Posted: Aug 26, 2004  14:10

Vol. 3-8-04

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent fishing.”
-Babylonian Proverb-

“Nor the time spent thinking or reading about it either.”
-Uncle Bud-

By Uncle Bud

The recent rains are of course a blessing to all of us as we were getting bone dry up in the mountain forests. Down side is the rain has been knocking bugs into the water like crazy so the bass and trout are ignoring my artificial lures. Not to worry though because we’ll shortly be entering another dry (but not so hot) window and the fish will not be so picky.

F&G should install a traffic light at the Sandpoint Hatchery as the stocking of cutthroat fry in mountain lakes continues … and so does our coverage of the great volunteer groups that have stepped forward to help with the stocking.

Beginning the hike into Sand Lake from the 3,850 level.

I was privileged to meet with a great bunch of volunteers and their counselors from Echo Springs Transitional Study Center and accompany their team when they stocked Dennick and Sand lakes last week. When I say; “accompany”, I meant it was a really a chase, as these youngsters and their able counselors were off and running leaving old and fat Uncle Bud in the dust.

First lake to be stocked was Dennick with 4,000 cutthroat fry. Long drive upgrade to the jump-off point and then a slight down grade of approximately one mile to the lake. We could have driven closer to lake, but two culverts had been ripped out, and not replaced, close to the beginning of the old logging road. Care had to be exercised the last few yards into the lake as we encountered a shear drop for the last 100 yards down to the shoreline. (This shear drop coupled with the steady grade uphill did your old Uncle Bud in.)

Doug Kim-Brown, a.k.a. fearless leader of Echo Springs releases the fry at Dennick.

Upon arrival at Dennick, the guys unpacked two of the transport bladders and placed them in the water to preclude shocking the fry. Lake temperature was pretty high at 73 degrees, and the bladders quickly warmed from their original packing at 49-50 degrees to within 10 degrees of the lake water. (F&G require a 10-degree plus-minus parameter before introducing fry into their new habitat.)

The students asked a lot of questions about stocking and were quick with (good follow-up questions about habitat concerns for the high mountain lakes with the discussion focusing on growth rate of the fry they had just introduced into the lake.

If you’ve never been up to Dennick, you are missing a treat. In fact, both Dennick and Sand lakes are awesomely beautiful. Come to think of it … we just don’t have ugly mountain lakes period.

Trying to catch my breath with two students worried about me.

The march out of Dennick was my Achilles Heel. I looked up that shear climb back up to the road and knew I had it. The guys were long gone before I was half way up to the road. From there on back to the vehicles it was pause after pause. Will Vanard, Echo Springs Program Director (and lean mean stud of estimated 50) loaned me one of his hiking sticks that saved my day. Will and Donna Short, Echo Springs Weekend Program Director stayed with me on the march out … yes, boys and girls, your old and fat was handed a major wake up call on this trip.

We, Donna, Will and I were so slow in our march of one mile back up the grade that some of the guys would trot back from the vehicle parking area just to see if I was still alive. Good men all … thanks Chris/Detroit, MI, Geoff/Belair, MD, James/Long Beach, CA, David/Como, MS, Dan/Marblehead, MD, Andy/Baltimore MD, and Christian/Danville, CA.

We then left the Dennick trail and drove over to the trailhead for Sand Lake. Consensus was that yours truly was going to stay with the vehicles and not make the ½ mile trek into Sand, as it was a 1/8-mile climb up and 1/8 mile down. All was not lost however; I was able to spend an interesting and informative hour with Donna Short who gave me an overview of Echo Springs’ curriculum and special programs. Impressive to say the least.

Ruralnorthwest.com salutes the able team of Echo Springs founder/owner, Doug Kim-Brown and his principle staff of Will Vanard and Donna Short and thanks them and their super students for their volunteer effort in support of F&G’s mountain lake stocking.

Before we leave the volunteer stocking effort, I hope you’ll go to Our office story and check out the riotous effort our entire office staff had in yet another volunteer stocking of Roman Nose #3.

Travel lite basic load.

I’m often asked, “Where is your tackle box?” and usually just point to my fanny pack. Our fisheries resource is so varied and takes so many forms that I’ve gotten into the habit of keeping a few of my favorites in the car to carry me throughout our Panhandle. I lean towards small lures as I’m after the spiny rays with favorite being crappie and blue gill. The worm colored grub with the black back is my “killer” all-purpose favorite.

I have even resorted to using an ice fishing rod once in awhile when I find a stream with dense brush overhanging the water. Just sneak in there, and slip “super grub” in their hiding place … those Brook Trout are a dumb bunch and will eat almost anything.

Not shown in either photo is my standby pack of No. 4 long shank snelled hooks for worms and you name it bait. Shown in the next photo is my “basic load” of principle plugs with my two favorite top water plugs, Hula Popper and Tiny Torpedo at the top of the ladder. (These are all new plugs so you can readily see I have yet to crimp the barbs.)
I choose to crimp all my hooks for a lot of reasons and leave further argument to others.

Killer plugs.

Going to leave you all for about a month or so as my bride and I are long overdue for a fun trip. We’re out of here and headed for South Carolina to meet up with some fearless leaders of my youthful days as a reconnaissance sergeant. From South Carolina we’re heading north to pay a long overdue courtesy call on a gentleman who happens to be the finest Colonel ever to command a Combat Engineer Group.

Last year, your Uncle Bud dazzled those South Carolina guys with a record-breaking flathead catfish. (You remember that one because I ranted and raved about it all last spring and into the summer.) This trip I promise not to do so much damage to their fisheries back there. I think my former fearless leaders are planing on making me fish from the bank.

I’ll render a full report on my fishing with these guys when I return. In the interim, you all take care and read Slim Pickens “On the Fly” to keep abreast of the upcoming fall trout fishing picture. Also, just found out our fly fishing pro Slim also fishes for bass … we’ll just have to get some stories out of him on that one.

Tight lines to all!