"Brownsville"

Winter meetings in Utah usually mean long days in a stuffy room while dreaming about cold clear streams and feisty trout.

Tracy and I arrived in the Heber Valley on Monday after it was too dark to fish. The Tuesday meeting went until 5PM and we were all supposed to be ready for dinner at the Blue Boar at 6:15. I convinced Tracy to "go for a ride" to see what Snake Creek looked like. She acted surprised when I bailed out at the parking spot and grabbed the telescopic ultralight and a white Rooster Tail.

"It's too cold!" she pointed out. "You're not dressed for it."

Am I to believe that 17 degrees and windy conditions constitutes "too cold"? And by the way, what's wrong with street clothes - its only 300 yards or so to the fishing hole where many fish have been caught.

A few snow drifts shouldn't stop me, should they?

Snake Creek Brown

It was too cold and even though it was only a few hundred yards through the drifts I probably won't ever try that stunt again.

Now Friday was another story.

We had planned on taking a day of vacation and seeing the sights, so while Tracy had breakfast and took her time getting packed up, I headed back to Snake Creek for the first two hours of daylight to see if I could find some hungry fish.

This time I bundled up in anticipation of the single digit temperatures. We had seen as low as 6 below and the high for the past few days had been well below 20 degrees.

When I tried to put on my waders, the neoprene sock foot stuffed with two pairs of heavy socks proved to be too much for my frozen wading boots. Try as I might there was no way I was going to force them in. I decided to ditch the waders and keep the socks.

I started out at the big swirly hole that has yielded so many willing browns. The white RT has proved to be deadly in the past and today was no exception. I caught several nice fish between 17"-19" but had a feeling that the best was yet to come.

Nice way to start the day.


"Tell me where your friends are and I'll let you go."


Fat 'n Sassy


Winter Brown


Handful of Fish

I worked my way down stream but was unable to locate any more fish until I reached "Rainbow Run" down below the trestle.

I was hoping to hook up with one of the pink-sided silver acrobats but cast after cast yielded nothing but iced up guides and weed-fouled treble hooks.

I finally got a strike as the RT swung past a clump of submerged grass and the fight was on! I was using 4lb mono and the little telescopic fairy wand was bent over double as the drag sang it's sweet song.

After a short but powerful run Mr. Brown headed straight for my side of the creek and a shelf of ice that lined the shore. I was well back from the water and as he made for the shelter of the ice, I was able to pop him up onto the shelf.

Just as I was feeling froggy about my superb landing skills, my quarry still full of fight spit the hook! There he was flopping on that thin sheet of ice just inches from freedom and me with no waders!

I wasn't about to let him get away without a picture so I belly-flopped down the bank and scooped him up into the knee deep snow. Where's the photographer when you need her?

Here are my shots for your enjoyment.

Catch of the Day


20"+


The scene of the crime.


Brownsicle

After the photo shoot my new best friend was released back to the comfort and safety of the creek to fatten up for my next visit.

The fish were not as heavy as they are in the summer but they were just as beautiful and full of fight.

God's blessings are evident in His creation.