Ice fishing & snowmobiling Durango Colorado

Vallecito lake on a crisp clear morning, the snow glistening, one more pull and the familiar smell of snowmobile exhaust rises. The snow is fresh and light, the kind of snow that makes it tough on smaller, shorter sleds. A powder special is required coupled with an experienced rider to break trail. We load the ice fishing equipment on my daughter's little plastic red sled while Condy takes a test run through the trees to make sure we get our exercise for the day helping him get unstuck!

Today, is an adult fishing day and although the girls love to come, it's a bit cold and we're the only ones crazy enough to get up that early. All guys of course, the girls wouldn't dream of spending their Saturday on a frozen lake! After an hour of riding in the trees and up the Middle Mountain road, we're ready to fish. Today, we're going after big Brown Trout and, hopefully, the odd pike. A few years back the state record Brown was caught at Vallecito...34 pounds I believe. I'm not sure if it still stands but there's bound to be more.

The scene is breathtaking as we prepare the holes, the hut and our equipment. To the north and east are the peaks of the Weminuche Wilderness, rugged and beautiful and looking very intimidating at the moment as whispy clouds hover over the high basins. Nobody else on the lake, wonder what that means? It's late January and the ice is about 16" thick, good thing Steve bought that ice auger. Last year, at a lake above South Fork, CO, the ice was over 3 1/2 ft and our auger wouldnt' go all the way through. It pays to have a bar in your truck just in case.

The day slowly drifts on as we sit huddled like worshipers jigging our spoon with a worm on the hook. Condy is using power bait and has already caught 2 stockers but we're determined to find a lone Brown or Pike. Suddenly, Steve's running across the ice, a dangerous proposition, from his relief stance and dives for his 2 foot pole that looks like it's going in. This is a big one, when all of sudden my pole starts dancing and I too have a big one. So big in fact, neither one of us is making any ground...could we have a pair of 20 pound Browns? Condy never moves out of his chair but makes a snide comment that we have the same fish...could it be? Pow...my line breaks and Steve's heavy load becomes a 2 pound Rainbow, nice...with 2 hooks in his mouth! Plenty of excitement on a day when none is needed!