Can lightening strike twice in the same place? Apparently it can!
I decided to return to Whipple Dam for the First Day, April 4th thinking that I’d be a lot more successful than last year when no trout were caught. This year I got there early, around 5:40 am. I used my flashlight to guide me down the short, dark hill not far from the picnic pavilions. It was hard to see but there was enough light to make out shapes. To my disbelief, there were four or five people already there to my right! But I found an okay spot next to a large bush.
I asked them when did they arrive and they said the night before, around 11:30 pm. They positioned their rods and tackle boxes to mark their spots and returned to their trucks to apparently sleep. I thought this was interesting. Signs say, Park Closes at Dusk. If it does in fact close at dusk, when does it reopen? A minute after dusk?
Anyway, I got set up and positioned the rod and stringer on my Stick-in-the-Mud. As natural light began filtering through the calm but chilly morning sky, I could see that all four guys to my right were using Sticks! This was great to see. Off to a good start, so I thought.
By casting time at 8:00, it was clear to see that there were 13 boats on the lake, about 17 people on the breast of the dam rocks, and another 18 or so scattered around the shore.
As I looked in the water, I could see quite a bit of algae bloom in front of me. I had to cast beyond it but when reeling in, I always managed to hook into some. Annoying. Anyway, I kept casting like everyone else and not one bite! Used a bobber. Worms. Corn. Butter worms and various lures. Nothing. After three hours, I left. Not even a sunfish this time.
I kept a close eye on everyone to see what the action was like. Out of about 45 or so fishing, there were no more than seven or eight fish caught during the time I was there. How odd! When I walked back to the car and had a little elevation, I could see large algae patches in many parts of the small late.
A few days later, I fished in the stream above the dam and caught my first trout. About 9 ½ inches. Only one that day and I tossed it back.
Now I need to scout other streams in the area. There has to be more interesting stories to tell than those over the past two First Days at Whipple Dam. Lots of cold, rainy days and nights may have had something to do with the absence of action.
