# Castalia 2022



## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

For the second time in over 20 years, I got drawn for Castalia. You never know what kind of weather to expect up there on Nov 10, but it turned out to be a gorgeous warm day. As most of you probably know, it's all catch and keep, no C&R. The last time I kept a fish was...the last time at Castalia, 8 years ago. I do wood turning projects, and I made an osage priest (it delivers last rites) earlier this summer for the occasion.










The name of the game up there, when I have gone, is targeting the bigger fish you can see. I fish all barbless flies, and if a smaller fish eats, refuse to set the hook and 9/10 times they spit it. The one time this trip a smaller fish didn't spit it...the first fish.










After that one, I was able to keep the smaller fish off pretty well. That first fish I caught was in the 12-13 inch range, the next three I caught were in that 17-18 inch range.










The brown trout I caught was skinny, but long, and the way he ate I was happy to catch him.



















At the last hole, I spotted a giant brown. She refused all my offerings, following streamers multiple times but not eating. So, I turned my attention to the big rainbow behind her downstream. She played ball.










24 1/4" of pure pellet pigginess.










Heck of a way to finish off the day. Good times with good friends. Most of the fish I caught ate a small (like size 10) white soft hackle bugger. The big fish ate a gray/white/pink conehead Bow River Bugger I tied the day before the trip.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Sounds incredible !
My wife rarely fishes but I persuaded her to go there with me a few seasons ago and we had a wonderful time, so good that she enters the drawing now and anxiously awaits the results.
I'm thinking I'm about due to be picked (hopefully).
Great pics and congratulations on the nice fish.
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Bluefinn (Jan 26, 2007)

Glad you posted. Nice trout! We are actually going there tomorrow for the first time. My wife was drawn. I was going to mash our barbs down to hopefully release any short ones.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Bluefinn said:


> Glad you posted. Nice trout! We are actually going there tomorrow for the first time. My wife was drawn. I was going to mash our barbs down to hopefully release any short ones.


It definitely helps, but there are places where the glare and wind chop just won't let you see the take. In that case, you're guessing on the strike and that's how I got stuck with one smaller trout. The best fly for me as far as getting takes and seeing the takes was a small white bugger, like size 10-12 if you have any. The smaller ones seemed to get more takes. We had no success getting fish to come to the surface. I fished a dry for a few minutes, and also a small mouse, none of which got any strikes.


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## Bluefinn (Jan 26, 2007)

TheCream said:


> It definitely helps, but there are places where the glare and wind chop just won't let you see the take. In that case, you're guessing on the strike and that's how I got stuck with one smaller trout. The best fly for me as far as getting takes and seeing the takes was a small white bugger, like size 10-12 if you have any. The smaller ones seemed to get more takes. We had no success getting fish to come to the surface. I fished a dry for a few minutes, and also a small mouse, none of which got any strikes.


I was going to use an 1/8 oz jig with a white twister tail to hopefully site fish. maybe with a float above it. I was told they will hit anything?


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Any specific reason you are not allows to release?


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Bluefinn said:


> I was going to use an 1/8 oz jig with a white twister tail to hopefully site fish. maybe with a float above it. I was told they will hit anything?


That would work just fine. The only thing I couldn't get them to do was eat on the surface.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

DHower08 said:


> Any specific reason you are not allows to release?


Those are the rules. The point of the lottery and fishing access, as I understand it, is to cut down on the trout numbers in the creek. I assume they also want to keep the fishing easy, since (I am fairly positive) they do events for groups there. I am fairly sure I have seen events there for groups like Project Healing Waters and others (could be wrong on the specifics). If you release fish, you're educating them.

Rules are rules, and them's the rules.


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## Brules1 (Apr 1, 2021)

What rod were you using? Nice fish.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Brules1 said:


> What rod were you using? Nice fish.


A glass 5wt.


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