Fishing Forum

While the kids attended camp, I spent a week camping, fishing around the Sawtooth area of Idaho, based from Lake Alturas a bit south of Stanley, north of Ketchum. Didn’t get into tons of fish, and nothing major (no big bulls this year), but some fun tugs and great scenery all the same.

Fished the inlet to Alturas and got into some rainbows, and a number of squaw fish. There were some Bull Trout caught - but there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of catching going on. The lake was quite a bit higher than last year. Night fishing with a glow jig got lots of pecks and bites! Pesky squaws!

Tried fishing the Salmon a few spots. A picnic area by a bridge just before Redfish lake - think it was called Buckhorn. Deep eddy held bows and bulls on the bottom. Water was actually moving up stream. Caught a few on spoons and spinners. Lots of small dinkers chasing and toying. Saw some big silver flashers - but wasn’t sure if they were Salmon or trout. They weren’t chasing anything.

Found one spot right up towards Stanley with a nice log jam. Betsy Ross would have been proud of how I mended those seams - first cast - wasn’t even ready, and had a nice bow on. After that had hit after hit as the little brookies chased and struck. Fast little fish! Little red jig tipped with worm was the hot ticket, till it got snagged on a branch that was more intent on going downstream than being reeled up against the current!

Hit Petite lake, and got into some small Bulls crossing a creek on the way up. Got drizzled on as I admired some of the interesting boats. Lots of nice cabins up there too.

Got a tip to try Decker Flats, and proved to be a good tip. Several pools and rock breaks. Bite on every cast. Had several storms, and some serious thunder-bumpers. Hit the Salmon Hatchery on the way home - always interesting to see those BIG salmon working up the ladders. Also tried Gold Creek and tried some flies and jigs, nice access area - lots more bitty brookies come to play, but alas - short on time.

Thanks for sharing looks like some gorgeous scenery!!!!!

fnf[cool]
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Thanks bud. The fishing wasn't all too incredible - no monsters like your Willard Wipers, but some pretty awesome mountains, lakes, and rivers to explore.

Would still like to really get on some of that river fly-fishing, and landing a Salmon would be awesome. It's something seeing a 30" fish hurl itself up the ladders. Some sure show their battle scars from travelling 950 miles and some 6500 ft elevation! Don't think I could do that!

That's a place I'd love to visit someday. A couple of hike-in lakes up there need my attention.

Looks like a great time! Thanks for the report.

So I see pics of rainbows, but where are the brookies?
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Very nice! I have been up there several times in my life and LOVE fishing that area. It is my favorite place in ID to fish. I never had any luck at Red Fish Lake but I have had some success on the rivers and other lakes in that area. Glad you saw the salmon hatchery/ladders, that is always a good site to see. Last time I was at Red Fish Lake the "bus" tourists had become outrageous compared to the previous trips up there.

I wish I would have known you were headed up to Stanley ID I would have given you some money to pick up some Caliber Spinners at the fish shop up there for me! Can't find those anywhere in Utah. They have a special body that you can put attractant or rattle beads into and then close it up. Do you know the name of the fish shop in Stanley?
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Hey Yote not that I'm an expert but those fish titled bows sure looked like a cutt and the ones you called brookies also looked like Cutts from the pictures but your stringer looked like bows. Looks like you had a lot of fun did you see the big bad wolves. I've always wanted to go try the salmon up there but I'd have to find a mentor to teach me the game. I sure like to try the steelhead down stream from there a bit. So what is a squaw fish? Are they good or trash fish? That's a new one for your species list. How many different kinds are you up to this year? Later J
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My fish id-ing may be off - I thought those little buggers with the round splotches of color were brookies. But maybe they're just baby rainbows. Need more brown?
Not like your fancy Golden Trout!

Ya know - I thought of you and your types of adventures while up there. I did hike up to 4th of July lake last year, and after fighting through the swarms of bugs - found a nice Cutty, then got chased off my lightning, and hail!

Just had to be SURE to learn how to I.D. the Bull trout. Need to learn more about fly-fishing.

I stopped in a fly/bike shop in Ketchum (ketchup - as my daughter sez) for a license. Didn't really spend much time in the Stanley shops - the grocery store had worms and salmon roe a plenty. Plus a rack of spinners and such. Though I was intent on experimenting with spoons, and some of my home-made spinners (that red dotted one - had a nice sparkle and flash).

Do you mean: [url "http://www.mccoystackleshop.com/"]mccoystackleshop[/url] I think there may be more than one we passed while looking for a restaurant. But I could be wrong, been known to happen [pirate]

Couple of last year's shots - not able to reproduce this year. [frown] The last one is my Avatar shot - on approach.

The first bow pic - I think there may have been a bit of blood on his chin. Quite sure the 4thCutty was genuine.

Someone said the squaw can be ok if you marinate them. They can get pretty big, and are active. Fight better than the planter bows anyway. But I gather they are trouble for the koke spawns and such, so no respect.

Parting shot. Fishhook Creek - up from Redfish lake. THAT's one where you'd want to take your Fly Rod! (I'll put up the full-size shot)

You just made me count. Looks like I've got 10 species on this year's life list (so far).
Woops - forgot my Bass - make that an even dozen.
But the fat lady ain't sung (and I still haven't nabbed my first Walleye - haven't targetted enuf - they're out there I know!)

Nice picture that ought to be on your screen saver. Later J
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Holy cow, that panoramic shot is incredible! Very nice!

And those bulls are really nice too. Good job.

Check your pm's.[:p]
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