09-19-2007, 08:28 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Here's the second of three reports. The last one will be two days on Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir. It will be worth waiting for.[/#0000ff]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Day 3 of our Idaho odyssey. Left Arco by 7:30, after a breakfast at Pickles (café). Had never been to Magic Reservoir, so we missed the turnoff to the west side and ended up in Shoshone…several miles too far to the south. Checked the map, turned around and went back. Found the right turnoff and drove to the launch area. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Whoa! The tide was WAY OUT. We had heard that the lake was low, but you can hardly even see any water from the main launch ramp. We had noticed a sign on the way in that said something about a low water launch ramp. So, we back tracked (again)…driving on the dirt tracks visible all over the west side on the exposed former lake bed. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We finally found the ramp. It looked like an old road bed going down into the lake, with a short wooden tieup dock beside it. There were a few vehicles parked there, and a couple of boat trailers. We could see a group of four other tubers and tooners in the distance, fishing out off a rocky point to the SW. Looked doable. We couldn’t see any other place to launch through the nasty looking mud around the edge of the lake, so we opted to give the ramp a try.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Bad move. That was the only launch ramp on the lake. Almost as soon as we parked the car and got our tubes off the top to air them up, a steady procession of boats started arriving to use the ramp and the docks. It took us an hour of shuffling tubes up and down off the dock, out of courtesy to the boaters, to get set up for launch. You can bet that the boats were not willing to offer US any special courtesies. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I launched first, on the non-ramp side of the dock. Almost lost both fins in the muck getting launched. Had to use my “fin tool” to pull the straps back up on my fins after launching. TubeBabe was held up behind some guy who tied his boat up to the dock, blocking use of the ramp. But, she eventually waited him out and got launched. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]That was the latest I have launched my tube for a long time. It was almost 11 AM before we were fishing. The air temp was over 70 and the water temp was a toasty 65. Quite a bit warmer than the conditions we found at Mackay the day before.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I had a couple of whacks on the same gold spinner I had been using on Mackay and then hooked a zinger. A big rainbow put the line over his shoulder and boogied. But, after about a five minute tussle, he kindly let me have my spinner back. Professional release. I stayed in that area for a few minutes, but had no other inquiries.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I kicked over to the area on the south shoreline where the mud changed to rocky rubble. Usually a good fish holding area. There were some bank tanglers fishing bait and just as I arrived, they began hooking some nice rainbows. They landed them with the Idaho finesse control technique…hauling the gut hooked fish unceremoniously up onto the shore with their heavy lines. Not a net among the bunch.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I waited until I was a respectful distance down the shore before I began casting a light roadrunner close to shore. About my second cast WHAMMO. An active and energetic 18 inch rainbow took to the air and took a few yards of my line as it zinged around trying to get loose. However, the little Matzuo sickle hook held well and I was finally able to scoop and measure the fish. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]A couple of casts later, I hooked and lost a fish that looked quite a bit bigger than the one I had just netted. Felt good anyway. Well fought noble fishie. TubeBabe was still hanging back where I had lost the first fish, hoping to score something without having to kick too far from the mud hole launch ramp. I hollered her up on the walkie talkie and told her to get herself over to that stretch of shoreline. It seemed that there were some active fish there…and since I am a sharing kinda guy…[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Just before TubeBabe got there, I successfully out dueled a feisty 16 incher. But, as is customary, as soon as TubeBabe showed up, the bite stopped. No more trout for either of us. We both caught a grundle of dink perch. Nothing over about 8 inches. Those are merely pests where we usually fish for perch. We don’t get excited unless there are some 10 inchers for the basket with the potential for some “footlongs”.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We watched the Magic tuber floatilla…the four in a team that were there when we got there…as they moved around trolling flies. I don’t think I saw any of them actually make a cast with their fly rods…just flop and drag. But, all of them went bendo once in awhile and they did C & R quite a few trout. I also did not see them bring in any larger fish. The only fish I witnessed were probably around 13 to 15 inches.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]About 1 PM a breeze started to kick up from the northwest…the direction we had to go to get back to the mud ramp. I suggested to TubeBabe that we might want to start back that way, before the breeze turned into a wind. The other tubers had already retreated and were loading into their truck. [/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We started back slowly, casting as we went…getting nothing but perch. Then, a big gust of wind came out of nowhere and just about spun us in circles. We straightened out and started kicking toward the ramp with more dedication. That big gust of wind had unfastened the rope a a guy in a canoe had used to tie his craft to the dock while walking up for his truck. TubeBabe advised me on the walkie talkie that the canoe was drifting out to the open lake pretty fast. I took my bearings and kicked in the afterburner on my fins. I was able to catch the canoe before it disappeared over the horizon and I towed it back to the dock. The guy who waited there was more than appreciative. I was glad to help…even if it did mean a Charlie horse or two.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We went through the same routine coming in as going out. We had to wait to get up on the ramp, while boaters came and went. Then, we had to put out tubes up on the dock while we broke everything down ready to load back in the vehicle. It was a long time getting loaded again.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]After getting out of the water, in the building breeze/wind, we drove up to the dam and looked for other potential launch sites…for future reference. No doubt about it, the water level was way down. I took one picture from way up on the dam, at the high water mark. You can barely see the lake in the background…well, not really. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Magic is really producing some good trout fishing right now. It will probably hold up for quite a while. Fly flingers should do very well and the bank tangler contingent were catching lots of fish all around the lake. The perch are small, but there are plenty of them…to keep the kids amused.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We headed south for Twin Falls, to spend the night before going on to Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir on Monday. See the next report.[/font][/size]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Day 3 of our Idaho odyssey. Left Arco by 7:30, after a breakfast at Pickles (café). Had never been to Magic Reservoir, so we missed the turnoff to the west side and ended up in Shoshone…several miles too far to the south. Checked the map, turned around and went back. Found the right turnoff and drove to the launch area. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Whoa! The tide was WAY OUT. We had heard that the lake was low, but you can hardly even see any water from the main launch ramp. We had noticed a sign on the way in that said something about a low water launch ramp. So, we back tracked (again)…driving on the dirt tracks visible all over the west side on the exposed former lake bed. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We finally found the ramp. It looked like an old road bed going down into the lake, with a short wooden tieup dock beside it. There were a few vehicles parked there, and a couple of boat trailers. We could see a group of four other tubers and tooners in the distance, fishing out off a rocky point to the SW. Looked doable. We couldn’t see any other place to launch through the nasty looking mud around the edge of the lake, so we opted to give the ramp a try.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Bad move. That was the only launch ramp on the lake. Almost as soon as we parked the car and got our tubes off the top to air them up, a steady procession of boats started arriving to use the ramp and the docks. It took us an hour of shuffling tubes up and down off the dock, out of courtesy to the boaters, to get set up for launch. You can bet that the boats were not willing to offer US any special courtesies. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I launched first, on the non-ramp side of the dock. Almost lost both fins in the muck getting launched. Had to use my “fin tool” to pull the straps back up on my fins after launching. TubeBabe was held up behind some guy who tied his boat up to the dock, blocking use of the ramp. But, she eventually waited him out and got launched. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]That was the latest I have launched my tube for a long time. It was almost 11 AM before we were fishing. The air temp was over 70 and the water temp was a toasty 65. Quite a bit warmer than the conditions we found at Mackay the day before.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I had a couple of whacks on the same gold spinner I had been using on Mackay and then hooked a zinger. A big rainbow put the line over his shoulder and boogied. But, after about a five minute tussle, he kindly let me have my spinner back. Professional release. I stayed in that area for a few minutes, but had no other inquiries.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I kicked over to the area on the south shoreline where the mud changed to rocky rubble. Usually a good fish holding area. There were some bank tanglers fishing bait and just as I arrived, they began hooking some nice rainbows. They landed them with the Idaho finesse control technique…hauling the gut hooked fish unceremoniously up onto the shore with their heavy lines. Not a net among the bunch.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]I waited until I was a respectful distance down the shore before I began casting a light roadrunner close to shore. About my second cast WHAMMO. An active and energetic 18 inch rainbow took to the air and took a few yards of my line as it zinged around trying to get loose. However, the little Matzuo sickle hook held well and I was finally able to scoop and measure the fish. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]A couple of casts later, I hooked and lost a fish that looked quite a bit bigger than the one I had just netted. Felt good anyway. Well fought noble fishie. TubeBabe was still hanging back where I had lost the first fish, hoping to score something without having to kick too far from the mud hole launch ramp. I hollered her up on the walkie talkie and told her to get herself over to that stretch of shoreline. It seemed that there were some active fish there…and since I am a sharing kinda guy…[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Just before TubeBabe got there, I successfully out dueled a feisty 16 incher. But, as is customary, as soon as TubeBabe showed up, the bite stopped. No more trout for either of us. We both caught a grundle of dink perch. Nothing over about 8 inches. Those are merely pests where we usually fish for perch. We don’t get excited unless there are some 10 inchers for the basket with the potential for some “footlongs”.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We watched the Magic tuber floatilla…the four in a team that were there when we got there…as they moved around trolling flies. I don’t think I saw any of them actually make a cast with their fly rods…just flop and drag. But, all of them went bendo once in awhile and they did C & R quite a few trout. I also did not see them bring in any larger fish. The only fish I witnessed were probably around 13 to 15 inches.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]About 1 PM a breeze started to kick up from the northwest…the direction we had to go to get back to the mud ramp. I suggested to TubeBabe that we might want to start back that way, before the breeze turned into a wind. The other tubers had already retreated and were loading into their truck. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We started back slowly, casting as we went…getting nothing but perch. Then, a big gust of wind came out of nowhere and just about spun us in circles. We straightened out and started kicking toward the ramp with more dedication. That big gust of wind had unfastened the rope a a guy in a canoe had used to tie his craft to the dock while walking up for his truck. TubeBabe advised me on the walkie talkie that the canoe was drifting out to the open lake pretty fast. I took my bearings and kicked in the afterburner on my fins. I was able to catch the canoe before it disappeared over the horizon and I towed it back to the dock. The guy who waited there was more than appreciative. I was glad to help…even if it did mean a Charlie horse or two.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We went through the same routine coming in as going out. We had to wait to get up on the ramp, while boaters came and went. Then, we had to put out tubes up on the dock while we broke everything down ready to load back in the vehicle. It was a long time getting loaded again.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]After getting out of the water, in the building breeze/wind, we drove up to the dam and looked for other potential launch sites…for future reference. No doubt about it, the water level was way down. I took one picture from way up on the dam, at the high water mark. You can barely see the lake in the background…well, not really. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Magic is really producing some good trout fishing right now. It will probably hold up for quite a while. Fly flingers should do very well and the bank tangler contingent were catching lots of fish all around the lake. The perch are small, but there are plenty of them…to keep the kids amused.[/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]We headed south for Twin Falls, to spend the night before going on to Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir on Monday. See the next report.[/font][/size]
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. It can ruin the ultimate enjoyment of the trip when you are fishing in the last remaining dregs of a once huge reservoir...knowing that any fish you release are likely to die before getting much bigger anyway. And, fishing in a draining bathtub...with nothing around you but exposed mud and gravel...can be downright ugly.[/#0000ff]
]Since we got back from the trip, he has been holed up in his "tackletorium" making lots more of the same ... along with a few variations! It has gotten to where I feel like I should frisk him as we leave for a fishing trip ... to be sure that I have some of the new creations!