The Fishin Magician

One of the coolest sports that no-one really gets until you sit on the shore or stream-bank like a darned fool, fishing is wild.

Any climber should have in their repertoir the skills to catch the fiend with fins; especially when the t-storms come a-callin.

So, who the hardest climbing best fisher? I'd vote for the one having the most fun, so that'd be me. From trout to tarpon, nothing beats a good catch after a good climb. Most often always have my pole ready for the quick hit. 11-Mile Canyon: ah, so nice.

Any solid fisher tales out there?

I think my best was a stream in the Wind Rivers area in WY, trout as big as logs, snap a line like bit'n off breadstick. Took all my drag out and hooked a monster, took a while to tucker him out, then dragged him in barehanded.

Then aboard the Capt Panic, reelin in some fine dolphin (the fish) for never to be missed tasty burger. Got surprised by a hammerhead & barracuda (mean bastards).

Com'n out to the Splat? Bring your pole and a good buck knife, because they take flies & lures but not the American Express.

Hmmmmmm sounds fishy, Mark, but I'll bite.....

I ate a whole container of luke warm, raw, Shrimp (fish-bait) when I was 3 years old (so I've been told), does that count?

Okay,seriously, I love fishing, but haven't been for a while. I'm not into the Carp at Lake Mead. My most memorable catches....
I caught an Octopus, and a Sand Shark with a 2.00 drop line off Redondo Pier when I was a little girl. I also caught nearly 100 lbs. of Catfish on fluorescent orange, garlic marshmallows(yummy, yummy!!) at Hesperia Lake for a 4.00 entrance fee. And I'll never forget the catching the best batch of Coconut Shrimp at Pacific Beach in San Diego.

Am I the hardest, climbing best fisher if I eat a BumbleBee Tuna lunch kit on my climbs?

Just started fly fishin this summer, and i think it is about the most fun thing you can do with your clothes on. I've mostly been catching cutthroats in very high alpine streams and lakes in the Uintahs, but I never really see anyone else and I always see loads of quartzite that looks about as good as Ruth Lake with nary a route. Having the Provo River and the Green River nearby isn't bad either. Lots of places out here in Utah where you can easily combine climbing in with fishing and a shore lunch.

Dadgum - I'll tell you what, last weekend, I FA'd a not-so-deep water solo next to a waterfall, jumped backed into the pool below, set up me little fly rod and reeled in a real nice 'bow and some of his brookie cousins. We didn't eat the purty fishes this time though, instead we opted for the copious poolside wild raspberries. Oh boy, it don't get any better.

Also, another activity I suggest is finding a clear, mellow pool with at least 4-10 feet of depth and then commencing to swim around in it with snorkeling goggles on. To my surprise the fish don't spook like they do when they see you outside of the water. Perhaps they recognize a lack of speedy mobility, but they will let you within about three feet, sometimes swimming up to check you out. It's different than tropical diving, but if you find clear water and good light, the beauty of the fish is just as mesmerizing.

Mark-
I almost didn't respond to this post out of fear that any hype might inadvertently lead to more people fishing in my favorite spots, but then I realized their was no point in being selfish. I always bring a fishing rod climbing with me and I've always been happy I did. In fact I almost always leave a fishing rod, rock climbing, shoes, and chalk bag in the trunk of my car because their have been to many times that I've driven past a choice bouldering/fishing area while doing some other activity and really wished I had the necessary supplies to play. As far as fishing climbing stories go a budy of mine and I took a great trip a few years ago in which we were able to climb at Smith rock and fish for Stealhead all in the same day. When this happens you know that life doesn't suck. I would encourage other climbers to consider fishing, it's a nice way to calm the nerves after a spicy day on the rock. However, at the risk of sounding like a preacher I will say this, fish are a limited resource just like our mountains and rock. In the same way that the current climbing culture has turned away from the common use of pitons because of the damage they cause would be fisherman/women should be sensitive to the tactics they use while fishing. To name a few: avoid treble hooks, resist the temptation to go for the easy catch with the worm, and if you're not going to eat the fish try and return it as qucikly and cleanly as possible to the water. Good luck everyone!

Man, all this talk about fishing and climbing really makes it hard to sit in front of the computer and work...Oh well the weekend is near.

Mark

Funny you mention the Winds.

I did a two week backpacking trip and brought no meat. Just a fishing pole. We caught enough fish up there to eat very well every day.

Mark Nelson wrote:So, who the hardest climbing best fisher?

Tie 'em and fly 'em!

Tis the season for big browns on streamers....nothing better than seeing a slab of gold, move six feet to crush a platte river spider, and a singing reel!

now THAT's fishing.

Pete-
Nice pic of the brown. That's one heck of a fish.

I don't know Pete. Have you considered that you are "chipping" the fishing hole? I think that stream needs to be blacklisted, or at least flamed in comments.
Of course I'm joking. That sounds like really cool work that encourages healthy habitats. However, just as with any action, there is the potential to take things too far. To move from helpful modifications to full blown alteration of an entire stream is possible, and may not be a good thing. I'm sure your familiar with Three Forks Ranch. I admit limited knowledge and am not saying they did wrong. Rather, I only want to point out that too much work on a stream can transform it from catching fun (though small) fish, to paying to haul in pellet fed lunkers from a private trout pond.
Just curious to your and other's thoughts.

Thanks to all the great comments! Holy Schist!?! A topic everyone seems to agree on; or at least, enjoy.

Pete, If I can free the Teale line cleanly, and limit out before supper, would I then be at least a contender? (limit out - figuratively speaking, of course). You'll need to try harder to disrupt my casting ability, but good to read about the work you have done; thanks, Pete.

just celebrated my birthday by pulling some brown trout out of the provo river. put 'em back in though so i can try to catch them again next year.

Mark Nelson wrote:Holy Schist!?! A topic everyone seems to agree on; or at least, enjoy.

It's funny the way people have so many things in common and that nature in so many ways does the same. For me the the best things all come in the same spots. The water where I ski melts and cuts canyons in the mountains creating streams and rivers and eventually creating wonderful and large rock walls great for climbing.

The best possible day I could have would be a nice long morning climb followed up by some nice fishing midday to afternoon. While fishing it's likely to come across some wild mushrooms that so perfectly complent a nice trout otherwise looking a beautiful fish in the eyes and then reviving him back to life. I love the feeling of a fish sitting in my hands face into the current. Rocking it back and forth a few times and then feeling the strength of it's body coming back to life and quickly escaping with a few strong flips of it's tail. Two weeks ago I went on a trip to my college town Eugene Or and one of my buddies has really nailed down the steelies on the McKenzie River. We went out that afternoon and spotted a bunch of fish but couldn't really entice them to bite too much. After a few beers amd a couple hours and a whole bunch of fish moving through I got one to bite. I cast out watched my lure go right by this monster fish's face and it took. I quickly went for the hook set but since I hadn't fished steelheads in 2 years I was way too agressive. The line became taught the rage in the fish boiled and as the Gamachi razor sharp hook pierced the fish's face a good 2-3 feet of fish launched out of the water. It flew about 6 feet above the water and I was looking straight into it's eyes. Then what a true steelhead fisherman fears most happened. As the fish reached about six feet in the air I watched it's mouth open and spit my hook. The whole set up came flying straight towards my face and I ducked as it went over my head swearing at what I had lost.

The next morning we went back and caught 3 steelies each and lost 3 more each. Hands down the best Steelhead fishing day I've ever had. Anyone who has ever fished steelhead understands what an epic day this is...I spent 200+ days of hard fishing before landing my first.

dave

That's an optimal set up if you have the time. Working a fulltime desk job I've got to squeeze in everything possible into the weekend window and the afternoon to night busting. I've actually been known to hit the East Vail Chutes to Ice Climb to fishing all in the same day. It's good, real good...although one of these days I'll go back to the not working force and really get my outdoor stuff done. Until then little fish stories here and there.

That's a pretty good story you've got too. One of my buddies in Oregon had a picture of when he was 4 and his first steelhead. He was holding it up with all his might and he had the fish's mouth just about even with his eyes and about 5-6 inches of the fish's tail was on the ground. The steelhead is literally a legend in the Pacific North West. Once the bug bites you, you can't stop trying to tie into these things.

I got to give props to Mark for starting this thread and don't know how I missed it the first go around but damn I love fishing and climbing.

So a Doctor told me this one about how Fishin and climbing were very similar:

"Climbing is like fishing, one jerk waiting on the end of a line for another jerk"

Sprinting 100 yards down river, totally spooled, chest deep in 40 degree water in a hail storm. Turning it around, seeing "chrome", A final jump, popping off. Damn!

Racing up the first 50 feet of buckets, totally pumped, 20 feet out and it starts hailing. Getting a no hands, I can see the chains, and all out dyno, popping off. Damn!

Yeah, I guess steeheading and climbing are kinda similar.

I don't like fishermen...they cut down the cables we string on the river for our slalom courses because they decide they can't fish a couple hundred yards up or downstream. Then when we get up there to boat we have to spend most of a day cleaning up the wires and cord and mangled gates out of the river so they don't kill anybody, then restringing the gates. It's a wonder we manage to get any training in at all...

Maybe a recirculating pool would be better for training. Some people chip routes for training, others go inside.

d.reed wrote: I asked him where the best place to go fishing was/is, , He looked off to the distance for abot 5 minutes.....and repied " Any where theres water!"