[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Sam and I got out recently to do some fishing up on Grand Mesa! With everything going on right now and meat being scarce at a lot of grocery stores, we decided to do a catch and cook themed episode. Luckily for us, the day worked out and we caught 3 different trout species for the smoker! All trout from Grand Mesa seems to taste amazing but comparing the 3 fresh fish was really fun.

-We hit a new BoW that neither of us have ever fished before.
-Ice thickness was a solid 2 feet, however; a foot+ of slush/water on top of that. We managed but it was a day of soaked feet for sure.
-Weather was really nice, had to be in low 30's, and only a brief 1 hour snow storm;D

Hope you guys enjoy the video and are staying safe out there!^-^

https://youtu.be/HT01v4htVXg

 

[waterfowler]

Great video. Once again, you really earned it. Hand drilling through 2’ of ice is real commitment!

Beautiful area, glad you got into some nice fish. The brook trout would have been my favorite.

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Great video. Once again, you really earned it. Hand drilling through 2’ of ice is real commitment!

Beautiful area, glad you got into some nice fish. The brook trout would have been my favorite.

Haha it wasn't too bad, when the snow storm hit and it got cold for a bit, it helped warm me up so I drilled a few extra holes for Sam and I. Glad we got some fish but I thought it would be better fishing...Is late ice usually more of a finicky bite? I really thought the brookie would've tasted better but that brown was insanely good, best brown trout I've ever tasted! Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed man!!

 

[Dr Cro]

The rainbow meat just doesn't appeal to me anymore. meat needs to have color, when their almost pale it doesn't appeal to me just from the texture stand point.

 

[ghostman]

The rainbow meat just doesn't appeal to me anymore. meat needs to have color, when their almost pale it doesn't appeal to me just from the texture stand point.

Wild rainbows, or stockers that have been in the lake/river for several years, do have color to the meat. The mushy, white meated fish are stockers and don't taste anything like a wild trout.

 

[Dr Cro]

Wild rainbows, or stockers that have been in the lake/river for several years, do have color to the meat. The mushy, white meated fish are stockers and don't taste anything like a wild trout.

Good to know. I havne't had a wild rainbow yet. I think i'll try one this summer/spring.

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Good to know. I havne't had a wild rainbow yet. I think i'll try one this summer/spring.

Try them from one of the deeper lakes in the Mesa, you'll like it!

 

[Dr Cro]

So what everyone is saying, “don’t eat one from Cherry Creek in Denver”?

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

So what everyone is saying, “don’t eat one from Cherry Creek in Denver”?

Haha Idk how Cherry Creek is but basically any "in-and-out" Fishery, as some CPW people have called it; are fisheries where I don't eat the trout.

 

[MissMarie]

Hey Team CO.F.F., What a beautiful day fishing and going for the wild ones:} You guys are in my neck of the woods. Any chance you want to help operate a boat and stock up, for next winter, on Kokenee Fish. My Dad fished Blue Mesa, mainly May and June, when still cold, and with fish finders and down riggers, and was always able to put some fish away for the winter. (If only I could filet, like him I think, good food, is going to get really scarce this summer and this may help feed our families. I can't run a boat by myself, and my Dad, took care of most of the mechanical, so I really need fishing buddies. I believe, fishing has always been about group social distancing:} I think we invented, that more than three fishing buddies, is too big of a crowd:} Have a great day fishing:} Marie

 

[waterfowler]

Is late ice usually more of a finicky bite?

Probably depends more on the species. Don’t get much/any ice at my last couple of moves, but I mainly target warmer water species on ice (the only exception in the last 15 years for trout would be at an impoundment in South Park). Where I grew up in Michigan, would tend to say late ice isn’t as productive (first ice was fire).

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Hey Team CO.F.F., What a beautiful day fishing and going for the wild ones:} You guys are in my neck of the woods. Any chance you want to help operate a boat and stock up, for next winter, on Kokenee Fish. My Dad fished Blue Mesa, mainly May and June, when still cold, and with fish finders and down riggers, and was always able to put some fish away for the winter. (If only I could filet, like him I think, good food, is going to get really scarce this summer and this may help feed our families. I can't run a boat by myself, and my Dad, took care of most of the mechanical, so I really need fishing buddies. I believe, fishing has always been about group social distancing:} I think we invented, that more than three fishing buddies, is too big of a crowd:} Have a great day fishing:} Marie

Sounds like a fun time, although I won't be visiting Gunnison County until the non-resident travel ban is over down there. Sounds like it's getting really serious! You'll have to fill me in on the details and we can go from there! I've never owned a boat and only been a guest on others. So I wouldn't have the most knowledge unfortunately

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Probably depends more on the species. Don’t get much/any ice at my last couple of moves, but I mainly target warmer water species on ice (the only exception in the last 15 years for trout would be at an impoundment in South Park). Where I grew up in Michigan, would tend to say late ice isn’t as productive (first ice was fire).

Good to know, I think the other day I may have been at a reservoir that had been drained in the last year and the fish coming in were from the creek. So that didn't help if that is true lol. I was out yesterday and the bite was really good. Probably a species and lake thing?

 

[troutbiscuits]

Nice video you guys! Are you about done with ice fishing? Any more trips planned?

 

[MissMarie]

Sounds like a fun time, although I won't be visiting Gunnison County until the non-resident travel ban is over down there. Sounds like it's getting really serious! You'll have to fill me in on the details and we can go from there! I've never owned a boat and only been a guest on others. So I wouldn't have the most knowledge unfortunately

Im actually on the border of Montrose and Ouray County. I forgot that they don't want us to travel:{ Well maybe we can email. I wasn't going to try and get the boat on the water before the middle of May, and we might have to google about inboard engines, but hey, you can learn anything online Have you used leaded line and trolled for fish?

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Nice video you guys! Are you about done with ice fishing? Any more trips planned?

Thanks man! Appreciate you tuning in and watching!! We went yesterday and will release the video Thursday, sort of up to our viewers lol. We're going to leave it up to a "Like" Threshold. If we get 80 or more likes on the video by the next upload date, we are going to go out again...Otherwise, Sam and I put it all away today for the season. I definitely wouldn't mind getting it out again for a few more times.

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

Im actually on the border of Montrose and Ouray County. I forgot that they don't want us to travel:{ Well maybe we can email. I wasn't going to try and get the boat on the water before the middle of May, and we might have to google about inboard engines, but hey, you can learn anything online Have you used leaded line and trolled for fish?

No worries, things are changing daily it seems with everything going on!! How is the Salmon situation at Blue Mesa? Heard some stuff about gill lice? I've trolled for fish before but only using standard fishing line like fluorocarbon or braid.