ACT 2013 @ Indian Creek Reservoir

Our Annual Camping Trip (ACT) began on a beautiful Sunday, July 21, 2013.  My brother the Wiz came to help gather camping stuff for the trek to ICR.  My van had only room for precious cargo.  With both our vehicles packed to the hilt, we headed out.

Seven-passenger van full

No vacancy!

Ace already setup camp when we arrived.  Thus, he was able to use the Ave Maria with Miss Z2da3rd and Miss Mystic to go fishing.  They lost the gold crank bait (read the previous post to find out which one it was), but discovered a new way of trolling.  They trolled with a 1/6 oz. Thomas Buoyant.  Ace landed the first fish!  It was a rainbow.  Soon after, Miss Mystic cast out a Thunderbolt (genuine silver plate) Thomas Buoyant and was rewarded with a beautiful Cutthroat.  It was to be the biggest fish of the day, so she got bragging rights.  By the camp fire at night, she got to wear the hat (funky cap with a fish head sticking out of the front and the tail protruding at the end) reserved for the person who caught the biggest fish of the day.

Moving slowly, but surely.

Beautiful rainbow is a good sign.

First catches of the day.

Bragging rights at camp fire.

Monday - 7/22.  At the camp site, there was a sign that indicated 1.5 miles hike to Summit Lake and 2.5 miles hike to Carson River.  The group had hiked to Summit Lake before.  It was a difficult hike, not recommended for beginners.  One of the camp hosts told JU that the hike to Carson River was easier.  Thus, a party of 7 adults and two kids decided to explore the easier path to the Carson River.  By about a quarter of a mile in, MT decided that her hiking experience would be better if JU carried her!?!?  Having no back pack, JU carried her most of the way to Summit Lake with a break now and then when she felt better to walk to pick up a rock or something that peaked her interest.  It was quite a workout!  We kept on looking for an easier path to Carson River, but none was to be found!  Eventually, we reached Summit Lake.  We decided it was wiser for Ace and JU to continue on looking for an easier path, while the rest of the group went back to camp.  Of course, da Boss had to carry MT most of the way back down the mountain :-(  By the end of the hike, Ace and JU hiked around 10 miles to find a path to the Carson River.  Not finding an easier path, we decided to go talk to the main Camp Host.  He told us the sign was bogus!!!  There was no easier path to the Carson River.  If we wanted to hike to the Carson River, we should have drove to the east end of Summit Lake and hike two miles to Carson River.  What's up with that?  It was nevertheless a good workout.

Where's the easy path to Carson River?

I think we should go that way.

Ten miles later, we're back where we started :-(

Because we spent all day hiking, there was no fish for dinner.  Around 4 pm, da Boss commanded: "Hey guys, go get some fish for us for dinner.  I believe in you."  Thus, JU, Wiz and Mr. Pickle accepted the challenge.  Wouldn't you believe it, by 4:30 pm, we caught a bunch of fish.  We came back to camp around 5 pm with 3 limits of fish: that's 15 trout!  We had a fantastic fish fry for dinner.  After dinner, we took those who wanted to catch fish back to our fishing hole to get them on to some fish.  Late at night, the Brain and Jumping Jack joined us.

11 landed in half an hour?

Mr. Pickle picks his fish.

After dinner, uncle landed four!

Miss Mystic at it again :-)

No man is an island.

The Commando has arrived.

Let me remove the hook for you.

Tuesday - 7/23.  Dark thirty, JU and Wiz took the Ave Maria out.  She was tied to the buoy by the group campsite.   Wiz used a jointed Rapala and got a couple of hits, but none landed.  JU used a bunch of different techniques and got several hits also.  JU had clipped all the treble hooks and turned them into single hooks; therefore, it was a challenge to land fish.  However, one was landed.

Monk displaying the catch from Dark Thirty.

Around 9:00 am, the second group took the canoe out for a stroll.  Having the canoe provided an added fun activity.

Fun canoe ride.

 Around 10:30 am, the group decided to descend upon the Lower Blue Lake.  What a great decision!  The weather was overcast so it was not hot.  There were many fish caught there; it was great fun.  Everyone had a great time.  Another fish fry was enjoyed at dinner time!

Fish on!

Look what I caught.

Jumping Jack and the Brain.

Fish fry, anyone?

Check out my new move guys.

We are learning how to cook.

I'm hungry.

I like mine without the heads.

Come and get them while they're hot.

Wednesday - 7/24.  Part of the group wanted to visit Upper Blue Lake.  Unfortunately, at the Northern end of Lower Blue Lake, the road turned from paved to gravel.  Road conditions were not accommodating for front wheel drive vehicles.  We stopped to fish at the North side of Lower Blue Lake.  The view was breath taking.  The weather was hotter that day and much sun block was needed.  The fish bites were slower at this location.  We picked up around noon to go enjoy a delicious dinner at Commando's cabin in S. Lake Tahoe.  Mr. Pickle had a four-wheel drive vehicle and got a chance to go visit Upper Blue Lake and snap some pictures.  He did not fish.

Nice spot for a picnic.

Grubs at Commando's cabin - no fish will be wasted.

Thursday - 7/25.  The weather was not as pleasant, cloudy throughout the day.  In the morning, JU got a lesson from a local fisherman on how to fish ICR.  How blessed was that?  From about 1 pm to 5 pm, we got a fantastic thunderstorm.  Cooking in the rain was not our idea of fun.  Everything was wet!  The group decided to go to town for dinner.  We visited the Mandarin Chinese Restaurant.  The food was delicious!  By the time we came back to camp, everything was back to normal and we were able to have one last huge bond fire.

Local fisherman showed JU how it's done.

Waiting for the thunderstorm to end.

When's the food coming?

Friday - 7/26.  Mrs. M wanted to go fishing in the Ave Maria.  So at 6:00 am, we launched.  We anchored about 50 feet North of the buoy.  JU had learned a new trick the day before from a local fisherman who had been fishing ICR for the past 20 years straight.  The man was so nice.  He even gave JU his extra worm blower and weights for the setup (one single hook, 2 feet below a bullet sliding sinker, held in place by a tiny snap weight).  Using his technique and JU's American River fishing style, we got a bunch of hookups.  Mrs. M. missed a whole bunch hook set, but managed to land one nice 16-inch rainbow just as the hook fell off while the fish was in the net.  Since JU's lures now only had single hooks, it was easier to release the smaller fish.  By 9 am, we ended up keeping five fish.  What an awesome way to end an awesome trip!

Time to go.

Five keepers.

Landed this by myself.  See the proof.

Nice Cutthroat!

The Miracle Kids Have Landed at Lake Kirkwood

It seems like a good day to visit Lake Kirkwood.  It helps that it was on the list of California Department of Fish & Wildlife trout stocking for the week of July 7th.

View from da "Spot"

View from da "Spot"

View from da "Spot"

View from da "Spot"

View from da "Spot"

JU, Mrs. M., Miracle Kids, and Cousin left Sac at 0630 hours.  We arrived at the Lake at 0830.  The words about the trout stocking was out.  The Lake was crowded with fishermen.  Not wanting to hike, JU went to the nearest point from the van to the lake, which was the main boat ramp.  JU cast out his line perpendicular to the main boat ramp and immediately two lines were cast over his from right to left.  JU reeled up his line and commanded the troops to hike to the "honey hole," the best ever spot to fish at Lake Kirkwood.  Meanwhile, Miss Z2daThird was zzz-ing away in the van.

The team picked up and hiked to the "honey hole."  Darn, there were already two fishermen there.  JU continued along the Lake until there were no fisherman near by.  Miss Mystic setup the first rod, while JU double back to help the rest of the team hike to the spot.  On the way back, the two fishermen were not at the "honey hole" anymore.  What's up with that?  JU was too lazy to move the rest of the equipment, so he continued on the fetch the rest of the team.  By the time he made it back, Miss Mystic said, "I just missed one."  JU  then setup three more fishing poles for the team; thus, there were a total of four fishing poles out.  All were baited with orange power balls.  The action was NON-STOP with (Click on the link to see a video of Mrs. M. and Master Fisherman with a double hookup!) double and sometimes triple hookups!  JU had to pack away one pole so the action could be more manageable.  What a great problem to have :-)

Mrs. M. with fish on!

During all the action, JU hiked back to the van to fetch water.  JU ran into the fishermen that abandon the "honey hole."  Talking with them, JU found out that they were a father/son team that camped at Lake Kirkwood for the past 5 days.  They said during that time, they've only caught 5 fish.  As a matter of fact, they've only caught one for the day.  Bob, the dad, asked JU, "How did you guys do?  I saw you passed us."  JU said the kids already caught 12.  It was around 1000 hours.  Bill said his son Tom (16 years old) only caught one so far.  JU promised to set them up as soon as he delivered the water to the troops.   In the van,  JU told Miss Z2daThird to find the team on the left side of the Lake when she arises.

JU managed to lug the entire cooler to the spot.  With Mrs. M. and the kids content, JU came back and talked with Bob and Tom.  It turned out that Bob was 73 years old camping and fishing with his adopted son Tom.  Bob had been married 53 years with two children of his own and two adopted kids.  JU tied the line for Tom and gave him some orange power balls and green power balls.  JU told them one limit of five trout could be caught using and reusing the same two balls.  Then JU went back to fish some more.

Back at the spot, JU decided it was time just to kick back and enjoy the show.  Fishing is quite a team sport.  Do you know, it takes thee individuals to remove the hook from a trout?  One to hold the fish (Master Fisheman, 8 years old), one to hold the line (Cousin, 10 years old), and one to remove the hook (The Monk, 13 years old).  Everyone landed trout except for Miss Zzz.  She decided to join us around 1130 hours.

Takes 3 to remove a hook :-)

Enjoying the show.

Click on this link to see me in action!

Finally around noon, the kids decided that they had enough excitement for one day.  They wanted to go home.  The total count was 26 rainbow trout!!!

Another successful fishing trip.

Basket of 26 trout!

On the way out, we ran into Bob and Tom.  Tom exclaimed excitedly, "I caught four more.  The trout won't let go of the bait you gave me!"  Tom had caught one all day before JU setup his rig and  gave him some power balls.  Another satisfied fisherman!

We got home around 1600 hours.  We invited gramps over for a fish fry.  Mrs. M. did her magic.  The fish were delicious.  All we had to do was pull out the middle bones and ate the rest.  Even MT (four years-old) ate one by herself!  JU had decided that for 10 incher trout, this was the best way to prepare and enjoy them, even better than smoked trout.

Featuring New Member of Team United, Inc., Speedy Fisherman!

Cousin had never caught a fish in his life.  Thus while fishing with Master Fisherman and the Monk at Lake Kirkwood, he was very sluggish.  He could not tell if the fish was biting.  He could not set the hook, that is, until he was bitten by a radioactive mosquito.  His blood was injected with an amazing serum that enabled him to learn tasks at an accelerated rate.  Not only was he able to recognize a fish bite, he set the hook at an amazing speed.  He is now known as Speedy Fisherman!  “How many fish did you catch today?”  “I caught five!” ;-)  See how fast he learns?

Introducing: Speedy!

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Introducing "Ace"

Nomad was a fisherman who was carefree.  He loved long hikes to explore the beauty of the surrounding environment.  When he fished the streams in the Sierras, he roamed from rock to rock in search of that elusive trout.  He never kept track of time.  Hint, if you were fishing with him, don't let him out of your sight or you might not leave on time :-)  Once while fishing, hopping from rock to rock, looking for da big one, he accidentally slipped and fell into the stream and swallowed the invigorating refreshing stream water.  His body chemistry changed.  He gained the strength of 10 men, his eyes sharpened, and his grips firmed....  Nomad is no more....  In his place, introducing... "Ace"!

Ace in action

Faster than a speeding snake

Elusive trout no more