Early Autumn

Last week:

So far this season, the fishing has been pretty good.  Last week, my family and I went south to a spot that I really like, this time of year.



Wanting to finally test my new float tube, Rex Reservoir was a great choice.  The water level drops pretty dramatically every year and by autumn, its overall size is much smaller.  This makes it much easier to locate fish and covering the whole lake on a tube is also nice.

The fish aren't huge, but the cutthroat are wild and fun to catch.  The rainbows usually get caught before they have a chance to grow, but the holdovers are nice and plump.

Sonia was the first to cast and quickly had the first fish of the day on a worm.



Within a few minutes, James caught a really small one.  I hadn't even gotten my gear ready yet and was glad to see the early action.  My excitement grew as I inflated the tube.  Rex is a fun place to float.



After shoving off and kicking around for about an hour, James caught a pretty good cutthroat, which he wanted to keep.



Sonia got a keeper rainbow shortly thereafter.



I did alright, but missed a lot of bites.  Several fish of similar size to these came to hand.





It was still good to get out with the family though, and everyone that fished was able to catch some fish.  The tube held up well and I'm excited to use it as much as possible.

Throughout the work week, I have a habit of using my lunch breaks as fishing opportunities.  Currently working in Provo, the river is pretty close by and I've done alright in a couple of spots through town.



This guy was watching me on Thursday.



This week:

My initial plan was to float Strawberry but upon arrival, the wind changed my mind.  Heading north, I hoped the conditions at Currant Creek Reservoir would be better.

Along the way, I was distracted by the beaver dams on the L. Fork of Currant Creek.



The stream was very productive and satisfying, as I caught about 20 fish in the time I fished it.  They bit a marabou jig and a gold Vibrax.  A couple were pretty long and skinny, but most were pretty small, like usual.





There was even a thin sheet of ice over some of the pools in the shade.  This little guy came in as I jigged my spinner through the hole it made as it hit.  Does that count as ice fishing?



Moving on, the lake had a good breeze going and it was decided to keep the tube in the truck this week.  A few fish were seen at the inlet, but the only bite shook off after a couple of seconds.

After driving around to the dam, the fishing was much better, though the weeds were terribly thick.  After walking the dam in search of gaps in the giant green submerged wall, I decided to just take my chances with it.

First catch was a round-bellied rainbow and a few more followed.



The tigers were also in the neighborhood and a couple of them actually broke me off.  One that I saw was definitely over 20", but all of them fought really hard.  Lots of fun.



Even the cutthroat fight well in Currant Creek.  Here's the biggest one I could keep on the line this trip.



The sunlight was vanishing quickly, so I called it a day.  The drive home was enjoyable, traveling along the Co-op Creek Road, although it was a bit nerve-wracking with all the hunters parked everywhere (it's a day-glo orange circus up there).



Happy Fishing, Humans.