Elk hunting & Trout Fishing
Elk
I grew up on a lake here in MN, but have never fished for trout.
Wondering if someone can give us some pointers. My brother and I will be in the Steamboat Springs area chasing elk and would like to try our luck on wetting a line.
Can anyone give us a few pointers as far as where to try in this area, and what to use? We will be using light spinning tackle - no fly rods for us.
Thanks for any input. Bob
Small Panther Martins - cast them downstream and reel in slow... you'll have a blast catching brookies :)
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Just get some roostertails from your local Fleet Farm. Out there I'd probably opt for the 1/4 ounce size. Trout are trout and rooster tails consistently nail them.
I'm a very experienced trout guy, and I've spent a lot of time chasing elk NW of Steamboat...25+ years. Tons of great trout water in the area. You won't have to look hard.
Let me say though that if you decide to fish a smaller stream, go with the 1/8 oz size rooster tail.
Btw I always cast upstream or at least a 45 degree angle.
The streams in the Steamboat area are so low this year that fishing may not be an option. The Yampa is closed to fishing now. The stream that flows by my elk camp, a very good brown trout stream, was barely a trickle yesterday. If you can find some beaver ponds you should be ok.
I have fished some of the streams/lakes N of Steamboat and they were hit and miss. I have sent Bob a private reply for specific hunting areas and then I can tell him what I have found.
On small streams, I prefer a fly rod with a dry fly but spinning gear with tiny mepps will catch fish also. I am not too good with a fly rod on lakes.
And Rapalas. There are some big trout in the Yampa...
Lots of variety in the lakes - brookies, cutthroats, rainbows, browns, and even grayling.
Also some pike in Stagecoach.
I wished I that I had a spare week of vacation to take to go trout fishing. You all have me fired up.
As Lou said, the Mtn streams are pretty thin already. No way you’ll be able to cast upstream at 45 degree angle without the lure hitting bottom in about 2 seconds.
That technique Works good in larger, deeper swifter streams, rivers
Good luck, set the hook!
Last week below town on a fly
Last week below town on a fly
Late night brown on the Yampa
Late night brown on the Yampa
October on the lake
October on the lake
Nice cut bow from the creek
Nice cut bow from the creek
Focus on the deeper holes with the hardware.
My son Cody dry flying for brookies in the afternoon, and hunting elk in the evening.
Pike from the lake
Pike from the lake
Below the lake
Below the lake
And in the river
And in the river
Some of us hold the trout in lower regard than the fish that eat them. Pike are a lot of fun!
Treeline, you are killing me...
Holy crap - now I'm really getting fired up. Thanks everyone.
One more question - how do you prepare them? My plan (assuming we can catch a couple) is to simply decapitate, gut, little seasoning (lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, season all, salt & pepper) little olive oil in cast iron fry pan.
Wrapped in tin foil with old bay if you want to travel light. If not, add butter and lemon and leave head and tail on, take gills and guts with one pull.
Catch and Release into hot grease :>)
For brookies, gut, cut off head, roll in seasoned flour toss in hot grease, flip once or twice. Eat fins, back bone and all. Just like smelt
I rather enjoy small stream trout fishing. I can't argue with Brad's results, but it seems you would scare off a lot of fish using that method. Pretty much everything I have read on the subject indicates that fishing upstream is the way to go. That has seemed to work okay for me in the limited capacity that I have been able to enjoy trout stream fishing. Obviously, there is more than one way to skin a cat, and Brad is certainly skinning it, so there is that.
Coming from Illinois, I would expect is a similar circumstance as you are in. If you are small stream fishing, don't expect big fish. Catching a lot of small fish can be really fun though, and streams that you wouldn't expect to hold much probably do. I fish upstream and cast into swifter moving water such that my lure will travel from that water to slow moving water, which is where I often find fish. Also, any structure will probably hold fish, behind boulders, blowdowns in the water, etc., It seems I also find them in the shadows, especially during the day in warmer weather. Mostly use fishing common sense and you can do well.
Dammit......now I am hungry. Nothing sweeter and more delicious than freshly grilled brookie wrapped in tinfoil and cooked over coals 4 miles back on a mountainside. Just pack a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Man........
And when I say ‘thin water’ this is what it looks like.
You gotta sneak up to the edge, sometimes army crawl, reach out and cast downstream a little. The slow current will make the lure dance just enough to make to brookies hammer it.
As you can see, the water is only a few inches deep, but those brookies are hungry and aggressive since they spawn in the fall.
Yum. Brookies are second to walleyes :)
Here's the pic for 2 posts above
Cnelk has the right techniques for spin fishing the skinny water creeks in the high country.
Fly fishing with a little dry or wet fly actually works better in the skinny creeks. Lots fewer lost lures in the willows or hung in the rocks.
I started flicking flies on spinning rods - you can actually get them out pretty far with practice. A clear bubble really helps for distance on the lakes.
Have even cut willows along the rio grande where you could hop across most places and other dinky mountain streams for a “pole”. Tie on 10’ of 6# mono and a grasshopper or foam caddis fly on the end to catch dinner many times.
A 7 1/2’ 2 or 3 wt is more fun! Look online for a little travel fly outfit with rod, reel, line and a few flies. You can get sets like that pretty cheap and you will have a ball with it!
Ive been kinda waiting for the guys that say 'Im only here to elk hunt' to chime in :)
IMO - Brookie fishing is a huge part of elk hunting. It gives you that afternoon of rest, away from the grind, and kind of a reset.
Obviously you aren't going to do the fly fishing thing but as much as I hate the system as a hardcore fly fisherman, look at a Tenkara setup. Perfect for packing-in and dabbing in small streams with dry flies for trout--and a lot less risk of losing lures. This might get you intrigued enough to come back and try fly fishing.
When we hunted south of Steamboat we spent an afternoon fishing for brookies - my son had a blast and caught 10 or 12 in about 2 hours. Small rooster tails did the trick.
-Mitch
Nothing funner than catching some 7" Brookies out of a tiny unnamed stream out west somewhere. It's as fun as elking.
One evening in Sw Montana many years ago I caught 4 different species of trout in an unfished little stream in the middle of nowhere. They were hitting on caddis.
On the same trip I was nailing arctic Grayling on sections of the Ruby drainage. Fun stuff.
I got a raghorn elk on that trip.
How much is a non resident fishing license ? Is there a size limit or daily catch limit on the trout ?
Fishing license is $56 for an annual nonresident, $21 for a five day. You can keep 4 trout in aggregate a day, with an additional 10 brookies if they are under 8”. Be aware that some areas have special regulations pertaining to that specific body of water - both the Yampa river and Stagecoach reservoir have some special regs. Camping is about the only time trout taste good to me - I gill and guy them then slather the cavity with butter, salt and pepper, and pack them full of diced onions, jalapeños, and lemon wedges, wrap them in foil and throw them in the coals. Muy Bueno:) Poudre
Oh man, you guys are kill'n me. nice pics
I have had great luck with white, yellow, and green Mr. Twisters. Small size.
I have caught some nice trout in Colorado on garden hackles (earth worms).
Dang zeke, I was beginning to think I was the only one that used good ole worms! For brookies, all I've ever used is a size 12 hook with a bit of nightcrawler and a small split shot 16-18" above the hook. Whether dropped in a hole behind a rock or tossed upstream into some rapids, it's proved deadly for over 50yrs.
I agree with cnelk...brookies only take a backseat to walleyes when it comes to table fare, although I fry mine in corn meal rather than flour. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a better meal in elk camp than pancakes, eggs, and brookies! On second thought, fresh backstraps are right up there too!
Last year where we hunted (won't be able to hunt there again for 3 or 4 years ... PP's) in CO. A local guy parked about 100 yards from our camp (Co license plates) and took out a light spinning rig and began fishing.
I walked over and said hi, with a smile. Asked him what he was using for bait. Small hook with a wad of nightcrawler. I told him I'd seen a bunch of trout in a small pond about 1/4 mile down stream, where the ATV trail crossed the creek. I told him he was more than welcome to take my wheeler and head down if he would like to.
OH BOY, he must have an ingrown toenail or something. He, not so politely, informed me that he has bringing his mother up here for the past 30 years (elderly lady setting in the truck) and damn sure knows where to fish. I smiled and told him good luck and returned to my camp. Guess I should have stayed in camp.
Anyway, thanks everyone for posting, absolutely going to try fishing this year.
Well fed brown my boy caught today just out of Basalt.
One more caught by my other son ( #3 and 4 caught hooked up as well).
Man, I might army crawl to get a shot on an elk, but not to catch a dang brook trout. ;^) Maybe a cutthroat. Full disclosure, I've never actually targeted brookies, but the stream I was fishing on this day held some decent ones. Should have kept a few.
Best day of trout fishing, I probably caught 30 or 40 Bonnevilles in a little 5' stream. The average size was small, about like this one. Some were 6-7", but no keepers.
I prefer catching this size of fish; just not a hybrid.
Don't forget to watch out for these guys if you are plowing through the willows.
I quit fishing some of my favorite wild trout spots because of moose...after the cow chased and then hunted me. That was a life-changing experience for this lifelong brookie fly fisherman.
Yeah I'm not sure I wanna get stomped by a moose either. I'm bringing fishing tackle anyway. I'll be elking in unit 4,5,441 in about 6 weeks.
Love that country, it's like going home.
Great photos guys. Cnelk, very nice, love those brookies!
Moose can be aggressive here in Idaho as well, I just get aggressive back, no kidding!
ElkNut/Paul
My six year old on the frying pan today, first day fly fishing.
Dad even got some line in the water, between changing out all those rigs
KSCowboy, I share your feelings about Tenkara in general, but for tiny brookies or cutthroats on an archery backpack hunt, you're right, it's probably a good option........Try landing this fish in a runoff swollen river on a Tenkara rod.
Nice ‘bow, Jim! That would probably end up with a few bruises, scratches from brush and probably a little swimming to get a nice fish like that in on one of those fancy cane poles!
Man, guys do I ever love these posts. Being raised in far up NNY we kids fished numerous area small streams for brookies and browns. I pulled a 16" brown out from a reoad culvert and had to ask the local farmer what it was...had never seen a brown. Have hiked far up some of the small streams in the Adirondacks and hit beaver dams where you were on to a fish nearly every cast. Used the foil, flour and butter trick far back in but used the cast iron pan when on small ponds. From 1998 to 2010, spent last three weeks in QC setting up camps for caribou for outfitters and have walked across shallow streams with brookies shoulder-to-shoulder spawning. They have never seen a lure and never will now. sad that has all passed...the caribou. Take that rod n hunt elk!
Nebraska livewell
Nebraska livewell
Done quite a bit of fishing up on the small streams and beaver dams in the snowies around Rob Roy and down into N Colorado. Also fished alot of the trout streams back here in Nebraska. Best way we cook brookies is roll them in egg wash and breaded in saltine cracker crumbs flour and seasoning salt. Haven’t elk hunted yet but always wondered how in the world I could elk hunt and keep my brain off fishing all those streams and beaver dams!!
All the trout talk got me fired up to go wet a line, so spent a couple hours on the river today...
OH WOW, PoudreCanyon, that last fish is absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brun, I can't tell how big that rainbow is from the photo but I've landed several 19-21" rainbows in fast current on a Tenkara rod. Granted, I got lucky and none took off downstream beyond where I could outmaneuver them so I sort of "worried" them into the net.
Jaquomo, The fish in that photo is a little bigger than what you described, as I recall 23 inches and about 5 or 6 pounds, but if you landed anything near that on a Tenkara rod it was an impressive accomplishment. I tried one once in a big river and I wasn't up to the task. It was interesting, but I just didn't feel it was the right tool for the job. I felt like I was elk hunting with a flyswatter, but hey, it's all fun, and if you can make it work in big water than more power to you! Good hunting....and fishing to all this fall.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/F5apWmie9g3psvbz6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/F5apWmie9g3psvbz6
Use my dad 1939 bamboo fly rod.
Dumbie me i do not know how to tranfer from my phone the pic
Since you liked that one Inshart, here is another.
Yeah, mother nature sure can be creative / stunning.
If the bull wasn’t on the wrong side of the fence that morning, I could’ve been chasing grouse in the evening and probably been the only man in the history of Colorado to complete the MacNab.
Brun, I didn't intend to fish for that size fish with the Tenkara. Just happened that some good sized 'bows made it into my brookie-brown stream out of a lake up above. They obliged, as did I. There's a sort of fad in the Tenkara world to see how big of fish can be landed. In not into that, nor am I a Tenkara geek. It's just a good ultralight tool to keep in the pack with a small box of flies.
Stag
Stag
Salmon
Salmon
Classic, however not within the allotted time limits...
After giving it some thought, it would be pretty cool to have a “Mac-Colorado” contest - a bull elk, brook trout on a dry fly and a brace of grouse in one day...
Any takers?
Sounds like a really great day to me Treeline. If I manage to get a bull on a morning hunt I'd love to try for the others. I think any trout on a dry should qualify though.
I think all three have to be archery kills to apply.
Unfortunately, CPW might frown on the trout with an arrow...
Only grouse I got was “Famous”
As someone who’s done the Atlantic Salmon fishing across the pond, the Brookie wouldn’t be remotely close to as difficult. Perhaps a non-stocker trout over 20” on the fly would be a better, more appropriate replacement. However, the Kokanee are here, so perhaps that’s what we go with for the Centennial State MacNab.
I was just hoping to get into some Browns about ready to spawn when I tied-into the first of the 2 Kokanee on the fly that day. Also pulled a 20” bow out on a Glow-ball stacked in there with the salmon.
Would love to catch an Atlantic. Have caught kings, sockeyes, and silvers in Alaska.
Maybe a native cutthroat from a high lake?
Reading up on the MacNab a bit more, it sounds like they poached the stag and salmon without getting caught. Gonna have to read the whole story. Looks good!
In one memorable day in Quebec I caught an Atlantic salmon on a dry I tied, killed a B&C class caribou with a longbow, then capped the day with a 5 lb brookie on a special Mickey Finn I made up. A good day.
That’s better than a good day, Lou. That’s one hell of a spectacular day!
Better even than the MacNab!
MacJaq seems appropriate.
The OP needs to get a fly rod. Tenkara is also a great idea.
This thread wants me to buy a Tenkara rod for this September. I don't fly fish. Two years ago I tried my ultra light spinning gear in some Wyoming streams and I could see trout but I think the water was just too clear. Didn't catch a single fish. Last year I brought along some clear floats to try using flies with my spinning rod but never found the time. Any specific flies to pick up for September north of Steamboat? Thanks!
Got into a few more on the the frying pan yesterday. I forgot how exciting good fly fishing can be.
kscowboy,
Who's the photographer that keeps cutting off your head?
Quinn, I don’t like to post stuff due to social media BS and the rash of crap that may follow. I intentionally crop my field pics.
@huntabsarokee
Top water flies = Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulff, Parachute Adams
Sub-Surface flies - GRHE [Gold Ribbed Hairs Ear], Prince Nymph
No time for trout gotta stick an elk
No time for trout gotta stick an elk
2nd the Parachute Adams and Elk Hair Caddis as great dry flies. If you are in a hay meadow, some hopper patterns can be fun. I've done well with a Charlie Boy Hopper on the Western Slope of CO. Some sort of beadhead off the back can be productive too. However, if you are new to fly fishing, that can add to the tangles and frustration. Besides if they are hitting dries, why deviate from the best possible action on the water?
Great pics guys! I am always amazed on these boards how hunters don't act like they care about water quality. Not sure if the picture I posted will post; I'm not a techie. But keep the pictures coming!
Last week. Love to elk hunt. Love to fish. I almost always do both. Bring a worm, split shot and hook, or $1000 Orvis with some dry flies. They both work depending on the day; ). A Minnesota boy won't have any problem catching them.
I want dirty air and dirty water. That's what Obama says about me anyway.
I've heard that about you Jaq!; )
Not sure where bownarrow ever got that idea!
True Hunters care about all of their environment much more than non-hunters could possibly imagine. It is our passion, obsession, and our existence.
If it is a political jab, that can be taken off this thread and onto pm’s.
There's nothing political about clean water Treeline! If you are a trout fisherman, you are in favor of it-as you rightly pointed out.
I just want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!! To all that have posted .... what a way to get an old country boy fired up about catching a "little-ol-fish. Love it!
I'm thinking about possibly picking up one of those telescoping cane poles and drop a gob of crawlers into a pool of water and just see what happens. :)
Hope you have fun! Good luck!
Inshart
Only use half a crawler. If you plop a gob o worms into a pool the brookies will scatter to hell and breakfast.
Stealth is your friend:)
Have fun
Just a bite of worm on a size 6 hook. The fish you'll likely be after where you're headed feed on tiny stuff most of the time, and if you use a small hook the little guys will swallow it and you'll kill them too. Is western fly fishermen who catch big trout often use midges the size of a piece of dandruff, like size 18-22. Either that or something so big that only a big trout will eat it.
Go fishing, have fun, enjoy the overall elk-trout experience. I will be doing that too!
Lou helped me out with setting up a tenkara rig a while ago.... the planets never aligned to get to use it on that trip.... but it is all set up and in the quiver now and will be put to use at some point.....
From ID several years ago...... Trout is the anti-mountain house.......
After reading all these, I'm kind of set aback - I've been chasing elk since 93 and have yet to take the time to wet a line.
One time several years ago (15?) maybe. We were setting around camp about 2:00 or so, in WY and a guy rides up on a Rokon. We had a cold beer and BS'd for about an hour or so. He asked if we like trout. "Heck yeah".
We came back in the next morning at about 10:30 or so and there are 4 trout, gutted & gilled, laying on our table. Seasoned them with what we had, little olive oil in the iron. Yup, life was good.
Bad pic but a beautiful Rio Grande Cutt
Bad pic but a beautiful Rio Grande Cutt
Okay, I'll play! I agree with cnelk's fly choices and I'll add yellow and green humpy's to the dry fly list.
Inshart, I haven't read every word of this thread so I'm not sure if anybody else has mentioned it yet but I'm going to give you a little secret here so promise not to tell anybody... If you're going to go "non-purist" and use something other than flies, pick up a couple boxes of waxies. They're killer on trout! They're much easier to pack than worms and nightcrawlers and the keep much better. Just pack some #10 baitholder hooks and a few split shot.
Don't keep them all...
Don't keep them all...
Some gorgeous fish Mike. That Brookie is unreal!
Mike....I and my hunting buddies ate many of the brookies like you are holding when we were on caribou hunts in northern QC. From 1998 to 2010 I set up camps for outfitters there and enjoyed them daily. They are everywhere up there.
Great stuff, Mike! I like fly fishing wild places for small wild trout more than any other fishing - and around here I can fishing for every thing from muskies to walleye to lakers to big hog lake rainbows. Your fish pics are from real fishing.
Great stuff, Mike! I like fly fishing wild places for small wild trout more than any other fishing - and around here I can fishing for every thing from muskies to walleye to lakers to big hog lake rainbows. Your fish pics are from real fishing.
Thanks Lou, the availability of trout water almost always factors into my selection of areas to hunt elk.
