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Fish: Snake River Cutthroat

Timing the Ice Off for a Perfect Day!

Post By: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 2:31:53 PM     Points: 316    
Got up to a lake around 8K recently and timed the ice off perfectly (imo). The lake was still 99% frozen when we got there but...there was a small pocket of water near the dam wall and the ice near the rocks was VERY VERY Thin. I normally am not a big fan of fishing in windy weather, but it was blowing the open water toward the thin ice and melting it as the minutes went by...

The fishing was PHENOMENAL! I felt like it was a dream lol...Every cast we had action either a fish, a fish fighting and coming off, or a hard bite!! We went with 2" Swimbaits as the trout were gorging on the plethora of minnows in the shallows, hugging the rocks. My buddy kept a handful and all of them were barfing up minnows. It didn't seem to matter for color too much, more profile this day! I knew I was catching non stop because I had to take a 15 minute break, as my hands went numb from constantly being in the cold water🥶😂🎣

Timing the Ice off like this, is the best and always leads to an incredible time out fishing! We landed everything from near Master Angler Cutthroats to small but fat/healthy rainbows/cutbows...I even got the fattest trout I've ever caught for it's size. Hope you guys enjoy!!

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 Reply by: GingerLife      Posted: 4/20/2021 3:27:44 PM     Points: 1324
Nice video man! Those are some beauties! I cant wait to hit something like that
 Reply by: BroncFan      Posted: 4/20/2021 5:48:07 PM     Points: 464
Great video, thanks for sharing!
 Reply by: skiman      Posted: 4/20/2021 6:53:14 PM     Points: 2833
Well done as usual Sir...congrats!
 Reply by: MOJO      Posted: 4/20/2021 7:20:38 PM     Points: 662
Killing me, as always...
 Reply by: Wmdunker      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:12:40 PM     Points: 476
I know that the fathead minnows were not stocked in there by CPW, but I presume they were introduced by some bait bucket technology. However, what it has done for that fishery is astounding. That lake has always been pretty productive, but it is now so much better. Good timing, I have been thinking a lot about trying to hit that spot at ice out, but it looks like I missed it. It makes one wonder why TPTB do not take the hint and add them to a few other similar lakes.
 Reply by: Barnacles      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:20:41 PM     Points: 5026
Mercy, that one looks like a pig with a fin sticking out of it.
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:29:24 PM     Points: 316
--GingerLife

Glad you enjoyed it! Get out to those mountain lakes and start scouting!!!!
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:30:35 PM     Points: 316
-BroncFan

Anytime man! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for taking the time to watch!!

-skiman

Thanks Skiman! We were fortunate to time the ice off so well! Hoping to do the same at a few more lakes before Late Spring!
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:31:08 PM     Points: 316
-MOJO

Hopefully softly...
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:37:34 PM     Points: 316
-Wmdunker

I wouldn't have a clue about the stocking and who/what did it but I would 100% agree, the trout are healthy and have a wide range of forage to get. I wish they would do that for some of the warmwater species lakes around here...They would be top notch!!
 Reply by: The Fast Forester      Posted: 4/20/2021 8:44:04 PM     Points: 504
Beauties, nice video! That football snake river swims right back into the net, the cheese may have slid off his cracker.
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 9:03:46 PM     Points: 316
-Barnacles

😂😂😂 I was blown away at the size of that cutty...More surprised he crushed my lure, straight greed!!
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/20/2021 9:04:44 PM     Points: 316
-The Fast Forester

😂😂😂 Moments like those are when I'm happy I use a GoPro...My dad even got one just to record those types of cool moments lol. Glad you enjoyed the video!
 Reply by: not too old to fish      Posted: 4/21/2021 10:47:32 AM     Points: 9260
Ice off, nothing like it, thanks for sharing.
 Reply by: SirGreg88      Posted: 4/21/2021 12:21:40 PM     Points: 441
Its a small window every year. I was lucky enough to hit the Mile 3X in the last week with nothing but footballs in the 24-29 inch class. It is already waning to post spawn doldrums but at least I got in on it this year. I kept just 2 for my famous smoked trout dip. The weather was horrendous on my hands but it was worth it. Pinkies splayed out at a 90 degree angle--unable to get them in my pockets so you know where they went. Yup---right in my underwear.. Unfortunately no pictures except the 2 lined up on my cooler for reference. I am in sales so I can sneak out during the week but none of my buddies can get away. Keep your vids and pics coming!!!
 Reply by: Barnacles      Posted: 4/21/2021 7:23:58 PM     Points: 5026
SirGreg Sir, Thanks to FishHuntNow, I have invested in a smoker, hickory and apple wood. Please share the famous dip recipe. I'm new here, just direct me to it if it's already out there somewhere.
 Reply by: SirGreg88      Posted: 4/21/2021 7:55:35 PM     Points: 441
I have about 4-5 lbs of cooked meat-after cleaning and deboning. I dont have a smoker but here goes. I will mix the meat and all the juices from cooking in 6 lbs of cream cheese along with chopped green onions, some yellow onions, onion flakes, diced jalapenos and some good Cajun salt(or Creole salt). I get the most heavy duty foil from Costco as well as the 3lb tubs of cream cheese. I cook the fish in the oven-wrapped tightly at 360--about a half hour per side. I shut the oven off and just leave them in there to simmer for another 20 min or so. Before I wrap em up and cook them I stuff them with a mixture I like. I dice a few yellow onions and mix them with a little melted butter, quite a bit of Zesty Italian Dressing, Cajun or Creole salt and a few dashes of Liquid Smoke. Wrap them as tightly as possible to keep the juices in. You want to capture every bit of juice, all the meat possible including gills and some head parts--as well as the cooked stuffing.. I take a lot of time making sure to remove every bone possible( I never get em all). Mix all of the above and test it in the morning to see if it needs doctored further.. Using a real smoker will make it killer!! Hope that made sense.
 Reply by: Barnacles      Posted: 4/21/2021 9:26:47 PM     Points: 5026
I can't wait to try that. I learn something good on here every day. Thanks
 Reply by: SirGreg88      Posted: 4/22/2021 5:11:04 AM     Points: 441
OH and the cream cheese stirs much easier if you leave it in a large mixing bowl at room temp beforehand. Better use a big steel spoon. Wooden spoons will snap.
 Reply by: Barnacles      Posted: 4/24/2021 1:05:37 PM     Points: 5026
My wife complained about me fishing too much, so I decided to destroy her kitchen today & make some of Greggo's smoked trout dip. High complements. This stuff is killer.
 Reply by: SirGreg88      Posted: 4/25/2021 7:12:47 AM     Points: 441
Thats hilarious! My wife complained so I decided to destroy her kitchen! Glad you liked it. I am not very good at exact recipes. I just wing it with everything I make. A pinch of this. A little of that. etc etc.. Guess what? Unintentional hijack of the Team COFF thread........................oops.
 Reply by: Team CO.F.F.      Posted: 4/27/2021 3:15:18 PM     Points: 316
Been offline for the past week, moving into a new place...Going to definitely have to try that dip!

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