MY QUEST FOR TROPHY TROUT

About a year ago I became so frustrated with my fly fishing.  I never had a problem catching fish but I couldn't seem to keep the 12-14 inchers and the white fish of my line.  Not always a bad problem to have right?!  I decided I needed to step up my game and start a quest for some large trophy trout!

My Dad introduced me to fly fishing when I was young and I couldn't wait to someday get my own fly rod.  As the years progressed I started tying some of my own flies and educating myself more from books, video's, and the local legends around Teton Valley about fly fishing and how to be successful.  It has become an addiction that has become fulfilling and aggravating at times as I have progressed.

When I realized that I needed to change up my game and that I was consistently not catching larger fish I started to watch every fly fishing video I could find on youtube and vimeo trying to see what I was missing.  I did countless google searches about catching larger fish and my wife will attest to that when I get my mind on something I'm stuck on that until I figure it out.  I came across many people and resources willing to help fulfill my quest for a 25" + trout on the South Fork or the Henry's Fork! I'm still working towards that and closing in.

The selection and style of streamers I've been chucking lately, can you tell which one's I tied?

This is what I have learned so far.  Trophy Trout are trophies for a reason.  If you want to catch them you have to stop worrying about how many fish you catch during the day and start thinking about the quality of the fish you are catching.  Don't be discouraged when you see another angler catching twice as many fish as you twice as small and giving you the look like you're an idiot for not catching the same amount.

You've gotta cover more water to find those few and far between larger fish. When trout get to be a certain size the primary source of their diet becomes meat instead of insects and they are turned into a predator preying on other fish and larger meals.  A big fish won't normally spend all of it's energy going after little meals and begins to take in some bigger meals to keep up with it's nutritional needs.  Big trout often feed at night or in darker conditions.  As a hunter of big game when the moon is out so are the animals and it is no different for the fish. A lot of big fish that I've seen were caught after dark legally and in the late evening hours or early morning hours.  During the day big trout will find slower water that they can hold in and rest and these are often the best place to find them during the daytime hours.

I've heard it said that just before, during, and just after a low pressure system such as storms, will cause fish to go on a feeding frenzy. So the next time it's raining out don't pack up your gear and head home unless you're in a lighting storm.

During the day from what I've learned, and I believe it, big fish aren't as active but can be enticed or aggravated to attack a large fly that spooks or scares them even though it may not be hungry.  I've also heard that the same fish that a large trout will feed on in the evenings or early hours will often times allow it's minnow or smaller fish meals to swim around by it during the day time hours with no harm.

Articulated Streamers are quickly becoming, if not already the most popular weapon for enticing these big trout but I'm not so convinced yet they are the go to style of streamer.  Streamers imitate that larger meal the big trout are looking for and I know you can catch big trout on chironomids, nymphs, and dries but I've become addicted to throwing a streamer.  As I've been fishing streamers I really have cut out those littler fish than what I used to catch and am starting to see the size of fish I'm catching grow.  When concerned which color streamer to fish, a good rule of thumb is "Dark skies, dark flies, bright skies, bright flies."

Zoo Cougar and Sex Dungeon Articulated Streamers

While faithfully fishing large articulated streamers I'll admit that I haven't had a whole lot of luck and am not so sure at this point in my fishing that they are my go to for big trout.  I have caught fish on them but honestly I've fished a lot of hours with them in some nice waters and haven't had the success I hoped or worked for.  Now I think I am going to go back to fishing #4 Wooly Buggers and streamers more often and see if that produces any more strikes with bigger fish. A good friend and fisherman I look up to told me this was his opinion as well and that even a #2 hook size was too big for what he's noticed. I have to say I have had better luck with the smaller streamers and have seen some of the hogs he's pulled out with them and am definitely leaning to his way of thinking.  The largest fish I've caught out of the river yet was I'd say 22"-23" or so (never actually measured it) and was on the Henry's Fork during spring on a yellow #4 Wooly Bugger streamer.  I'm not professing to know anything about fishing big trout because my wife is getting used to me coming home without a good fish story as I've been on this quest making mistakes.  I've fished weighted streamers on a floating line and am now fishing a sinking line with both weighted and non weighted streamers depending on current and depth.

#4 Wooly Buggers in Yellow and Olive

The Brown I caught spring of 2013 on the Yellow Wooly Bugger above (Henry's Fork)                             

Some of my weaknesses as I'm looking for the 25"+ trout are that I don't cover enough water as I am limited to where I fish since I don't have a boat, and that I don't always go out when the big fish are feeding actively.  If I'm going to step up my fishing game I think these are definitely two things I'm lacking among many others I'm sure :)

The Line I'm currently fishing.

For those of you who like to follow good fisherman that can get it done this is a list of some of my favorites that I like to follow.

  Randy Berry- Check out Teton Valley Lodge youtube video's
  Brian Berry- Check out the Teton Valley Lodge youtube video's to see the man in action
  Beau Price- Check out Mountain Made Media and the Obsession video he's in
  Jake Forsline- Look him up with the Loop Army and on Vimeo
  Kelly Galloup- Got some great instructional videos on how trophy trout habits are
  Mike Lawson- He's got the history and the Legends to back up whatever he says

I'm always open to add to this list and see what you've learned and done!

10 Things I Don't Go To The Great Outdoors Without!

The 10 things I don't go to the great outdoor's without!

Wether I am going down to the river to wet the fly line for a few hours or heading into the Sasquatch backcountry to connect with the wild outdoor's or even just to spend the night on a campout, these 10 items are always on me!  I can survive the zombie apocalypse with these items and so can you!

1.  Swiss Army Knife- This faithful Swiss Army knife is more trusty than man's best friend (dog).  I carry this in my pants pocket every day wether I'm at church or lounging around the house.  What can't a Swiss Army knife do?  Just ask McGeyvor.  I can't tell you how often every day this comes in handy with all of it's functions and what I especially love about it is that it easily fits in my front pant pocket and doesn't take up hardly any room. I've gutted elk with this knife, made hot dog sticks, filed my nails (you'll understand if you tie fly fishing flies), and built small kingdoms with this :)

2. Smart Phone- Who goes anywhere without their smart phone these days?  Even in the mountains you'll forget to turn your phone on silent and that unexpected text notification will make you feel like a rookie when it echoes through the next draw.  To it's credit though it does come in handy.  One of my good friends was involved a severe atv accident 12 miles into the backcountry and without a way to call in the life flight he wouldn't be here today.  Verizon service seems to work the best for me in the mountains.  Plus it comes in handy for all those sweet pictures!  With all kinds of apps to add now the list is endless what your phone can do as long as the battery has juice.

3. Flashlight- Your phone might have a good flashlight but it's best to save your battery use on that for when you really need it.  I love these flashlights and they are only $1 at Cal-Ranch or your local dollar store.  They're even glow in the dark so are easy to find in a dark tent or when you're half asleep and need to go see a man about a horse in the middle of the night.

4. Multi-tool- A good multitool will come with attached pliers good for pinching barbs down on a fish hook and bending wire, cutting wire, picking up hot dutch oven lids, etc. It's always nice to have an extra tool that can back up a swiss army knife in case a blade or tool breaks.

5. No Fail Fire Starter- I learned this one from watching too many episodes on the hunting channel.  Grab some cotton balls and rub them around in Vaseline real good, then stuff them in a container.  I use an old film canister (who remembers what those are) and can get about 5 vaseline soaked cotton balls in there.  Wether these have been rained on or not these things will catch any sparks and each cotton ball with burn for a good couple of minutes and give you plenty of time to ignite some kindling.

6. Blast Match- I don't even carry around matches anymore and a lighter is tough to start when your fingers are frozen or the wind is blowing.  Press down on the thumb piece and shove the pointy end into a vaseline ball or some dry tinder and you'll be impressed with the torch of sparks this will send out.  It can get wet all it wants and it'll still work.  You won't be bored anymore trying to see what stuff you can light on fire with this blast match.  I like the florescent orange color so I can find it when I set it down on the ground.

7. Ziploc bag- Make sure to pack this one to keep your electronics or wallet dry if you go for a swim or get caught in a mountain thunderstorm. Among other things it can pack any mountain huckleberries to camp as well.  If you forgot yours at home, check any dumpster or road side gutter and you've got a good chance of finding a spare :)

8. Belt- Among keeping your pants up this comes in handy if you forget your wading belt.  It will literally save your life if you've forgot your wading belt and slip on a mossy rock up to chest high water.  Wading belts will help minimize filling up your waders with water and sinking straight to the bottom.  It can be used as a tourniquet, a whip for fiesty dogs, carry all kinds of dead birds on a string, and even your trusty side arm or favorite hunting knife.

 9. Water bottle- The water is of course essential and I dump an electrolyte pouch in mine that has twice the electrolytes as gatorade (4 vs 2) to keep me hydrated, 1/5 the sugar as gatorade, and it tastes better than gatorade.  Once the liquid is gone the bottle can be used to boil unsafe water if your careful not to melt it, transport water as a temporary solution to a radiator problem, it can be cut in half to be used as a cup, carry all kinds of other treasures and then be washed out to be used for a water bottle again.

10.  Allergy pills (medication)- I can't hardly see anything once I get rubbing my eyes from allergies and I am sure to ruin any hunt if I don't take my allergy medicine with all my sneezing.  The pure joy of being in the outdoors gets taken right away the second I feel a sneeze coming on. These are the exact same number of pills and formula as Claritin but I get them for about $7 less along with all my other over the counter meds at discount.  Don't forget any other medications that you can't live without.  It will make all the difference!


These are all just my essentials that I carry on any given day in the field.  What do you carry!?

Connect with me on Facebook as well.  Reel Rad and Radley Jay Buxton

Radley Jay Buxton from the Teton Valley Clan

Welcome to my new blog! I've always had a passion for the outdoors and business among many other things and this is where I can post all those things that are too long for Facebook.  Thanks for stopping by to check it out.  Just a little about me for those of you who don't know is I grew up farming and ranching in Driggs, Idaho (Teton Valley).  I still remember when we got the first stop light in town and all the buzz about what it meant for our little valley.  I never thought I'd leave Teton Valley but then left in 2005 to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission.  One of the best experiences of my life!  When I returned home I tried my hand at many things including ranching, farming, construction, real estate, horse training, finance and a few other business ventures.  I married the prettiest gal I ever did see and moved away from the changing Teton Valley economy and lifestyle and became a banker in Idaho Falls and Rigby, Idaho trying to make a little bit more money than riding horses and moving irrigation pipe allowed.  I became an auctioneer on the side as well and started looking for a lifestyle like the farm and ranch gave me where I could provide for a family and have the flexibility to pursue my goals and dreams on my terms!  I left the banking world about 6 months ago and haven't looked back since and am able to enjoy working from home and helping others reach their own goals through alternative income strategies. I'm finally able to get back on track and back to what I was made for; being in the outdoors, helping others, and spending time with family!