Fishing while elk hunting?

[FlaFlatlander]

So Colorado issued a fishing license with my elk tag this year. Going to be backpacking into the flat top wilderness area for 5 days to hunt first rifle season. Does anybody ever try to catch fish to supplement the food they have to carry? Good/Bad idea? What type of gear and bait do you use? Do you have to wrastle the bears to keep your catch? And if so how big are the bears?

Just kidding. Any advice on what to use or if this is even a good idea would be appreciated.

 

[OregonJim]

The biggest black bear I ever saw was in the flattops he was as stressed about the encounter as I was !!!!!
Don't think you are going to have to worry about that aspect.

Don't know about the fishing as I am usually trying to catch a nap if not glassing or hiking.

 

[FlaFlatlander]

10-4 on the nap! All that glassing and hiking makes me hungry and tired.

 

[Hilltop]

I make it a point to fish during every elk hunt. I love fresh trout... you can catch brook trout with a line and stick. Pack in line, small hooks, and something to dig up earth worms. They are thick next to the creeks usually. You can also catch them on flies/ little jigs/ grass hoppers... just about anything. They are hungry and usually really easy to catch.

Between fish, small game, and grouse, you can really provide some great camp meals IMO.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I always carry a small plastic box containing hooks, split shot, lures & mono line in it. I also carry rubber grasshoppers, mayflies, etc made by Burkes. They are great and usually do the job.

Fresh caught small stream trout grilled or fried are wonderful eating.

 

[brushcreek]

I make it a point to fish during every elk hunt. I love fresh trout... you can catch brook trout with a line and stick. Pack in line, small hooks, and something to dig up earth worms. They are thick next to the creeks usually. You can also catch them on flies/ little jigs/ grass hoppers... just about anything. They are hungry and usually really easy to catch.

Between fish, small game, and grouse, you can really provide some great camp meals IMO.

I'm assuming you need a separate license to take small game / birds while out elk hunting? do you pack in a shotgun with you?

 

[Hilltop]

I'm assuming you need a separate license to take small game / birds while out elk hunting? do you pack in a shotgun with you?

Yes you do need a separate permit. Most of my hunts are archery... I keep an arrow or two with judo points. Sharp tail & Blue Grouse can be pretty stupid but they are second to none as game bird table fare goes. They are good enough to justify the permit money in my book... Snow shoe hares are also excellent eating.

 

[FlaFlatlander]

Thanks for the input! I will look up some of those lures and make myself a little trekking stick fishing pole and see what I can catch. I would think that after a couple days of eating dried food that a little fresh trout would go a long way.

 

[buzz mc]

I love to fly fish and take a fly rod and a box of flies on almost every western hunt. I've carried that fly rod all over various wilderness areas in Colorado. I've used it exactly one time and that was for less than an hour. Ill leave it at home from now on. I'm there to hunt and feel that there are more productive things to do with my time that are hunting related.

 

[PointsHunter]

I'll bring a rod when hunting with a group. If I shoot an elk early then I have the option of drowning a worm. Otherwise I find I lug a rod around and never put it to use.

 

[ivorytip]

September offers up some of the best fishing all year on the western rivers, I allways make time to throw out a cd7 rapala in brown or rainbow color to hook in to a big hungry brown or cutthroat trout! my hunting spot is pretty close an awesome river though too.

 

[trkytrack2]

A "free fishing license" for non-residents is Colorado Parks & Wildlife's feel-good way of trying to appease the non-resident for sticking it to them for the ridiculous big game license fees they charge them. What a joke.

 

[Colorado T]

I would be a little skeptical of supplementing the food I would have to carry by fishing. I would make sure to bring enough food and if you catch fish it would be a bonus. I have been hunting and fishing the flat tops for years and have found some of the creeks get blown out year to year. Last year the fishing was great in one of our favorite creeks. This year it had been blown out and didn't catch a fish.
What part of the flat top will you be hunting out of?

 

[FlaFlatlander]

Colorado T, Was looking at GMU 12 but have some friends bow hunting 24 just before first rifle season so I am not 100% sure. I have never actually been in that part of Colorado so am scouting via Google earth and topo maps but you know how that goes. Basically am winging it until I get on the ground and then am trying to go where the elk are. Plan on backpacking in for the five day season and will move as needed.

 

[Roboz]

I always bring my fly rod to camp, along with some old arrows to shoot grouse with.