Flaming Gorge - Sept 8-9, 2007

[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Got a last minute invite from my friend, Aaron, to fish with him on the Gorge this last weekend. He called me on Friday about 1:00 pm and said "Let's go fish the Gorge!" so I said "Heck yes" and dropped everything. We drove up that evening and got to Manila around midnight.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]We were up early on Saturday and headed over to Linwood and the stacks of fish over there this time of year. We played games with them for over 5 hours and couldn't get those tight lipped suckers to take a jig. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]We moved into the canyon and fished there and did not see many fish so we reversed our course and headed over to Antelope then to the Swim Beach area and fished there for the remainder of the day. We got off the water about 8:30 pm.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Sunday we headed into the canyon to try and avoid the wind that had decided to blow first thing in the morning. We found some happy fish and had fun for most of the morning. After we "cooked" most of that area, we decided to head to Swim Beach again where we had found active fish the day before.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The fish weren't in the same areas but were close by on different real estate. While in Swim, the rain and lightening decide to show up and put a little excitement in our lives. Man, that thunder can crack![/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]We didn't catch hordes of fish but we caught enough to have a good time. No big fish with most fish being in the teens. We had several fish hooked that came unbuttoned after a few reel cranks. Oh well, that's fishing![/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I did get a little video but not like I wanted. If one of us hooked up, no one wanted to put down their rod to take video when there might be a chance to double up.[/size][/font]
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[CROSSINEYES]

DID YA JUST CHASE LAKERS? NO KOKES? ARE THE SMALL GUYS GOING NUTS YET? KEN
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]We chased macks. We flirted with jigging kokes but macks have a way of taking priority for us. We had the gear for kokes but not much desire.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]You can go almost anywhere and find small macks stacked on the points and ridges. We found a places that were loaded with them but we weren't looking for smaller fish. They'll bite too. Drop a small tube or curl tail grub on them and you can't keep them off.[/size][/black][/font]
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[Brainamus]

So, what is "small" to you? A fish in the teens would be a hoot to catch !! Got any pics?
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[CROSSINEYES]

SMALL FISH ARE ANY FISH BELOW 22 POUNDS FOR MOST MACK CHASERS. GOOD FISH ARE 30 PLUS.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]No pictures and just a little video. We don't normally take pictures of tweeners. Not worth getting slimed for. Unhook them and keep fishing. [/size][/black][/font]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]I can't believe that you would pass up kokes to catch those stinking mack.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I can relate to your experience at Linwood bay. All the years that I fished at FG, I marked many, many fish there, but found it to be a very poor place to catch them. It's great through the ice, but not for soft water fishing.[/size]
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[size 3]The last 5 or so years that I fished FG, my boat never even entered L bay. Lots of fish, boats, fishermen, but very few fish taken.[/size]
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[size 3]Glad to hear that you nailed a few teenagers, that's a long drive if the trip isn't productive.[/size]
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[Tarponjim]

[size 1]RE: SMALL FISH ARE ANY FISH BELOW 22 POUNDS FOR MOST MACK CHASERS. GOOD FISH ARE 30 PLUS.[/size]

LOL. Ken: Oh my how we get spoiled![] So a 20-pounder is now "small", and a 30 is only a "good fish." Hmmm. Your standards are higher than mine already! You might need a better guide in May.

I'd say anything under 10 or 12 is small. Teeners are OK-worth catching. Fish in the 20's are "good fish". 30's and up are "Hawgs", "Pigs", "Toads", "Big Boys", or whatever your term is for a damn nice fish way bigger than average. 40's are fish of a lifetime--living right and lucky.
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[DonInDenver]

I subscribe to the TarponJim school of classification. Never met a mack over 10 lbs that I wasn't happy to see!
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Hey, Don,[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I'm happy to see any fish I can get a hook in (that's an accomplishment in itself for me sometimes) but I don't get real excited till drag starts peeling and he ain't getting in the net unless he's picture worthy! LOL![/size][/black][/font]
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[mackaddict]

Sounds like you had a good time. There have been many days I would have given anything for one of those little teeners. Some of them fight better than 20 and 30 pounders.
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[DonInDenver]

Ha ha! I must admit, BearLakeMack, that my definition of "pup" has gone up a few pounds in the past couple of years! [][cool]
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[Theekillerbee]

Sounds like a really fun trip Rich. Sorry no big boys wanted to play, maybe they are so starved, they can't even open their mouths!
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[CROSSINEYES]

lololmbololol. thats what a ment lol. better guide??? ya right. i can say i like the colors beter in the smaller fish. they look nice in pic,s. my best is still my first thats how i got spoiled.[] but cant ya feel the double fourty comming. o i feal it. the double mac,attack is comming back in may. can you feel it. its already in motion. SO IT IS.[sly]
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[RILEYFISH]

I will second that one Don.
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[utwalleye]

a better guide ?????? do you think thier is one ???? hmmmmm.
I always thought a good is a fish that pulls some drag, a big fish pulls drag for a straight 100 yards + run, thats what it's about.
when do you need the deposit for this next May ?? I better get working on it now. later chuck
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[Tarponjim]

Chuck, If I can figure out how to get some "good ones" in May, I'll email you an invoice in a few weeks when I send out all of 'em for 2008. (Got a 31 today-so that's one more "good one!")
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[CROSSINEYES]

if you can figure out. every time we have been in your boat the it didnt take to long for ya to find some good ones. no flipping blizzards this yr. lol
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[utwalleye]

I thought we would just fish that one spot thats over there, ya know. maybe I'll get better then 40% hookup this next time.
that would be sweet. yea we can do with out the snow this time around too. later chuck
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[DonInDenver]

Maybe you guys will get lucky and beat BLM and me. [angelic]

Nah!! [sly]

LOL!
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