Big Beautiful Rainbow Trout!
I headed up into the Cascades this afternoon looking for some fall trout fishing. I had a game plan all mapped out to try several different spots and brought my trusty Trailmaster spin/fly combo with both spinning and fly gear so I was prepared for multiple situations.
My first stop was at a popular kokanee spawning area. I know that big trout often follow the kokanee and gorge on their eggs as they tumble down the streams. So I decided to stop there first to see if any Kokanee were spawning.
Kokanee Spawning usually = Trout!
As luck would have it, there were lots of Kokanee in the stream, so I figured I would try my luck. I rigged up the Eagle Claw Trail Master into the spinning position, and tied on an adjust-a-bubble float, and a mini jig tipped with a Pautzke fire ball.
If you want to know more about the Eagle Claw Trail Master, you can watch a video on in HERE.
I cast out and let my rig drift down stream, and had a couple of kokanee swipe at it but no trout. I moved down stream a bit, cast again and watched as my float started slowly going under and moving up stream. I set the hook and instantly felt a big trout. After a pretty long fight - lengthened by the fact that my dog was jumping in the water after it..ugh…I landed a beautiful 23” rainbow.
Beautiful Fall Rainbow Trout!
I casted out a few more times, but nothing. I realized that I had forgot to tip my jig with the Pautzke Fire Ball, so I put one on for the new cast and WA-LAl!! another big beautiful trout.
Trout #2. Look at that beautiful pink cheek!
I did not forget to tip my jig the next time and again I was rewarded with my third big trout of the day. This was shaping up to be an amazing afternoon.
Trout #3 what a gorgeous fish!
I ended up catching 5 beautiful rainbows all over 22”.
I had to get a measurement on one just for proof of the size. I released it unharmed
it was a great afternoon, and I am sold on the Pautzke Fire Balls! I will write more about them soon.
Chunky Rainbow!
Thanks for reading,
Bill