Heenan this Weekend?

[SHigSpeed]

I MAY be able to get out to fish Sunday, and would love to give Heenan another shot, but...

Anyone planning to go tomorrow or Saturday? Could'ja please post up a report so I know if it's worth my time or not?

Being snowed off the lake was fun as a novelty the first time, but if I'm driving out again, I want to catch fish this time! :)

_SHig

[erhetta]

I think I wanna try to hit that lake as well this weekend. I have yet to catch one of those fabled fish. Quite frankly, I did not know about it and the extremely short season.

SHigSpeed...check your PM's...

[erhetta]

Well, I made the trek on Sunday...

Heenan is a beautiful little lake... I was the first person through the gate and probably the 5th person on the water. Lots of heads out there, but not as crowded as I thought it would be. The morning bite was hot....for the traditional guys. About 12pm, everythign turned off. I spoke with a lot of fly guys and only 1 actually landed anything. I watched a dozen between 18 and 21 inches get picked up by the spinner crowd. I had one hit that immediately snapped my tippet and a second one that I got to feel the head shake about 3 times before it got off.

The bonus was that I got to see two bald eagles cruising around the lake for a bit. It was the first time I have seen them in the wild.

I took off about 1:30 and headed back down 50 to Alder Creek and caught a few 10" beautifully colored fish to get the skunk smell off :)

Pics to come...

[SHigSpeed]

Damn those hardware guys. Makes me want to pick up the habit again!

I read another report of a hardware troller who picked up 10 fish from 8 to 2.

I'm wondering if bigger or flashier flies are in order? Coming from a 1337 hardware background myself (finesse casting no-weight small spoons on 2 lb class gear to great results) I was hoping that the fly lifestyle would reward better but it seems as if there's always going to be the right tactic at any given time with one not style being right all the time (if catching and not fishing is the end goal).

If I do get a chance to hit it there one last time this year, I'll have to take my hardware as skunk-repellent!

BTW, did you happen to find a nice kangaroo leather hat out there? :) Mine blew off my 'toon on the last trip. Not holding my breath...

Thanks for the report!

_SHig

[SHigSpeed]

Woo-HOO! Washed off the skunk FINALLY!

Caught four today, three on purple buggers, one on, ahem, countdown CD3 firetiger Rapala (smallest one though!).

Biggest was around 22", then a couple 18"-20", and the smallest must've been around 14"?

Beautiful weather, mildly breezy but clear. Near freezing at dawn but very comfortable after the sun came up. Seems to be a lot of technique and saavy needed to really excel there. Most guys seemed to be in the 1-2 fish boat, a few with 4-5ish, then a couple in the 10+ range.

Seems like bigger and non-traditional stimulator patterns may be a better bet to come closer to the killer kastmaster and needlefish patterns that the trollers and chuckers seem to slay with.

Anyway, pics:

Sunrise:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/DSCF9164.jpg
My newest self-photo rig:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/DSCF9159.jpg
I use a remote shutter actuator and a 10 second delay to take the shot.
First fish:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/P1050089.jpg
Big fish: (I need a bigger net!!)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/DSCF9170.jpg
Nothing to be ashamed of:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/P1050097.jpg
Lure fish :P
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t177/shigspeed/Fishing/Lakes/Heenan/2008%2010%2024/P1050098.jpg

Well, that fulfills the LCT portion of my HT quest and this years Heenan season for me. Only made it out twice, but I'll be back.

Those LCT drive like freight trains for sure, but unless you're really dialed in you have to work hard for them (or throw hardware:crybaby:).

Good times...

_SHig

[fishinjohnny]

Nice Job, I got my first LCT on Heenan this year. I noticed your pontoon and was wondering what type you had. Looks like you've got lots of extra's on that baby. John

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have never fished Heenan and did not know the fish were that beautiful........nice.

Great post and photos.....thanks.

Pretty gutsy handing that camera out over the water but the results are worth the risk.

[SHigSpeed]

Nice Job, I got my first LCT on Heenan this year. I noticed your pontoon and was wondering what type you had. Looks like you've got lots of extra's on that baby. John

It's a Creek Company ODC816. What's nice is that you it's one of the lighter ones available (45 lbs without gear - aluminum frame) and it all packs down into the trunk of my compact 4 door.

What could be better is that the outer fabric on the bottom is plain pack cloth and not PVC coated. This, though lighter, doesn't provide protection from beach landings and dragging. I may have to modify that in the future.

Oh, and all the extras negate the light base weight!


I have never fished Heenan and did not know the fish were that beautiful........nice.

Great post and photos.....thanks.

Pretty gutsy handing that camera out over the water but the results are worth the risk.

Yeah, I'm a bit leery about the camera thing. I've been lucky so far. I do have a leash on the handle end of the oar so that there's (almost, don't discount Murphy) no way for the camera end to flip into the drink. I DID realize once yesterday that I had forgotten to secure the leash though!! :eek:

It does seem to work pretty well. The only tricky part is triggering the camera and then picking up the fish for the shot. I leave them in the net lying across my footrests, but with fish this big that don't fit, it's a challenge. In the confusion on one of the photos my net got away without my knowledge. Good thing it floats, but it did require a kick back to where it got away. :)

_SHig