MOONED IN SHOW LOW (AZ)

[TubeDude]

[cool][size 1]This last weekend was both our 24th wedding anniversary and Father's Day on the 15'th. We decided we needed to run away to get out of the Phoenix heat, so we arranged for someone to look after my mother and we headed for the cool White Mountains of northeaster Arizona. Our destination was Show Low, above the Mogollon Rim, where daytime temperatures had been about 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix.

There is a city water reservoir, coincidentally known as Show Low Lake, that produces some large fish of several species...trout, walleyes, largemouth, sunfish and catfish. At least it has in the past. On this trip, we arrived on Friday the 13'th...the night of the full moon. Double whammy.

We should have known what to expect when we went down to the lake in the evening to locate a good launch site for an early morning excursion. We stopped by the single small launch ramp and found everybody launching, and nobody coming in. The locals advised us that during a full moon "You fish for trout until 8, then walleye until midnight and then catfish until daybreak." They shook their heads ly and knowingly when we told them we intended to try for some walleyes in the morning.



We found a secluded spot to launch, up in the inlet area. This was Friday evening, before all the intelligent locals hit it for the night's action.



It was already light when we launched. We started seeing fish on the sonar as soon as we moved away from the bank. But, the only bite TubeBabe had all day was a large crawdad that latched on to her baitbug while she let it sit on the bottom while fooling with tackle. It got away.



About the only fishermen on the lake were a handful of tourists in their "cabin cruisers"...trolling various flashers and bait combos for the little newly-planted hatchery pet rainbows. There were also a few bank "tanglers" soaking assorted "bottle baits" for trout with minimal success. We saw two trout about 16" taken by one of the old retirees who lives on the lake and fishes it every morning. Other than that, we saw one 8" hatchery pet.

I ran through my whole arsenal of potential walleye enticements, and fished from shallow to deep and back again. I metered quite a few concentrations of fish over humps and rocky points, but from what I could see on the sonar, they all had sun shades on their eyes and zippers on their mouths. I had several bumps while retrieving small RoadRunners and other lures at middepth. I suspect they were only the tiny tyke rainbows that were also taking newly hatched cicadas from the surface on occasion.

It was a beautiful morning, and a non-stop wildlife parade. In our float tubes we often have all kinds of critters come right down to the water's edge to drink...remaining undisturbed by our silent passage. The first such treat was a pair of little grey foxes. They were too far away to get a good pic, but they were pretty little things.



I kicked under a large dead pine tree that had a couple of cormorants drying their wings in the morning sun, after a hearty breakfast of hatchery trout.



I also made friends with a rock squirrel foraging along the bank, by flipping him a small piece of my peanut butter and honey "fuel" sandwich.



We are wildflower enthusiasts and love to add new pics to our collection. We put on slide shows of Arizona flora and fauna for the winter visitors (snowbirds) and are always on the lookout for flowers. This is a type of penstemon...related to snapdragons.



The pretty but formidable "prickle poppies" look like a cross between thistles and daisies. Their sharp spines will penetrate leather gloves.



On our way back to Phoenix, on Sunday, we were treated to the bloom cycle of several showy members of the agave family...also called "century plants".

TubeDude [/size]
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[icefool]

Hey Tubedude and Tubebabe, even though you didn't catch anything it looks like you had a great getaway. The fullmoon also kept me from catching wiper at willard[I think anyway, I am sure it is not the person on the other end of the pole] HAHA
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[ALAN]

[]Any time you get out it's enjoyable. Catching the fish is just a bonus!!!
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[ALAN]

Sorry I forgot. Happy Aniversary.!! Mine lasted 2 weeks short of 25 years. Hope you beat me. At least your wife goes fishing, never could get mine into it. Congradulations!!
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[TubeDude]

[cool]ALAN and Icefool. I agree. The best time to go fishing is whenever you can get away...and the fishing is ALWAYS good, even if the catchin' ain't. If any of us fished strictly for "sustenance", we would all be slim and trim. It's the sport...the love of the great outdoors...the beauty of the surroundings. At least that's what we say when we get skunked.

Hey ALAN, since I don't know the circumstances of your ended marriage, I will offer neither condolences or congratulations. Those things happen. Been there and done that myself. This time around it seems to be "taking". TubeBabe just about has me trained by now, and would probably not want to take on any new trainees. So, I think my job as fishing guide and tackle maintenance guy are safe...for the present.

I guess I have a pretty good situation. I never have to beg for a "kitchen pass" to go fishing. TubeBabe's favorite response to a suggestion that we go fishing is "if you are waiting for me, you are wasting good fishing time."

A kitchen pass for me has a whole 'nother meaning. I have no problem getting away to go fishing. I not only fillet the fish, but I do most of the fish cooking too. Although, when we have a production line setup, TubeBabe does a great job on the final rib cage removal to finish off the fillets. She has even gone on solo trips, when I have been out of town, and completed the whole filleting process herself...even on some catfish.

And, when it comes to fishing gear, we have a couple of understandings. What's hers...is hers. And, what's mine...is hers. Of course we have a 50-50 arrangement for buying new stuff too. She gets 50 bucks, and I get 50 cents. (Rim shot...exit stage left before being pelted by tomatoes.)

TubeDude
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[fishboy2]

hey tubedude, sounds like a fun trip, i am planning on getting away with my tube also, i think i will head up into the uintas. good pictures too.
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[RipNLips]

TD - I can't be sure from a picture, but that looks like a Palmer's Penstemon to me. They're quite common. Did you smell it? Palmer's Penstemon is one of the few fragrant Penstemons. They smell like apples to me.
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[TubeDude]

[cool]Hey, RNL, you know your stuff. Although the Palmers may be common in states with higher altitudes and cooler climates, they are found only in a few spots in Arizona. In our lower and warmer elevations we have more of the Perry penstemon and the "firecracker"...with bright red blooms. None of them have been abundant the last four years, with the continuing drought.

If you are into interesting scents, you need to visit the southwest and sniff the purplish blooms of the Texas mountain laurel. They smell just like concord grapes.

TubeDude
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[tomegun]

[#000080][size 2]Pat, you are scaring me with that flora and fauna stuff. I ain't buying that stuff. You need a prescription from Doctor Tom. Go out(fishing) tonight, tomorrow night, and weds night. This should cure you of the temporay insanity(unless TubeBabe is around. I understand[])... [/size][/#000080]
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[TubeDude]

[cool]I knew I couldn't fool the doctor. Is that a PhD? (stands for "piled higher and deeper"). I will fill your prescription soon. (TubeBabe is headed out of town for a few days this weekend. Time to recharge the fishing batteries)

And, I guess you didn't know that Flora and Fauna are the twins that put on that wild act at the Pink Pussycat Club. The wildlife pictures are just a diversion. Now if you wanna really see some WILD LIFE...

I hear tell you are following your own advice and abusing a few fishies your own self. Save a couple for my planned trip up the first week of September. Gonna hit Mexico a couple of times this summer and then we will be heading north for a week or so. Hope to meet a few good BFTers on the water.

TubeDude
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