Trip to Pagosa Springs

Yesterday, I had to make a trip over Wolf Creek Pass to the nearest Wells Fargo bank in Pagosa Springs -- my second trip there since mid May.  This time, almost all the snow was gone or only small patches showed among the trees.  The other side of the pass looked even more lush and green than the previous time -- the view at the overlook, always takes my breath away.

After getting my business done at the bank and filling up the Jeep's gas tank, I stopped at the City Market on the western end of Pagosa Springs to stock up on more sodas and beer before heading back.  Gas was some 15 cents less expensive per gallon there than here in South Fork -- still almost $4 per gallon so that those big oil companies can continue to make their unbelievable profits every quarter.  When will their subsidies ever be stopped -- most likely never.  Oh, to Hell with them all.

So, I headed back and passed a lake on the golf course there that looked like one I had fished with my brother and sister-in-law some 30 plus years ago when we stayed in Arthur Ashe's condo and had vacationed there for a week.  A wonderful memory of some good times, good fishing, hiking and tennis  (when we were all younger, of course).

After climbing over the pass again and starting to descend over the eastern side, I thought I could stop at Big Meadows and fish for an hour or so -- test that lure again at my favorite spot at the far side of the lake (get some exercise too in the process).  Besides, I needed to use the restroom there too -- had to go since leaving the store in Pagosa Springs.  After answering Mother Nature's first call, I headed directly to those large boulder clusters at the far end of the lake via the nice trail -- enjoying the views along the way (noting that most all of the snow was nearly gone from the peaks above the lake).  Not many fishermen were along the shores of the lake as I walked quickly passed.  I chatted briefly with one young couple after I passed the bridge over the first stream and they said they had only caught two fish -- kinda slow they said.

I was relieved to see that no one had taken a position on the boulders I was headed for, though a couple boats were not far off.  I immediately fished all along the longest stretch of the boulders using my Kastmaster lure (which I found at Beaver Creek Reservoir last year).  After getting only one little bump, I moved to the left point of the boulders near the biggest cove and fished there and soon had one nice fish on which started immediately jumping out of the water and when it was about six feet from the shore, it jumped some three feet out of the water and spit the lure -- nearly into my face, it seemed.  Just a few casts later, I hooked into a bigger fish and tried to play him a bit more and kept the tip of the pole low in hopes that he wouldn't be going air-borne.  However, I had forgotten to put my hand net in my back pocket or somewhere nearby as I clung to the edge of the boulders and he too managed to spit out the lure as he neared the boulders -- only giving me a clear look at his dark colored back and his nice length (some 14 or 15 inches).

In the meantime, a boat came chugging and sputtering across the lake and dropped four children at the boulders to my right so, I fished that long stretch of my boulders again -- giving them a sign of my territorial claim to the section I occupied (as I muttered some profanities under my breath at the captain of the boat).  The four children parked themselves on the other section of boulders beyond the little cove separating the two clusters and they began to fish as the boat headed back to the other end of the lake -- to pick up another load of people it turned out.  I decided to head back to the point to my left and mentally decided to give up my claim to the long section of the boulders -- giving the kids more space to spread out, if they so desired.  I fished the point and cast into the larger cove to its left and soon caught a keeper and released two other small Brook trout.  Then, I moved farther to my left and hooked into a really nice fish which I managed to net this time -- a 15.5 inch Cutthroat trout, it turns out.  I caught one more keeper and released another small Brook trout just before the next boat load of people arrived, accompanied by some additional party members who made the hike along the trail -- time for this old man to leave.  Another good day of fishing this spot and more than enough fish to put on the grille (big one in the freezer).