Road trip out west

[JestersHK]

Fish pic,  caught a ton of these

[Ham]

Love to see it

[Johnsfolly]

8 hours ago, JestersHK said:

Fish pic,  caught a ton of these

I think that is a mountain whitefish. @Al Agnew would be a better resource for those western species.

[Ham]

8 hours ago, JestersHK said:

Fish pic,  caught a ton of these

#lucky Man, I'd catch those all day or at least until I got distracted by a micro.

[Quillback]

Yes, whitefish.  

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

I think that is a mountain whitefish. @Al Agnew would be a better resource for those western species.

               Could be John we have caught bunches of those. What is throwing me is the mouth on this one looks bigger than a whitefish. Lots of whitefish out there and seems to be the most feasible answer.

[JestersHK]

Thanks for the ID help.  That was the biggest and most were smaller but very aggressive and ate both jig and fly.

The Madison yesterday morning was all white fish no trout... pretty river but wanted trout lol. 

We're heading out to Basalt now.  4 hour drive to CO to the frying pan.  I'm going to take the girls to the toilet bowl, and try to get the wife a brownie out of the Pan. 

Tomorrow morning we're hiking up to the little stream i found a few years back with the guys to catch some western slope cutts.

 

[Quillback]

Winter time fishing for whitefish is a deal in Washington state, people would line up shoulder to shoulder on the rivers to fish for them.  I never targeted them, but caught some steelhead fishing and trout fishing.  Popular fish for smoking and I believe the roe is good to eat also.  WA state record for one is a bit over 5 lbs.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Whitefish have saved the day for me before.   Seems if I was into a bunch of them I wouldn’t catch any trout.  Good eatin if you get enough of em.   Egg and San Juan worm in the toilet bowl has worked for me there many times.  

[JestersHK]

Toilet bowl and most of the river was packed today when we got into Basalt.  

We ate an early dinner at the Tipsy Trout then headed up to a few familiar holes on the pan.  As soon as we left duvet it started raining... 

I hit my first spot and built rods in the rain and then it let up a bit to fish.   

We had a few bites and lost a few jigs then decided to go check out our trail head for our hike tomorrow to have cutts.

I'm glad we did as right when I got out of the car I heard rock clattering down the side of the mountain.  A good size black bear was running up.  We all got to see him and take a few pics.  The rest of the fam is not as excited as this will be the same spot our home starts tomorrow lol

We stopped at 12 mile marker and the wife and I both caught brownies and she caught her first brown ever which was a good sized male.  Mine was allot smaller lol. 

Both came in a jig as most of the river is so brushed in its hard with the fly rod for her to cast,  and me too if I'm being honest 😆 

Hopefully we have a successful home tomorrow and I want another shot at the breeding pair western slope cutts on this creek up the mountain I saw last time.