Date: June 24, 2007
Location: P. Trizzy
Air temp: 80s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: nil
Fish landed: Assorted rough fish (bass, pan fish)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
Non-members (Mouth-breathers):
Coach
Naaz
And on the 7th Day, I went to the P. Trizzy for the first time this season.
P. Trizzy is a private lake, surrounded by trees and the occasional large abode. It evokes a Rockwell-esque feeling that is true Minnesota. It also has some monster fish, in the form of Muskie, Pike and Walleye.
Unfortunately, we did not land any such creature, though it was a fine day of bass and pan fish. A small, orange streamer landed me many a fish (the small, stupid ones), while Coach and Naaz threw dinner plates in search of the leviathans.
Sitting on a boat, listening to talk radio, drinking beer, and watching the day turn into night, it was the perfect end of a busy week of fishing.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Saturday Night's Alright (For Mousin')
Date: June 23, 2007
Location: Eagle & Club
Air temp: 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: too dark to see
Fish landed: 1 brown
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Booter
TP
Xan
Booter and I headed to the EPB&G on an early Saturday eve to meet up with TP for a mouse excursion. At the bar, it was decided that we weren't gonna fuck around. We plotted our war path, and it would be a late night. The evening would take us from Eagle, downstream to the Club. After parking a car at the Club, we drove to Eagle and began our way down.
We started fishing in the slow, wide area not far from the bridge. While FB and TP were throwing streamers, I made my way through the bog to give a few runs downstream a good nymphing. I lost sight of the two while the last rays of sunlight left the Wisconsin farmland. As the darkness settled in, I decided to wait for them to catch up, not wanting to wander too far off in the night. Minutes past, then some more. After a good stretch, just standing in the stream, I got impatient and decided keep going to the boulder field, the first prime mouse spot.
Of the few times I've gone night fishing, the boulder spot has presented the greatest possibilities. Big fish feed there. Under the red glow of my headlamp, I tied on a mouse and began to tempt those possibilities. Action started immediately. Two casts, two tugs, though no fish hooked.
The tricky part of fishing meece is in how the fish react. Sometimes the trout will tug on the prey, trying to drown the artificial critter. Other times, they will slap it with their tail (this is just from what I've read. I can feel resistance on the fly, but it's too dark to know what in the hell is going on). Sometimes you'll get lucky and the fish will try to inhale the mouse pattern.
On the third or fourth cast, I felt a tug. I waited a few seconds and gave a hardy strip set. A HUGE splash erupted in what seemed like ten feet ahead of me, but my line came back and there was no mouse, or trout, on the other end. The fly had broken off, due to a bad terminal knot.
Not long after, Booter made his way down. I told him of the one that got away. He told me of the quick-mud that sent water into his waders. The reason they had taken so long was a couple trips back to the car and the sinking and watery feeling Boot had gotten trying to negotiate the bog.
Not long after, TP joined us, and we fished the boulder field with much opportunity but little success. I was able to land my first fish on a mouse, with the large hook impaling the fish's snout.
We headed toward the Club, with Boot and TP fishing one of the larger pools on the way. We eventually got to the big pool behind the Club. Here, TP found his Walter of the night. A 19" trout, with sharp teeth, tried to devour the fuzzy little mouse.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Up in the stream! It's a bird, it's a brook...
Date: June 22, 2007
Location: Canyon
Air temp: 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: very small bugs
Fish landed: 3 (2 brown, 1 brook)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
I fled the Twin Cities after work on Friday in a quest to find some hatch action. With my entomology being at the advanced level of, "that there bug is brown and small," I was hoping for the chance of a caddis or hex hatch.
I got to the Beta Hole and saw few rises and no obvious hatch, so I tied on a few small nymphs and went to cover the flow through the pool. After little action and a few fish trying to eat my strike indicator, I moved up to fish some riffles. After a good effort and no success, I tied on a caddis and landed a plump brown. Moving back down to the Beta Hole, I began to toss my fly all over the pool. After much effort, I was finally rewarded with my first brookie of the season.
I had practiced the double haul cast a few weeks prior, and now was the time to test my abilities on the stream. I found trying to double haul a 3wt to be a bit of a challenge, and while I didn't notice much improvement in the distance of my casts, I was able to destroy a new leader.
As fishing wound down, I noticed a crane in the middle of the river downstream from me.
Giving up on fishing, and inspired by Planet Earth, I tried to snap a good pic of the bird. I won't be working on a Planet Earth sequel shoot anytime soon.
Location: Canyon
Air temp: 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: very small bugs
Fish landed: 3 (2 brown, 1 brook)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
I fled the Twin Cities after work on Friday in a quest to find some hatch action. With my entomology being at the advanced level of, "that there bug is brown and small," I was hoping for the chance of a caddis or hex hatch.
I got to the Beta Hole and saw few rises and no obvious hatch, so I tied on a few small nymphs and went to cover the flow through the pool. After little action and a few fish trying to eat my strike indicator, I moved up to fish some riffles. After a good effort and no success, I tied on a caddis and landed a plump brown. Moving back down to the Beta Hole, I began to toss my fly all over the pool. After much effort, I was finally rewarded with my first brookie of the season.
I had practiced the double haul cast a few weeks prior, and now was the time to test my abilities on the stream. I found trying to double haul a 3wt to be a bit of a challenge, and while I didn't notice much improvement in the distance of my casts, I was able to destroy a new leader.
As fishing wound down, I noticed a crane in the middle of the river downstream from me.
Giving up on fishing, and inspired by Planet Earth, I tried to snap a good pic of the bird. I won't be working on a Planet Earth sequel shoot anytime soon.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
This is a very simple game
Date: June 16, 2007
Location: V
Air temp: 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: not much
Fish landed: skunk
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
Booter
Our first night fishing expedition of the season took us, after a few changes in plan, to the V. As usual, fish were scarce. Unlike other times, however, it was also dark, raining, mosquito filled, hex-less (the bug, not the curse), and the trails were lost to the fauna.
Boot and I explored up and down the river, throwing and losing mice and large drys. When it wasn't pouring, the lightening bugs created an enchanting backdrop, thoroughly enhanced by Fruit's constant farting.
With a fish nary seen, heard or felt, we headed back after a few hours. For the second time in my fly fishing career, I managed to impale myself with a guide when my hand slipped while trying to disassemble my rod.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains, sometimes you impale yourself.
Location: V
Air temp: 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: not much
Fish landed: skunk
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
Booter
Our first night fishing expedition of the season took us, after a few changes in plan, to the V. As usual, fish were scarce. Unlike other times, however, it was also dark, raining, mosquito filled, hex-less (the bug, not the curse), and the trails were lost to the fauna.
Boot and I explored up and down the river, throwing and losing mice and large drys. When it wasn't pouring, the lightening bugs created an enchanting backdrop, thoroughly enhanced by Fruit's constant farting.
With a fish nary seen, heard or felt, we headed back after a few hours. For the second time in my fly fishing career, I managed to impale myself with a guide when my hand slipped while trying to disassemble my rod.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains, sometimes you impale yourself.
Monday, June 11, 2007
In Rod We Trust
Date: June 9, 2007
Location: Club
Air temp: high 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: not much
Fish landed: 4 (browns)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
In anticipation of this year's Montana trip, I decided to purchase a decent 5wt. I'm beginning to suspect I'm developing the heroin-like gear addiction that has seized many anglers, as I have no real justification for upgrading rods. In my defense, instead of buying new wading boots when the soles started to detach, I just glued the shit out of my current pair. Not much of a defense, I know.
I got a chance to test out my new Sage SP for the first time this past Saturday on the Curd River. It was a bright, sunny and warm day when I got to the stream. As I was setting up, three fly fishermen were returning to their cars parked in front of me. They confirmed it was going to be a slow day, informing me the stream was clear and low.
Starting pretty far downstream from the bridge, I walked up the river, past long, slow stretches, through the now head high vegetation that lines the banks and populates small stream islands. I came upon a shaded area where a riffle was emptying out and began fishing. The fish were active here, and I started getting strikes immediately. Not long after, I got my first few fish with the new rod, all taken on small nymphs.
The rod seemed to perform well. I was using 4wt line on a small reel. Casting felt better than the time, a couple months ago, when I used this same line and reel with my Cabela's starter 5wt. Is this "better feel" worth the extra $190? Hopefully time will tell (with some Madison hogs* to show for it).
I moved upriver to the great streamer hole to waste time trying to recapture my one moment of glory there. I didn't find that I could cast any further than normal, but experimentations with 5 and 6wt line will be forthcoming. After wasting enough time, I hit the run right above the hole and got one more fish on a nymph. After that, I called it a day.
* "Madison hogs" refers to large trout from the Madison river in Montana, not to large women in Madison, WI. Though I'll take what I can get.
Location: Club
Air temp: high 70s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: not much
Fish landed: 4 (browns)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
In anticipation of this year's Montana trip, I decided to purchase a decent 5wt. I'm beginning to suspect I'm developing the heroin-like gear addiction that has seized many anglers, as I have no real justification for upgrading rods. In my defense, instead of buying new wading boots when the soles started to detach, I just glued the shit out of my current pair. Not much of a defense, I know.
I got a chance to test out my new Sage SP for the first time this past Saturday on the Curd River. It was a bright, sunny and warm day when I got to the stream. As I was setting up, three fly fishermen were returning to their cars parked in front of me. They confirmed it was going to be a slow day, informing me the stream was clear and low.
Starting pretty far downstream from the bridge, I walked up the river, past long, slow stretches, through the now head high vegetation that lines the banks and populates small stream islands. I came upon a shaded area where a riffle was emptying out and began fishing. The fish were active here, and I started getting strikes immediately. Not long after, I got my first few fish with the new rod, all taken on small nymphs.
The rod seemed to perform well. I was using 4wt line on a small reel. Casting felt better than the time, a couple months ago, when I used this same line and reel with my Cabela's starter 5wt. Is this "better feel" worth the extra $190? Hopefully time will tell (with some Madison hogs* to show for it).
I moved upriver to the great streamer hole to waste time trying to recapture my one moment of glory there. I didn't find that I could cast any further than normal, but experimentations with 5 and 6wt line will be forthcoming. After wasting enough time, I hit the run right above the hole and got one more fish on a nymph. After that, I called it a day.
* "Madison hogs" refers to large trout from the Madison river in Montana, not to large women in Madison, WI. Though I'll take what I can get.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Rain, rain, don't go away...
Date: June 3, 2007
Location: Upper
Air temp: high 60s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: little brown things and very little brown things
Fish landed: 10 (browns)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
A gloomy day for the average Joe is an ideal one for fisher-folk. The past few days brought some much needed rain, though not enough to blow out the streams.
After consulting weather.com's animated radar, it appeared that most of Sunday morning's rain would hit Grand Old Day in St. Paul, and move south, avoiding Western WI and giving me hope I would not be electrocuted by God's wrath.
I headed off to a McDonald's in WI to fuel up with a #5 meal and "make sure the pipes were empty." Deciding where to fish that day, I chose somewhere close, "The Upper," more specifically, the spot that runs along the county road. I had not fished any spot on the Upper this year, so I figured it was time to check it out.
The weather would be overcast the entire day, and when I saw the stream was cloudy, I knew a productive session was ahead.
The start of the day, however, was slow. This was despite the fact the fish were active and eagerly striking my flies. A lack of concentration led to many missed connections, tangles and snags.
After a while, I started to land fish. The trout were rising with some frequency, but I stubbornly stuck with nymphing. My lack of tactics did not matter. The weather, water and fish conditions were ripe, and I was able to pick up fish all over the river.
I went upstream further than I ever had before. Normally I stop at the large pool, but a worm-dunker had already claimed that spot, so I forged on. After a while, I found myself fishing in the backyard of a couple homes, their well trimmed lawns leading all the way up to the water. A man and women, each on riding lawn mowers, were making their rounds along each property. They provided an audience as I continued to catch fish, occasionally stopping their mowers to comment on the trout I was landing. This area, and a little further up, had runs where the fish were piled up.
After I hit an official 10 (not counting false hooks and trout that got away right before I could get them to hand), I called it a day. As I made my way back down the stream, I saw a fellow fly fisherman in the same spot when I was heading upstream. When I first saw him, he said he hadn't had much luck landing fish, but was getting many strikes. By the time I saw him again, he reported landing roughly 20 fish, all in an area of about 100 feet.
It was a great day to be out. Afterwards, I met up with the gang at Grand Old Day, where we paid $5 for the privilege to buy $6 beers, and listened to shitty bands.
Location: Upper
Air temp: high 60s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: little brown things and very little brown things
Fish landed: 10 (browns)
Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:
Xan
A gloomy day for the average Joe is an ideal one for fisher-folk. The past few days brought some much needed rain, though not enough to blow out the streams.
After consulting weather.com's animated radar, it appeared that most of Sunday morning's rain would hit Grand Old Day in St. Paul, and move south, avoiding Western WI and giving me hope I would not be electrocuted by God's wrath.
I headed off to a McDonald's in WI to fuel up with a #5 meal and "make sure the pipes were empty." Deciding where to fish that day, I chose somewhere close, "The Upper," more specifically, the spot that runs along the county road. I had not fished any spot on the Upper this year, so I figured it was time to check it out.
The weather would be overcast the entire day, and when I saw the stream was cloudy, I knew a productive session was ahead.
The start of the day, however, was slow. This was despite the fact the fish were active and eagerly striking my flies. A lack of concentration led to many missed connections, tangles and snags.
After a while, I started to land fish. The trout were rising with some frequency, but I stubbornly stuck with nymphing. My lack of tactics did not matter. The weather, water and fish conditions were ripe, and I was able to pick up fish all over the river.
I went upstream further than I ever had before. Normally I stop at the large pool, but a worm-dunker had already claimed that spot, so I forged on. After a while, I found myself fishing in the backyard of a couple homes, their well trimmed lawns leading all the way up to the water. A man and women, each on riding lawn mowers, were making their rounds along each property. They provided an audience as I continued to catch fish, occasionally stopping their mowers to comment on the trout I was landing. This area, and a little further up, had runs where the fish were piled up.
After I hit an official 10 (not counting false hooks and trout that got away right before I could get them to hand), I called it a day. As I made my way back down the stream, I saw a fellow fly fisherman in the same spot when I was heading upstream. When I first saw him, he said he hadn't had much luck landing fish, but was getting many strikes. By the time I saw him again, he reported landing roughly 20 fish, all in an area of about 100 feet.
It was a great day to be out. Afterwards, I met up with the gang at Grand Old Day, where we paid $5 for the privilege to buy $6 beers, and listened to shitty bands.
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