When the Crew Couldn't Make It Back, We Sent in a Local to Finish the Job
There's something special about redemption trips. Earlier this year, the Catch America crew made their way to Rufus Woods Reservoir in eastern Washington, chasing the legendary triploid trout that call these waters home. They found some solid fish, but Washington's unpredictable winter weather had other plans. Last-minute changes forced Max and the crew to postpone their return trip.
That's where I come in. As a local resident, I got the call to finish what they started. And if you know me, it doesn't take much convincing to go fishing. My car was packed in minutes, and I was on the road well before 3:00 AM, coffee in hand, ready for what would become one of the most incredible fishing days I've ever experienced.
Why Rufus Woods Produces Monster Trout
Rufus Woods Reservoir is known throughout the Pacific Northwest for one thing: massive triploid trout. These aren't your average stocked fish. Triploids are sterile, which means instead of putting energy into spawning, everything goes straight into growth. The result? Fish that regularly push 10+ pounds, with some true giants lurking in the depths.
Today, I'd be fishing with Austin Moer from Austin's Northwest Adventures—a guide who knows these waters like the back of his hand. If anyone could put us on these trophy fish, it was Austin.
The Early Morning Grind
At 5:00 AM, with temperatures hovering around 32 degrees, we met up with Austin as light broke across the sky. After a brisk run upriver in the crisp morning air, Austin wasted no time showing us his go-to setup.
The Trix Minnow Secret
"I wanted to show you guys what I like to do with these Trix minnows," Austin explained as he rigged up. He takes the Trix minnow tail, trims it down to less than half its original size, and threads it onto a jig for added attraction.
"I want it nice and straight, in line with the hook, so it's all in one plane," he demonstrated, adjusting the tail until it sat perfectly.
And it didn't take long to prove the technique worked. On his very first cast, while still showing us the rigging process, Austin hooked up.
"Wow, I was showing you guys how I like to rig my lures, and we got a fish!" he laughed as the rod bent. "That's a one-take wonder right there."
When the Action Goes Absolutely Crazy
What happened next can only be described as epic. Fish after fish started hitting, and I mean non-stop action. We were running three main techniques:
1. Jigs with Trix Minnows
Casting these to the side of the boat, letting them drift to the bottom, then jigging them back up. The fish were absolutely pounding them.
2. Bobber Rods with Aeroflats
Austin deployed the Aeroflat bobbers from Hawin Fishing (AF5 in half-ounce) with inline weights to get arrow jigs down into the strike zone quickly. The black and white color pattern was absolutely crushing it.
"The beauty of these bobber rods is you can control the depth," Austin explained. "If you're seeing suspended fish or fishing along a shelf, you can put these baits within a foot or two of the bottom."
3. Trolling Plugs and Flies
We had two rods running off the back—one with a plug, another with a Catch America fly equipped with an action disc. These would just sit there fishing while we worked the jigs, and regularly a rod would slam down with another fish.
The Numbers Started Piling Up
The action was so fast that I barely put a rod in my hand during the first few hours. I was too busy working the camera, trying to capture it all. Austin wasn't kidding when he said these fish were aggressive.
"Just like an eight-pounder," he'd say casually, releasing another beautiful trout that would be a trophy in most other fisheries.
We kept pushing, looking for those true trophies—the 10+ pound fish that Rufus Woods is famous for. And they came.
One after another, we'd hook into solid fish. Seven-pounders, eight-pounders, nine-pounders—all released back into the reservoir. We were being selective, weeding through to find the biggest fish of the day.
Adapting When the Bite Changed
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, our fly bite started to slow down. This is where Austin's experience really showed.
"We're going to start pulling things out of the toolbox," he said, switching from the fly to a Tpex with a Trix minnow trailer. The gold color with lots of flash was the ticket.
Within five minutes of deploying the new setup, we had a triple-header going—three rods bent at once. The Tpex and Trix minnow combo was exactly what the fish wanted in the high sun conditions.
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...
While we were absolutely crushing it on the water, we got a FaceTime call from Max. He was back at the warehouse, filling over 100 orders.
"Steve, Austin, hope you guys are having a good time," he said, surrounded by boxes. "My first job of the day is filling orders."
We showed him the action, and you could see the mixture of excitement and good-natured jealousy on his face. When we caught a 12-pounder on camera during the call, the look on his face was priceless.
The Final Tally
By the end of the day, we'd caught over 30 fish. Not 30 small fish—we're talking fish averaging 7-10 pounds, with several pushing 11-12 pounds. We kept our limit of the biggest ones, and my arm was literally sore from fighting fish all day.
The final keeper that we landed was an absolute beauty—a thick, healthy trout with a big belly that probably went 11 pounds. As I held it up for the camera, I couldn't help but reflect on the incredible day we'd just had.
The Proof: Cleaning the Catch
When we got back to the dock and started cleaning the fish, the quality was immediately apparent. These triploid trout are known for being some of the best eating fish you'll ever catch, and our catch was no exception.
"Look at all the fat in those fillets," I said as we worked through them. "Super good eating. Best smoked fish you'll ever eat."
The meat was beautiful—thick fillets with gorgeous marbling and fat layers throughout. These fish truly are the prime rib of the river.
The Gear That Made It Happen
For those wondering what equipment put 450+ pounds of fish in the boat, here's the rundown:
Rods:
- Celio 4-10, 7'6" (for jigging)
- Akuma Salilo (my personal favorite—these rods are something else)
Reels:
- Sapphire reels (new for this year and worked flawlessly)
Line:
- 10lb Pine Endura braid (cuts through the water beautifully)
Lures:
- Trix Minnows (the MVP of the day)
- Hawin Fishing arrow jigs (black and white pattern)
- Hawin Fishing Aeroflat bobbers (AF5 half-ounce)
- Catch America action disc flies
- Catch America Tpexes (with Trix minnow trailers)
- Various trolling plugs
Book Your Own Rufus Woods Adventure
If you've never experienced Rufus Woods fishing, you're missing out on one of the premier trout fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. And if you want to have the kind of day we had, I can't recommend Austin's Northwest Adventures highly enough.
Austin's knowledge of this fishery is unmatched. From reading the water to selecting the right techniques for the conditions to knowing exactly where to find the big fish—he's the real deal. We caught over 30 fish, mostly in the 10-pound range, and released the vast majority of them. That's the kind of day he puts together regularly.
Final Thoughts
This redemption trip exceeded every expectation. What started as a fill-in mission turned into one of the most memorable days of fishing I've ever experienced. The action was non-stop, the fish were incredible, and the techniques we used proved themselves over and over again.
From the moment Austin hooked that first fish while demonstrating his Trix minnow rigging technique, to the final 11-pound beauty that we kept to end the day, every moment was pure fishing magic. The Trix minnows, the bobber rod setups, the trolling flies with action discs—every technique produced fish after fish.
My arms are still sore from fighting trout all day. I lost count after 30 fish, and that's not an exaggeration. These weren't dinks either—most were in the 7-10 pound range, with several genuine trophies that pushed past 11 pounds.
If you're looking for an epic fishing adventure, Rufus Woods should be at the top of your list. And if you want to maximize your chances of success, book a trip with Austin's Northwest Adventures. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Ready to Experience Rufus Woods for Yourself?
All the gear we used is available at CatchAmerica.com, and you can book your trip with Austin's Northwest Adventures through the links in the video description.
Tight lines, and we'll see you on the water!
