# I think I'm fished out for a minute



## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

My best friend was in town from Chicago and really wanted to go on an overnight backpacking trip. I told him I would try but had to work after returning from my last trip. Well wednesday afternoon I got a call that my airplane was down for maintenance and will be for a couple of days. So with my backpack already packed I just added some food and off we went. Soon after we hit the trail I realized though I had everything we needed with him not having much stuff here I forgot an extra pole for him. Well it's a good thing I brought my fly rod and spinning rod . We started up the trail for the Erickson basin lakes. First we stopped at east shingle for a few casts before moving on we each got a couple small Brooke's and tigers. And once again I had no tackle to try for splake. So I just tried my biggest spoon that still works for the brookies. I managed to get a follow from a big splake I was so mad when he turned away from shore and swam back to the depths. I have not caught that species yet! 





























Well on we moved and we arrived at north Erickson basin lake. Setting up camp my buddy realized that his sleeping bag must have fallen off on the trail. Confident it had to have come off when we dropped packs at shingle creek he told me to set up camp catch us some dinner and hell run and check. Well needless to say I only had one hit on a dry fly (tried both rods) but the fish missed the fly I joked he must have been blind. The lake looked absolutely dead very little evening activity on the surface. I was too lazy to hike up and try south erickson instead. When i walked over to the other side i found a geocache by accident this is the second time ive found one while not looking once was While hiking in Alaska. I took the lemonade packet and left a couple of flys and hid it better  the lemonade hit the spot! My buddy returned at dusk to a fish less camp and no sleeping bag. Well I gave him my liner to my bag a space blanket to lay on top of his pad a beanie and all my clothing to get through the night. Turns out after all that me being without much clothing in my sleeping bag I got cold and he was toastie go figure. 


















































The following morning we woke and my buddy went down to the lake and caught a brookie right from the same spot I missed mine yesterday. When he brought it in he saw his eye was really messed up. Guess he got a hook to the eye at some point. I couldn't help but think that my retard fish had to be this fish and the only one on the lake  We put him out of his misery and into our eggs. I wanted to do a day hike to jean lake. Well.... Again with the spur o the moment trip I didn't download the maps I'm used to and so the map I had I wasn't used to the contour interval. I made an error in judgement and navigation by attempting to get in top of a ridge I didn't think was that steep well we got on top and well was greeted by cliffs on the other side! Well what a view anyways I see why they call it the hells kitchen area. So we realized we needed to go back down to the trail. We went down the trail toward smith moorehouse and made it to the confluence in the two creeks. We were even greeted with a view of the reservoir from here. We checked the time and how much more elevation we needed to gain back and realized we had failed today. We tried fishing the creek it looked super fishy but nothing produced never saw any spook out either. After our ultimate failure I went for an extremely cold but refreshing and much needed swim. 















































































On the way back up the trail we went through a meadow with a tiny creek in it only a couple feet wide in places but pretty deep. I noticed it had little brookies in it about 6 inches. I tried spinner with follows but they couldn't bite it before it was to the bank. I busted out the fly rod and managed a couple on dry flys. 





































Upon returning to camp we saw a guy and his daughter set up shop across the lake from us we packed up and headed his way hoping to inquire about a sleeping bag in the trail. As we approached the man and before we could even say hello he says hey did any of u lose a bag  apparently it fell off about a 1/4 mile before shingle creek and he hung it on the sign at the lake for us to see on our return! What an awesome dude! After this trip I learned to still take the time to navigate effectively even when I'm in a hurry I should take 5 and download the maps I'm used to. I will be back to get to that lake someday! On the drive out we had an awesome sunset!


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## kochanut (Jan 10, 2010)

i miss the states =-(


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## Ifish (Aug 22, 2008)

If you are fished out...that is saying something! I have enjoyed reading your reports and seeing your beautiful photos. Keep it up!


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I'll give you a week.


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

Grandpa D said:


> I'll give you a week.


After fishing with you a lot lately....I give less than a half a week. Considering I have never seen your house before, and the fact that you are ALWAYS up camping in the Uintas when you are not flying...I am starting to think you are just one of those crazies that lives in the woods *OOO*


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## holman927 (Sep 28, 2007)

kochanut said:


> i miss the states =-(


The states miss Koch!

Great report! Makes me want to get out and put some miles on my hiking shoes.


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## poiboy (Nov 18, 2010)

Great report, thanks for the pics to go along with it. That place looks beautiful, I gotta get up there one of these days. That creek in the report looked so good, I was surprised that you didn't get anything from it. Could you see any life in those waters?


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Nice photos and I agree, that creek looks very fishy.

You're having way too much fun in the mountains. Good for you.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Couldn't see any fish my friend said when I jumped in no dark figures scurried out. Maybe it was too high up the steep canyon for fish to get up. I only tried for a few minutes and a few holes but I k ow there's fish in it lower close to smith moorehouse. Does anyone know from personal experience if there is fish up there?


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Hey that looks like my rod and reel! Copy cat!!!


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