Left the house at 05:00 this morning.
Headed up to 8300' Courtright Reservoir.
Launched the boat, on the water at 07:00. 28 degrees. Just barely light.
Limited out with Rainbows and Browns. Caught and released another 20, or so.
Trolled with lead core, 4 colors down, Penn "9", Okuma 7.5' noodle rod, Speedy Shiners with no flashers and a 20' leader.
Back home at noon — fish cleaned. 8 in the freezer, 2 for tonight.
No big size — just good eating — 12" to largest at 16".
Felt good to be on the water after so many tree chores.
Best,
Fred
Its always nice to get out and enjoy the water especially after a 15 month fishing free time ! How big are the trout ? looks like a nice day on the water. I put my boat to bed on the weekend.
cheers:
todd
Nice day Fred! Talk about picture perfect and supper to boot.
.................Lou
Awesome. So much different than what I do.
Glad you got out and didn't lose your touch.
Scott
Way ta go Fred! 8)
Nice work Fred!
Nice set up on a beautiful lake and you had a great day ;D
Nice Trout Fred, I know you enjoyed them. Both the catch and the meal ;) :)..............................Joe
those fish look healthy and fat
nice to see you on the water Fred.
I've never eaten trout, how do you prepared those 2 that were dinner ?
Beautiful Fred, I would have loved sharing that boat ride with you.
I'm glad you got out.
Sal
:) Nice catch !! ??? Now you need to go at least once every 15 days ... Joe
Nice catch. Love the boat. It proves you do not need too a large boat with a mega HP outboard to enjoy our sport.
So beautiful. Catching fish was more than a bonus.
Awesome catch and story! Get that iron skillet going and fryem up!!!
Sounds like you had a great day on the lake, Fred. I didn't realize how good the fishing got in the Sierras in the Fall. I was up at Huntington closing the cabin two weekends ago, with the lake level down like in your photo of Courtright. On dam #3 we saw lots of 12-14" rainbows rising in the early afternoon, and then along came a school of about twenty 20-24" kokanees. I was shocked to see so many fish there given how poor the fishing usually is. Of course I hadn't brought any fishing gear, so all I could do was watch!
Nice.
Nice, Fred. Godda love the Fall in the mountains. Don't look like it was too crowded either.
How's it up your way, Keta?
Fred, has it been that long since Edison Lake? It's good to see you got out for fun instead of work. Dominick
You Definitely deserved this Day Fred. ;)
Those trout are some of the best eating fish in the world.
Good for you.
Man.... get your priorities straight. :) :)
-steve
Glad you got to do some fishing Fred - you deserve it after all your hard work :)
Nice fishies Fred !
Like riding a bicycle! ;D Nice catch, Fred!
Nice 1/2 day on the water.
Frank
Your boat and pictures bring back many fond memories of trolling for blueback (Kokanee) on Dworshack Resevior and Lake Pend Orielle. I miss that!
Glad you finally got some fishing in, you deserve it Fred!
There are ton of ways to cook fish, of course...
Ocean species such as rock fish, red snapper, ling cod, perch, etc. — we prefer to fillet and deep fry in oil with Panko crust, or Louisiana seasoned batter crust.
Salmon, halibut, etc. — generally get grilled or baked.
For trout, we prefer the Weber gas BBQ.
Clean the fish, head off, fins and tail on.
Smear a light coat of butter on the inside of a sheet of tin foil, using the butter stick.
Cover the buttered foil with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Put (2) pats of butter inside the fish, along with more salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Wrap the foil around the fish — put on the BBQ at high heat. I also use hickory/mesquite chips in the closed BBQ for added smokehouse flavor — in a SS perforated tube.
Close the BBQ — cook for 5 minutes on one side — flip to the other side for 3 minutes.
That is it. Comes out tasty, juicy, firm, with a smoked flavor.
The fins and skin just come off with a fork. Plus the entire spine along with 99% of the bones just peel out from the meat like opening a zipper.
No fishy smell in the kitchen — and Sue loves the result.
Add a little rice pilaf, veggies with string beans, bellpeppers, mushrooms, and yellow onions.
Pretty tasty and healthy dinner.
This is the same method I use when back-packing and cooking my catch — except the foiled, buttered, and seasoned trout is put under the red hot coals of a campfire. And I usually have a lemon or two — along with some sourdough rolls.
Best,
Fred
thanks Fred, that meal looks like a winner in my books.
you should try the same recipe for the trout with some small ocean fish like rockfish, bay bass, etc
I have even try that same way with triggerfish and it was really good.
Fred: If I only lived closer ;) :'(........................Joe
Fred, 15 months with out fishing.... My Gawd Man. Two days in a row I start experiencing withdrawals.
Late winter early fall my first trip of every year on the river, always feels like the first time on the river. I imagine it was something like that... Jeff
Quote from: scrinch on October 23, 2018, 03:57:09 AM
Sounds like you had a great day on the lake, Fred. I didn't realize how good the fishing got in the Sierras in the Fall. I was up at Huntington closing the cabin two weekends ago, with the lake level down like in your photo of Courtright. On dam #3 we saw lots of 12-14" rainbows rising in the early afternoon, and then along came a school of about twenty 20-24" kokanees. I was shocked to see so many fish there given how poor the fishing usually is. Of course I hadn't brought any fishing gear, so all I could do was watch!
We have just been killing the fish at Huntington. Shaver has been putting out nice fish as well.
I live close enough to Fred to hit his house with a wristrocket.
The fishing has been great all summer.
PM me any time......
Quote from: foakes on October 24, 2018, 05:03:05 AM
There are ton of ways to cook fish, of course...
Ocean species such as rock fish, red snapper, ling cod, perch, etc. — we prefer to fillet and deep fry in oil with Panko crust, or Louisiana seasoned batter crust.
Salmon, halibut, etc. — generally get grilled or baked.
For trout, we prefer the Weber gas BBQ.
Clean the fish, head off, fins and tail on.
Smear a light coat of butter on the inside of a sheet of tin foil, using the butter stick.
Cover the buttered foil with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Put (2) pats of butter inside the fish, along with more salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Wrap the foil around the fish — put on the BBQ at high heat. I also use hickory/mesquite chips in the closed BBQ for added smokehouse flavor — in a SS perforated tube.
Close the BBQ — cook for 5 minutes on one side — flip to the other side for 3 minutes.
That is it. Comes out tasty, juicy, firm, with a smoked flavor.
The fins and skin just come off with a fork. Plus the entire spine along with 99% of the bones just peel out from the meat like opening a zipper.
No fishy smell in the kitchen — and Sue loves the result.
Add a little rice pilaf, veggies with string beans, bellpeppers, mushrooms, and yellow onions.
Pretty tasty and healthy dinner.
This is the same method I use when back-packing and cooking my catch — except the foiled, buttered, and seasoned trout is put under the red hot coals of a campfire. And I usually have a lemon or two — along with some sourdough rolls.
Best,
Fred
Yup ,
that !
Papa would have stuck a couple of sliced mushrooms inside the trout , still fantastic .
My fave is mesquite with a chunk or two of mansanita ,
One or two pat's of butter inside and smoke indirect heat at about 280-300 for 15 mins or so .
Depends on the size of fish.
Good eats !
Went back up to Courtright this morning — left at 05:00 — got to the lake at 6:28 — 28 degrees — launched the boat — was trolling by 6:50.
10 mixed batch of nice trout in the first 20 minutes — rainbows and browns.
After that — crimped down the barbs on the Speedy Shiners — catch and release for the next 3 hours — maybe another 40 fish — didn't count them. Might have lost another 10 at the boat because of the barbless hooks.
Same pattern — lead core — 4 colors out — 4 mph troll — 7.5' Okuma Rods & Penn small LW's — Speedy Shiners in copper and blaze orange stripe with fresh Gamakatsu trebles.
Weather is so nice — good to get a little fishing in before ❄️ Winter covers us with snow. These large High Country Reservoirs freeze over at 8300' — and will become inaccessible anytime after 11/1, generally. Courtright will have a snowpack averaging 6' to 12' until late Spring.
There were 3 bank fisherman — and I was the only boat on the lake. Lake is about 5 miles long by 1 mile wide.
There was one other boat last Monday.
Best,
Fred
Now your rubbing it in! ;D
Nice job Fred.
Scott
Fred ,
We going Friday?
I'll buy lunch ......
Best ,
Jonathan
Love to, Jonathan —
But guess who has Jury Duty starting Friday?!!!
If I don't get picked for a Jury, I should know within a week or so. They have a call in on-line system after the first day — and if you are not picked, they generally excuse you.
Weather looks good for the next two weeks though — let's see what we can do.
Would you like some fresh trout?
I have 9 freezer bags with a pair in each bag, cleaned, no heads, frozen in 💧 water. All I do is let the water run over them from the sink to thaw them out — and they are as firm and fresh as if you just caught them out of the river.
I owe you for the great Red Snapper and Ling Cod you so generously gave us a few months ago.
Let me know, I'll bring some over.
Best,
Fred
Quote from: foakes on October 25, 2018, 12:08:35 AM
I have 9 freezer bags with a pair in each bag, cleaned, no heads, frozen in 💧 water. All I do is let the water run over them from the sink to thaw them out — and they are as firm and fresh as if you just caught them out of the river.
We do the same Fred, freeze our fillets in water, no freezer burn that way! Great fishin' buddy! 8)