Post the Pictures BLM

[IceFishingGod]

I know your not modest, so what gives? Lazy, hungover from to many Margaritias or just tired from driving home in the snow? I'll let you tell the story as only you can.
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[Kent]

I already got a sneak preview, and I doubt that BLM will post the pictures. He has always been too modest to post pictures of the big ones! (HAH)
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[IceFishingGod]

Modest and BLM are not two terms I associate together.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]OK, OK, OK...[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I really wasn't ready to sit down and do this but to save myself anymore ridicule from the peanut gallery, here goes...[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]IFG, myself, and IFG's friend, Dan headed for Flaming Gorge Wednesday afternoon. Dan towed his 30' fifth wheel and I towed the Boomerang. We got there about dark and set up camp in CamperWorld campground near the Flaming Gorge Lodge.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]We got up early Thursday to rain, hit the water at daybeak and headed north to Jarvies. Trolled Jarvies for a couple hours and saw virtually no fish with no hook ups. The day was weird. The water was like glass, the clouds were in the mountain tips above the lake with a misty rain engulfing everything. Oh, and best of all, no "W" at all![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]We decided to head farther north. We troll a couple other areas with no luck and ended up in Hideout about 11:00ish. We trolled the wall opposite the boat camp and got our first hook up with a T50 green flatfish but the sucker spit the hook. We trolled back along the same area and spotted fish and hooked up again but only to loose it again. We decided to head for Sheep Creek and that's when the rain started. It rained HARD and for a while.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]IFG was driving the boat and got pelted by the rain as we sped through the canyons to sheep creek. We trolled the remainder of the day with no luck but several more rain showers. We were all wet and cold and decided to head south back to camp. Did I say it rained all the way back too? We were cold Jose's.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]The next day we decided to head for Lucerne. We launched from the marina and headed for Antelope Flats. We trolled north with lots of lookers but no takers. At about 10:30ish I hooked up on a good fish and fought him for 10 to 15 minutes. We got him netted. It was a darn good fish. Weighed between 30-31lbs. Here's a pic:[/size][/font] [center][/center] [center][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3][/size][/font][/center] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]After a few pics and weighing it, we released it to catch another day. We decided to make another run through the same area when the wind came up and did it blow! We had 3ft+ waves within minutes. We tried to keep trolling but it was a futile attempt so we headed back across through the chop. Big Rollers plus strong winds equal wet boys. When we got back to the marina, the wind was still ripping. It was pretty funny watching folks try to get boats to docks and boats on trailers in that strong wind. We got lucky and had no problems.[/size][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]We went to Lucerne Valley Campground and found Predator. Talked to him for a while and sounded like their luck wasn't too red hot. We also ran into Skeeter at the Manila Chevron and chatted a little. They were headed to Sheep Creek to shore fish.[/size][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]When we finally arrived at the campground, I was pulling the truck and boat up to the main gate and we heard a loud bang from the trailer. We stopped and got out and one of my trailer leaf springs had snapped in two and the trailer frame was sitting right on top of the axle. It was lucky we were doing less then 10 mph when it broke or it might have been an ugly sight. We got the trailer moved to a level location within the campground and headed for Vernal. Luckily, we found an RV shop and they had just what we needed. We drove back and IFG and Dan fixed me up. Those boys are sure handy with a set of wrenches. They acted like they've been doing it their whole lives! [/size][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]When we got everything in order and settled in for the evening. The snow was teasing us with a little flurries but not more then a dusting was on the ground. When we woke up in the morning there was 3+ inches on the ground and snowing to beat the wagon. We bagged the fishing and got ready to head home. The drive was very snowy roads from Flaming Gorge Lodge to Mountain View, Wy with 10-12" of snow on the roads, especially from camp to Manila. Once we got to Mountain View, thing cleared up and I-80, back to Ogden, was clear sailing.[/size][/font][/left] [left][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]It was a fun trip but the weather could of been better. Remember that this time of year can have some pretty dramatic mood swings when it comes to weather so be prepared for anything.[/size][/font][/left]
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[fishinfool]

Thanks for finally sharing.LOL

Nice fish,to bad the weather wouldn't let you stay out there for a little while longer,Its tricky this time of year.

Later,FNF
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[RipNLips]

Nice 30+ fish Bud! Why is it that so many fishin' trips can't just be a fishin' trip with no challenges from Mother Nature or machinery?
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Ain't that the truth! HA![/size][/font]
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[Theekillerbee]

Very impressive fish BLM. Thanks for sharing. Glad you guys made it home safely. Good luck on your next trip out.
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[wiperhunter2]

Nice report and great fish, I've got to ask, is that your biggest mack? I think you and Kent have something in common, bad luck, ha,ha. Just kidding my friend but your motor went out on you last fall and now the trailer, whats next? Lucky IFG and Dan were there, thanks for sharing the great story BLM. WH2
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[RipNLips]

WH2 - You missed the fact that one of his truck tires passed him by on the road on his last trip to the Gorge. Apparently IFG was drivin' and helped out once again.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Yes, WH2, that is my largest mack. [/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Heck, as long as we're trying to remember all my mechanical mishaps, let's not forget a dead battery that had to be replace last fall and we were fortunate to meet Gil, onwer of Flaming Gorge Motel and Cafe in Manila and he drove all the way to Green River to get the battery so me & IFG could fish. Bad luck or good luck? Bad battery but met a cool guy.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I don't know if I consider life's little "events" bad luck. If that's the case, the last two trips to the Gorge, we've caught 22lb and 31lb fish. That then must be considered some "good" luck. I have tons of good luck. I have great friends to share adventures, a good family, a very cool wife, my health is good, etc, etc, etc. If a few mechanical problems occur upon the way, so be it. At least I'm out and gettin' it done and will as long as I can. I could be wishin' I was fishin'![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]I seem to recall a few "adventures" with you and other friends too! What's next you ask? Who cares. I don't worry about those things. Bring it on. I can deal with it. You take what life has to deal out and run with it and hopefully everyone and everything comes up smelling like roses. You got to admit, my life ain't boring![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Really, though, I think it's all IFG's fault. None of this stuff happened until we started fishing together. That's ok. I'll ride the river with that man any day, good or bad.[/size][/font]
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[DonInDenver]

That's a terrific fish BLM!! How deep were you marking the big fish. I still hope to get up there this coming week, but I'm primarily a jig fisherman. Don't have downriggers and I assume downriggers or a wire line set up are pretty much a requirement to troll for macks.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Hi Don![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]We graphed fish from 40 ft on. We saw very few suspended fish. That fish was caught right on the bottom with a T50 flatfish. You're right, downriggers and wire line set ups make deep trolling easier but you can use drop shots or 3 ways with large banana sinkers to troll the bottom to 100 ft plus. You will still need pretty heavy rods/reel set ups to pull it off though. It's like bottom bouncing from walleye, just up sized for macks.[/size][/font]
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[fishman]

Congrats on the pig Mack! So did you get em on the downrigger or steel line setup?
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Hi fishman![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]That fish was caught on steel but it was the only hit on steel the whole trip except for a 5' water logged cedar tree we uprooted and hauled up from the depths.. The riggers got more action so take your pick.[/size][/font]
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[Kent]

Wiperhunter2 -- Better to have bad luck than no luck at all! [unsure]
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[PREDATOR]

What a trip.

Worst trip I have ever had to the gorge. You know, I am used to the rain, snow was an unexpected event.

The wind sucked.

I got there thursday morning about 4:30 ish. Slept in the truck for a couple hours until the sun came up. It was raining and dark so I didnt want to play with launching in all that by myself.

Anyways, got on the water, headed out to linwood, trolled around a while, got one small one.

Hit stateline for a while, nothing. Headed back to camp to meet up with the folks who brought the housing up.

Hit the water again friday morning. Wind sucked, rain sucked, fishing sucked. Tried to get back into some coves and work the electric for some smaller fish, that was a royal pain in the wind. Boat control really stunk.

Anyways, we got blown off about a half hour before BLM, headed back to camp played some cards.

I got sick friday night, about 2:00 am I had to puke, ran out the trailer only to find two inches of snow on the ground, and still snowing.

What a joke of a trip!

Snows ok, rains ok, but snow, rain and WIND with an upset stomach is too much for this boy.

I too didnt survive the trip. ripped out my entire trialer wiring system somehow on the way home.

Loads of fun!
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[Xman]

that is a good looking gorge laker. its not fat and bloated. looks lean still like a bear lake laker. sweet picture that would be a replica mounter for me for sure.
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[wiperhunter2]

Don't take offense Kent, we all have bad luck from time to time. Up until lately though it seemed that you were in the lead, now it looks like BLM has overtaken you. This could be your year my friend, maybe after april 15th you will be able to get out there and use that Gorge pass to catch a fish even bigger than BLM. Here is wishing you the best fishing year ever. WH2
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[kokeking]

WTG blm nice mack, i know all to well what the weather i was like,if i could of been on the water i would have.Thats a typical gorge mack slender big head,and right on the bottom.they will start to move as the lake warms up.Water temps still in the low 40;s in wyo.even thro you had some bad luck.sounds like you had good friends and will have a lot of memories of this trip.Glad you caught it on the wire ,i was wondering how it worked for you.From the pic dont look like you were that far off shore,was your trolling fast or a slow troll for most of your hits?Again wtg nice fish...
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