Tiger Trout, Cutthroat, and Rainbows!

This week was supposed to be a family trip, but the weather was just too cold for all of us to have a good time, so I went alone.

A few waters have recently opened up and I'd heard rumors of a fishable amount elsewhere, so I thought I'd give it a go.

Though the ice was still holding strong at my main destination, I worked the small open areas as best I could.





It was actually pretty discouraging to be locked out of my preferred areas on the lake.  2 hours passed before I got my first strike, which came after the wind gave me enough room to cast a Blue Fox.

Eventually, I switched back to the black marabou and jigged it in a hole I had made a bit earlier with a rock.  A nice 20" cutthroat was ready for that one.



Finally getting some action on the jig motivated me to test more of the open water.  Seeing a nicer cutthroat was comforting, as it had been awhile since a big one graced my hand.

The ice sheet was lined up with a good casting area and I was able to skirt the edge of it over some deeper water.  Going on my 4th hour and only 3 fish caught, it was a major relief to feel a good pull on the line.  A beautiful 22" tiger slammed the black marabou forcefully.





It was quite the handful and much appreciated after working all day for it.

Not long after that, I picked up a 23" female while hopping my jig along the bottom.  As neat as that should have felt, she was actually pretty ugly.  Scrawny body and a parachute face.



Sometimes those mutant tigers just don't grow right.



Catching another big one was more than welcome though.

Having satisfied my interest in that lake, it was time to head out.  There was still time to go out of my way a little and work some healthy rainbows.  This proved to be a great idea.





At first I thought I was in the wrong place.  Nothing was biting for the first 20 minutes, but then I dialed in on how to present.  Again, they wanted the black marabou.





Hopping it on the bottom produced smaller bows, but dropping it to the bottom, then gently jigging it up through the water column was money.  The next 40 minutes was the perfect way to top off my day.



That 19" tank fought like crazy!  What a fish!  Its buddies weren't bad either.



Nice and thick.





A day like this was exactly what I've needed.  The rainbows wrecked my jig, which was newly tied on for that lake.



I even got home before dark, which made my wife happy too.  Bonus!

Happy Fishing, Humans.