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After a week of negotiations, I was actually able to get out this morning. I had until noon and I was going to squeeze every second out of it!
Got up at 4:30, made my coffee, filled my thermos, went out to the garage, rigged up my rods (so I wouldn't have to do it in the dark), put on my waders (so I wouldn't have to do that in the dark AND cold), loaded my gear and hit the road.
Got to the parking spot at about 6:20am, 27 degrees and about 10 rigs there already - guess the word is out. On the plus side, 3 of those rigs were still suiting up, so I grabbed my gear and hit the trail. Got down to the river and headed towards my holes. 1st one - taken, 2nd, 3rd - taken, 4th - open? whaa?? Guess it paid off to know the area, everybody was passing by this sweet little hole that has paid off for me well in the past because you have to cast over a boulder PFFFTTT.. it's mine.
Now the waiting game - cup of coffee, a few deep knee bends to keep warm and it is just light enough to see your float close in, so that is where I started.
Guy next to me loses one right at sunrise - good sign. A couple more casts, bobber down! Couple head shakes and it's gone. Oh well, warmed me up. About 8am, bobber down again and this time it sticks. Fiesty little hen, a few ariels and she's bonked. Due to it being so cold, and the water so low, I was using what I call my one-use jigs. I call em that because I get one use out of em and they are pretty much toast after that - really makes you think about how you are going to play your fish! This time was no exception, by the time I got that little hen to the net she had that little hook nearly straight and was hanging on pretty much by the barb.
Sun came out and nobody was getting anything. Rotated through my micro jig stock with no other action. Decided since it was warming up to go a different route. Upped my size and color and not 5 casts later, bye bye bobber - this buck hit hard enough that if he hadn't hooked himself, I would have missed it. Bigger than the hen but both were cookie cutter in size. By 9:40 I was done, finished my coffee, enjoyed the sun, watched a few other fish caught and headed home to start negotiations for next weekend :)

Salmonchaser

12/3/2011 7:50:00 PM

What area where you fishing on the sky?

braziertl

12/3/2011 8:28:00 PM

sounds like reiters hatchery to me... NICE FISH BRO!!

RiverChromeGS

12/3/2011 8:59:00 PM

nice steel man! what are those grips on your rods??

natetreat

12/3/2011 11:29:00 PM

I'll have to try and run into you sometime out there. It's been pretty good lately. Always nice to get a quick limit.

Gringo Pescador

12/4/2011 8:24:00 AM

fishenfreak - they are called RodWraps, just put em on about a month ago, so far I like them, good grip (even wet), easy to clean up at the end of the day. Nate - we run a lot of the same rivers, we live in the same area, we'll cross paths one of these days, it is inevitable..

BentRod

12/4/2011 9:22:00 PM

Great story GP. Good report.

djw0414

12/5/2011 7:54:00 AM

Great job, Gringo! Always nice to bang some fish when fishing time is limited. Do those rod wraps slide on or do you have to roll them on like tape? Can they be taken off without leaving a mess on the cork? I like the different colors because it looks easy to differentiate rods in racks and backs of cars......maybe I have too many rods. No, what am I thinking? :-)

Gringo Pescador

12/5/2011 10:37:00 AM

dwj - thanks! They wrap on, about 1" - 1.25" wide strip, there is a little stretch and the material sticks to itself, not the rod. You actually wrap your reel onto the rod. So if you are changing reels from one rod to another often, they aren't for you. If you have a "setup" for each application like I do, this is great. It really locks the reel onto the seat and since you are wrapping over the whole works, no more worry about the seat tensioner coming loose. As far as off & on, I had the green one on another rod at 1st, took it out for coho for a couple months, then upgraded my rod. Unwrapped and wrapped it onto the new rod with no problems and nothing stuck on the old rod. The only issue was the finishing tape didn't re-stick, so I just used black tape, so far it is working great! I also like that I can tell in an instant what rod I am grabbing off the rack, just by selecting the color (you can never have too many). I will say though, I have not used these with any method (yet) where you need real sensitivity, like drifting, drop shotting, etc. so have not formed an opinion on that aspect yet.

The Jigmiester

12/6/2011 7:11:00 PM

GringoP. I tend to pre-empt my pre fishing negotiations with my missus by allowing her to tag along with me on a fishing trip once in a while. Helps mend fences and set the stage for a " No problem Jig, you can go this weekend. ' (Wha-hoo!) Jiggy

Toni

12/6/2011 7:25:00 PM

Very nice.

Colecoal

12/7/2011 12:38:00 PM

NICE STEEL! I seen you at the Cable Hole with Kzoo. Good job man. Cable Hole is getting more and more pressure these days but I have killed sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many fish at the Cable Hole and all along the Highway side.

Gringo Pescador

12/7/2011 12:47:00 PM

Jimeister - Thanks for the suggestion, but fishing for my wife is 80 degrees, full sun, pole holder, bell on the pole, a camp chair and either a book or her knitting. There is NO WAY, I would/could get her out this time of year! Colecoal - stop and introduce yourself next time - I'm a little socially awkward, but not nearly as grumpy as I look.

HillbillyGeek

12/7/2011 8:11:00 PM

Sounds like you are using tempered hooks. Have you tried forged?

joechiro30

12/16/2011 9:45:00 PM

LOL love the pics...yes I do know that rock! That's my favourite spot btw.

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