First Freezer Pak -- Four Rainbows

 Yesterday did not go as well as Sunday at Big Meadows and could probably be classified as a day I got "Skunked" even though I did catch one little fingerling or "Baybie Brownie" while fishing the pool below the cliffs at Masonic Park on the Rio Grande.  First, I tried the section of the Rio Grande above the Masonic Park in Collier State Park for awhile but, got no strikes -- only found a bag full of trash on my way out and headed for the cliffs and the pool below.  After that, I headed to Beaver Creek Reservoir for a second attempt there to catch something but, only got one hit at the dam and no hits at all near the picnic area.  Oh well! That's fishing.

 

I could have tried somewhere else up the pass but, I already had leftovers for a few nights so, I decided to just write it off and come back for some late lunch (soup and a hot dog).  The waters of the Rio Grande looked to be a little lower than last year at this time but, they looked less muddy at the same time.  Last night, I couldn't see the actual sunset as the clouds and rain came from the south and then from the north and finally from the west.  Good night for watching a movie -- A Walk in the Clouds (one of my most favorite).

 

Today, I decided to head back to Big Meadows to see if the good luck there might continue.  I headed there a little earlier than other days as I expected the predicted afternoon thunderstorms could arrive earlier and maybe I would want to head up to Shaw Lake instead before starting at Big Meadows. With the threat of rain appearing to be materializing sooner, I decided to stop at Big Meadows and head out to that boulder field on the south side of the lake.  I continued on past the boulder field to the point beyond the snow drifts that dropped to the water's edge.  Luckily there were a couple trees that provided some shelter when the rain/sleet/snow started to hit.  I had already caught two small trout and continued to fish as best I could thankful I hadn't stopped at the unprotected boulder field I had fished on Sunday.  I missed a couple good hits and lost a couple fish before deciding I needed to head back to the Jeep to dry out and ponder what to do over the next hour or two.

 

After reaching the Jeep and putting the two trout in the cooler, I thoroughly enjoyed getting warmer and dryer while deciding what to do next.  The dam was immediately in front of me and slightly to my right with the spillway and the bridge over it visible just a short distance away (much closer than the boulder field I had exited a few minutes earlier).  I decided to head for the bridge and the this side of the spillway where I had fished last year -- and had some good hits.

 

Since the rain had subsided, I stopped a couple times on the way to the bridge and tried a few casts to see how the wind was blowing and if the boulders at the bridge might be the best spot for this weather.  No one else had taken either side of the bridge so, I took the near side and began casting left and right with a couple hits here and there.  Soon a couple more anglers took up positions on the other side of the spillway and I noticed them catching and releasing a few fish.  They appeared to be using floats and flies.  After I saw them catch a few, I then caught a couple and released them both too.  A little later a better sized fish took my lure and then dove into the rocks where it got me tangled and broke off.  Shortly thereafter, I caught a keeper of about 12 inches and put him on my stringer.  Soon, I had another of about the same size and put him on the stringer too.

 

Knowing I had my limit of four, I watched the rain approaching again and decided to head for my Jeep again -- filled my hand net again with half a dozen bottles and other trash on the way.

 

I then headed up the road another 2.5 miles to Shaw Lake to get a look at it -- intrigued with the possibility that it might have some Snake Cutthroats waiting to be caught.  The washboard road didn't seem to be as bad as those roads to Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.  I parked near the boat launch area and tried fishing some from the floating dock there with no success at all.  Then, I carefully maneuvered the spillway to the dam and fished a little there catching one little fingerling cutthroat which I released.  I made my way across the dam to the other side and attempted some more casts until the wind began to whip up some white caps -- time to leave.

 

Cleaned the fish and put them in the freezer.