Not Kayak Related: Ft Klamath Red Band

Visited some friends on their property near Ft Klamath Oregon this past weekend.  The area is primarily ranches, and our friend has access to many of the ranches to fish.  The area is known for the population of Red Band Trout.  We fished the same area in June '21 (I think I wrote a report)  didn't land any on that attempt.  Went back to the best of the holes, and fished it only once.  I brought a fly rod, large spinning rod, and a ultralight spinning rod.

I floated a fly up and down and sideways with no response from the fish.  after a while, gave up on that.

switched to my regular spinning rod, with a couple different baits - no response.

switched to my ultralight (backpacking rod) with 6# mono (same line that came with the rod 15 years ago).  Tied on a silvery glittery squid on a 1/8oz head, toss it a few times - boom, get hit, get tugged, pop off it goes.  I toss it a few more times - no takers.

I switched to a road runner slab runner, silver with a spinning blade.  Toss twice more BOOM, set the hook, and work to bring in this fish that is beyond the drag capability of my small spinning rod.   I tried tightening down more - but no avail, all I could do was keep grinding it in while it was pulling it out.  I worked him up river a bit to a flatter spot in the bank, git him in shallow, then he wallowed in the shallow water for a while, and got him up to the bank where I could get under his gill plate and lift him.  Red Band trout, measured out to 24", and guessing about 5#.  The creek we were fishing is CnR for trout - so after admiring the beauty ...back to the stream it went.  I resuscitated it for a while, then splash off he went back to his hole.  Easily my PB trout.  I will be back, and will try to find some in a Catch and Eat stream or lake.

These fish love to hang under the banks.  The banks over hang the creeks/rivers a few feat as the beaver or otters burrow and their burrows collapse.   I'll be tying up some new flies for next time.

Thanks for the report BBT.

Sweet report Brian!  Congrats on CnR that beauty!

Badass!  I would love to see a pic of that red band if you have one.  I love the variation that trout show from different localities.

Badass!  I would love to see a pic of that red band if you have one.  I love the variation that trout show from different localities.

yah, me too.  the cell phone connectivity is super sketch up there, so I left my phone in the truck... I know, no pic, didn't happen

this particular fish looked like someone took a broad watercolor brush and brushed a bright red wiggly swath of color down it's sides, and the gill plates were burning red as well.  It was (is) a beautiful fish.