# Career Day at Scofield



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Good Lord, what a day!  .

Today was destined to be a great day of fishing from the very start. No gremlins in the clock this week, Sonia (wife) woke up and got ready at the same time I did (never happens), and we were out the door at 5:45am.

The fact that we were within 15 minutes of the planned departure time, was enough to convince me that the fishing gods were watching over our trip.

We went to the dam (our new favorite spot--autumn), but it was still dark when we got there and the air was frigid. I new Sonia wouldn't come out of the car yet with our boy, James. I decided to go down anyway (of course).

With the bright moon shining down on the water, I tossed out a minnow and then started casting a "Halloween Bugger" behind a bubble. It was one of the only things that worked out for me last week, so I thought I'd give it a chance.

That didn't work out so well, but my line started pulling away from shore on my minnow rod. That usually means good things at Scofield, so I got pretty excited. I waited for a moment and set my hook to land a 15 inch bow with a beer belly. It wasn't the big bow I'd hoped for, but it was nice to get a hookup so quickly. (sorry no pic of this one)

As I was putting my fish on the stringer, I heard a familiar car horn and had to run up and see what was up. When I got up to the car, I realized that James was just playing with the steering wheel (under Mama's supervision) and bumped it a couple of times. Bonus jog for me.

Before I went back down, I noticed the sunrise was getting kind of intense and snapped a quick shot:










I went back down to the water and threw out another minnow. Then I thought about switching my bugger to one of my other new flies. I didn't really know what I was doing, so I tied on a parachute adams. Before I could even try it, I saw line jumping from my bale on the minnow rod.

I got up and readied myself for battle and set my hook. This was a tank! It put a serious arc in my bigger Ugly Stik and really tested my drag while we fought. I couldn't help but let out a little holler once I got a better look:










A few moments later and I taped her at 20 inches. That's my biggest rainbow so far. I'm very pleased with it (in fact, I just finished devouring it with my family :wink: ).

With my hawg out of the way and my wife still in the car, I figured setting the bait pole down and focusing on the fly/bubble thing would be my best option. The surface was exploding even more, now that the sky was brightening steadily.

Today I chose the right fly. 8)

First cast and I pulled in this little guy:










Next cast and I pulled in this little guy:










I'll spare the text between most of the shots because most of them look like this:



















And even a few more that I didn't care to photograph with freezing hands at that point.

Then something unexpected happened and I had a flying tiger of decent size flailing about:










Here's a better view:










That's my biggest fish so far on a fly. That guy had some great coloration and a mean attitude...I let him go even though he had sentimental value...He earned it.

Then the next while looked like this:









































































Again, those are just the ones I photographed...And those are only the pics that weren't blurry. :lol:

I decided to try for some better size on my bait pole while I continued to rake them in with the fly. I rigged a worm behind a full bubble and launched it into the "depths" and threw my fly.

That's the same fly in all those pics, BTW...It started out as a nice looking PA and it got so hammered all morning that it ended up as a wad of lint on a tiny hook. The dinks were still hitting it on almost every other cast when I decided to try the Jake's. Hah! Craziness.

Meanwhile, the worm rod started dancing and I got this guy:










Sorry, I couldn't see the screen when I shot that.

Here's one more with a fly before I switched to the Jake's:










This guy came and said hello to our stringer and then went off to taunt a kid and his Dad that were closeby:










The kid and his Dad were pretty frustrated because they couldn't get it to bite their lures. The sad part is that a little later on, the kid came by and showed me his nice tiger that he just SNAGGED on purpose with his Dad. They got so fed up with chasing that guy around that they got a lucky snag and brought it in. The kid displayed it to me and told me how they caught it. I told him that was illegal to keep and that he shouldn't tell anyone else that. :roll:

I got another chubby bow (notice the deformity on it's throat):










I tried the Jake's and had a lot of luck with that, but took all of 2 pictures:



















After a bunch of fish hit my Jake's, I whipped it out too hard and lost it on a cast. I switched to a rainbow rapala for some bigger potential, but still only hooked up with more dinks. No pics of those.

I rigged Sonia's new pole for a minnow and when she finally came down to the water (shortly after I caught the big bow), her first cast was swallowed by a monster. She got to fight it for a whole 5 seconds before it threw a pulpy mess of a minnow back at her. I saw the beast. It was just as big mine, I think. That would've made her day, too.

After catching a good tiger on a minnow, she reverted to her most comfortable tactics. Sonia managed to hook into about 4 fish all day with her "Go to" of a worm under a bubble.

I saw .45 and luckystrike there. I got to watch them on their 'toons for most of the day.

Anyone want to see what .45 looks like?










:lol: He's the one in the pontoon! :lol:

There you go.

We went and met up with them when they docked their pontoons with their trailer. It was good to meet them...Good guys.

So if I had to guess how many fish I caught today, I'd honestly say around 40, but it could be more or less. Definitely over 30. I took 28 pics today on my camera and 25 of those were of fish I caught (I didn't post all my pics, BTW). I don't know how many fish I caught and threw back without a pic, but I'm guessing it was easily over 15. I try not to exaggerate, so I'll just say well over 30 8) .

I know the number sounds crazy, but it really happened. I've never caught so many fish at one spot (or in one day) in my life.

I was skeptical when I heard about other folks having days like this, but now I know it to be true!

Happy Fishing, Humans.


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## BrookTroutKid (Oct 10, 2007)

Reminds me of won day when me and my family went to Navajo and caught fish constantly with some 3-4 pounders in the bunch.


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## BrookTroutKid (Oct 10, 2007)

Oh and great job on catchin all of those fish.


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## chuckmiester (Sep 9, 2007)

nice fish. nice tigers also. the colors they have there sure are vibrant. nice job on that hog of a bow also. i love fishing scofield it always gives up something worth showing off.


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## Greenguy88 (Sep 7, 2007)

Excellent job LOAH! That bow you got is a boss hog! And those tigers are nice looking guys. Glad you had a career day! Always love readin your posts and it looks like you hammered them in about any way you tried. Nice!


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## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

Awesome report LOAH! Congrats on the monster Rainbow, and all the other awesome fish. Sounds like the fish were biting just about everything. Glad to hear Scofield was kind to you!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Another Fine Report LOAH..!!!!

I think you got there before we did LOAH, one of us just had to sleep in a little longer... :mrgreen: glad I did, it was 23 degrees when we got to the ramp and still quite dark. 
Luckystrike started off by catching the first four trout and I was kinda thinking maybe he should stay home next time..  ....... But thing's started picking up and I was was kind of lost in my own little mind when I heard a loud, deep toned voice that carried very well across the lake....forty five...I looked straight up, I knew my time had come !!!! I heard it again and looked around thinking it was *Pro* yelling at me for something !!!! Then I heard someone yell ...Luckystrike !!! I then was able to see you and at least wave. Luckystrike said 'my hell, didn't you hear LOAH yelling at you??' Actually I did, but I thought it was somebody else... :shock:
Fishing was kind of sporatic for us, fighting the elements, wind, cold, girls on the dock, wind, cold, etc. But we caught some nice fish and had a good time. We mostly drifted with a worm and tried a few lures ( no luck ) Luckstrike bought cheap minnows, so that didn't work either..!!
I think Luckystrike may post a report and have a few more pic's to show. 
Good to meet you and your family LOAH !! Next time, I'll get around that 'point' so I can visit with you !!!! Maybe I could learn something from the 'master' !!!!


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## luckystrike (Oct 8, 2007)

> Luckystrike started off by catching the first four trout and I was kinda thinking maybe he should stay home next time..


I didn't choose the name luckystrike for nothin!

It was good meeting you LOAH! Those are some nice fish you have there, I think you put a pretty good dent in the fish population. Funny you should mention the horn honking, .45 had been keeping an eye out for you and when I heard the horn I thought maybe it was you honking at us lol. We had a pretty good time there yesterday, yeah I probably got the wrong minnows but what more can you expect when it's 4:30 in the morning and the only place that's open is Walmart. The day started off pretty good, I ended up pulling this little monster in with my first cast.










Sadly I let it go because I was on the hunt for something else. It ended up being one of the biggest fish I caught that day. I wish now I would have kept it but oh well.

We caught a lot of fish here and there, mostly medium sized bows and tigers, I did land, or toon I should say a couple of cutbows. We trolled our way around the cove near the dam pretty much the entire time. I found I had the best luck trolling in reverse in mach 2  Worms were our weapon of choice this day, as they are every day.

Funny how time flies when you're having fun. 2 O'clock came very quickly and until we checked neither I nor .45 had any idea that we had been on the water so long, we both kind of shrugged our shoulders and kept truckin on... Good thing we did because .45 ended up catching this awesome tiger, the one I had been hunting for all day of course, and yet another great shot of .45










I haven't measured it yet but it weighed in at 2.6 lbs. Very nice fish, I think it made the day for both of us. Shortly after .45 pulled this in I snuck over to his spot and nailed another big one. I have no pics (yet) but by the markings on it and the color it looks to me like a cross between a rainbow and a tiger, it has rainbow markings on the side and tiger markings on the top. That thing put up one hell of a fight but it was worth it, just slightly bigger than .45's at 2.7 lbs.

It was great spending time with you yesterday .45, thanks for everything. Besides backing the trailer into the support beam on the side of the house :shock: I think it turned out to be a great day.

We can fix that right?










MMMMM can't wait to cook me up some fish!


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Sweet deal. I'm glad you guys found the fish. Sorry about the house. :lol:



> I haven't measured it yet but it weighed in at 2.6 lbs. Very nice fish, I think it made the day for both of us. Shortly after .45 pulled this in I snuck over to his spot and nailed another big one. I have no pics (yet) but by the markings on it and the color it looks to me like a cross between a rainbow and a tiger, it has rainbow markings on the side and tiger markings on the top. That thing put up one hell of a fight but it was worth it, just slightly bigger than .45's at 2.7 lbs.


You mean a crazy genetic freak?







. There'd have to be a pretty greasy love triangle to make that happen. It was probably a really mature tiger that had some bright red coming in on the sides and bottom. That happens. Was the top and upper side really brassy colored?

Anyhow great day of fishing, guys. I'll have to see what the pontoons are all about, one of these days. I'm just a little bit worried that it'll destroy my will to get out on my tube. I have enough of a hard time getting myself to use it (shore roots, I guess) when I bring it with me.

I'm glad you guys had fun.

Hey, turns out that the red truck towing a boat that honked at me and waved wasn't who I thought it was. Weird. Anyone out there drive by and honk in a red truck yesterday?


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Great trip guys! LOAH excellent report as usual glad to see the flies are treating you right, the buggers did well for me this weekend as well. That bow is AWESOME I bet you got some good steaks from that pig. The tigers were really bright colors and it looks like you had a blast up there! Keep the great posts comming good that you got to meet .45 and luckystrike looks like they had a great day to!


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## cane2477 (Oct 24, 2007)

I really need to get my butt to Scofield! Thanks for the great story and pics! Im jealous!


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## Nibble Nuts (Sep 12, 2007)

cane2477 said:


> I really need to get my butt to Scofield! Thanks for the great story and pics! Im jealous!


My thoughts exactly. I have only ice fished it once, it looks like I need to become better acquainted with Scofield.
LOAH, I see you have learned to work the Jake's. I like those lures.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Yeah, I never really tried using Jake's until this year. It was my most useless lure for the longest time, but then I started using them more and more. I'm surprised that I hadn't even had to bend the one I lost. Usually, they need to be widened a little. This one just worked off the bat. I'm just glad I caught a good amount of fish with it before it snapped off.

I still like my Blue Fox more, but the Jake's is definitely a good lake lure.

I'm starting to use flies behind bubbles a lot more and it's getting easier to pick up hits every time I try it. I love it all.


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## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

Does that mean you'll be picking up a fly rod soon?


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

ScottyP said:


> Does that mean you'll be picking up a fly rod soon?


Last post I read from him he said that was on his christmass wish list from santa! As good of a fisherman as LOAH is now, he would be deadly with a fly rod! Just wait until he can throw some meat out of a drift boat on the green.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

ScottyP said:


> Does that mean you'll be picking up a fly rod soon?


It's not necessarily on my Christmas list (Santa works alone around here), but I'm thinking about tax time. :twisted: I won't get anything deluxe, just a decent lower mid-range rod to work with.

Last year was the float tube, this year I'll try to justify dropping a couple hundo.

...And I'm NOT a very good fisherman. Fish laugh at me everywhere I go. Sometimes I get lucky, though. :wink:


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

LOAH said:


> ScottyP said:
> 
> 
> > ...And I'm NOT a very good fisherman. Fish laugh at me everywhere I go. Sometimes I get lucky, though. :wink:


Right there with you..... although, apparently, your fish laugh thinking they got a free meal until you sink a hook in their face!!! :lol: Nice fish man.... thats an awesome rainbow.


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## waltny (Sep 8, 2007)

Man LOAH, your doing better with a fly and bubble than I am with a fly rod. You can come with me next trip and if it keeps going like it is for me you can fish mine out of the trees....


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

LOAH said:


> ScottyP said:
> 
> 
> > Does that mean you'll be picking up a fly rod soon?
> ...


I've got several rigs. Let me know if you want to fish one sometime. There are plenty of ways to get good gear for cheap. I have built several rods that cost me about $30 each. Buy an okuma reel and you are set.

With your enthusiasm, and the places you like to fish, I can see a fly rod in the future.

I was kind of the same way about 7 years ago. I had all the "stuff." I didn't intend on just quitting on the spin gear. I finally hauled it to the pawn shop after 18 months of closet duty. I'll be fishing the Middle quite a bit in the near future. Let me know if you want to come fling some dries...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

cheech said:


> LOAH said:
> 
> 
> > ScottyP said:
> ...


DON'T DO IT LOAH !!!!!

These guy's mean well and I'm sure they know what they're talking about, but, we don't want to lose you !!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 
We like you just the way you are !!!!!


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

.45 you are coming too. Stop fighting it!


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

cheech said:


> .45 you are coming too. Stop fighting it!


No fight here, I'd love to !!!!..


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Maybe I can tempt an expert to build me a fly rod for a fair price in February or March.

I still doubt I'll give up my spinners and minnows. I'd like to fly fish while letting my minnow soak.

Really, I'd like to learn to fish with a fly rod so I can put my float tube to better use. I've always thought about how cool it would be to whip a fly around with unlimited back casting space and the surface exploding all around me. I saw a guy doing that at Currant Creek Reservoir the first time I went there and he was having the time of his life.

Fly fishing a river seems a bit more tedious than stillwater, but practice makes perfect right?

Thanks, Cheech. I might have to take you up on that pretty soon.


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## Tigru (Oct 15, 2007)

Awesome brother!!!!


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## waltny (Sep 8, 2007)

cheech said:


> LOAH said:
> 
> 
> > ScottyP said:
> ...


Where did you get the materials for that cheap? Id like to build a cheap 4 piece for travel and packing.


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## cheech (Sep 25, 2007)

I have a lifetime supply of guides and thread. I turn my own custom cork grips, and if you go to http://www.rod-blanks.com you can get a dang decent blank for $15.

I've turned into a rod snob with a couple of G2's but I still fish one of those $15 blanks.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

LOAH, I have seen cheech's flies and this guy is major leauge and one of the nice ones on UTOF. Take him up on the offer, he can show you 100x more than I did, BTW thanks for turning me into a minnow fisherman. I am like you on stillwater I like to let a minnow soak and throw some bugs at them keep you occupied.


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## Mallardpin (Sep 8, 2007)

WOW :shock: :shock: :shock: 

That is an amazing day. 8) 

I am fishing right now in a far off land --\O and I will post a report when I get back. Lets just say fish over 30 inches, and they are not Salmon. >>O -()/>-


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Mallardpin said:


> WOW :shock: :shock: :shock:
> 
> That is an amazing day. 8)
> 
> I am fishing right now in a far off land --\O and I will post a report when I get back. Lets just say fish over 30 inches, and they are not Salmon. >>O -()/>-


Good luck to you Mallardpin !! I know where at you is...


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

MP-

Nice. I wish you great luck in the Yonderlands. I'm sure I don't need to remind you to take some pics, eh? Have tons of fun.


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