A forum that'll feed your need for exploring the limitless adventure possibilities found in "other" places. Post trip reports or ask questions about outdoor adventures beyond the Sierra Nevada here.
Driving home from a week of work in Colorado, I could not pass on the opportunity to fish for Colorado River Cutthroat. The question was “where” could I attempt to catch this beautiful species given the late season snowfall and potential snowpack. My main concern was not encountering snow but dealing with runoff that would muddy the water. Looking over maps, and research data I settled on a watershed in Utah that “might” work. It was not exactly on our (my wife was with me) way back home but the detour would be much closer than a return trip from Southern California. We made our way to the base of the stream and then had to drive about 15 miles on a dirt road that made its way around and up a large mountain. The road was rough but not bad. Certainly there were sections of washboard and a very patches of rough buried rock but nothing that a good set of tires and suspension could not handle. The intended creek was supposed to cross the road where a trailhead to a reservoir (hint on location) began. However, we did not want to push the car too far over rough rocks so we stopped about a mile from from the trailhead and set-out.
After about 10 minutes of walked we came across the stream...or at least one branch of it. Given the runoff there were many fingers to the stream that would meander around and at times all connect. Most importantly, the creek was clear. The trailhead began at the treeline and I fished the meadows below the line and the wooded area just above. Over 2 hours I worked about 500 meters above the tree line to about 1000 meters below it. Given that the water was moving VERY quickly I tied up the trusted hopper and dropper setup using a cricket and and bead-headed prince. The setup worked like a charm. I would toss it above falls and it would churn in the pools below and when the hopper would disappear I would set the hook and viola, a gorgeous and pure Colorado River Cutthroat was my reward...over and over again. I eventually changed out to a parachute adams in the meadow riffles with the same result. The prince was utilized alone in the wooded sections where the pools were deeper and the light significantly less.
The fish were simply stunning. These are only a few of the fish I caught. I probably brought 40 to hand. It was a phenomenal adventure and I was blessed to share it with my wife. PM me if you want more information regarding this watershed. It's certainly a MUST. I just don't want to share info directly on the board...
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member:http://reconn.org
Wow Jim!!! Those are some gorgeous trout. Much darker than the cutts of your previous post and far more orange to the belly than I would have imagined. I guess its not all that surprising that they look like the pics Ive seen of our own population of Colorado Cutts (I've not been to the basin that holds em, just seen pics)Gorgeous looking stream as well. You've definitely got the Cutty thing going this spring!!! Kudos!!!
Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest places if you look at it right.
Again, congrats on the cutts, Jim. Thank you for your discretion in sharing fish location info in a public forum. Those of us that are native fish-o-philes certainly appreciate it. The water looks cold, as your hands looked and flushed and cold as in the other pics with the Bonnieville Cutts. Still, worth it though.
Cheers!
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." --The Dude (Jeff Lebowski)
