The Tug Is The Drug

I managed to convince my dad to take me out for a quick fishing trip after school today. Just one fish, I told him. My dad has really been getting into fishing lately (he caught an 11 incher on BC yesterday!), he was willing to come sit for awhile. After all, the tug is the drug. So I convinced him. Armed with 3x and only one fly, a fall colored rust buster, we head out. Lucky for me, it seemed like the fish were active. Lots of carp were right on the surface, eating anything that floated on the water. So I casted my fly into the middle of this carp circle. After a few casts, it became evident that the carp were more interested in things they didn't have to chase (i.e. the leaves). So I cast in again, dangling my fly 6 inches under the surface of the water. After a few more casts like that, I saw a nice sized carp swim up to my fly and inhale. I set the hook, and got him clean in the top of the mouth. This is the time of year to chase the big uglies! Howard, it's time to get you on one of these things!

Hart Lake (Following Footsteps)

I have hung around a fly shop for almost three years now. Every person who walks through the doors has a story to tell. Some stories are good, and some are not. Me, I have a lot of stories of my own. I've been all over, had my share of good and bad days, and even occasionally caught a fish or two. Someone had told me last year about big Cutthroats in a high mountain lake last year. "How big?" I had asked them? O, up to about 16 inches. I was really planning on going there, and 16 inch Cutts excited me. Until I saw Erin's post on Hart Lake. And I knew right then I had to go. I called up a buddy of mine, and asked when his next available day was. Not knowing anything about the place we were going other than we had a long hike ahead of us, we head out to the Lake. I had never hiked so long in my life, and I really thought I was going to die. And I thought of the blog, and how all the people saying they thought I died... well they would have thought right. But somehow, some way, I made it up to the lake. During the hike, I actually thought I saw a large octopus in the middle of the trail. As my friend told me later, my exact words were, "Big fucking octopus." Nothing else. But once we got up there, it was totally worth it. I mean, look at these pictures! Totally, right?