The Hunt for Tigers

With the warm weather and most of the snow gone, Bow and Rico decided to head into the boonies in pursuit of something different. Over the past 8 months Bow researched the best places for Tiger trout throughout Utah. After narrowing down the options, he and Rico made the 3+ hour trek to one high desert lake. They arrived to see only one other car, and a number of trout sipping the surface. Viewing the submerged weed beds, they discovered a healthy amount of scuds and Chironomids. They also saw trout cruising the shoreline, perfect for sight fishing. Big, bright bellied Tigers slipped through the weedbeds, occasionally arching to pick up an emerging midge. It was fascinating how such big trout keyed in on the smallest of prey. Bow tied up a few Chirono patterns the night before, going off snips of info from friends and guides. Although carrying flies specific for the occasion, neither Rico nor Bow managed to hook one the entire morning. They broke through the sagebrush, wondering where the people were from the other car. Coming over the ridge, Bow spotted a familiar hat and dark hair. The gentleman turned around and it was none other than one of the fishermen from Outsmartingfish.com. Being greatly respected and experienced in the fly fishing world, Bow wasn't sure how to react without making a fool of himself. As it turned out, he was very friendly and forthcoming with information on the lake. He discussed popular patterns, techniques, and times of the year for this body of water. It was refreshing to meet someone who was so knowledgeable and equally humble. Rico and Bow fished a few more hours before the sun drove the fish down deep, and they stopped by Sweet Creek for the afternoon. Evening rolled in and the surface action started picking up. Bow hucked a size 12 Chironomid emerger, and Rico stripped in a grey, size 20 scud. Performing a slow, one fingered retrieve, Bow managed to hook into his only fish for a total of 3 seconds. Heading home frustrated and a little disappointed, Rico and Bow had the determination to come back soon to prove they could nail a Tiger. The weather wasn't as nice this past weekend, but the company was. Bow went out on a solo trip and met two gentlemen from FishGear. They were by far the friendliest and most accommodating people Bow ever fished with. It was a crippling 22 degrees, and they were right there to offer hot chocolate and hand warmers. In addition to the cold, Bow forgot one of the oars to his pontoon boat, and luckily the other gentleman let him borrow their spare. Bow strapped up his boat and headed along the east side. An hour of paddling produced two strikes but unfotunately no fish. Returning to camp, Bow made a tuna circle and noticed his Scott dipped into the water with his reel spitting line. The smoothness made Bow assume it was snagged, so he picked up the rod only to notice this snag was moving. Fast. He positioned himself to have the wind blow him to shore, but the trout would have none of it. And never having caught a Tiger, he was praying it so. He drifted close enough to shore to jump out and hopefully beach him. Five minutes and six runs passed when he finally was graced with a glimpse: yellow belly, green back and classic Tiger stripes. This was the fish Bow had been dreaming about. Seeing the commotion, the two others ran over with a net to help the landing. During the battle, Bow lost sight of everything but the fish, and his Toon had drifted out from shore. With rod tip up and water filling his waders, he retrieved his boat and put focus back to the fish. Steely-eyed with determination, Bow finally tired the fish and unhooked him, shaking with excitement. A few quick pics were taken and the Tiger was released to get even bigger for their next encounter. Relishing the moment, Bow sat back, sipped his hot chocolate, and marked another check off his bucket list.