BC Day 4

   Up early as usual It’s frozen cold outside of my trailer after getting up in the middle of the night, stark ass naked and going outside to peeeee in the trees. It took a long time to warmed back up and when I did get up to stay about 5:30 ice was on everything, couldn’t see the lake from the heavy fog. I started up the truck to sit in and write my notes from the day before and the dash temp read 31 degrees.

     Rich was moving around by 6 with the coffee going and the water for the omelets. Gary and Scott the rear door falling and the two of them were up shortly after with us all huddled in the camper we decided to go hit McConnell Lake. Suiting up in camp.  

McConnell Lake is only a few mile . Elevation 3690 rainy skies and clear water @ 57

We had the lake all to ourselves, except for a few people using the 3.5 mile trail that circles the lake. With on and off rain, light winds, and at this elevation the water was much colder 58.

Once I got away from shore and into deeper water of 8-10 feet a long cast  with my type 4 sink line and a # 10 Punkinhead in 8ft. of water. Bam first fish and I was given the nick name of O-B-ONE, and soon we were all catching having a blast. Gary was out of his slump now with a big smile on his face.

Later in the day I went into one of the coves that Rich & Scott had gone thru it was shallow at 4- 5 ft where I dropped anchor I watched the little ripples for a while and pulled my Sage out and put on a micro leach tyed in wine. Gave it a fling into the wind just before I thought it would hit bottom I started stripping back in lifting the rod as I did, soon I was fighting a nice 12in fish until Mr. or Miss. Loon showed up behind me. Thinking it was lunch time. I was able to put the fish in the net and keep it there while the Loon swam back and forth beside and under me just waiting for me to release. Before releasing it I did some false casting and the Loon left. The fish got away this time anyway. A few cast later a big garb and a much bigger fish, soon I was into my backing and the battle was long and fun.  This fish after getting in the net did the death roll and tingle up my leader so that it was better to cut it off to save the fish, it still took some time to get it to swim away I must of held it in the net in the water well over 10 minutes, when it left it was strong.

Having to totally re-rig I replaced everything with a 10ft. 3X leader and tyed on another 2ft of 3X fluorocarbon tippit and a size 16 Soft Hackle Peacock with about a 60ft. cast let it settle down in the water short slow strips the take, up and out of the cool clear water, first run, second run, third run, into my backing. Oh what fun, time passes O so slow and fast all at the same time. So far this is the fish of the trip. Our battle lasted I don’t know how long it was a give and take seemed like forever and when the net was under it was beautiful not the biggest but by far one of the strongest, at maybe 6lbs and 23 inches. This was the time I wished I had the Go Pro with me and the batteries had a full charge.

I took my time to regather my wits, and reflect on that moment engrave that time deep inside of this old brain pan.

   The wind change directions a little the rain came down a little harder and so I slowly stripped off some line and saw a small rise off in the distance. Placing the fly just beyond the rise it hit the water without much different than a rain drop long and straight, let it settle down just a few inches below slow strip, slow strip, the take and the new battle begins again…..  But this one is lost before it began he was up out of the water and broke off the fly.

So I cut back the tippit and this time added some 4X tippit tyed on a sz 16 Comparadun put some clap stick on the tippit about 3 inches up and a drop of float-ant and gave it a long fling. I could barely see it but saw the lips take it and it was back to game on. Wasn’t a huge fish but we did have fun together for the short time. The rain came down harder and the wind blow harder and the net came out and as I dipped the net under the small feisty fishy was gone along with my fly.

 I didn’t want to get all the other flies wet in the rain so I pulled up anchor and headed over towards the other guys. I fished with them for a while before I headed back in to shore. What a good day on the water. 

     None of us took pictures while here and my Go Pro the batteries were down.

 Gary’s report of the lake.

“McConnell Lake:  2 fish at 4-6  lbs.   Many at 1.5-2 lbs.  Great fishing but lots of rain and a little wind had the lake to ourselves.
Fish had great strength and fought like fish twice their size.”