Buck Fever

Ever had (Trout) "Buck Fever"?

I recall two times when plus size trout have given me the heebee jeebees. I didn't catch either one, but what a sight they burned in my memory.

A bank feeder on the Railroad Ranch was only a foot from my bank as I walked up stream. The wind was right in my face and blowing casts backward. The fish was in a frenzy after hoppers. It was a big brown. My first cast was comical. It landed 4 feet behind the fish. The wind was blowing. The next cast landed with a good plop, but again the cast was short. Just behind it's head. The fish turned and came at the hopper like Jaws, mouth snapping several times before it gulped the fly. I heebee jeebeed the hook set and yanked it right out of his mouth. I felt him but he headed for the middle of the river, unattached to my fly.

40 inches of brown had a 18 inch rainbow crossways in it's mouth as I stood on the bank of Dillon Reservoir. The brown was pushing the rainbow towards shore trying to swallow it down it's gullet. It came right up to me, only a foot or two from the shore with it's back well out of the water. I heebee jeebeed a split second with thoughts of a cast and realized my 3" long fly was not going to compete with the rainbow it had in it's mouth. I chuckled. I walked with it for several yards along the shoreline until it finally had it's catch where it wanted it. The brown headed lazily for the middle of the lake. This fish showed no fear of me! Man.. I'd liked to have caught that one.

Your turn. Share your "buck (trout or other kinda fish) fever" story. I know you got one. Freshwater, saltwater, warmwater?

PS: Merry Xmas and a Happy New year!

I don't know... That's a tough act to follow!

I can only think of one time that I got "buck fever" while fishing and it was for LM bass, not trout. I was landng a 13-14 inch bass on my five wt rod. When I got it near the bank, it went straight down into the stained water. When I tried to lift it back up, it was very heavy. I thought it had buried itself into the weeds, but when I finally got it near the surface, I found that a very large 14-15 lb bass had taken the smaller bass into its mouth head first and had about six inches of its tail sticking out. The large bass saw me and spit out the smaller bass and slowly swam away. I was so shocked to see such a large bass that it took me a few seconds to think to switch to an extra large streamer and cast towards where the large bass went. No luck and I never saw it again. I knew that large fish take large lures, but I never would have thought to use a streamer the size of a 13-14 inch bass, especially on my five wt outifut.

Jim Smith

Hairwing,

This one time, at band camp - Actually, I was fishing the Escanaba River in the U.P. of Michigan the last day of trout season, back around 1996. I was fishing with a side-kick in the form of Great Blue Heron. This bird (who should have flown south) was standing close enough to be touched with a 9ft. fly rod. Every once in a while I would catch a small chub like fish and would toss it to him(?). This bird would move to within 3ft. or less at times to try to poach the trout I might catch. After awhile I shooed him away, because he was getting to be a pest. He didn't go far! I was standing across from a deep ledge pool where the water was about a foot or so on top of the ledge. There was something small hatching and some respectable brown trout up on top the ledge started sipping! They were all very nice fish, with one being particularly large. I could see his full length when he did one of those head, dorsal fin, tail rises. I'm like OMG!! I was using an #18 or #20 Griffiths Gnat. It was kind of a long cast but very doable. I tried to be as accurate as I could, because if I hooked one of the others , it would be all over. It was rising very deliberately, so I also had to time the cast to get my fly in. Well, when that big ole head sucked in that little fly, I freaked! I ticked him, so that was that for him. However, the other trout were still sipping away. Checked the fly - still there - got ready to try for one of the other fish when my side-kick decided he was going to go over and check on all the commotion on top of the ledge. Darn if he didn't land right in the middle of those sipping trout!!
One more - Was fishing the outlet from Panguitch Lake in Utah, back around 1987. Was fishing on a short stretch of flat water with some overhanging trees. Had approached from below and spotted a very nice brown trout working the surface. I had on a #18 fur ant. Got into position and fired away. Fly landed about a foot above him. He started to rise up to intercept the ant. His nose almost touched it as he drifted backwards. Then he dropped away from the fly. I'm no sooner thinkin dang, when he reels around, flying down stream 4 or 5 ft. and smashes the ant. Of course I'm caught completely off guard and miss him completely.

Those were not the only times, and won't be the last either! That's the stuff that keeps me coming back!!

Best regards and Merry Christmas! Dave S.

I'm horrible when it comes to spotting fish. As soon as I see one I tend to lose what little casting ability I have! I'm in a constant fevered state I guess! ;)

- Jeff