Closer To Me

Photo courtesy of QD

Dates: September 19, 2009
Location: New Spot & Warwick
Air temp: ?
Water temp: ?
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: 3

Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:

Xan
QD

Though it was a bit early, it was time to say goodbye to the season. Trout fishing, for the most part, had long since sucked ass. An unusually bad year for water levels in addition to an extremely dry September made the late season even worse than normal. Today would be our closer, due to a trip to Utah over the next weekend, and also because I didn't realize when the season actually ends.

QD and I set out in the afternoon, heading directly to Lunds for a final fly restock. Since we were nearby, I took QD to the minor waterfall/dam area for the first time. Standing on Dead Gosling Rock, I finally was able to tempt a decent brown out of the base of the dam. Quickdraw fished the waterfall to some success. Those being pretty much the only spots to fish there, we drove off to the Warwick, upstream from the real waterfall.

We made our way downstream, fishing all the usual holes and runs along the way. The hours passed, steam was lost, and the taint of late season overcame our enthusiasm. We had caught some fish, Pat a decent brookie, myself an OK brown, and that was enough.

Twas an interesting season. A season of falling water, dry skies, low levels, new spots, and the park popo pinching Poachdraw. It was indeed the year of the Warwick. While the Curd and Canyon were clear and low, the Warwick held strong all season, and produced the hardest fighting fish as well. Now all that is left is the hope of Utah, steelhead, and a quick and merciful winter.

Lay down your rods, and surrender to me

Date: September 29, 2007
Location: Upper and Warwick
Air temp: 60s
Water temp: ???
Hatches: ?
Fish landed: Skunk

Present members of the Fly Anglers Guild :|: Upper Midwest Chapter, for this outing were:

Scotty Mac
Fruit Booter
Xan


To close off the (Wisconsin inland) trout season, we headed out to the Upper. Scotty Mac was making a rare appearance to one of our fish socials, so we made him drive.

The second weekend into the (early) season, Scooter caught a trout. Over six months later, with only six trips in that span, that stood as Scoot's only fish of '07. Much like President Bush, he took April, July and August off and spent time at the ranch. When pressed, he would exclaim that he "sucked." What, we don't know (the Senator involved was evasive, and is now trying to change his plea). What we do know, is you aren't gonna catch many fish if you only go six times.

The Curd River had not produced in recent weeks, so we decided to hit the Upper. According to vague information (I think someone read it online) we now hold as fact, the Upper holds impressive totals of fish per mile, in the ballpark of 4,000. They are smaller on average, but sometimes quantity trumps quality, usually when you're desperate.

The overcast, drizzly skies and forecasts of God's wrath gave us hope for a haul o' trout. We got skunked.

We decided to regroup and formulate a new plan. The decision was to head to the land of aggressive bows and chubs, the Warwick. We arrived at a familiar spot, determined to put Scooter on some trout. Making the short walk to a money run, we put him in place and set him to task. He made us proud.




The view from my sunglasses:



Scooty landing another one:



After we had fished out the run, we called it a season. And on the seventh trip, Scotty Mac landed trout.


A Season In Review:

- Quickdraw learning the arts of woolly buggery

- TP showing us the use of windshield wipers as rod holders

- The Great Flood (of the Early Season)

- Shady Grove

- New spots on the Curd and Warwick, exploring the Apple and V

- Walter from the V

- Ticks

- Success with mouse patterns

- Learning the double haul

- Beaver!

- Batman!

- Beer! (Fat Tire)

- Bozeman!

- The beginnings of the Great Muskie Hunt

- The Return of the Jazz Hands

- Smallies on the fly

- Raspberries and plums

- Jazz Hands catching ocean fish... and his head

- B-Chubnut, shaking it like he never left

- The retirement of the yeti suit

- First steelie on my line

Not a bad season.