Ecstatic finish

[Durango]

After at least twenty five years of fishing at Barrett, I HAD to fish Wednesday, since I hadn't been all year. Just couldn't break my streak.

Started around 1:30 due to complications of getting there. Went across from the dock to where the dirt at water edge is a light brown, almost tan color. Got one right off the bat, but lost it, a small bass. Then BAM, I hooked onto (for me anyway) a monster. Great battle, got him to the scale, 4.1 pounds. Wow, I thought. Then caught a bluegill with a strikingly beautiful bright orange chest. Then moved on. I picked up four more pounder clones as I worked my way to the back of Hauser, where Juul said all the action was.

Then at the north bank of Hauser, BAM, another good one. 3.5. The adrenaline was rushing through my veins.

Finally got to the back of Hauser, and I saw boils everywhere. Got into the salt cedar trees, and it was a rare cast that didn't produce a bite. I caught eleven in the next hour. The only downside was constantly wiping the slimy moss off. All I really know how to do is drop shot, which meant a lot of slimy moss wiping. But what a rush. Average size was two pounds. But I got one on that I would have bet $100 was at least a fiver. Man did it fight, I mean he must have been the fullback of the team. But when I finally hoisted him up, it was not a fiver. Tipped the scale at only 2.5. Guess he'd been eating Wheaties all of his life. I will never forget that fight.

Total for day, seventeen. When reluctantly leaving, I looked back at that piece of heaven, and a near full moon was just coming up between the mountains. Then an osprey flew along side me for about two minutes carrying a small fish in its talons.

So now I HAD to get back to that back-of-Hauser bite on Saturday. Again got a late start, almost did not go because of the weather forecast. Never saw one boil. Fought the wind and the rain (thankfully light) and the moss, and produced thirteen, six of them just under three, none three or more. But before my last small fish, I got a monster on. Again a brilliant fight, and this time I was pretty sure it wasn't the aforementioned fullback. It eventually pulled my drag hard heading for a bush, and while trying to horse him out of it, the line popped. Losing this one has been on my mind ever since, as lost monsters tend to do.

One fun note. At 5:00 I needed to eat and get a bit organized, so I motored out a ways, then stopped, letting the wind blow me back. Since I have had so many crazy experiences at Barrett, I threw my drop shot worm out, and let the wind drag it while I piddled with lunch and organizing. Then BAM, one hit it, and I landed another two pounder.

I saw a hansom fox on the dark road about halfway back to the gate.

Thank you universe for putting Barrett and all of its great adventures at my disposal. As Henry David Thoreau wrote, "The wildness and adventure of fishing attract me to it."

[Shawnster]

Thanks for the post and the great quote. Glad you didn’t break your streak!

[Badrap]

Speaking of the osprey, 3 weekends ago during a wolf pack busters near our boat heard a splash. Not more than 10ft away from us was the osprey flapping its wing struggling in the water. Few seconds later it took off with a 1.5lb+ bass in its grip, a national geographic moment for sure. Counting the days before Barrett opens again.

[Fisheromen]

Nah, that's a Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom moment, for sure! I have had several! It is what happens when you get outdoors.