Happy Post Holidays from the corporate headquarters of Rocky Fork Outfitters to all…. Yep, it has been awhile. Time to catch up.
January 10th was the last day of the bird season and as I chased Mr. Chukar in the high dry hills of eastern Carbon County, I couldn’t help but notice how inviting the Clark’s Fork looked as stumbled up yet another rock ledge. And thus the 2019 Trout Season began shortly thereafter.
Truth be told, January 13 was a lot colder than I expected when I arrived on the water. The air temp was 45 and down right balmy when I left my house at 11:30 so image my surprise when the temp in beautiful downtown Bridger read 36 and it was blowing. Hummmmm say I …. might as well head for the border and see if things change …. which surprisingly they did and for the better……..what’s the worse thing that could possibly happen? I might get cold and skunked….. and maybe fall in and freeze….. all of which would be pretty nasty. So in an attempt to manufacture some self induced moral support when I arrive at the first hole, I took a water temp …. 32 degrees. Shit, that can’t be right, water gets stiff at 32 degrees right? So I do it again …. same result, 32 degrees …. now that is cold kids.
So of course I went fishing. Double worm rigs and a bobber and a chuck o’lead. Not very sexy, but damn effective for a slow probe of the bottom. Gave it a go for two holes and about two hours…. amazingly I caught a number of fish ….. at 32 degrees. And the thing that really blew me away, this 16″ brown had a 6″ minnow hanging out of his maul when I hooked and caught him, and still the glutton ate my worm …. at 32 degrees. Ya just never know.
Anyway you slice it and dice it, the 2019 Fishing Season is here….. see ya on the river, you bring the schnapps.
Jan 13, 2019 Clark’s Fork And you are there …
First Brownie of 2019 Laying on River Shelf Ice Worms be good, even on ice
