[Tubadude]

A couple of days late...but here goes. Went up Friday when the road started to clear up following the snowfall. I was the only one there, but tracks showed that somebody else had the same plan earlier in the day. I was mainly interested on checking for movement on the large bows from 11-mile. Its's still early but what there you go.

Started down by 11-mile, only to find ice for quite a ways upstream. Had basically a long walk in really, really cold weather. Then fished the gauging station for a mile then decided to walk upstream. Fish were pretty scattered but more plentiful closer to the barns. Caught a couple of really nice fish - one fat cut bow that fought exceptionally hard given the cold temps. Brown SJ Worms did the trick.

Then I ran back to the comfort of my car heater. Guides froze every 3-4 cast, and my reel was locked in too. Happy o get a couple given the conditions. Did I say it was really cold?

 

[epic]

Then I ran back to the comfort of my car heater.  Guides froze every 3-4 cast, and my reel was locked in too.  Happy o get a couple given the conditions.  Did I say it was really cold?

Haha great report... I drove threw south park on Saturday and the Themometer in the jeep read -22 when I passed the 11mile/spinney ranch turn off. I thought to myself I'm glad I'm in the car. > However you cant beat fishing the Dream Stream all by yourself thats a rarity, and catching a few nice ones makes it worth it.

 

[BigRedFan]

Man now that's a hard core fisherman because we all know how cold it gets up there. Good job.

So in addition to clearing your guides every 3 or 4 casts, did you have to battle with the wind?? I know it's NEVER windy in southpark, but I thought I would ask.

 

[hatchmaster]

Wow! Congrats on the fishies. Also congrats on withstanding the tropical south park weather! O0

 

[Tubadude]

The wind was moving but not at the typical hurricane level. I'll be hitting that section hard over the next few weeks as the bigger guys from Eleven Mile move in. Hopefully it will be a bit less harsh in the temps department! It was the coldest I'd fished in since living in Alaska and fishing for winter rainbows on the Kenai River.

 

[nogooddrtytroutbum]

Guides froze every 3-4 cast, and my reel was locked in too.

The best tool in my winter fishing arsenal, can-o-WD40. Little spray on the guides, little on the line, ICE FREE. I often mix my line conditioner in the winter with a little spray of WD or some Tri-Flow. Does the trick. Hear ya on the Kenai days, don't think I have ever felt that cold in my life. One trip to the upper Cascade in WA chasing dollys was close, but AK takes the cake.

 

[nogooddrtytroutbum]

P.S.
So just to clarify, you saw no fish moving up? I was thinking about really pounding it in about a week. You think that cutbow you snagged was a spawner or a resident? Just fishing for info.

 

[Tubadude]

I saw nothing moving in the lowest section of the river. The river surface was frozen for quite a ways up from Eleven Mile. I had thought that with the warm weather perhaps fish would be moving early. That's really why I went up there - I have some friends coming from AK next weekend and was checking for pre-spawn movement. Nothing like those mid-winter Dream Stream Rainbows!

The cutbow I caught was in my opinion a resident fish - regular coloration and hanging with a few others.

I read above that it was -22 on Saturday - Yikes!