Red Lake: Punked again

After watching the dvd, “The Underwater World of Trout Vol 1, I decided it was time to catch a Brook Trout. After visiting Red Lake last November, I have been licking my chops to go back there. I know there is some monster Brookies in that lake and now with the snow melting and the lake clearing up, I felt it was a time to get back up there to set my hook. Red Lake sites about 8200 feet above sea level. I am not sure why it’s called Red Lake, but the word is there are tons of wild brookies there. Then add the fact that last fall both when Caples Lake was drained for some work on the dam, some nice people took the fish out of that lake and transplanted them into Red Lake. Red Lake is not that big of a lake and there is not a ramp for big boats to be put into the lake. Perfect for the guy in a float tube or a pontoon boat to navigate and investigate the rumors of the monster brookies.

I was hoping that those monsters that I encounter last fall survived the winter. I could not sleep the previous night contemplating another excursion to Red Lake. I leisurely left the house around 11:30am, thinking I would like the place to warm up a bit. This way the fish would be in a mood to grab one of my flies. For me, I have to traverse the Mother Lode country in Amador County. I like to take Mormon Emigrant trail, but I was not sure that road was accessible yet. Going through Amador county can be a slow affair, but I take the back roads through the towns of Plymouth and Fiddletown. I had one crazy moment on Old Sacramento Road. After a sharp turn, I came upon a huge King Snake sunning on the road. I could not slow down fast enough, but I believe I was able to avoid the snake. After two hours on the road, I was at Red Lake.

Once I got there, I noticed no one was in the water with any type of water craft. I am starting to get a warm and fuzzy feeling about this trip, but I could not find my Okuma Cascade Arbor reel. I was thinking, “I’m ok, I have my Okuma Sierra reel”. I grabbed my Okuma Sierra reel and noticed that the arm which the reel fits into the rod was missing. Now I am thinking I am pretty much screwed. I started to smoke my victory cigar and bam, I broke that. Things are not feeling so good now. I packed up and started to head home. I was really in the dumps as I was passing Caples Lake, when I noticed my Okuma Cascade Arbor reel was at the bottom of my fishing vest. Ecstatically, I did an immediate U-turn & within minutes I was in the Lake.

Now for my first time that I can ever recall, I was fishing with snow on the banks of any body of water. This was a trippy experience for me. However, I grabbed my cajones and got my butt into the water. The water was cold, but I had my neoprene waders on. Cool right. Well no, cold. I say about one hour after kicking around, my tube lost some air. I sank lower into the water, causing the water to seep into my waders. Not a good feeling. However I tried to man it up. About 45 minutes later, the wind really starts to pick up. Man, I am getting cold now. My fingers start to become numb. Ok, I take a break. I goto the shore and tried to huff & puff and blow some air into the tube. Remarkably, it works. Now I change flies. I put this fly on my line that I tied might work. It was strange creation with Olive crystal chenille. I had a long olive marabou tail on it. I used a #12 scud hook.
I don’t have a name for it. I guess it’s a version of wiggly worm. Anyway, minutes after putting it on my line, I start to get some action. Also, I am hearing some splashes around me, for the first time since I was on the water. Still no really tight lines. I moved a bit closer to the shore, by this inflow creek. BAM!!! I felt a slight strike. I set the hook. I see a bit of movement on my line. I am thinking yes, finally. It was worth the trip. I pull hard and start to strip. The fish is not big enough to load the reel I think. Also, I feel that I need to get this bad boy up to the surface. A couple of more minutes pass; finally I can see the 12 inch brookie come up to the surface. A beautiful looking specimen. I am able to bring the fish up to my tube, but it is still fighting. I have a net, which I can put the fish. I start to fiddle with the net and for a split second I loose concentration with the brookie. That brookie, which had some girth to it, started to wiggle a bit more. I try to inch the net closer to the fish, but I have it dummy corded to my tube. That fish sees the net and makes one more dash for freedom. Oops, I watch the brookie shake the hook out of its mouth. Crap!!!! What can a guy do??? I tried again & got another bite, but instantly the fish left my hook.

Ok, again I did not net the fish on the end of my line. However, I do know where to find those fish. Also, I know my fly patterns are liked by the brookies. So it’s not a total loss, but I will return again to Red Lake. I feel that I will have my day there, where I catch that big brookie beneath the waves there. As I start to take off, I see a totally awesome sight. A huge Bald Eagle soars over me and circles the lake. I start to think that just that moment right there was worth the trip up to Red Lake. Getting a fish on the end of my line was just a bonus feature on the trip. Red Lake, I will return and I will net that big brookie…Mark my words!!!!