The fishin' thread (NWexplorers)

[dreamr]

That's true there is no snow, but there might as well be it is cold!!!!!

I could stand a few hours on the trail though hmmm.......... so much for working friday.

There is snow as low as 2500 feet in some areas, where there isn't it is twice as dangerous this year due to the constant shifting of freezing temperatures, snow, rain, etc getting all jumbled up.

Na I stay out of the hills untill nature sends forth the first spring promises. The date is never the same, But I figure she knows better than I . You just need to be observant to hear her whisper that life is springing forth. Spring is also a nasty time to play on the ridgelines, but a wonderous time to wander the valleys..
Besides I need the winter to work on the truck so I can visit most of my favorite trails that are inaccessible due to road destruction (floods)

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Joe, isn't there a spring run of Chinooks??

 

[jrgaylor]

The "springer" run is not as large as the fall run and is a diffrent tasteing fish altogether, When Ihear they start trickling in I let you know and maybe we can godown to the barrier dam on the cowlitz and hook a few up, what i like abouthe fall run is that you stand out in the river in a t-shirt and soak up the sun, in the spring it can still be cold and rainy, but then you knew that

 

[dreamr]

Want to borrow my snowshoes? Oh wait there's NO SNOW :fire:

What is holdong you back? the weather out there now, is just like a normal June

Who was it that said there was no snow?

This was at the Heather Lake Trailhead around 1'100 feet.
There was a lot more up higher and it was coming down fast with wind.

In the end, no lake journey, just a bit of drivng around and shooting cans.

Guess old man winter is trying to make up for lost time

 

[dreamr]

Last weekend we found ourselves to be extremely bored and my feet were getting really itchy. To scratch the itch I had to drag my daughter and girlfriend out on the trails.

We headed up to the Foss lakes in hopes of maybe catching a fish or two. The year has been very dry so I figured there wouldn't be any snow and if I was lucky the fish would be a biting. Wouldn't you know it. It had been snowing :fire:

We went in as far as Trout Lake at about 2100 feet and were already running into the white stuff in thin little patches. Not as much as last year, but it was still there, luckily the lower lake was snow free for the most part.

Typically this lake is aptly named and you can see schools of trout swimming around. This time there was nothing!!!!!! We fished for about an hour and half without even a bite.

Feeling frustrated I got the bright idea of heading on up the trail to the upper lake basin. Unfortunately by 3500 feet I was postholing up to my knees in fresh super wet snow with the kid sitting on the top of my pack, and had to turn back. All in all it was a fun little adventure, but I guess I'll have to go up alone If I plan on getting to the upper foss lakes.

Not much to say I suppose, but I had to re awaken this thread as the fishing season rapidly approaches.

Poor Zaira, she was so excited to get a line wet that she wiped out twice getting to the shore

Back down by the river we found this old giant of a Douglas Fir. I could still identify it from 1500 feet above on the mountain

 

[AspenX]

Man thats a big tree.

 

[dreamr]

Yeah it was a nice one

Every once in a while we bump into ones that make that look small, but typically they are deep deep in the backcountry and rarely on trails.

 

[93liftedXLT]

Ill be up in the oregon cascades for the lake trout opener, cresent lake then craine praire

 

[dreamr]

Ill be up in the oregon cascades for the lake trout opener, cresent lake then craine praire

Good luck to you!

 

[93liftedXLT]

thanks man, hey were can i get a www.explorer4x4.com or www.explorerforum.com sticker at? i have paypal

 

[jrgaylor]

There was a guy on this forum that use to make the decals but they are no longer available. So my last one I had made a guy I know from the subaru forum makes them
http://www.ultimatesubaru.net/80s/mick/decals/decals.html
check out his site and send him a email, let him know you heard about this from me on the explorer4x4 site

 

[dreamr]

Well I have been getting all excited for fishing season. But..................

Last weekend the family and I headed in to do a bit of hiking and try for a fish at the Ashland lakes. The trail head sits at around 2500 feet and sadly by 2200 we were breaking the path up the road through a good quantity of snow. This first picture was taken during a bathroom break, which was just shy of 2000 feet.

No one had been up the road past this point, but I wasn't about to hike an extra 2 miles, so up we went. By the time I got to the last uphill stretch to the lake trail head my 33's were buried past the top of the rim in hard crusted snow, and I was in 4-low with the rear locker engaged. We made it with no worries and got geared up for the trail.

Obviously the fishing poles were getting left in the truck in exchange for a set of Ice axes. We wandered in about a mile with not a sign of human presence when a set of tracks suddenly appeared in the trail. They were very obviously a large bear, and very fresh. Normally this wouldn't turn me back, but we were the only ones in the area and my pistol was under the seat in the truck still. We debated going on, but having the little one with us was the deciding factor and we headed out without even a glimpse of the frozen in lakes.

Coming back down the hill in the deep snow was interesting, but a lot easier than breaking the path in. My daughter and I had both tossed in our RC trucks in case we got bored, so we dropped down to just below the snowline and played a bit while lunch was cooking. Here is the view from where we stopped. As you can see there be some snow in them there hills. Nice for a change. I was getting worried when I was able to get over 4500 feet in February without hitting snow. It appears Old Man Winter is making up for lost time.

This morning I snuck off before the family had awoken in hopes of getting a shot at the trout up there in Heather Lake. It seemed promising as the lake sits relatively low for an Alpine Lake. I figured there would be a touch of snow, but that has never prevented a die hard fisherman from trying his luck.

Unfortunately I hit the snow line well under 2'000 feet. By the time I got to the Lake there was about 2 feet, much of it fresh with more falling. The lake was exposed a couple months ago, but is now completely covered in a nice thick layer of "slush".

Damn!!!!!!!! I just wanted a mountain rainbow. Guess I'll have to wait a few weeks longer

Unfortunately I left the camera in my other pack, so no pics of Heather for you all, but if your really disappointed there are a few of the area much earlier in this thread from last year.

Untill next weekend.......................

 

[dreamr]

Saturday dawned grey and overcast, but I was sick of the city so I grabbed a buddy and headed up to the hills. I finally renewed my fishing liscense, so............I took my 2nd alpine lake fishing excursion of the season. We chose one of my favorite little lakes, Pinnacle. It sits at about 3800 feet so I was unsure about the snow level.

The hike in was beautiful though the trail was more like a stream than a trail. We arrived at the lake and found no snow with the exception of a bit on the side hills up above. The lake was calm and showed no signs of the fish I know are in there. My buddy laughed as we hiked across the rock fields to the far side. He was convinced that I was full of it and there were no fish in there. I smiled and started rigging my line at the backside (inlet) of the lake. Second cast pulled out a 7" brookie, 4th cast pulled out another in the 5-6" range. My buddy was getting a bit frustrated as he had not even had a bite though he had switched to an identical lure.

At this point I figured I might as well give him my hole and make some coffee and lunch. He still caught nothing

After lunch we started to fish our way back around the lake to the trailhead. In the process I caught 1-6" rainbow and another little 4" brookie. By the trailhead I think he had decided to hate me as he had yet to catch anything

Sorry no pics as the camera was with my G/F at Zaira's pre-school picnic.

Now that I know the snowline has receeded significantly it's time to find the fishing hotspots up in them hills for the season

 

[dreamr]

Now for the sad side note
I was washing the mud off to discover a whole lot of new trail striping, and my rear tire started blowing bubbles in the soap :fire:
Damn fire roads I explored on the way out not only added a nail to the tire but also put a small gash in my sidewall. The nail is responsible for the leak, but that sidewall isn't going to hold much longer. To Bad Discount tire is closed on Sunday!!! But at least I have a warranty for free replacement, I just have to tolerate an ugly rim and 33x9.5 AT for a couple days.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

AHH, the price for catching a few fish (giggling face). :navajo:

 

[dreamr]

AHH, the price for catching a few fish (giggling face). :navajo:

Yeah but I also found a nice big campsite with a gorgeous view that not too many vehicles will make it in too

The first half of the road looks overgrown, and the second half is a nasty rock garden (think 4w302 only much steeper with bigger rocks) but at the end is bliss. I think I'll do a little road maintenance on my next trip up there. Basically trim the bushes back a bit after the first hundred yards (gotta discourage others ) and move the sharper and bigger rocks off to the side.

Now you just have to hope that I can get a new tire shipped up here and mounted before Thursday

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Now you just have to hope that I can get a new tire shipped up here and mounted before Thursday

Nope, I'm going no matter what Been checkin the worm farm and got some good ones for Trav

 

[dreamr]

Nope, I'm going no matter what Been checkin the worm farm and got some good ones for Trav

Lol see how you are. Aren't you the one that gives me a hard time for wheeling alone? I'll be calling them to order a tire in about 15 minutes. If all else fails I'll have a tube slapped in this one for the weekend.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

Remember, a friend of mine with his Dakota is coming out Saturday and I'll have a winch it's already wired and I have the multi mount, just waiting for the winch

Now, how many and which fishing poles to bring

 

[dreamr]

Hmm well maybe I should backpack into to pine lake for the weekend then






J/K I should have everything taken care of tomorrow evening, I'll just be a bit short of cash so no new fly pole for me.

Discount Tire is having a new tire overnighted to them for me. Of course I have to pay the overnight shipping costs, but at least I don't have to dish out 150 for a new tire

So what is the plan? Meet up at your place Friday morning?