Dad Gets First Fish of the Year Again

The first fish of the year goes to Dad again.  He made it out yesterday and caught 3 crappie, 3 saugeye and a bluegill at Keith Sebelius Reservoir.  The Saugeye were in the middle of a cove on the bottom, the crappie were a little further up.  Dad didn't say his depth for the bluegill.

He was using his Vexilar.  He said the ice was about 6 inches deep in the middle of the cove.  He had been out on 3 inches of ice at Webster earlier in the week. 

I still haven't made it out fishing.  Still haven't gotten my fishing license.  I need to get my licenses and get signed up for the Okie BFL's as a co-angler this week. 

2014 Resolution - Get Outdoors

It's time to get serious about my 2014 fishing season.  There's several things that need to start happening.  1st - I need to get out fishing and catch the first fish of 2014.  Dad has the honors the last few years.  I need to get my fishing license now so I can sneak out on the 1st day and bag me a fish before he does.  2nd - I need to get registered for the 2014 Okie BFL as a co-angler.  3rd - I need to start getting my tackle organized and equipment ready for the new year.

I was pretty close to registering for the Everstart Central Division, but the cost of travel and lodging and entry fees is a little more than I can swing right now.  Instead I may try to get in the 1st one at Grand Lake and see what to do from there.  Maybe I'll place and pay for the other 2 events.

This blog may start getting some life back in it in 2014.

This fall and winter I have been outdoors more than I was all summer.  It may have only been a few weekends but I have made it out pheasant hunting with the boys a couple of times.  There are not a lot of birds in Northwest Kansas yet, but they are making a comeback from the last few years of drought and the floods before that.

I have bought a few guns here recently as well.  I have added a 12 gauge pump Remington, a single shot 12 gauge H&R, and a .223 bolt action rifle.  I have also picked up my .22 rifle from my parents.  I took the .223 out to sight it in.  It's a lot of fun.  The .22 is still the most accurate gun I have ever shot.  We were shooting at 200 yards and I centered a target in 3 shots.  I had to aim high due to the distance but once I got the height down it hit right in the center of the target.  I love that gun. 

I just got the 12 gauge single shot for 90.00.  It's in nice condition for that price.  I shot it twice to see how well I liked the modified choke.  I'm going to love it!  I better hit every bird I shoot at though because this thing kicks like a furious mule.  After 2 shots my shoulder is bruised.  I will be looking for a rubber stock bump. 

On New Years Day I am going to hit the lakes around OKC.  I will be down there celebrating the coming of the new year.  There's a few options in the immediate vicinity.  This is going to be my year.  It may hurt that Dad has purchased a gas powered auger and a vexilar for ice fishing.  He may get tricky and go out at sun up New Years Day.  I hope he has to work!

There's a lot to celebrate with the coming of 2014.  My resolution is to make it outdoors a lot more this year.  I took a year off to spend time at home with my baby girl.  I have done that.  Now it's time to get back to my other love.

Tournaments On the Roster Again for Next Year!

Fishing has taken a backseat this year as I have taken a year off for my daughter being born.  I have only fished a couple of times throughout the spring and summer.  My boat has only touched the water once this year.

I would like to make it out more, but family obligations, laziness, cost of gas, and lack of water have kept me at bay.  This fall I may make it out once or twice before I have to winterize the boat.

In thinking about next year, I have decided to get back into the tournament action.  I'm not sure, but I may step it up a bit and do the BFL's and try to get into the next higher series with the FLW.

It's nice for me to have the excuse that I have to go fishing.  Otherwise I may be pursuaded to do other things.

My favorite summer was a few years ago when I was fishing club tournaments and the FLW.  I had to go fishing almost every weekend. 

I won't ever have that opportunity again if I continue to live here.  As long as I can make it out of town for a series I will be happy. 

No Fresh Trout For Breakfast

Vacation is over.  I've been back to work for a couple of weeks now.

The mountains were chilly while we were out there.  It rained every day except for Saturday, the day before we left.  Wednesday it rained the entire day.

We would get up in the mornings and go hiking or fishing and be chased off by the rain by early afternoon.  We did drive around some and check out the mountains. 

One of my favorite drives was driving up one of the unmaintained passes in my explorer.  The road was rough and had lots of puddles making it fun to drive on.  The scenery was excellent.  We drove slow and had to pull over for oncoming traffic.  It was something I had never done before.  When we got to the top of the pass at 11500 feet we got out and climbed the mountain beside us so the boys could touch snow in August.  The both threw snowballs at me.

Fishing was great.  I had a Kokane Salmon on the fly at one lake.  It got off at the shoreline and I was dissapointed I didn't get it in since I have never caught one.  I also caught rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout.  The brook trout were the biggest of all.  We found a nice beaver dam on the way up the pass and pulled over to fish it on the way down.  I had several 14 inch plus trout take the fly.  I only landed a couple little 10 inchers though. 

On the 3rd to last day we found a perfect stretch of river to fish that was public access.  As we were wading and fishing it I almost had a River Runs Through It experience.  There was a boulder sticking out of the water.  I watched the current going around the rock and saw a 20+ inch brown trout slowly rise to the surface and suck in an insect as it came floating past. 

I whipped my fly rod back and forth and laid the fly perfectly out in front of where the trout had risen.  All of a sudden my line went tight.  It was coming in awefully easy for such a huge trout.  I thought a 20+ inch trout would put up a much bigger fight.  I was right.  It didn't take long to realize a smaller trout had gotten this fly.

The kids had fun hiking through the mountains and playing around the cabin.  My daughter loved hiking since she could sleep and be carried the whole way.  She did get a little upset when it started raining and sleeting the first day we were out there.

Even with all the rain we had a lot of fun.  The cabin was nice and we played cards to pass the time while we were there. 

Next time I go out there I want to have a cabin or a campsite on the river or on a lake.  It's difficult waiting on everybody to eat breakfast and get ready to head out for the day.  I would rather slip out for an early morning fish and come back to eat fresh trout for breakfast.

Less Than a Month Until Vacation

With less than a month until our vacation, I have done nothing to prepare.  I haven't tied any flies.  I haven't broken out the fly pole and practiced casting.  I haven't written a list of anything we will need. 

I have booked the cabin.

I am getting excited about fly fishing in the Rocky Mountains again.  Last time I went it came back to me pretty easily.  That was about 5 years ago for a short couple hour trip.  I caught a couple rainbow's in that time. 

This time we have a full week in gold medal trout waters.  It's going to be great. 

Breaking Out The Fly Rod This Summer

When I was 5, Dad got his first fly rod.  It was stiff and burly and later worked great as a bass rod.  We had went through the Colorado Rockies, Snowy Range, Yellowstone National Park, The Grand Tetons, next to the Snake River in Idaho, all on our way to the state of Washington.  If you make that trip, you'll buy a fly rod too.

I was instantly impressed with fly fishing, even though I was the only one to catch a trout on a regular zebco. 

Five years later we went through Yellowstone again.  This time I got to try fly fishing.  I got my first fly rod and it was a beast like Dad's.  I think we gave 25.00 for it with the reel and the line, and a few colorful flies.  I don't think I caught anything or really learned how to cast it on that trip.

Once I got back home in Kansas, I practiced daily to get the casting down.  Not long after that I was riding my bike to a local pond or the creek to practice my techniques on some innocent bluegill, and bass. 

Eventually I started tying my own flies and got really good at catching fish on the fly.  Somehow, I have stopped tying flies and stopped fly fishing.  Several years ago I was in the Rockies and gave it a try again.  It came back to me quickly and I pulled in a couple rainbow trout.  A guide came up to me and asked me for advice.  My head got big really quick.

Since then I haven't fly fished.  My fly rod has probably been in its case for over 10 years, my wifes has been in her case even longer.

This summer we will be breaking them out!  We are taking a weeks vacation near Lake George, Colorado.  My parents and us will be renting a cabin.  For a few days of the vacation, I hope to get the boys, Dad and myself out for a few hours of trout fishing.

No Water No Fishing No Camping

Unless I want to pull my boat and camper over 2 hours, there is no lakes around to boat at.  Canton Lake in Oklahoma is still 13 foot low, which is 7 foot lower than it was at this time last year. 

They quit saying that the boat ramps are unusable on the Oklahoma fishing report I get, but the islands all around the lake that were 3 foot below the water will be 4 foot above the water this year.  The fish should be stacked up there if you can get a boat on the lake.

Other than that the next closest lake for me to go to camp and boat is Kaw Lake over 2 hours away.  It gets filled with water funners in the sunners and becomes too dangerous for a weekend fishing trip, unless you want to dodge irresponsible boat drivers all day.

It's getting hot now.  Temps are over 100 degrees.  I will need my camper if I go to the lake to camp to stay somewhat cool during the middle of the day.  With gas prices hovering around 4.00 a gallon I don't want to  make 2 trips over 2 hours to pull both the camper and the boat to the lake.

It's been getting closer and closer each year, but it may be time to sell the boat and the camper, or move somewhere that has water.