Return to the Spring River

November 30, 2011

I had the unique opportunity to take a mid week break from school, so we made the most of it.  Off season in the Ozarks means motel rates we can kind-a-sort-a afford, so we were able to stay in a warm room and fish two days back to back.  We arrived at around ten o'clock.  Cheryl was fishing by 11:00, while I helped the C-ster go to sleep.  He soon fell asleep, and we were both able to fish.  On my fourth cast I briefly hooked into a fish.  Cheryl was frustrated.  "I've been fishing for 15 minutes and haven't caught a thing, and you hook one on your fourth cast.  Not fair!"  Two minutes later I hear her again.  "Hey, I've got a brown on here if you want a picture."  So I got the camera to document her catch.  Cheryl was on the board first with a decent brown.

First fish of the trip.  An average sized brown.

I had just put the camera back down next to the C-ster and I hear her hollering from behind me, "Grab the camera and the net, I've got a nice rainbow on here!"  And she did.  It ended up being the biggest fish of the trip.  About 16 inches with shoulders.

"Don't horse him, Cheryl!"

Nice rainbow.  The biggest of the two days.

The C-ster didn't stay asleep long, and for the rest of the day we had to rotate between fishing and baby sitting.  We worked some new water and each caught plenty of fish.  Eventually the C-ster was getting cold and Cheryl decided to check into the motel.  Just before she left, however, I caught a first for me on the Spring River: a cutthroat!  I love cutthroats, and although it ended up being the smallest fish of the trip, it made me the most excited.  What a beautiful fish.

My first cutthroat from the Spring River.  Small, but beautiful.  Loved it!

After taking the picture Cheryl and the C-ster took off to check into the hotel room and I fished until dark.  If there is one thing I have learned about the Spring River, it is that dusk is golden.  It was again that evening.  In the fortyfive minutes before dark I caught a pile of fish, and had a fun time doing it!

December 1, 2011

The next morning I got up early and hit the river.  I wanted to try to catch a bigger fish, so I took my SA Streamer Express 200 gr.30 ft. sink tip line and a streamer to probe some of the deeper holes in the early morning hours.  The river was beautiful, and I was prepared for the cold, so I was comfortable and really enjoyed having the beautiful river to myself.

The Spring River at first light.  Very pretty.

Sadly, the fishing wasn't everything that I was hoping for.  I was ready to catch fewer fish, but I ended up catching plenty.  The size was disappointing, though.  I did catch one decent fish, but it wasn't as big as Cheryl's, and it certainly wasn't as big as the fish from my dreams that night. You never know until you try.

My nicest fish of the trip.

After the early morning session I went back to the motel and helped Cheryl check out.  We then headed to a new spot.  It was Cheryl's turn to fish, but the water was a bit high and off colored due to recent rain, and I asked her whether she wanted to fish here or go back to where we know we can catch some.  She decided to give it a try.  She went downstream as there were already a few older men working the water in front of the access.  I watched her fish while I played with the C-ster.  Almost immediately she was into a fish, and another, and another.  Soon the men in front of me were talking to me, "Wow, she's killing em down there."  "She's pounding them isn't she?"  "What is she using?"  They were really nice guys, and I had a great conversation with one of them as he packed up to leave. 

Eventually the C-ster needed some food that I don't naturally produce, so Cheryl and I switched places, and I picked up where she left off.  I ended up catching a pile of rainbows, a brown, and even two more cutts.  Apparently there are brookies in the stream somewhere, and they were all I missed for the Spring River trout slam.  Once the C-ster was fed and sleeping, we switched again and she finished off the evening with some more fish.  I also played with our video camera some more.  We actually got some great video.  The camera was a gift from my parents when the C-ster was born, and we had never used it outside.  The footage is very good, but I haven't learned how to post it here on the blog yet.  Maybe later.

We had a great couple days.  It was beautiful, relaxing, we got to spend some quality time together, and we caught a bundle of fish.  What more could you ask for?

December 2, 2011

As I gathered my things before school, I noticed a dog in the field behind the house that looked a lot like a coyote.  Nope, it was a coyote!  I took a couple quick pictures and then broke out the video camera and got a few minutes of footage.  Then I had to rush off to school.  I thought it was pretty neat, though.  I got to come from school at lunch, and the coyote was still there!  I broke out the video camera again and took about five minutes of footage.  It actually turned out great.  Crystal clear with great sound.  The coyote was busy chasing mice, and I even got footage of him catching one.  It was very neat and made my day.

December 3, 2011

Finally, I got to go duck hunting again.  We got up and to our spot on time.  There was another group a few hundred yards down the shoreline, but overall the pressure wasn't too bad considering we were on public ground near a major population center.  We even had a great set up with a couple dozen decoys and a new secret weapon, a mojo duck.  Regardless of how you personally feel about them, we need it!  The guys I hunt with didn't get a single bird last year, and we need any help we can get!  I promise we're not going to impact the population of ducks in the Mississippi fly way.  Anyway, everything was perfect, except for one little problem - there were no ducks!

We only had two ducks that even saw our decoys, and they were smart and saw the decoys of everyone else on the marsh and weren't buying.  We probably only saw a dozen ducks total.  It was very disappointing.  Hopefully as more ducks push South the hunting will get better.  If not, I may have to find something else to do, like fish!