Buckhead Lake Fishing Experience

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Yesterday we went to Walmart and purchased all kinds of fishing equipment. Poles, lures, super bait in 2 different colors, fake things like craw fish and worms and stuff like that. Total cost = $ 126.53. We figured its still cheaper than taking a guided tour. We also had to purchase fishing licenses for each of us. 5 days was $54. We were psyched.

So... this morning we packed a great lunch and  headed out on the Polaris and headed up the mountain across the street from our RV Park. We climbed almost 3400 feet and on top of the mountain were two lakes. At the first lake we stopped. After a while we weren't doing so good, so we decided to move to the other one. On the way up the road we passed another angler. We chatted and he felt sorry for us and 'sold' us  a lure and some spinner thing. It was really weird, but we appreciated his tips.

We went back to the same lake to try out our gadgets. BOOM! First cast out I caught a fish! Wahoo! I was so excited! He was too small so we threw him back in. Tommy tried and tried but to no avail. About 3 hours go by and we decided to sit a while and eat lunch. (We had these awesome smoked turkey, piled a mile high sandwiches.).

We hop in the Polaris and find this really nice shady area overlooking a part of the lake where a bunch of dead trees piled up. We were sitting there on a tree log, enjoying our day, and Tommy says, look there's a bear. Now, let me just say this;  we are in a huge valley and this is the first time that we were not in bear or mountain lion country. I was very happy, and felt safe.

I tell Tommy to stop teasing about the bear and he says, NO - LOOOK!!!! Right freaking in front of us was a huge grizzly bear. NO KIDDING!!! He casually strolled across the dead wood from one side of the lake to the other. (See the picture with the diet coke, that's where we were sitting.)From where he came, we just were on the path trying to find a shady spot to stop and eat. Less than 5 mins prior. Have you guessed what I did? No, I did not pee my pants, although I wanted to....
I was so freaked out,  I could not form a sentence. This bear was less than 100 feet from us and he was at least 5-6 feet from his shoulders to his butt. I jumped up - tried to say - something - and ran to the Polaris. All I could think was: Get the gun, get the gun,, get the gun!!! Tommy didn't move an inch. I was practically in tears and finally started saying lets get out of here!!!! I got the gun and went back to Tommy (about 20 feet from the Polaris) and by then the bear was gone. Well, in my mind, he wasn't gone, he was just in the woods - closer to us and smelling our turkey sandwiches.

Finally, Tommy got up and we pulled out of there. We went to the second lake and started fishing there. The whole time, I was looking all around me 360 degrees and held the gun on my lap the entire time. The second lake did produce one fish. Tommy caught it. But as he was taking the hook out of his mouth, the fishes mouth, it became caught in his finger. He played with it for about 20 minutes and it wasn't moving. I picked up the gun, (because now it was with me for good), and we started back down the hill to home where he could get pliers and pull it out.

The bears were behind us and I was starting to feel better until I said to Tommy, this doesn't look familiar. He says, yes it does, don't worry. But I was worried because he still had this hook in his finger and it was bleeding. Needless to say, he finally admitted we were on the wrong path back and he turned around.

YEAH!!! We see the highway we passed over to get to the mountain and now I'm feeling a whole lot better. We cross the street onto the other side's right away and here comes a police car, heading straight for us. Yup, he pulled us over and said its illegal to be on the street with our Polaris.

Tommy explains that we purchased a permit sticker for Colorado, and several other states, in order to be able to ride it. He says, we passed over county lines and in his county we are not allowed. But the ATV behind us was okay because he was 'agriculture'. So, me and my big mouth says - how do you know hes agriculture? Do you know him? The cops response was, why yes, I do know him and he has a shovel with him. Shit! Now what? A shovel? For real?

Tommy pulls the sympathy card and says, do you know how I can get a fish hook out of my finger? The cop says; yes, go to the doctor! Tommy tells him we are staying less then a 1/4 mile up the road at the RV Park and the cops says - fine, go home, this is a warning but don't do it again. Whew! No ticket.

When we got back to our temporary housing unit Tommy negotiated the hook out and cleaned it up. It was a really good thing that before we left for the day I had put country style ribs in  the crock pot. When we got back, dinner was done.(because we obviously didn't catch dinner.)

Not quite sure whats on the agenda for tomorrow because we were hoping to fish in the stream across the street but now we found out its private property. We are so close to Telluride, and the Black Canyon National Park, Silverton, Ouray and Lake City. We have alot of options and plan on seeing them all.

Thanks for reading and so sorry there is no picture of the grizzly. I couldn't hold the camera straight if I wanted to...