I caught this 20+", 4 lb 12 oz Alpers planted rainbow beauty in Bishop Creek below South Lake, by the Parchers Rainbow Resort. I was pocket water fishing using my 7' 3wt rod (small stream setup), and hooked the fish with a beadhead Bird's Nest (size 18, 6X tippet). This was the second monster I had hooked in about 15 minutes. I fought the first one for five minutes or so before it took me into some rocks and broke me off.

I was determined not to loose this one, so when it made a run down stream through the pockets, I jumped into the water in my tennis shoes and gave chase, scrapping up my shins in the process. The fish was too big for easy netting, so when экскурсия в библиотеку им. Ленина, I had to set the rod down in the stream, and basically shove the fish into my net with the rod hand. I kept this one, and took it into the Parchers resort, where some of my friends were staying, to have it measured and weighed (actually my buddies were there taking showers at their dad's cabin, so I grabbed the rod and worked the creek looking for lunkers - I took my shower later!). I got my picture up on the wall in the Parchers lodge, with the biggest fish out of the creek there so far this season. My legs were bleeding somewhat from the scrapes, but I was sure a "happy camper!" Fun trip!

 - Blake Aaron