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On a traditional spoon, the hook point should face “up” with the cup. Traditional spoons “wag” back and forth as the cup digs through the water. Since the goal is to hook fish in the top jaw, the point should be above rather than underneath the lure.
That said, I’m not very familiar with the action of a SuperDuper… seems like it’s not very spoon-y. I’m referring more to Krocodiles or Little Cleos (Kastmasters probably fit the bill too).
Hope this helps,
Andrew
Not to call your judgment into question, McPil, but did you really mean 5 pounds? I’ve seen lots of 5-pound trout, and that fish looks to be about half that.
Certainly over 20″, though. 🙂
I’ve done most of my high lakes fishing with a nickel/blue 1/8 or 1/16 oz. Kastmaster. It’s always worked, and I’ve never read into high lakes trout enough to actively seek out alternatives.
Based on my fishing experience elsewhere, though, I will agree with Brian in that the Roostertail is a pretty tough spinner to fish effectively. Or, to put it blunty (my words now), the Roostertail is not a good spinner, and has only become so widely used because of its availability in most every tackle shop from here to California. Specifically, it is underweighted, has a bad clevis, and the too-thin blades are made with cheap finishes.
Harsh words, I know, but the point is, a well-built french-bladed spinner in size #1 or #2, brass or copper finish with lure tape and hackle tail or hook tubing of your choice (black hackle is my choice) will outfish a Roostertail every time, often thoroughly (esp. in streams). Also, you can make these spinners for about 50 cents apiece.
Good topic.
Andrew
As one who used to spend a lot of time seeking out off-trail apline fishing destinations and now spends even more time in search of secluded stretches on steelhead rivers, I can say that I wholeheartedly discourage the publicizing of any off-the-beaten-path gems, be they lakes, creeks, or river valleys.
These places have been discovered as a matter of tradition by those willing to do the work (or at least those with friends who were), and I’m not too keen on the idea that the advent of the internet will one day reveal all of these places to anybody with a computer.
I think the one thing we can rely on is that even though folks are indeed getting more savvy about finding information on and directions to these places, the growing laziness of the population will protect the true gems–the ones that require work to reach. 🙂
Andrew
I didn’t catch a single alipine trout this summer, though I did make a harrowing trip to a couple of off-trail alpine lakes.
I’ve spent most of my fishing time in the last 5 months or chasing summer steelhead and, more recently, coho salmon. I’m ready to move onto winter steelhead now. Should be a good season.
Andrew
Great pics!
Has anyone here ever tried twitching a jig when fishing directly over a school of big fish like that? It seems like it could be very effective. I’d certainly have tried it by now, but I never find myself directly over schools of big fish! 😆
Andrew
I’ve given myself away…
To be honest, I’ve even turned steelheading into an activity that’s heavy on hiking. In fact, if alpine basins hosted larger fish, I don’t believe civilization would see my face from late May to October.
I’ve got full intentions of becoming a Trail Blazer after I get a couple more college degrees out of the way, so why not start sounding like one now? 😀
Andrew
I’ve been consumed by summer steelhead fishing lately. I don’t know why, as the catching has been rather dismal, but, though I lack a good excuse, I haven’t yet ventured into the high country this year.
I think I will in the next week or two. There is a lake I’ve been meaning to visit…
Nice fish, there, sooperfly.
Andrew
In my limited fly experience, when fishing a bubble and fly combo, a wet fly like a brown or black woolly worm, woolly bugger, or even a pheasant tail nymph, should work fairly well most times of the year.
My success with the blue/nickel Kastmasters has been great at times, not so great at others. Brian mentioned his opinion on the matter to me awhile back–that orange or red and brass is a more desirable combination for higher, clearer lakes–and I’ve found that to be true in my testing.
I’ve recently been building spinners for steelhead fishing, though, and I think spinners may become my focus on high lakes for the next couple years. Trying to find some combinations of metal and color that will be effective shouldn’t be too challenging.
Anyway, another thing you might consider is that the fish in a lake like Lake 22 probably see a lot more lures than fish in lesser known lakes. In rivers, at least, finding fish that haven’t seen much tackle provides a big advantage. I imagine this is true to some extent for lakes as well, and I can say that I’ve never had good luck in lakes on beaten trails, even when a few fish have been present.
Good luck,
Andrew
Yeah, those are net scars from the Muckleshoots’ gillnets, which are, about 4 days per week, strung all across the Duwamish waterway up toward Seattle. When the nets are in, you won’t see many fish headed upriver; they take a lot of fish down there. I guess this one was strong enough to fight her way back out, though.
Sadly, about 5% of the fish I catch in this river have net scars, and those are the lucky ones. I think I need to head Methow-ward. 😀
Andrew
Wow… that fish is pretty bright for this time of year up there, isn’t it? I still haven’t gotten over there like I’ve been meaning to. Maybe next year…
I might as well join the fun, here. I caught this fish on the last day of ’04 on the Green River (native, released).
Still looking for my first fish of ’05. 🙄
Andrew
Brian- I believe he had help on some of the filming. A bush plane would drop off supplies every 4-8 weeks, and I know his brother came up to visit at one point.
I was impressed with both his camera work and the quality of the film itself (clarity, color, etc.).
Andrew
BTW, Brian- when is the lake survey page going to be back up and working? I was meaning to fill out a few surveys for various trips I took this summer, but I got terribly busy at the end of the summer and have stayed that way up until now.
