Blown away at McPhee

Not the way you'd think. We spent what were 3 very pleasant days camping around the North side of McPhee. The wind picked up each day to semi ridiculous levels, which is par for the course out there. Around Dry Canyon we caught smallmouth bass from shore but fishing was slow at best. Water temperature was 56 degrees and I lost more lures than I've ever lost in a 72 hour period. The lake is literally 50 feet lower than when we visited the same area in the spring, so the snags were readily available. When you were fishing at the right depth for the fish, you were in danger of losing your lure. Fortunately most of the lures I lost were home made jigs, but I did lose my jointed crayfish rapala, my other secret weapon. I keep talking about getting some scuba gear and putting my certification to good use, collecting lost lures in popular fishing areas. I could even open a second hand tackle shop! Anyone want in? I need a dive buddy!

We also caught a few stocker rainbows, exciting stuff. We tried to find the route from the top of the Dry Canyon switchbacks down to the upper dolores river. We missed the correct path by about 100 yards and ended up on a long loop around the rim of the canyon. No time is wasted when you explore a new spot, but we were a little bummed that it got dark and we had to retreat before wetting a fly on the D.

We're entering my favorite time of year to fish. The colors, the aggressive fish, everything. Narrigunniep is about as low as it can get, a real puddle. I wonder if we'd do the fish a favor by removing some Walleye before the winter and reducing the pressure on the habitat. Drop us a line and tell us your stories over on our facebook page. Cheers!