish.

3. You want to catch the smartest fish.

I hope I never get to Stage 3

[snagged in outlet 3]

I thought number 3 was catch fish they way you prefer to fish....

[Johnsfolly]

13 hours ago, LuvToFish said:

How clever is this? I must be somewhere between 1 and 3 lol. 

I know that I am definitely between 1 and 3 as well 🤣

[netboy]

5 hours ago, Ham said:

I hope I never get to Stage 3

Ham, I think you, Johnsfolly and FishinDave are the perfect examples of Stage3.

Think about it... you guys not only figure out where to go to catch a target species, but actually catch it when you get there. That's pretty impressive in my book. You guys are certainly not after numbers or size, just the challenge of catching that "smart" fish.👍

[Terrierman]

18 hours ago, JestersHK said:

I've been obsessed with chasing monster trout for a while.  This past winter @BrandonSTL and I started the blue ribbon slam challenge.  After the winter I was down to 3 streams left. Crane, NFOW, and 11pt.  

My buddy and I were chasing sea monsters on Taney this weekend and the crowds in the morning were crazy with the water being off.  We woke up in the car after a quick nap yesterday and I called the audible to make the hour drive to Crane.  

On the way I texted a trusted source of knowledge here @trythisonemv and anxiously awaited he respond to my text!  I prayed he was awake and could help us two noobs on where to start.  He responded and we were all set.

We arrived to a locked bathroom and my buddies coffee kicking in lol, after a slight detour we parked around 9am and grudgingly started the process of wadering up.   I say grudgingly as at this point I think we had maybe 3 to 4 hours sleep in the past 3 days and it was well over 95 degrees and humid. 

After a 1/2 mile trek in the sun and heat us fat kids were sweaty so it was awesome to be greeted with a shady creek and cool water that was teeming with life. 

After struggling to find fish in 2 of the other blue ribbon streams it was great to see so many trout so quickly.

It didn't take us long and we both had our first fish landed.  They weren't huge but they were hardy and fought good. 

Robs 2nd fish was a 14in that took him for a ride.  All the fish we caught fought harder than any other trout their equal.  They just had a fire in them that day I guess,  but it was great fun. 

After about 3 hours and over 5 a piece for both of us we decided to end this little side adventure.  I was stoked with the catching,  and also crossing #7 off my list. 

#7 is right up there as my top favorite currently.  Wish it was closer and also wish I'd visited sooner. 

You're not that fat.

[JestersHK]

9 hours ago, Terrierman said:

You're not that fat.

Haha thanks buddy,   I'm sure as heck not skinny.  Pleasurably plump we can go with

I'll tell ya one thing we were soaked through and through,  partly from soaking my hoodie to keep cool, and the rest from the trek in the sun. Got pretty swampy in those waders lol.

If there were any sasquatch sitings in the area I did change next to the truck so false alarm. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

9 hours ago, JestersHK said:

Haha thanks buddy,   I'm sure as heck not skinny.  Pleasurably plump we can go with

I'll tell ya one thing we were soaked through and through,  partly from soaking my hoodie to keep cool, and the rest from the trek in the sun. Got pretty swampy in those waders lol.

If there were any sasquatch sitings in the area I did change next to the truck so false alarm. 

I heard there was a female sighting😂

[Terrierman]

10 hours ago, JestersHK said:

Haha thanks buddy,   I'm sure as heck not skinny.  Pleasurably plump we can go with

I'll tell ya one thing we were soaked through and through,  partly from soaking my hoodie to keep cool, and the rest from the trek in the sun. Got pretty swampy in those waders lol.

If there were any sasquatch sitings in the area I did change next to the truck so false alarm. 

On that day, pretty sure I would have waded wet.  It was HOT.

 

[JestersHK]

Yep. If I'd of known what we were getting into I'd likely of just wet waded.  Water was still icy cold though. 

Pete as my buddy was changing in-between the buildings I yelled out a school bus of school girls was coming haha.