Lately...(Cutthroat, Tiger Trout, Splake, Goblin Valley, San Rafael, Joe's Valley)
It's been fun, these past few weeks. Full report on Utah Water Log.
First, my family and I set out for some cutts and tigers. They were nice enough to let me float most of the day and the fishing was really good for the cutts, but the tigers didn't want to play until the sun had set. Finally, I got a decent one as I was about to beach the tube.
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That was pretty fun and the kids brought toys, so they stayed happy all day. Bonus!
Last week, fishing was thrown to the wayside for some dirt-loving desert fun. Goblin Valley was to be our last camp out for 2013 and, being November, we figured we'd just mosey on it and have the place to ourselves.
Little did we know that the campground was FULL!
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No matter. We didn't need flushing toilets, showers, or any of that to have a good time, so we got a great afternoon hike in at the Swell, then set up camp in an excellent setting, just inside the reef.
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We had a blast at the first spot and camping under the petroglyphs was about the best spot we could have hoped for (aside from site #12 at GV - the best in the park by far). We had the whole canyon to ourselves, it seemed.
The next day was equally great, as we ventured into a different area of Goblin Valley than we usually visit. My wife and kids had never been back into the other bowls and it had been years for me.
Spectacular!
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My boy told me more than once that it was our "best trip ever", so that gave me the warm fuzzies. It really was a great time.
This week, I went to Joe's Valley with a web buddy I've been in communication with for about a year or so.
It was nice to legally fish JVR in November, as the splake were right up close to shore and very aggressive. We caught a ton and had a great time.
I accidentally took a swim in the frigid water when the seat on my tube fell forward and bumped my backside as I was sitting back to launch. Tube shot backward and I took a dip, then had to tread water for a bit to situate the tube before it drifted off.
That was pretty cold.
Regardless, I still wanted to float and that's exactly what I did.
It was a great time and the fishing was on fire for smaller splake, a few cutthroat, and a couple of rainbows even. No tigers, browns, or brookies though. They're in there, but they evaded us.
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Again, my blog post goes into much more detail with a LOT more photos. Please check that for more.
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Happy Fishing, Humans.
