Oregon/California Trout Opener Highlights

While my buddy John "Dink" Werwie and I were off exploring some other lakes in another state, the Oregon opener got under way. I will only mention that John and I did real well on numbers of browns up to 4 LB. It was a blast and we always have fun fishing together. Some of my friends from out of state would appreciate my not disclosing where we were so I will honor that.

In Oregon, Allan Cole was up at Wickiup and stuck some browns to 6 LB. He said they were fairly snaky and haven't put on much weight yet. We did have a much colder and wetter winter (Thank God!) that years past. Who knows, we may be out of the drought soon.

I also heard, through my grapevine, that buddy Chuck Jones landed a nice brown of 9.75 LB. Nice job, Chuck! That fish came from Wickiup as well. It was kind of the only game in town with Paulina, East and many of the higher lakes still locked up in ice.

Steve Kelly had a young friend of ours, Dave Keely, out at Odell and stuck some nice lakers to 20 Lb. Way to go Steve! He pretty much has the laker drill dialed at Crescent and Odell. Look for both those fisheries to only get better in the next two months.

I heard from Danny "Mac" that their trip to Crescent produced a nice hookjaw brown of 8.5 LB. for his buddy, Andy. They also released a nice laker of 19 Lb. Dan's boat has been hot this spring, though it has been his Dad and friends that have stuck the big fish. Don't lose faith, man, your time is coming! Crane proved to be a dry run but Wickiup produced a few smaller browns to 3.5 LB. for them in the same weekend.

I have a guide trip to Billy for bulls on Wed. and that may be my last trip to the lake this spring. I have sold my home and have my hands full getting ready to relocate in Bend. If you are interested in getting up for a shot at the bulls this spring, call soon. I will try to get in another trip or two in before the end of May.

The Cal. opener was bleak at the Twins in Bridgeport. No big browns at all, as of this writing. The Western Sierra slope lakes will be starting to open soon and the trophy trout crowd will be on them like "flies on stink." It will be interesting to see how many browns over 10 LB. show up this year in Cal. The end of 2005 and early 2006 was kind to some of the trophy hunters.

Good luck to everyone this upcoming year in your pursuit of big trout! Time on the water and being in the right place at the right time are key.

Screamin' Drags, Rick