Up and Adam Adventures

The smallmouth bass population on the Flaming Gorge took a huge hit several years ago with the illegal introduction of burnout into the fishery. These fish are native to many parts of the west, but not to the Green River drainage. The burbot are an aggressive feeder and tend to outcompete bass and trout for food, as well as gobble up their young, taking a big toll on their population. Although bass and rainbow trout are technically non-natives to the region, their popularity with fishermen and ability to coexist in this ecosystem created the need to manage this new invasive species.  The Wyoming Game and Fish and Utah Department of Wildlife Resources have begun efforts over the last few years to replenish the bass population in the Gorge and eliminate as many burbot as possible. Fishing regulations on the Wyoming side of the Gorge prohibit keeping smallmouth and releasing burbot, and during the winter events such as the Burbot Bash Ice Fishing derby have helped to reduce b...

After waiting through a long cold spring, it looks like the smallmouth on Flaming Gorge are starting to spawn! This is a fun time of year to fish the clear waters of the Gorge and find some of the biggest fish of the year. Smallies are super aggressive on the bed and it can make for some exciting times on the water.  I have two presentations I use when aight fishing. The first is a white Texas-rigged YUM Christie Craw. This bait is easy to see in stained to clear water, and will usually get the bass to react. I’ll also throw a drop shot with a bright colored worm, and the advantage of the drop shot is you can let it sit in one spot for as long as you want, and sometimes that’s what it takes to tick off a bass enough for them to bite. You can even drop it on the bed, open the bail on your spinning reel and back away, leaving the bait in place. More often than not, your line is going to start moving sideways. Then just reel into him!  Some people don’t like the ide...

Turkey hunting is something that few people really get into, but those who do REALLY get into it. People like to draw comparisons between turkey hunting and elk hunting, and I do think a lot of the same characteristics apply to both. You’re calling to a male animal, and trying to convince him to go against his instincts and venture over to the sounds of a sweet-talking female. You have to set up just right to give yourself a shot as the turkey or elk comes in, and then you have to calm your nerves and shaking hands enough to pull off a clean shot when if and when you get the opportunity.  I’ve hunted Rio Grande turkeys in the Utah general turkey season for the past few years, mostly due to the fact that I can get to Utah turkeys about an hour from my house. Wyoming turkeys are several hours away in the central to eastern parts of the state, although their range is expanding so that may change in the near future.  This year I did something I have never done before,...

It’s a sure sign of spring when you find smallmouth bass cruising the shallows looking for a meal. I was able to get out on the Flaming Gorge for a few hours, mostly working on dialing in a new prop, but I also took the opportunity to hit a few coves and do some fishing once the wind picked up.  The first few spots I hit didn’t produce any fish, but one cove did. I was cranking a Wiggle Wart along a rocky point when this nice smallie hammered it. I was running out of time and the ever-increasing wind was making the run back to the ramp look like a real rodeo, so I had to call it a day. Good to know the bass are on the move and hungry. With the water warming up it should only get better from here on out!

The Cowboy BASS Nation qualifier was this past weekend on CJ Strike reservoir in Idaho, and as usual it was a great tournament. Overall weights were a little lower than we’ve seen in years past, but there were still some big sacks brought to the weigh-in.  I spent most of my time fishing coves and rocky points up the Snake River arm, and although I was around fish throughout the tournament, I never got on any really big fish. The co-anglers I drew were great to fish with and we had a good time on the water.  I did manage to qualify for the state team as a non-boater. That means I will be fishing the 2020 BASS Nation Western Regional next year. Looking forward to the announcement of where that will be and ultimately fishing the event. 

Doing a little public land exploring and giving these Shady Rays sunglasses a test drive. These ice blue polarized lenses seem like a good all-around choice for an outdoor lifestyle. Plus, the wood finish is a classy touch. Can’t wait to get these out on the water in the spring. Not only are they great sunglasses, but every order of Shady Rays provides 11 meals to Feeding America as well, with over 3.6 million meals provided to date! I love supporting brands that give a little something to the community, whether it’s in the outdoor space or the broader mainstream.

They’re here!! Follow this link below to get your Wyoming Wildlife Conservation license plate ! Proceeds from the sales of these plates go directly to building and improving wildlife corridors, crossings and game dances along Wyoming’s highways. State legislator Stan Blake led the charge on this one, along with Muley Fanatics, and tremendous support from Wyoming’s sportsmen and women.  The "Public Land Owner" T-shirt that I'm wearing is available here: Backcountry Hunters & Anglers .