BarzArz
Well-Known Member
Well we made it there and back...again! and even caught a few fish this time...life is good! lol
We, my wife and I, were packed and ready Wednesday evening, so hit the road in New Mexico (braving Balloon Fiesta traffic) after work Thursday the 12th. Pulling in Hite about 1 AM, slept in the Truck camper till daylight, then set up camp on the waters edge just a few hundred feet South of the concrete Launch Ramp, or maybe runway, as it's a ways from the water. We were the only ones camping on that side of the Hite area. I think I counted about 13 boat trailers parked around the primitive launch to the South.
We launched right at our camp (more on launching in the next thread).
On the Water mid morning Friday, no wind early, glass, but picked up considerably in the early afternoon.
We fished Farley most of the day, from the first cove to all the way to the back. no one at the back, but fresh tire tracks at the very end...great lunch spot! We fished our way out and mid afternoon got into a few small mouth...right at 2PM as per the Wayne Words schedule! amazing. Green Pumpkin black flake Double Tail Hula Grub on football head jig. Against the mid canyon wall only a few feet deep. Then it was over, we kept one nice one for a meal. Trolled out of the mouth of the canyon into the main channel about 5 PM and my wife trolled up a nice fat Striper in about 20 foot of water. 1 oz. Kastmaster. One of the healthiest looking chunkiest stripers I have ever seen...added to the dinner menu, Happy campers.... Farley had decent clarity 8-10 feet, water temps ran 62-65, pretty choppy all afternoon.
Our Son and Grandaughter made it in late that night, wind picked up all night, and white caps in the morning, so we did not get out until about 10AM. Went to White canyon fished around the Battleship for a while, lots of wind, no fish. Talked to some Wyoming fishermen that were catching a few Walleye on the windy points in White. We finally gave up White and went back to Farley. Finally started picking up a few Small Mouth mid canyon in Farley. Again Green Pumpkin Double Tail Hula Grubs, then the best, our granddaughter starting catching smallies on a cinnamon tube... a 10 year old catching fish made the wind much more bearable!
We saw some assumed striper schools on the graph, but not much luck, though did manage to spoon up a little more for our table fare. Again all the fish caught were fat and healthy! The best striper was on a large shad colored plastic swim bait.
We were not sure if we should fish Sunday, or head home. But awoke to smooth water and warm sun, so we put the boat back in and off on a new adventure...Preston has those nice pictures down in Good Hope so we were inspired and took off. Stopped and spooned a few schools we saw on the graph near 4 mile, bit no takers, so to Castle Butte we go, pull around to the South of the butte and work the shallow coves and suddenly everyone is happy, catch and releasing Large Mouth at a steady clip changed the tone of the trip. most were small, but who cares we are reeling fish in on a beautiful day in an amazing place. Our son caught the nicest fish, shallow square bill crank. My wife found an old faded crawfish crank bait with rusty hooks I had found in a lake long ago and decided that was what she needed...good thing I did not laugh, cause she was right...that was a hot ticket. And our granddaughter added a few on a tube as well.
Anyway...we were doing better all the time, at noon, but had to get back, load and head home.
Not large numbers of fish, but we fished hard, threw a lot of different stuff, had fun and were rewarded with some nice action, meals, company and scenery....8 hours home, tired but smiling!
We are considering one more run in November! lol
We, my wife and I, were packed and ready Wednesday evening, so hit the road in New Mexico (braving Balloon Fiesta traffic) after work Thursday the 12th. Pulling in Hite about 1 AM, slept in the Truck camper till daylight, then set up camp on the waters edge just a few hundred feet South of the concrete Launch Ramp, or maybe runway, as it's a ways from the water. We were the only ones camping on that side of the Hite area. I think I counted about 13 boat trailers parked around the primitive launch to the South.
We launched right at our camp (more on launching in the next thread).
On the Water mid morning Friday, no wind early, glass, but picked up considerably in the early afternoon.
We fished Farley most of the day, from the first cove to all the way to the back. no one at the back, but fresh tire tracks at the very end...great lunch spot! We fished our way out and mid afternoon got into a few small mouth...right at 2PM as per the Wayne Words schedule! amazing. Green Pumpkin black flake Double Tail Hula Grub on football head jig. Against the mid canyon wall only a few feet deep. Then it was over, we kept one nice one for a meal. Trolled out of the mouth of the canyon into the main channel about 5 PM and my wife trolled up a nice fat Striper in about 20 foot of water. 1 oz. Kastmaster. One of the healthiest looking chunkiest stripers I have ever seen...added to the dinner menu, Happy campers.... Farley had decent clarity 8-10 feet, water temps ran 62-65, pretty choppy all afternoon.
Our Son and Grandaughter made it in late that night, wind picked up all night, and white caps in the morning, so we did not get out until about 10AM. Went to White canyon fished around the Battleship for a while, lots of wind, no fish. Talked to some Wyoming fishermen that were catching a few Walleye on the windy points in White. We finally gave up White and went back to Farley. Finally started picking up a few Small Mouth mid canyon in Farley. Again Green Pumpkin Double Tail Hula Grubs, then the best, our granddaughter starting catching smallies on a cinnamon tube... a 10 year old catching fish made the wind much more bearable!
We saw some assumed striper schools on the graph, but not much luck, though did manage to spoon up a little more for our table fare. Again all the fish caught were fat and healthy! The best striper was on a large shad colored plastic swim bait.
We were not sure if we should fish Sunday, or head home. But awoke to smooth water and warm sun, so we put the boat back in and off on a new adventure...Preston has those nice pictures down in Good Hope so we were inspired and took off. Stopped and spooned a few schools we saw on the graph near 4 mile, bit no takers, so to Castle Butte we go, pull around to the South of the butte and work the shallow coves and suddenly everyone is happy, catch and releasing Large Mouth at a steady clip changed the tone of the trip. most were small, but who cares we are reeling fish in on a beautiful day in an amazing place. Our son caught the nicest fish, shallow square bill crank. My wife found an old faded crawfish crank bait with rusty hooks I had found in a lake long ago and decided that was what she needed...good thing I did not laugh, cause she was right...that was a hot ticket. And our granddaughter added a few on a tube as well.
Anyway...we were doing better all the time, at noon, but had to get back, load and head home.
Not large numbers of fish, but we fished hard, threw a lot of different stuff, had fun and were rewarded with some nice action, meals, company and scenery....8 hours home, tired but smiling!
We are considering one more run in November! lol
