The Utah Trip in Review

I recently spent a week in the great state of Utah on vacation.  I've said it before, but Utah is one of my favorite places I've ever been.  From the mountains flanking the Salt Lake valley to the desert and canyons down near Moab, Utah is an amazing place that should be seen by all.

The first two days I spent hiking around a couple spots.  The first day I had planned to hike to Deseret Peak.  But, as often is the case, Mother Nature had something else in mind for me.  The road to the Deseret Peak trailhead was closed due to flash flooding and debris flows because the start of the spring melt of all the remaining snow in the mountains.  Being necessarily flexible, I found another trailhead to get onto and had a nice hike.  The Stansbury Front Trail led through some pretty dry terrain with a few views of snow at some of the higher elevations.

 

Day two I hiked a familiar friend, the Lake Blanche trail.  I had originally planned to try and do some fly fishing in Lake Blanche.  But, like the day before, the mammoth snow pack changed those plans.  Lake Blanche was still locked up with ice and the majority of the hike to the top was snow covered.  This made for a beautiful, but slightly more taxing hike.  As compared to the hike from the previous day, the Lake Blanche trail was a winter wonderland!

I played around with the GoPro video camera in addition to taking some still shots while hiking the first two days.  Here is a video I put together.

The next three days, I fished with Wasatch Guide Service at various spots around Utah.  The first day I fished with Dusty Kenner at a stillwater lake in the high desert of the Uinta Basin.  I can't divulge any more details about this location.  But, suffice it to say it was a blast catching tiger trout and Colorado cutthroat trout.

On the second day, Dusty and I hit the Lower Provo River.  What an incredible fishery the Provo River is!  We landed somewhere around 15 beautiful brown and rainbow trout and hooked a good many more!

On the third day, I fished with Wasatch owner Jeremy Jones.  We also hit the Lower Provo and had another great day.  After a bit of a slow start, we ended the day on a high note with about 12 browns and rainbows in the net. 

The following morning I got up well before daylight and and made the 3.5 hour drive from Orem south toward Moab.  I arrived at Arches National Park at 7:30am, just as the gates opened.  This is an area of Utah that I had not previously experienced.  It is an entirely different type of beauty.  The high, snowy mountains are replaced with towering sandstone pillars and slot canyons.  I am currently reading The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey.  The introduction to the novel includes a perfect quote from Abbey describing the desert landscape:

"There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount, the perfect ratio of water to rock, of water to sand, ensuring that wide, free, open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid west so different from any other part of the nation.  There is no lack of water here, unless you try to establish a city where no city should be."

Here is another video from the three days fishing with Dusty and Jeremy as well as my time spent in Arches N.P.  Utah is an amazing place that should be experienced by all.  I'm already trying to plan my return trip!

Utah: Life Elevated from Ken Hubbard on Vimeo.

The New York State Trout Season Opener

As some of you may know, I had the privilege of fishing with Tony Gugino and Brian McClintock, editor of GoFISHn.com, on April 1 and April 2, 2011.  Without even realizing it, I had booked this trip beginning on the opening day of trout season in NY State.  I was more inclined to equate the April 1 date to the opening of the Upper Fly Fishing Zone on the Salmon River in Altmar, NY.

While some may have been targeting small stream browns, brookies and rainbows around the state, Brian, Tony and I were after some much bigger trout.  The big nasty sibling of the rainbow trout....the steelhead.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love the transition to fly fishing for small stream trout.  It is an entirely different art form.  But, as long as these bruisers are around I'll go after the steelhead any day of the week. 

Since we had two days of fishing ahead of us, we decided to move around a bit and try some places we hadn't fished in a while (or in Brian's case, ever).  It paid off in spades!  Under the expert tutelage of Tony, Brian and I landed 13 steelhead along with 3 brown trout. 

When you look at these photos, you would think that these fish must have come out of big water.  I can safely say (without blowing up our spots) that some of these big, ahtletic fish were caught in water not much bigger than what my fellow anglers were wading through in search of brookies on the trout opener.  Pretty amazing!

Soon enough, I'll turn my attention to fishing for resident trout in small streams like Nine Mile Creek and Chittenango Creek.  But, for now let the drag peeling onslaught of the anadromous trout continue! 

GoFISHn Fishing Outing

Now, let me preface this by saying that this is in no way intended to be a bragging session.  In late 2010, I participated in a contest on GoFISHn.  The angler with the best posts would win a day with a member guide, with guide fees covered by GoFISHn.  I was lucky enough to put together a selection of fishing reports, photos, videos and gear reviews to win the contest and was honored with the title of GoFISHn Angler of the Year.  OK so maybe there is a little bit of bragging involved.

I gave it some thought and decided that I wanted to keep the business local and fish with Tony Gugino of Tony's Salmon Country Guide Service in Pulaski.  I went to high school with Tony and have fished with him quite a bit lately and always have a blast.  And, let's be honest, if I hadn't started fishing with Tony I would never have learned what I know now and had the opportunity to report on all these successful fishing outings to the folks on GoFISHn.  I'd like to think that I'm a quick study and do have some propensity for angling, but the process has certainly been expedited by hanging around Mr. Gugino.

After I was notified by GoFISHn editor, Brian McClintock, that I was the winner I decided to put a bug in his ear about coming up to Pulaski to fish.  As it turns out it didn't take much persuasion, both Brian and GoFISHn founder, Ned Desmond, decided to come up to fish with Tony and I.

I have a good time every time I put my waders on and get the rod out of the truck.  But, this particular outing is really exciting for me!  Both Ned and Brian have been up to Pulaski to fish with Tony, but I've never met them and I'm pretty stoked to have the opportunity to fish with these gentlemen. 

Be on the lookout for reports from Friday April 1 and Saturday April 2 on GoFISHn.  The odds are pretty good there will some high quality fish, photos, stories and maybe some video from this outing.  This just goes to show that all you really need to do is go out and do what you love to do, share those experiences with others and it will pay off in the end!

The Newbie Meets the Steelie

Recently, my cousin Jon came up from Florida with his buddies Bill and Chadwick.  Jon grew up spending a lot of time on the shores of Lake Ontario, but he is fully Floridian these days.  He is more acclimated to fishing for tarpon, snook and redfish.  The guys came up with the hopes butting heads with some big steelhead.

This most recent outing was a great reminder for me on how exciting it can be seeing a newbie steelhead fisherman get out on the water.  It seems like it is nearly impossible for an angler to experience the beauty of the area and the magnitude of the fishery and not already be planning a return trip before they even leave.  In the case of Jon, Bill and Chadwick, they have began talking about coming up in the fall and again next spring to fish in Pulaski. 

On Fiday 3/25, Bill had a great day with Tony Gugino of Tony's Salmon Country Guide Service.  He landed 10 fish, not bad for his first trip to Pulaski!  You can read about it and see the photos on Tony's website here.  When Jon spoke to Bill on the phone that afternoon, he told me he could hear Bill smiling through the phone.  Not an uncommon reaction!

While Jon didn't get on as many fish as Bill, he still had a great day.  Jon and I went out with Skeeter Scoville on the Sandys and had some pretty consistent action.  Most importantly, Jon was able to land his first North Sandy steelhead!  I think Skeeter's excitement to landing this fish may have rivaled Jon's!

One of the fondest memories of a newbie introduction to the Salmon River was helping Kris Perritt catch his first salmon in the fall of 2009.  It was a nice little coho taken on the Salmon River.  Kris was ecstatic and it is certainly a moment I won't soon forget.  One of the best outcomes of that day was the fact that I have gotten a new fishing buddy out of the deal. 

Sometimes it seems that secrecy abounds in the angling world.  Locations and methods may be kept locked up in the mental vault in order to keep your honey hole safe.  I don't necessarily disagree with this, you won't see me telling the world which particular hole I did well in when I write a report from a day on the water.  Some things need to be learned by trying it on your own.  However, I will gladly take a newbie steelhead fisherman out on the river and show them everything I can in the hopes of getting them on some fish.  It is pretty easy to turn a first timer into a lifelong steelhead junkie.  It happened to me, it can happen to you!

The Vernal Equinox and the Steelhead

Astronomically speaking, the vernal equinox is the day in the Northern Hemisphere (March 20 or 21) on which the length of night and day are more or less equal and the Sun is at the Earth's equator.  From this day forward, the Sun begins to shine on the higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere until the Summer Solstice on June 20 or 21.  The inclination of the Earth on it's axis relative to the Sun is the reason for the changing seasons.  Essentially, the Vernal Equinox marks the point in the year in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth is inclined on it's axis toward the Sun.  The greater the angle of the Earth toward the Sun, the warmer the temperatures.  This is obviously reversed for the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice, but that can be discussed at a later time.

Now that we've covered the basic science here, what does this mean in terms of.....(you guessed it!).....aquatic organism behavor (specifically those belonging to the Oncorhynchus genus of the Salmonidea family)?  Let's keep it simple and focus on steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for this particular post.  The anadromous steelhead (native to Pacific Ocean tributaries of North America and Asia) was introduced into Lake Ontario.  The steelhead from Lake Ontario begin their migration into tributaries in waves starting in the mid to late fall.  They enter the tribs to follow the spawning salmon and gorge on eggs floating downstream.  Steelhead will continue to enter the tributaries throughout the winter months, depending on water flow.

The winter fish have a much slower metabolism due to extremely low water temperatures.  Colder water has a higher capacity to carry dissolved oxygen.  So, the fish don't have to brave the faster, highly oxygenated  riffles and runs as they do in warm weather.  The fish can sit tight in deep, slow water and current seams and not worry as much about feeding during the winter.  Winter steelheading can be more difficult for this reason in addition to the weather conditions.

So what does this seasonal transition from winter to spring mean us anglers and, more importantly, the steelhead?  First is the obvious warming temperatures.  This alone can make for more enjoyable days on the river.  The melting snow, birds chirping and trees budding can be food for the soul.  It is a wonderful thing to be able to head out in the morning and not worry about frozen toes and iced up guides.  But, better bring a backpack because those necessary layers in the morning might quickly become too much in the warm afternoon sun!

The fish also respond to the increase in temperatures.  The warming air temperatures have the necessary side effect of melting the snow pack from the winter.  This, of course, can cause rapidly increasing water flows and actually keep the river water pretty darn cold until the snow is gone.  Once the water begins to warm up above 40 degrees F, the fish become much more active.

The females begin to set up to dig their spawning beds, called redds.  This can be very entertaining to watch.  You will see the female flailing around, beating the river bed with her tail to break up the gravel bottom and make it more suitable for her eggs.  The males will also vie for position with the female in order to be the one to fertilize the eggs once she drops them.  The males can be very aggressive, attacking each other to exert their dominance.  The spring steelhead can look like a fall salmon, with wounds and white battle scars.  This male has gotten into a couple scuffles with other males during the spawn.
 

The females are tougher to target during the spawn.  And, honestly, I think a spawning female should be left alone if possible during the spawn.  She has a very important job ahead of her in depositing her eggs in the river bed.  The offspring from her eggs can help to sustain the fishery in the years to come.  The males can be caught very readily during the spawn, though.  They will often be found behind a female excavating on the redd.  Throwing an egg pattern or bead to these aggressive males is very effective.

Spring is a wonderful time of year, a new beginning of sorts.  The only negative aspect of this is that soon these beautiful steelhead will have spawned and made their way back to Lake Ontario for the summer.  But, all this means is that it is time to focus on some other fish species.  And, let's be honest, the steelhead is quite an attention hog from November until May!  We are just turning the corner from winter into spring in Central New York.  Let's hope this is another great spring season for fishing!  Here are a few more photos from a great April day in 2010 on the Salmon River. 

Utah: Life Elevated

I have been planning a western fly fishing trip for a while now.  I've spent a good bit of time out west in Wyoming, Utah and Montana, but haven't been in nearly two years.  I finally bit the bullet and booked the flights and a three day guide trip with Wasatch Guide Service.  The trip to Utah is on! 

I have fished the Weber River a couple times when my sister and brother in law lived in Salt Lake City.  It is beautiful country and SLC is the nicest city I've ever been to (that is saying a lot because I like cities about as much as a cat likes water).  In SLC, you can walk out the front door and see down in the Salt Lake valley and downtown and go out the back door and head right into mountains with moose and marmots.  It is an amazing place.  I must say that I am pretty pumped to get back there!

 

 
Here is a tentative itinerary:


June 3, 2011:  Fly from Syracuse to Salt Lake City.

June 4, 2011:  Check out Fishwest Fly Shop in Sandy, UT and other shops in SLC to get all geared up for some Utah fly fishing.

June 5, 2011:  Hike up to Lake Blanche and Sundial Peak in Big Cottonwood Canyon to fish a couple high mountain lakes.

June 6-8, 2011: Guided fishing trip with Wasatch Guide Service on the Provo and Weber Rivers after some trophy brown and rainbow trout.

June 9, 2011:  Head south to the Moab, UT area to get a taste of high desert. 

Photo courtesy of www.raftingamerica.com

June 10, 2011: Travel back north to Salt Lake City and maybe catch a hike or quick stop at a stream for some trout.  Take a red eye from SLC back to Syracuse. 

Anyone want to join??

The Metamorphosis of Steelhead Fisherman

I've always considered myself an avid fisherman.  Growing up in a place like Pulaski, it is hard not to be.  The spectacular fishing opportunities afforded by Lake Ontario and it's tributaries are seemingly endless throughout any given calendar year.  That being said, an entirely different breed of fisherman makes their way outdoors during the frigid winter months. And I'm not talking about the warm confines of an ice shanty. 

Throughout most of my life, fishing was confined to the pursuit small stream trout in the spring, bass, northern pike and other warm water species in the summer and salmon in the fall.  I was lucky enough to grow up with a quality salmon fishing stream no more than a short walk from my house.  Many an autumn afternoon was spent chasing the mud sharks up and down Grindstone Creek.  I would begin watching the water levels as summer transitioned into fall, in hopes that some rain would be the trigger for the Chinook salmon to begin their final chapter of life, the migratory journey from Lake Ontario into Grindstone Creek to spawn.  It is amazing to see these monster fish, some exceeding 30 lbs., swimming around in such a small stream. 

Historically, I was done fishing until trout season opened on April 1st once the salmon run waned in late fall.  I would spend the winter months on a snowmobile, skis or snowshoes.  However, in the winter of 2009 I began to chase the elusive chrome bullet, the steelhead.  Why had I not gotten into this sooner?  A partial answer to that question could be cost of quality steelhead fishing gear.  Having some disposable income is a necessity in order to fund steelhead pursuits.  Although, as my family and friends can attest to, I do not mind the added expense!

Soon enough I found myself spending nearly every weekend standing in waist deep, 33 degree water in 20 degree temperatures trying to convince once of these magnificent fish to take my offering.  The fresh white snow, ice formations on the banks, eagles flying overhead and the possibility of a big steelhead on the end of the line make for an activity of unrivaled serene beauty and pulse pounding excitement.  What could be better than this?

Sure, there are times when it does get a bit cold with the wind whipping around and the frigid water sucking the warmth out of your toes.  But, all you need to do is got for a quick warm up hike through the woods to a new spot and you are good as new.  And, I'll tell you that once you hook into one of these bruisers, the cold seems to disappear immediately! 

It takes a rare breed (some say a strange breed) to enjoy such conditions.  It is now my favorite time of the year to fish.  The fishing pressure is low, the fish are harder to catch and the beauty of the backdrop is second to none.  I think you all would agree with me if you gave it a shot! 

Haunted By Lost Fish

I fished with Tony Gugino today and had to work real hard for every fish we landed.  At the end of the day, we ended up going 4 for 10.  As Tony pointed out, this is a pretty good batting average in baseball.  However, it always troubles me when I lose a fish.  I guess it is the unknown that gets to me.  What is the coloration on  the fish?  How big is the fish?  Is it a male or female?  Even a small fish can feel quite heavy depending on the take, but a few of the fish I lost today felt like heavy fish. 

Don't get me wrong, as the photos will indicate, we caught some beautiful fish today.  But, there was one fish in particular that caused a brief mental shut down for me after it popped the hook.  The wind was giving us fits getting a good drift.  So, on one of the best drifts, the float went down, I set the hook and the fish rolled at the surface a couple of times.  I was fishing with a center pin float set up.  Those who are familiar with that particular type of outfit will know that there is no drag on the reel.  The drag system is quite simple.....put more or less pressure on the reel with your finger. 

Because of the low water conditions, we were using 5lb. test fluorocarbon leader material in order to not spook the fish.  After hooking the fish and the brief fight, the reel got stuck on my wet finger as the fish was making a run.  You can equate this with having the drag way to tight on a spinning reel and as you could probably predict, the 5lb. fluoro snapped with the added strain.  Doh!

I can still remember any number of fish that I have hooked and lost.  One particularly depressing example is a massive brown trout Tony and I were sight fishing for in the fall of 2010.  I hooked and lost this fish twice before he took off downstream.  I saw a picture of the fish when a client of Tony's caught it several days later....an 18lb. monster brown.  Fishing for this type of hard charging anadramous fish, you will not land each and every one you hook.  Luckily today, we landed some very nice fish.  This eases the sting of the lost beauties quite a bit.  Once I figure out now to land every fish I hook, I will let you know.  Until then, the hanuting will continue. 

Tight lines, ya'll.  Here is the obligatory fish porn.