Wyoming Hardwater Hotspots

[Duhwhite24]

I love it Nate  ,  took me a minute to figure out what was going on.  It was a great weekend men hope to see you all again soon! 

[RS_ICEMAN]

That is hilarious Nate. We had a great trip up north this weekend. We didn't ice many fish but the ones that we did were nice fish for the most part. I had a great time fishing with you guys. Hope to do it again sometime.


Duhwight hooked up first on this beautiful 12lbs + change laker. Nice fish Dwight.


Then later in the afternoon I hooked up on the 8lb'er.

Both fish were released!

[Forktail]

I'm not quite sure what you guys think is so funny.  I just posted some nice pictures of some nice fish.  Especially that one Grant caught. 

[BottomDweller]

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[troutsdaddy]

Nice fish gentleman!!!   Beentrying to bump into you guys fora couple of weekends but always on a different lake.  Was onFremont early Saturday right where you guys were fishing.  Early bite was good, but the fish were tweezers.  Finally my friend Matt caught a 11ish around 2 in 100ft of water.

   Sunday we were on Newfork and did amazing.  We meaning Matt and my brother.  I lost all 4 (big?) fish I had hooked, all burned me two or three times before the hook came loose.  Matt and Rex together landed 10 over 10lbs.  Pics are on my phone and Im at work so maybe someday we can fish together  or at least talk some fish,

later........   troutsdaddy

[Dorado]

That's funny, I recognized the pressure ridge 

We were at the same spot bright and early on Friday!!  We were the first out there this year, but there was a solid 11" inches of ice, I guess everyone was afraid of that big crack? 

My wife caught a 30" on a dead stick fish that nearly took the rod down the hole.  I had one snap my rod on the hookset, my buddy had 2 straighten his jig hook.  Completely dead by 10:00....

[BottomDweller]

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[RS_ICEMAN]

Duhwight24 and i met up with Bottom Dweller and his friend EN. It was a good day. Didn't catch any monsters but a few respectable fish. Good fishing with you guys


Duhwight iced the first good fish of the day (10lbs)


Release


Just when grant and I were getting ready to go after some other species this fish showed up on the fish finder. (13lbs, 34")


Beautiful pictures by BottomDweller

All fish were released!

[WYIfish]

I have a gear question for you big laker fans (bottomdweller, duhwhite24) others,

Level wind or spinning reels for the big lakers?   I am tired of twists and purchased  a real nice 320GT2 today. What a monster reel,
300yds/15 lb stren.

Level wind bait casters work well on the bigger fish?

just a little less twisted jigger,

Any advice would be welcomed.

[mallardmuncher]

I own several Penn level winds and love them for big laker fishing.  You have more control with drag and they seem to take the runs a big fish can make.  When I fished the gorge that's all we ever used to use for lake trout.  You made a good purchase.

[jaklakmak]

I have a gear question for you big laker fans (bottomdweller, duhwhite24) others,

Level wind or spinning reels for the big lakers?   I am tired of twists and purchased  a real nice 320GT2 today. What a monster reel,
300yds/15 lb stren.

Level wind bait casters work well on the bigger fish?

just a little less twisted jigger,

Any advice would be welcomed.

Best real I have ever used for lakers is a Penn 9M level wind. They are small enough not to get in the way and not over balance your rod but yet big enough to hold the amount of line large lakers use on some of there long runs. And they are tough and can take a beating.

[WYIfish]

I own several Penn level winds and love them for big laker fishing.  You have more control with drag and they seem to take the runs a big fish can make.  When I fished the gorge that's all we ever used to use for lake trout.  You made a good purchase.

Thanks guys!

After the Jiffy folly, I am a little hesitant to buy any lemons. I even check my night crawlers twice

(Monday I file the loss claim with UPS for the auger loss).

We're going to take her out for a test today, hopefully a "test run" pun intended.

I was up 'til 2 AM playing with the clickers and whistles.

Men covet machines.  The Penn 320 GT2 is a man's machine (albiet one size too large maybe, and about 1.5 pounds wt.).

Sounds not unlike a bolt locking in a cartridge, a round slamming into a chamber,  A big clip slamming in, ...man sounds.

 
It's time for war,  and like Rummy said, we go to war with what we have!

I am like my reel... cranked!

Good fishing,

[er-e-is]

That will be a good one, personally I prefer a spinning reel and use a Shimano Symetre. I just never could get used to a Baitcast/Level wind reel they just feel awkward to me while jigging. I also prefer a full size rod, again the short ones feel weird. Guess I'm just that "Old Dog" you hear so much about. Being comfortable and confident with your equipment is essential.   

[WYIfish]

That will be a good one, personally I prefer a spinning reel and use a Shimano Symetre. I just never could get used to a Baitcast/Level wind reel they just feel awkward to me while jigging. I also prefer a full size rod, again the short ones feel weird. Guess I'm just that "Old Dog" you hear so much about. Being comfortable and confident with your equipment is essential.   

I agree, that confidence in one's equipment and oneself is what makes border line days successful, and amazing days-amazing. Good preparation is a lot of the luck in luck, and that positive mindset, well, like "EARL" says, it'll make Karma kick in!

[Duhwhite24]

I use a full size rod also.  to me it feels like i have more control and better reaction with a longer rod,  but it is what you are most comfortable with as you do have to stand further away from the hole.  I also use a level wind bait casting reel,  which i have in a left hand reel model.  This is because i am right hand dominant and feel that i have better control of the rod with my right hand.  As far as a reel I like the level wind as you will not need to have a swivel in any part of your line because there will not be the line twist like that of a spinning reel.  Less knots equals less breaking points.  A quality reel I would say is the single most important thing you could have either spinning or baitcaster.

[WYIfish]

I use a full size rod also.  to me it feels like i have more control and better reaction with a longer rod,  but it is what you are most comfortable with as you do have to stand further away from the hole.  I also use a level wind bait casting reel,  which i have in a left hand reel model.  This is because i am right hand dominant and feel that i have better control of the rod with my right hand.  As far as a reel I like the level wind as you will not need to have a swivel in any part of your line because there will not be the line twist like that of a spinning reel.  Less knots equals less breaking points.  A quality reel I would say is the single most important thing you could have either spinning or baitcaster.

I tested out the big Penn today, it was truly amazing.    I bought an Okuma Mag Pro level wind this morning with a line counter on it.

After 7 hours of fishing and 14 degree temp, the Okuma finally froze up.  Ok, just use the Penn more.  I was very pleased at how easy it is to pick up the hand reflex's to trip the jug up and down the hole. 

Caught one little stinker laker.   Bite was off.  Marked nearly 20 that followed the jig up and down that would not take the bait.

Thanks for the opinion.

[BottomDweller]

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[WYIfish]

i concur with pretty much everything else that has been said regarding the gear - just gotta find that quality setup that works for you

"It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming."  ~John Steinbeck

this quote's hilarious wyifish; steinbeck is great - where'd you get it from?

Try googling up "quotes".   Ben Franklin as was Thomas Jefferson were quite the orators.  I need to find a Hemmingway quote on fishing from the Old Man and The Sea....I feel that way sometimes.  Fished for a zillion day with no fish then fights a fish for three days if my memory serves me.
Another note, I bought my third level winder today since the two worked so very well yesterday. I am totally delighted.  I even spooled two with pline to see how it goes.  15 pound, a little light but should work well with the superior drags on the level winders.
15 pound good?

[BottomDweller]

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