Fishing at Overton with Loren Brooks

This may not be about Family History, but it is about family and friends and so please excuse this slight deviation.

Loren Brooks, my younger brother, lives in Overton Nevada during the winter months (November – April) and on numerous occasions have invited Anita and I to join them there for a few days of fishing in the Virgin – Muddy reach of Lake Mead. On occasions, Anita’s cousin, Wanda and her husband, Pat Wright, have been invited to join us there. At this particular time, Feb 2 – Feb 6, Wanda and Pat Wright joined us at Overton for fishing with their friends from Loomis, California, Wayne and Thelma Minton. We stayed with Loren and his wife Juliana in their permanent home at the Fun in the Sun Park in Overton, while Pat and Wanda and Wayne and Thelma met us there with their motor home and travel trailer. Anita and I ,due to a family gathering in Ogden, Utah on Sunday, did not arrive until Monday afternoon. Loren was gracious to take Wayne and Pat out on the lake for a first day of fishing as we traveled from Odgen to Overton on February 2nd. Loren provided all the fishing gear and as he often says he is the outfitter, guide and instructor. By instruction, he means that his guests should obey the suggestions of the “outfitter”, i.e. when to stand up when you have a fish on, or when to take off your coat and get serious about fishing.

After our arrival at Loren’s and Julie’s, home we learned that Loren and his guest had caught 16 strippers and that a fish fry was in preparation. What a treat to join them and partake of a delicious meal.

The next morning preparations were made to return to the Overton Marina for another day of fishing. Such preparations included, gassing up the diesel pickup of Loren's, gassing up his boat, filling the fuel tank for the trolling motor and purchasing Anchovies. These preparations were made each and every day that we went to fish. The water level at the Marina is so low that all facilities that were there on our previous visits a year ago, have been abandoned. The boat ramp for launching only extends into the bay about 20 feet from the waters edge even though it more than an eighth of a mile long.

This situation caused Loren to put an extension on his boat trailer so that a sufficient water depth could be reached to launch the boat. Under such circumstances only one person could be in the boat for launching. The boat had to be motored to deeper depth along the bank so that others could board as shown in the photos above.

My first day with Loren, Pat and Wayne was great. We caught lots of fish and to have a stripper on the end of your line is a thrill. They really resist being landed in the boat. Most of the fish were of medium size, 1 – 2 pounds.

A beautiful clear day with rod holders in place and basking in the warm sun and meeting Loren’s friends on the water who caught more fish than we did was indeed pleasant and relaxing. After deciding to quit fishing, we placed the fish on the stern of the boat for filleting and packaging. Loren ran the electric filleting knife, while Wayne and I preformed the deluding of the fillet and Pat rinsed and package the fillets. To delux the fillet, means that the rib bones were removed so that the fillet is truly boneless.

After a good day of fishing there is nothing like taking our wives to a good Mexican restaurant in Mesquite, the name of which is on the menu noted in the picture above.

As we returned to the boat launching ramp each day, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we encountered another friend of Loren, Larry Hull, who was a fly fisherman and used a one man pontoon boat with only oars to get out onto the lake. After passing our friend Larry and heading the boat to the “Meadows” area, nothing would do but for Pat to get a fish on the very first thing as our lines went into the water. When he complained that the line was going while he was reeling in, we knew he had a lunker. Sure enough, the fish weighed in at four pounds. The fish that Roy and Wayne caught could be swallowed easily by the big stripper that Pat caught. Well, it was a great day, perfect weather and as the sun set we headed for the Overton Marina.

The final day of fishing was on Thursday. The weather began to change and Friday was the day to say our farewells to a great “Outfitter” and host, Loren and Juliana Brooks. The tally for the three or four days of fishing was seventy two fish. Nor a record for the “outfitter” or the boat, but a record for three guests and for Pat who grins about his record 4 pounder and a very successful final day. Thanks, Loren, we had a great time and one that may not ever be repeated.

RHB