Slush Sux

There always seems to be a time around mid-ice season when we see slush. Slush generally happens when we get a good amount of snow. The weight of the snow pushes down on the ice causing the water to rise through cracks and holes. The heavier the snow the more pressure on the ice the deeper the slush. There are people who decide to stay home, I would rather go fishing. Here are a few ideas to help deal with the slush.

This can cause us lots of problems. Our vehicles can get stuck, we waddle around in it and get soaked while fishing. Gear gets weighted down, breakdowns are a little more frequent. 

There are a few things we can do to avoid some slushy issues. Let’s start with boots, I’ve been using the Sub- Zero X rubber boot from Clam.  They keep my feet dry, If you’re not into rubber boots. Make sure to use some kind of water proofing on your boots, and re apply often. 

Snow machines should be loaded with a minimum amount of gear, the lighter the sleds the less chance of getting stuck. If your pulling a sled put most of the weight to the rear of it. Mount your hitch lower then the hitch on your machine. These 2 suggestions will help the sled ride “nose up” instead of acting pike a plow. Your best bet is to leave the pull sled at home.

If you’re staying on the lake for a few days take your snow machine out during the day and pack a trail to your spot, then pack down where you want your hut up. Overnight the packed area will freeze and your experience will be drier. If you didn’t get the chance to “pack your track” and find slushy conditions try making a circle on your machine then parking it in a spot that’s not slushy. If you do get stuck, shovel out the snow that built up in the front of the machine. Lift and drop the rear of the machine, this should help rid the sled of slush in the cowling and tracks. Lift the rear of the machine over to “fresh snow. Then grab a ski and pull while your buddy gives the machine gas. 

Atv’s with or without tracks are a totally different experience in deep snow and slush. A winch is a necessary tool. Keep a piece of ¾ angle iron about 4” larger then your auger diameter. Drill a hole a little off center, bolt a 3-4’ section of ¾” chain to it. If you do get stuck you can drill an ice hole, drop the angle iron in the hole and winch yourself out 50’ at a time. 

These were just a few tips to help deal with slush. Go out and find those fish that others aren’t looking for. 

Meet the guides - Sam Hochevar

Sam has been chasing fish in Grand County with a passion that we rarely see. I would see him on the lake at all hours of the day and wonder who he is. After a while we ran into each other on the boat ramp and my respect for this young man grew. He gets clues from the lake most people ( myself included) miss. Then he capitalizes on them. His energy is boundless, yet he is extremely laid back, a wonderful combination to have in a guide.

Sam is a Colorado native who has been fishing in Grand County since he was a boy.  Sam firmly believes that happiness is most easily found on the water with a fishing pole in hand and loves to share that experience with others.  He enjoys teaching others to fish while also continuing to learn as much as he can about every aspect of fishing. Below is an email I received from a gentleman Sam took out. If your interested in a trip with Sam Hochevar +1 (720) 666-0141 please contact him.

Bernie:  Just wanted to send you a note to tell you how much we enjoyed fishing with Sam. He was patient, thoughtful and really worked with us to improve our fishing skills. My friend and I have fished in Canada for many years and think we are spoiled with that fishing wherein you catch 30 fish per day per person. Fishing in your area is more work of course, but we at least got one big Lake Trout as he told you. Anyway, he is good and talented young man and you should be proud of the skills. I think he had fun with my friend and I joking all day on the boat. Good memories. Have a great Summer. Regards, CAM

Meet the guides- Jake Foos

I first met Jake on a guide trip. He was more worried about his dad and Henry catching fish than himself. Ive heard this from lots of people over the years but there was something different about Jake. Since that trip we’ve become pretty good friends and a couple years ago we brought him in on the team.

Jake gets to the lake has the huts set up, heaters going, holes drilled and bait ready to go on the hooks long before his clients show up. His contagious smile is only superseded by his energy and desire to get people on fish. During any trip it is more likely than not, people will laugh so hard their stomach hurts, catch lots of fish and learn a few techniques, lures or/and presentations.

This was a recent review from a gentleman that took his son fishing with Jake. "We had an excellent time fishing with our guide Jake. My son and I have fished all over the U.S. from the coast of Northern Oregon to the Gulf Coast of Florida and many places in between. This was by far one of the best trips we have taken. Jake was always spot on with the lures, bait etc. We caught in the vicinity of 50 plus fish in 2 days and my son hooked into a large lake trout but couldn’t land it. We were more interested in catching numbers than large trout and Jake took care of us. He hustled all day long for us . Jake knows how to get you on fish and keep you on them. Jake has a great attitude and the 3 of us laughed all day both days. I would HIGHLY recommend fishing with these guys. I’ll definitely be back!!!”

Jake has some open dates this winter and in the open water season. Please feel free to contact Jake Foos ‭(303) 434-8468‬ and book a trip with him.

Early Ice Trout

Early ice trout

Early season is a very exciting and rewarding time. For most people trout rule the ice out west. They are fairly easy to target, fight well and make good table fare. Early in the season the oxygen levels are high, food is very abundant and trout feel the urge to eat.

Trout are notorious cruisers. They will cruise the shorelines looking for food. The first steps I like to take is to look at a topo map and find a point that gradually gets deeper with a sharp dropping inside bend. This will cause cruising trout to hang out and mill around while they are deciding which way to go. Another good option is a small flat, especially after the early morning bite is over. Fish will cruise the flat all day, the bite might not be fast and furious but it could be consistent. 

Their diet is bugs, minnows and crawfish, this gives us plenty of lures to be successful with. During this time, it’s not as important what use but how to use it. There is generally an abundance of young crawfish. A great lure to use in this situation is a Leech Flutter spoon. Drop it to the bottom and just wiggle it never losing contact with the bottom. If fishing over weeds put the spoon on the top layer (or just underneath if the weeds are sparse) and wiggle it. The flash and vibration will attract trout. The hits will be vicious, trout like to ambush crawdads so they can’t get in a defensive position. Chrome with a splash of natural colors will suffice.

Minnows are also a very easy bait to imitate. Tubes, spoons and jigging minnows all do a great job. I like to keep these baits moving slowly around the bottom or just over the weeds. These hits will be a little softer but don’t be surprised if they try and take the rod out of your hands. 

Bugs are a mainstay in trout’s lives. Small hair jigs and tubes are a great option here. I will hang these down near the bottom and dead stick them with very little movement. I like to use a strike indicator if not in a stealth hut. The bites are very soft, if you’re not watching their tip or the jig you might not see it.

Early season colors are very simple. You just can’t beat white, chartreuse or black. Later in the season the brighter colors seem to work very well. 

Travelling light is very important on early ice. Up until I find 6” of ice my spud bar will work great, this also helps me check the ice as I move around. A small one man shelter like the Clam Kenai, Mr. Heater portable buddy, 2 rods and a few jigs are all I need. 

I like to get out very early and drill a few holes in various depths, this gives me the opportunity to move around without scaring the larger spookier trout.

If you haven’t tried trout at early ice, give them a try. They are willing biters and can put up a great fight. 

The mind is a terrible thing, or why I needed logbooks

I remember catching 20 fish one morning weighing over 200 lbs. in Lake Granby. We were averaging 10-15 fish a day weighing around 150 lbs.  I do not however remember the depth, but I do the location and the techniques along with the lures. The other things I do not remember

what we were doing before we learned this technique.

     When I started chasing large fish, one gentleman told me to go buy a day timer. It has a daily calendar which would keep fishing logs for numerous years. The beauty to these is after a few years of keeping this style of log book in my truck, I’ve been able to look back at a particular week and see 3 years of fishing. This gives me a great opportunity to go chase the best bite. 

     Items I write down are simple.

Location, depth, weather, results, what I used, any info I was told about (if I thought it was real). I also started using a GPS back then and Id give my waypoints a code. It is something like PHrds23s. The first letter(s) would be location (Pumphouse) then structure (road, south would be the south end of the road bed) then the depth at full pool (23). Depth at full pool is very important out west because I’ve rarely fished the same lake elevation on lake Granby from year to year.

     By keeping a simple written log book I’m able to glean information about my trips for the past 20 years. This has helped me turn tough bites into a manageable bite. Its also given me the opportunity not to think about what’s happening where, I just look it up.

     I’m not saying networking isn’t important, it is very important. If everyone we fished with kept a written log, wed never miss that very hot bite we always talk about. 

The fall season is just beginning, get yourself a day timer and start writing down your experiences. In a few years it will pay huge dividends.