The No-Bull Prize for Fishing

TillamookChinook · 12-15-2003, 04:56 PM

The Crack of Dawn reverberated off the wilderness canyons of the Crooked River and the urban canyons of downtown Portland, and the IFish Bull Trout Research Team was already on the road.

In a demonstration of near military precision, the two-car caravan from the Crooked River and the one-car caravan from Portland managed to find the Metolius River and arrive at the hatchery parking lot on the same day.

And a beautiful day it was, with fresh snow on the ground and an intermittent snowfall throughout the day.

The IFish Bull Trout Research Team, from left to right, LilNorthFork, FallRiverGuy, RiverKeeper and GreenButtSkunk. TillamookChinook behind the lens.

FallRiverGuy in the Zone.

Bent Rod as RiverKeeper leans into a heavy fish under the watchful eye of our fearless leader GreenButtSkunk.

GreenButt landed an 18" Bull Trout shortly after we got our lines into the water. The rest of us practised the long distance release technique.

My fish took off on a really long run, finally stopped with a couple of turns of fly line still on the reel, then shook his head and loosed the fly. The light was not very good so we never got a glimpse of what was almost certainly a world record Bull Trout.

All in all, a great day on the river with a great group of guys. There was a little grumbling that our leader, GBS, did not climb high into a tree to spot fish for us like the guys across the river were doing.

TC with a beautiful "Bull" Trout sporting the splendid fall colors of the Metolius. And that's no Bull.

TC

blacktail · 12-15-2003, 05:26 PM

Brad,

I thought you were taking them to the "good" dolly hole?

Mike

Gizmo Man · 12-15-2003, 07:24 PM

Looks like a colddddddd outing. Was there any problems matching the hatch...(snow flake pattern :smile: )

Glad you all had fun.

TC: was that the actual colors of that fish or did you computer enchance them?

Giz

HappyFishers · 12-15-2003, 08:00 PM

Congrats Guys, wish I could of been there with ya.

Merry Xmas,

HF

lilnorthfork · 12-15-2003, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Was there any problems matching the hatch...(snow flake pattern)

Gizmo - that was precisely the problem... no two of those flakebugs were alike. You'd match one for size but it would look nothing like the real thing. Color also seemed to matter. Those bulls are p-i-c-k-y.
Great pics TC; thanks for sharing.

12-16-2003, 02:31 AM

You guys are nuts :grin: Looks like a fun time! I can hardly wait until the spring rendevouz

greenbuttskunk · 12-16-2003, 08:00 AM

Guys, guys! I had every intention of climbing up a big ponderosa to spot the bulls for you, but my
therapist tells me not to climb trees ever since I fell out of a tree watching Cindy Anderson get dressed near the bedroom window when I was 7. Ooops! :shocked:
Great shots TC, especially that one fish of yours is a beauty, what did you get him on, a sofa "pillow"?
That's the "go to" fly for a fish like that.
Riverkeeper, good form there, that cracker should have come with some cheese! :grin:
Great trip, let's all do it again, that drive in the snow over the pass is just more fun than the law allowes!
GBS

FallRiverGuy · 12-16-2003, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by blacktail:
Brad,

I thought you were taking them to the "good" dolly hole?

Mike

WHAT!? We were told by the fearless, unless it comes to trees, leader that we were fishing the "best" holes. Maybe we were just shown some bull. Ya cut me deep GBS. :grin:

Riverkeeper · 12-16-2003, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Riverkeeper, good form there, that cracker should have come with some cheese!

Remind me to tell you about the day last May when a buddy and I went 0 for 30 in 3 hours on the D

The great thing about fishing with the group in that first photo was that we never had to compete for any of the holes with other fisherman. Most of them pretty much staggered away in laughter as we walked up. You know how the stereotypical flyfisherman is a distinguished, mild mannered individual with refined tastes and attitudes? Well, this weekend pretty much blew that myth out of the water.

lilnorthfork · 12-16-2003, 03:36 PM

Riverkeeper - are you suggesting we didn't have attitudes?

TillamookChinook · 12-16-2003, 03:55 PM

It really was a fun and educational day on the water.

GBS tried to demonstrate the technique for placing the fly directly in the fish's mouth by hand. If I had known he was going to do that I would have had the camera ready so we could all learn from the master.

The colors on the fish in my picture are not computer enhanced. In fact, the photo does not do it justice. The photo came out so well I think I will have to get a whole set of different species of fish to take along on my trips to match whatever fish I didn't catch that day.

TC

greenbuttskunk · 12-17-2003, 08:44 AM

Riverkeeper, I am a flyfisherman and YES, I do have an attitude. I like John Tesh, eat brie, drink fine chardonnay, and I'm better than you!
nah, nah, nah! :grin:
All joking aside, it was a great group and I know
we'll all make the next one that much more zaney!
That's for sure!
GBS

Grantspastor · 12-17-2003, 09:21 AM

Great photos Jim! And might I say, that was an especially colorful fish you caught!

greenbuttskunk · 12-17-2003, 09:44 AM

yes jim it is. Bet it's comfy to curl up with and take a nap.

blacktail · 12-17-2003, 02:08 PM

You guys did notice how Brad didn't reply to my post asking him why he didn't take you to the good Dolly Hole??

Mike

[ 12-17-2003, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: blacktail ]

greenbuttskunk · 12-17-2003, 02:35 PM

Mike,
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! come on now, I was going to take
you there, I swear! ya, that's it!

FallRiverGuy · 12-17-2003, 02:45 PM

Come on blacktail, fill us in. I feel a story brewing here.

SalmonNilla · 12-22-2003, 10:58 PM

Looks like a blast, when I get the hang of this bug stuff I'd love to hook up with some of you for a trip like that. What a beautiful place.

blacktail · 12-23-2003, 06:11 AM

No story. I just thought Brad was taking you to the good spots. I know where the good spots are and they aren't in any of those photos.

Mike

[ 12-23-2003, 07:12 AM: Message edited by: blacktail ]

Riverkeeper · 12-23-2003, 06:49 AM

If you were walking around with 4 or 5 guys, would YOU take them to the best holes?

greenbuttskunk · 12-23-2003, 07:08 AM

shucks! ya figured me out there Darian!
You guys are all fish catching machines. My secrete zipperlip holes would be anhialated
in no time. Did'nt you guys see those bulls
tremble as you approached the bank. You thought they were shivering from the cold, but it was really from the sight of you scary dudes.

Riverkeeper · 12-23-2003, 07:28 AM

I thought they were snickering, like the other fisherman on the bank, and the ladies in the General store coffee shop...

greenbuttskunk · 12-23-2003, 07:33 AM

The ladies were snickering cuz we all had waders on so tight you could guess our religions! :shocked: :grin:

FallRiverGuy · 12-23-2003, 08:00 AM

:shocked:
Umm....
Well...
Really...
I was going to comment on that last statement GBS, but it has really left me speechless....

:grin:

[ 12-23-2003, 09:01 AM: Message edited by: FallRiverGuy ]

lilnorthfork · 12-23-2003, 09:45 AM

Quote:

waders on so tight you could guess our religions!

And that guy up the tree said he was spotting fish?!

blacktail · 12-23-2003, 10:48 AM

I was kidding around. The place you guys were fishing is indeed one of the good spots for the bulls. Just giving GBS a hard time.

Mike

Riverkeeper · 12-23-2003, 10:56 AM

No matter what hole GBS takes you to, there is bound to be PLENTY of Bull.

lilnorthfork · 12-23-2003, 12:15 PM

Quote:

No matter what hole GBS takes you to, there is bound to be PLENTY of Bull.

That is why I always wear my waders.

greenbuttskunk · 12-24-2003, 07:47 AM

fishing with me, ya gotta have chest waders on, cuz it sure does get deep! :grin:

kodiakfisher · 01-03-2004, 07:41 PM

After today I can confirm that you don't have to be close to water or even fishing to need chest waders because of all the "bull" from GBS. :grin:

Thats what you get from GBS with an aborted fishing trip. Thats okay my kitchen pass is still good.

Any of us that have children understand these things happen.

Looks like you guys had a great time. I'll flog the water with you guys anytime. I can crack the whip on fish with the best of em. At least I understand the reason behind the snickering. I used to "think" it was me now I know it is.

Kodiakfisher