West Yellowstone 9-30-2010

Several months ago we planned this trip to Yellowstone with dad and LaRue, although this wasn’t to be a fishing trip I packed my equipment just in case the fishing was stellar. I ended up not fishing, but did view some fish on the trip.

When we stopped in Idaho Falls to stretch our legs, we saw nice browns feeding in the foam below the falls.













Above Ashton on the Warm River just before it joins the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River there’s a place where you can feed the fish, but not fish.





























When we stopped to view the Firehole Falls in Yellowstone we could see fish trying to swim up the falls, but was unable to get a picture.












Another place in the park on the Firehole River we saw fish by a bridge leading to some geysers.

Chesterfield Reservoir 9-25-2010

Myself, Rick and Sam were planning on fishing Soldier Creek Reservoir, but the reports haven’t been that great, so we thought about going to Crittenden Reservoir in Nevada, but that’s a long four hour drive one way, finally we choose to fish Chesterfield Reservoir in Idaho. None of us had ever fished there before and it’s a three hour drive, about the maximum time for a day trip.

We made a quick stop in Tremonton to get a day Idaho fishing license and an invasive species sticker for the boats. We arrived just after 10:00 am and was on the water by 10:30. The air temperature was very comfortable and there was no need to even wear a jacket.














The water temperature was 58 degrees and very calm, maybe to calm. There were several pontoons, float tubes and boats already on the water. And it wasn’t hard to tell were the best morning fishing had been, because they were all congregated in one area off a point.













Rick hooked up with a nice one first, but it got off at the boat.
Sam land the first and biggest fish of the day, a nice fat Rainbow.













Shortly after Sam caught his, I caught this nice Rainbow














Rick had another one on and to the net when it came off. And then he landed this nice fat 16 incher. At one point I heard a big splash, turned around saw a big fish jump three or four more times about fifteen to twenty yards from Ricks boat. I told Rick to go get it, and he said he just had a snag and lost his fly. I think that fish was his snag all ticked off and trying to spit the hook.











A few more fish.













In the afternoon the water was dead calm and no one on the lake could catch a fish. We all just drifted around with puzzled looks on our faces.














Getting ready to leave. If we lived closer we may have stuck around hoping for an evening bite to start.













We all ended up landing a couple fish and hooking and losing a few. It was a tough day of fishing, but the fish we did catch were some dandy’s. Everyone we talked to said they didn’t do very well, except for the bait fisherman in the boats. Everyone agreed that it was to be blamed on the ten days of an almost full moon that was out all night, every night.

Video of Sams big Rainbow. Sorry its so shaky but I was shooting it over my shoulder while I was kicking to get closer.

Soldier Creek Reservoir 9-11-2010

September 11th, that should ring a bell. It’s hard to believe that it’s been nine years since the terrorist suicide attacks upon the United States. We are so lucky to be Americans, and so proud of those who fight to keep us safe and free. May God always watch over and protect this great land in which we live.

With the Saturday weather forecast of cooler temperatures and blue skies, Rick and I decided to go to Soldier Creek Reservoir to do some fishing. We arrived at 8:00 am too thick fog. The air temperature was a nippy 25 degrees.













By 8:30 am just before we got on the water the fog was starting to lift. When on the water I noticed that the fish finder was showing a water temperature of 58 degrees, still a little warm for the fish to start moving in to the shallows. By noon the water warmed up to 62 degrees and it was warm enough to take off our jackets.













Within ten minutes the first fish was on, a nice sixteen inch Rainbow, it ended up being my best fish of the day. It was interesting that by the end of the day Rick and I had caught the exact same number of fish, twenty-eight. And even more interesting was the fact that we didn’t catch a single Cutthroat. Rick also caught one Chub and I caught two. The average Rainbow was 13-14 inches long, but fought hard all the way to the net.














The mountain sides looked very nice, but I have noticed in the past that the best fishing seems to be when they are putting on their fall colors.














More Fishing shots.

















I put out a crayfish trap while I fished, using chicken drumsticks for bait, and ended up bringing home almost fifty.














Sunset, moon, venus, and Strawberry reservoir. A little to dark for a picture but it was pretty.












Dinner, Crayfish and Trout.