Fishing R+R

[Big Skyz]

Work was driving me crazy and I seriously needed a break and some hard-core fishing R+R. So I took a few days off from work and hooked up with my old fishing buddy (Captain Ahab) over in Western Montana. We fished 5 lakes in 2.5 days. We caught fish in 4 of the 5. The one we didn't catch fish in is because we got blown off the lake only about 20 minutes into fishing. No big deal as we had a good trip over all. We caught smallies, largemouth bass, kokanee salmon, brooke trout, and I caught my first lake trout. The toughest part of the whole trip was pointing my car east and heading home. Even if the fishing had of been terrible the scenery and renewing an old friendship would have been worth it.

Like I said the scenery was pretty easy on the eyes. Being surrounded by this kind of scenery day after day just never gets old.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Middle%20Thompson%205-15-15A_zpspqmud4rl.jpg

My buddy Dave (Captain Ahad) caught the first fish of the trip. A pretty darn decent smallie.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Dave%20Bell%205-14-15A_zpsd4vjg4f5.jpg

Shortly after I landed my first smallie of the trip. Not as big as Captain Ahabs, but I was happy to get one hooked and landed. It weren't a minnow though.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Echo%20Lake%205-14-15A_zpsaniocu2z.jpg

Dave and I basically went back and fourth catching smallies and the occasional LM bass. The limit on the lake is 1 smallmouth over 12" and 4 under 12". It was actually harder to catch the under 12" bass. We did manage to each get our limit in about 3 hours. I lost count of how many we released tough.

One more smallie pic for good measure.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Echo%20Lake%205-14-15E_zps4qy3diti.jpg

[Big Skyz]

After catching our limit of bass we decided to change lakes and went after lake trout. It was pretty slow fishing but I did manage to catch my first lake trout. It wasn't big by lake trout standards, but I was just happy to say I finally caught one.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Lower%20Stillwater%205-14-15_zps83xo6fch.jpg

The next day we went after Kokanee salmon. They generally are not a very large fish and these proved to be no exception. They do rank though right at the top when it comes to table fare. We each caught a limit of these little silver devils. However, we actually had to work at it and it took all day.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Troy%20Middle%20Thompson%205-15-15_zpsktond7le.jpg

Dave with one of many we caught.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Dave%20Bell%205-14-15H_zpsb0apqx7f.jpg

Here is the last photo I took of the trip. After pulling the boat on the trailer I ran down to the bank and wanted to capture one last photo to remember the trip by. Next time work drives me nuts I will have some nice photos to look and great memories to day dream about.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh113/Huntzz/Upper%20Stillwater%205-16-15_zpsto1c6b9g.jpg

[LJ3]

Very nice man.... very nice indeed.

[Buckrub]

Wow. Super brownies.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I've eaten a lot of Kokanee. My favorite way to eat them is just gut 'em and grill 'em and eat them as they come off the grill. I've also drank enough Kokanee beer to float my Champion bass boat. My favorite way is right out often the bottle. Looking at a Canadian Shield lake.

Now that you've fished them more or less side by side, what are your thoughts about smallies vs trout? I don't think there's a stronger fish pound for pound than a smallie. Nor one as wild. But that's me. I get a thrill every time
I hook a trout. Then I start thinking of how slimy they are and how hard they are to handle.

BKB

[Thumper]

Your camo don't match! Ummm, no ... nevermind. ;)

I just love those northern lakes. Those pics remind me of many fine memories of my Canada Walleye trips. Great story and pics B/S ... glad you got away for a bit.

Why is it I have a problem imagining YOU needing to get away from the rat race? Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You have no clue! :D

[Big Skyz]

Thumper, try being a school teacher the last week or two of school...and you will have a whole new appreciate for the term "rat-race!"

[Thumper]

Ha ha ha! I think I can see your point. No thanks!

[Bwana]

Looks like a great trip. Sure beats my turkey hunting weekend which was a total rain out, until the snow hit Sunday evening.

Just curious, in the second picture are those down rigger mounts? If so, does he down rig for lake trout or something else?

[Thumper]

I think that would be the third pic there Bwana.

[Big Skyz]

Bwana yes they are and he downrigs mostly for salmon, but occasionally lake trout as well. He's obsessed with kokanee salmon. Me I can take or leave them. They are so tiny and hard to keep on a hook that I have a hard time being all that interested in them. For every salmon we caught we lost two as I swear their mouths are made out of tissue paper.

[No-till Boss]

Very nice story and pictures, thank you for sharing ! However, I don't wanna fish anywhere I have to wear a heavy jacket in May !

[Big Skyz]

I'll wear a jacket anywhere I don't have to deal with snakes. There aren't any poisonous snakes in this part of the state. Wish I could say the same for where I live.

BBP, there's no question, pound for pound, smallie's fight harder than just about anything that swims in fresh water.

[Thumper]

BBP, there's no question, pound for pound, smallie's fight harder than just about anything that swims in fresh water.

Hmmmm, I dunno ... have ya' ever caught a gator? :D

[No-till Boss]

I'll wear a jacket anywhere I don't have to deal with snakes. There aren't any poisonous snakes in this part of the state. Wish I could say the same for where I live.

Here's one eating a muskrat
4788

[Big Skyz]

Make that any fish that swims in fresh water smarty-farty.

[Thumper]

:biggrin :biggrin :biggrin

[Captain]

Man them are some ROCKIN' smallies. Those are a handful on light tackle.
You really know how to kick a feller when he's neck deep in the hayfield and its 90 freakin degrees... ;)

[BarryBobPosthole]

All necks ain't created equal when it comes to being that deep.

BKB

[Buckrub]

That was cold, dude.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The Captain has been frisky lately. He needed a comeuppence. Pun intended.

BKB

[Nandy]

You living right Big Skyz, you living right...

[Captain]

All necks ain't created equal when it comes to being that deep. BKB

Mine and yours are....