Lucwerne 7/10 - 13

[smokepoles]

This was our first fishing our of Lucerne and we enjoyed exploring that end of the reservoir by water and land.

Arrived to thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, so got our reserved slip and launched the boat between showers. Decided to stay in camp and cook steaks, and looked up Island20 in the next campground loop. Learned that Bart is an expert brewer and he was set up with a CO2 pressurized kegs and everything. I especially enjoyed his IPA and can vouch that it packs a substantial punch of hops and alcohol!

We explored to the south on Friday amid scattered light showers. Actually very pleasant fishing without the typical bright sun. Ran into good numbers of small kokes (2 lb or so) by Kingfisher, and then moved to Hideout to find similar numbers of 2.5- 3 lb kokes. What they lacked in size they made up for in aggressiveness. They seemed to like any dark colored hoochie. Called it a day about 1 when the lightening started to show up in the distance and heading our way, and went back to camp to grill a late lunch of kokanee. After lunch we took a road trip to the Red Canyon visitor center. Hard to imagine that county of ponderosa and lodgepole as compared to Buckboard's sage and sage. Great views from the visitor center, and a whole herd of desert bighorns, ewes and lambs. Wildlife count for the day included bullocks orioles and antelope in camp, sheep by the cut and at Red Canyon, osprey on the reservoir, elk and mule deer on road trip.

Saturday we went north to Pipeline, Anvil and Wildhorse. Marked a few kokes by Wildhorse but they largely did not want to play with us. Finally, found some better numbers at Rawlins draw and got a few though by no means a hot bite. We decided to go back south to enjoy the scenery, only to find that the entire power squadron of Utah had showed up to enjoy the sunny and hot weather. We reminded a string of boats heading north through the no-wake cut that it was indeed intended to be no-wake. A young lady replied that we were f****** retards. Glad there were so many kids with them so that they could learn such proper boating etiquette and language manners. Ended the day with kokes on the grill and another stop at Bart's Bar on the Bay.

Got out early Sunday and returned to Rawlins to a very good early bite of 3.5 lb kokes on solid pink hoochies. Filled out our limit so to take a few home. Just too nice to leave the water quite yet so we made coffee, washed down the boat, and stowed all the gear for the trip back.

Overall, great trip, and I am not sure now of Lucerne of Buckboard. I do believe the kokes may be a little bigger at the north end, but the campground and marina is not as nice, nor have I found the people at the marina and store near as friendly as at Lucerne. On the other hand, the power squadron is not so extensive at Buckboard.

Sheep Creek Bay

Sheep at Red Canyon

Red Canyon - 13 miles to dam

Red Canyon looking up river

[froggie]

We spent a day trailering the boat down to Sheep Creek Bay, launched and cruised around thru Red Canyon. Saw the roof of the Visitors Center way up above us. Wind and rain came and we turned around heading back in, so we never made it to the dam. Scenery from down below is incredible!Attachment 7530

[Island20]

Was great meeting you guys and hope to meet up in the future. Your mango salsa was great and I must have your recipe, wife said please. I am happy you enjoyed the brew. Nothing like a good homebrew to quench your thirst after a hot day in the sun fishing.
Fishing was slow for us. But any day spent fishing is a good day. I could have used a little more advice. It was not untill Tuesday morning that I finaly figured out how to catch a few. I had been fishing squds like everybody else but it was not working for me. Put on some spinners from Art at Kokanee Creek Tackle and that was the ticket.
Going back on the 24th staying in loop A 18 and as always there is an open invitation to stop by for a cold one.

[smokepoles]

Nothing fancy, but here are the general guidelines:

2 mangos, peeled and chopped
one red onion, peeled and chopped
one serano or small anaheim pepper seeded and chopped
juice from three small limes
1 teaspoon graded ginger root

Mix all together and refrigerate for several hours to overnight.