tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47854403488421953532024-03-19T00:00:43.702-04:00Local WanderingsGrasping to appease the soulshotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-63555652519093425992016-12-10T15:52:00.001-05:002016-12-16T16:19:18.075-05:00Black Powder Buck<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfwx0RI0ebb88_sDFOQmf4FuNsyE2FQqMGNQlFkjf75QSIMQSp-kfmAWKehRYTGYv0BJaQaMQramP3zv6oNh_AFqeAgHjGAFJYOKQgTn-6pt5lyLth7P3wNuc6N7URP4J3Y6qFKBsGgZS/s1600/Dad+Black+Powder+120916+d+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfwx0RI0ebb88_sDFOQmf4FuNsyE2FQqMGNQlFkjf75QSIMQSp-kfmAWKehRYTGYv0BJaQaMQramP3zv6oNh_AFqeAgHjGAFJYOKQgTn-6pt5lyLth7P3wNuc6N7URP4J3Y6qFKBsGgZS/s400/Dad+Black+Powder+120916+d+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Spent Friday afternoon helping a guy bring out a deer. My soon to be 73 year old Dad hunted all 15 days of firearms season without decent shot at any of the few legal bucks sighted. Then, never missing a beat, continued the chase with black powder.. which opened day after regular firearms closed. Not on our home farm either, but public lands open to all.. his self imposed handi-cap. Mostly along the river ridges and bottoms south of home. The area is made up from miles of country where trail roads are few and houses non existent. Yesterday afternoon his amassed hours must have reached the needed total and this deer appeared. <i>Behind</i> him. First buck he's ever shot left handed. My respect for his skills and drive to hunt continues to grow with no sign of slowing.<br />
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I get the vibe he thinks I'm somewhat nuts to pursue Steelbows in this kind of weather.. I feel the same about late season deer hunting (smiling)shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-13117569486726325092016-07-19T12:06:00.000-04:002016-10-01T14:03:17.445-04:00Resident Trout: Season Summary (for now)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijKZhuuc-exTMeWrxDdmHT3TAowJhQ1GCjPpA_rqPz4Cv0oHpTNtZvqeU3qKloVYQJKtLRVFSMp3tDsSIbFkROszBykm_D8QZelblzmgij7DDFVeVLVP6evguEy1lMfLG_GgliQMxK9Xq/s1600/SRA+20160302_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijKZhuuc-exTMeWrxDdmHT3TAowJhQ1GCjPpA_rqPz4Cv0oHpTNtZvqeU3qKloVYQJKtLRVFSMp3tDsSIbFkROszBykm_D8QZelblzmgij7DDFVeVLVP6evguEy1lMfLG_GgliQMxK9Xq/s640/SRA+20160302_resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My Friend Scott ties a nice fly and is a certified Brown Trout addict. Last fall he got pretty enthused about tying Tommy Lynch's "Drunk and Disorderly" which he did, in quantities, and VERY nicely. Along with some of Blaine Chocklett's stuff. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIgwimJMx10LDcnS0KTtC_2Mjpn5tPtT720UlPdAJnXG89vMJoBfm7vd7UTVbfewtpmoz_2r1uwDaJc283ymDOSbv7JIIhuTdMS4vWwiWlUc-ZDkfkuI5HNaIiii6dY5gNTcUgpzBJlfc/s1600/SRA+streamers+20160302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIgwimJMx10LDcnS0KTtC_2Mjpn5tPtT720UlPdAJnXG89vMJoBfm7vd7UTVbfewtpmoz_2r1uwDaJc283ymDOSbv7JIIhuTdMS4vWwiWlUc-ZDkfkuI5HNaIiii6dY5gNTcUgpzBJlfc/s640/SRA+streamers+20160302.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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He picked off a couple quite nice fish in December <em>(December!)</em> on the Upper River where he lives. I was occupied chasing Steelbows.. if not a more sane activity certainly more acceptable (smiling)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12-07- Bad ass fish ~ Sweet tie!</td></tr>
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The location of his second fish you might recognize if your familiar with our home river.. It's name to the old school folks is "Muskamoo" and was fairly significant location. You can read about it in <em>The Legend of Rainbow Jim</em> by Orie Wells if your fortunate enough to find a copy. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcNNBFeNk_-kK2RRDkzbzJFkQdlFAKvbWhJKNrAeUFn8dKfubahL85PDrDs8wYTsEBkTG0zS960QBdwuvSC1Ti8mGdKyJ7VqhrK8-oCcq1EeKL5u_tU8qWOwzrh1fxe6uIAAHFDCtjDlE/s1600/Scott+Anderson+Muskamoo+20151209.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcNNBFeNk_-kK2RRDkzbzJFkQdlFAKvbWhJKNrAeUFn8dKfubahL85PDrDs8wYTsEBkTG0zS960QBdwuvSC1Ti8mGdKyJ7VqhrK8-oCcq1EeKL5u_tU8qWOwzrh1fxe6uIAAHFDCtjDlE/s400/Scott+Anderson+Muskamoo+20151209.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muskamoo</td></tr>
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This spring we started hitting it seriously in May. John Haye's took one that exceeded 20" <strong>on May 21</strong> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssf_A4qWNS87LB-OeVybgw2FdgIpmW-Z0BOfGUdGhFzqLOwZ4PDBB79QWhyphenhyphenyKpwzvb6oJqYU-AGNdPkJaVLGiyiMajjJgE-8I-vwMrRbNX3lPSwUmZ30rJZO_XK71c4VC1yk6hEN-foFH/s1600/John+Hayes+052116+Streamer+HomeFront+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssf_A4qWNS87LB-OeVybgw2FdgIpmW-Z0BOfGUdGhFzqLOwZ4PDBB79QWhyphenhyphenyKpwzvb6oJqYU-AGNdPkJaVLGiyiMajjJgE-8I-vwMrRbNX3lPSwUmZ30rJZO_XK71c4VC1yk6hEN-foFH/s400/John+Hayes+052116+Streamer+HomeFront+3.png" width="368" /></a></div>
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Interestingly, this pic was shot in the mouth of the trib (one of two) that my Dad introduced to me at age nine. Where I fished on my own from the bank of a GIANT lake sized beaver dam (age 10) and sighted two Brookies cruising that were easily 20" class fish.. This while Dad was sawing giant white pine standing timber for "Brookie Bill" Coster.. Rainbow Jim's son. Also the tributary that gave me my largest Brook Trout to date.. 18" at age 18 and fresh out of high school while bumming around with one of my oldest friends, Son (his nick name)<br />
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<strong>On 05-23</strong> I got my first good dry fly fish with the Scott G 803-3 pulled from mothballs and fresh line.. my own hand tied 5x leader. There's a blog article from 05-25 on this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLmzzLxNWpw3AdeatM6Snx0ms6Yjcf4iFUbInYUN51xaOCAUyzrUb1_UTebTvsd6Hdt5GUbEQQMU98rHYEP4kLFXZe622OmMvgCgb20BWPyaIQ5A5P3CwSCW9LQYMSFaS9-32dMINPrjn/s1600/SunSet+Scott+G+803-3+20160523+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLmzzLxNWpw3AdeatM6Snx0ms6Yjcf4iFUbInYUN51xaOCAUyzrUb1_UTebTvsd6Hdt5GUbEQQMU98rHYEP4kLFXZe622OmMvgCgb20BWPyaIQ5A5P3CwSCW9LQYMSFaS9-32dMINPrjn/s400/SunSet+Scott+G+803-3+20160523+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Early June brought some seriously grand dry fly fishing. On morning of the 7'th we got going in darkness.. and got off in darkness! 15 1/2 hours of solid fishing! Started out as Streamer focus with nothing to show for it over first few hours. I broke the tip of my GLX 1087 Classic attempting to dislodge a fly so was additional buzzkill. Another hour or so later we began seeing risers. It only got better and more intense! An ALL DAY emergence! Comical as the only dry flies on board were 2 #14 spinners and 1 parachute. I later found a Sz 16 parachute in my waders. VERY fortunate to have a spare spool with 6wt dry line. The three #14 flies were DESTROYED, chewed to bits! We got into a nice pod that turned out to be almost all Brook Trout, couple nice ones in the mix, one approaching 14" mark that came unbuttoned right at the boat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1ebY88WZGFdTit5v7ZWPFz3YFmlgdPBWf-fMMMjvN2HMwr4RqaAfryZITBesoqwAqjRepdpKPbyDR8MdJmQYozc5t8jPmBTY6fnvPJ-E9Q-VNW9kAQh5h4FtCWmi7PxXWRbQXHqQa8Um/s1600/Homefront+Scott+%2526+I+061516+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1ebY88WZGFdTit5v7ZWPFz3YFmlgdPBWf-fMMMjvN2HMwr4RqaAfryZITBesoqwAqjRepdpKPbyDR8MdJmQYozc5t8jPmBTY6fnvPJ-E9Q-VNW9kAQh5h4FtCWmi7PxXWRbQXHqQa8Um/s400/Homefront+Scott+%2526+I+061516+10.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vibrant!</td></tr>
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Downstream a bit Scott began working on a sporadic riser. He is determined caster, I would have gave up long before he did.. Eventually he hooked up, it was a 15" - 16" Rainbow.. a rare anomaly for this location and era. We then came into a section with multiple good fish feeding, couple of better ones in the mix. Hooked and landed a few with one better than average apiece. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBM71nd-89otMaaW2m24EhgHWEvxvhesRgbv_JvYcLy49jb3Oyy2sL_PO9021eu5hf9eXcl0gZEri28ARVMPKpwpg6doK9HpvEEBKff8qeXEf2KGaA_ajVcG-d39s4SBGRw-eorj0xUCc/s1600/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBM71nd-89otMaaW2m24EhgHWEvxvhesRgbv_JvYcLy49jb3Oyy2sL_PO9021eu5hf9eXcl0gZEri28ARVMPKpwpg6doK9HpvEEBKff8qeXEf2KGaA_ajVcG-d39s4SBGRw-eorj0xUCc/s400/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2134.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hFC4rB67IJFPB0OZUGErkatuOlaOPDlAlw1PNz3FuylwlWrC3qW-qdft9zkxpHggRmWj2sHf1IQszabig40PvCPD-RT16ttI_4352wgS-G7aeUZh12eq8Yw6oZINtnGzxtd6gaG6W_ex/s1600/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hFC4rB67IJFPB0OZUGErkatuOlaOPDlAlw1PNz3FuylwlWrC3qW-qdft9zkxpHggRmWj2sHf1IQszabig40PvCPD-RT16ttI_4352wgS-G7aeUZh12eq8Yw6oZINtnGzxtd6gaG6W_ex/s400/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2145.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me</td></tr>
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There were still some decent bugs coming towards evening and we worked over several fish, some in crazy impossible feeding stations right up in the giant wood jams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jPNpvlslJa-00mNXGQ_7KmsQrSzhpxoswF6ZVzU3acpHzgGcubRZivBAJzLsQmUZIHGc5TAg2XsavkgRKcGmBMok5Hib35VvrbfJqgkN95ps8i8uY6mT9YtKp9dVojuNO1Tty5oqyebv/s1600/Home+Stretch+Me+062216+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jPNpvlslJa-00mNXGQ_7KmsQrSzhpxoswF6ZVzU3acpHzgGcubRZivBAJzLsQmUZIHGc5TAg2XsavkgRKcGmBMok5Hib35VvrbfJqgkN95ps8i8uY6mT9YtKp9dVojuNO1Tty5oqyebv/s400/Home+Stretch+Me+062216+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One I got to go came unbuttoned while I was powering him out as he THRASHED the surface. Later inspection revealed the hook had broken.. we surmised from being wrestled by forceps so many times during prior removals.<br />
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Scott had lost a good fish earlier due leader failure he swore was one of the heaviest of the day. Naturally I pooh poohed him for exaggerating a fish long gone with no way of saying (or <em>proving</em>) otherwise. Truth of the matter was we were so drunk on the amount and quality of the fishing that we'd never re-tied or thought to inspect the leader.. even after a decent brown wrapped it in submerged wood and could only be dislodged by getting out of the boat and putting a different angle on him. The REAL pain was about to come.. as we drifted quietly in the dusk through some slower frog water there was a killer rise tight to the opposite bank. The kind that give you a dose of adrenaline.. calculated, assertive, and yet subtle all at the same time.. From the kind of a spot that screams "GOOD fish". I backed the boat up quietly and he made the perfect first shot cast while still moving. Same cool confident rise took the fly down.. and exploded into action on the set. Fish tore downstream like the runaway he was and sickeningly the rod sprang vertical as the leader parted. That was difficult.. then began the easing into a good rant concerning a certain brand of tippit (mine) even went so far as to say it wouldn't be allowed on board his boat anymore.. I just laughed and told him he'd get pretty lonely with no one to talk too.. plus all my knots had held throughout the day ..lol.. <br />
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I picked up the Streamer rod, we didn't even bother tying the last #16 parachute on.. It wasn't that far down to the access, maybe half an hour and I just thought it wise to fish it on out rather than power row. Once again it was about to be illustrated just how important not giving up or calling it quits before the <em>actual</em> end is. All but in sight of the truck I put the fly down in a small defined pocket along the bank with drowned wood both sides.. second strip got blasted HARD and instantly hooked up. What a way to finish such an already stellar day! My new Streamer "personal best". <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRUFB03kgfyTEoB1Awx2rMwC_8aSqRcxjJcCRmFY4ItRJF1wqDhgG73965coIlQ_5lVysjkHdq3uuqiKoIdFcS69AxACzyL2k226hTd-Eyom6MmH9tdDFv8hSwUC3dq1-Cj-1xv5pQB6i/s1600/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2158+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRUFB03kgfyTEoB1Awx2rMwC_8aSqRcxjJcCRmFY4ItRJF1wqDhgG73965coIlQ_5lVysjkHdq3uuqiKoIdFcS69AxACzyL2k226hTd-Eyom6MmH9tdDFv8hSwUC3dq1-Cj-1xv5pQB6i/s400/Scott+and+I+Home+Front+060716+IMGP2158+a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23.5"</td></tr>
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<strong>On 06-10</strong> my old friend Son and I made a float. The weather forecast was a little bit shaky but there was one constant for everything I found. .03 (3 tenths) of an inch rain MAXIMUM. That didn't sound to threatening so decided to risk it. <br />
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We have matching Orvis 8'6" 4wts and both traditional spring / pawl reels, great little rods. The clicker reels provide a more direct relationship with the fish in addition to enjoying classic equipment.<br />
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Just as the sun dropped into the tree line we were easing up on one of my favorite spots. I dropped the anchor and not 2 minutes passed when a decent trout rose within easy casting range. Son poked a few casts out but he did not return.. another rise a short distance below so we dropped to it. Within a couple casts the fish took and he was hooked up with the spring pawl reel screaming.. unfortunately the connection severed. On inspection the hook had broken. How odd that seemed, years and years of fishing without ever occurring and now twice in the same week. Not so sure his flies didn't rust lightly in the foam box.. told him he needed to fish more often! Another trout, this one back in the brush of a shrub leaning out over the surface. Cast above, nice upstream roll mend, fly tracking perfect <em>..sip..</em> he's on and charging downstream my reel screaming pretty good. Same scenario, rod springs straight.. hook did not break, just pulled out. <br />
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It's right at this point that we both notice the BLACK sky coming at us fast. We reel up break down and stow the rods, secure / stash whatever needed it and left rowing hard. By rights we should have had another 1 1/2 hours of daylight.. Did not work out that way. Had about 20 minutes of eerie low light darkness before the first drops hit. Was granted about another 10 minutes before the lightning picked up with some thunder boomers. Not long after the rain started coming in sheets.. sideways. Finally I broke down and had him hold the light, which luckily I had the foresight to put in. Without it the trip down would have been impossible, and there was talk of leaving the boat and walking out, but no phone on hand and miles to reach any road traveled at all. We pressed on.. 2 1/2 hours through that stuff, the lightning getting so intense for a bit to LIGHT UP everything for 2 - 3 seconds with simultaneous deafening thunder.. not a good feeling. We finally reached the vehicle and had a bit of an incident getting the boat in, the oar came loose and took a couple seconds to correct, in that amount of time we'd overshot a bit with no way of rowing back up, current rips pretty good through there and definitely NOT wadeable Getting out on the bank we were able to remove the anchor and line the boat back up, dodging trees on STEEP banked rain slick ground in the dark.. fun times! The good news being the light had lived through entire trip, something I worried over all the way out. It was dimming hard as we tied down the boat..<br />
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Crazy as it seems we had an almost exact evening a couple years prior, right down to almost dumping the (lighter) boat on the take out, it to had major amount of water inside and river was RIPPING. Another year or so prior to that we fished during one of the worst storms in quite a while, downed trees, flooding etc.. BUT that time we had one of the best evening / nights of fishing ever! Storms, you gotta love em.. or not!<br />
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The next day I went out to take care of the boat. It was flooded above both front and rear decks! 3 tenths of an inch maximum.. Meteorologists (disdainful facial expression) ..enough said.<br />
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<strong>On 06-12 and 13</strong> I made evening bushwhack missions into a couple select spots hoping for a spinner fall. This style is not for everybody.. Crashing through thick vegetated river flats crisscrossed with down timber, ripe with Poison Ivy. In HEAVY humidity with all your gear on is not for the meek or weak.. but it can be a good way to do a little head hunting. I took a good fish each night, the one from the 12'th a little better but no decent pic.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">06 - 13 - 16</td></tr>
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<strong>06-15</strong> Scott and I made another float. We got a late start.. and still managed 12 1/2 hours. Pretty much a recap of 06 - 07, good amounts of dries with fish willing to take. FAR better prepared on the dry fly front all the way around, flies and rods. Pretty fun taking turns casting risers. Towards dusk the dry fly rods were stowed and Streamers now the focus. You could almost feel electricity in the air, a tense and expectant aura. Going into a specific bend that's particularly juicy I mention to Scott of good fish from the past sighted and encountered on this very bend.. Fly is sunk deep and swimming through the gut and mid story I get clobbered by a heavy head shaking fish. Luck is with us and she's soon in the net. My heaviest Streamer fish to date! Prior personal best broken only a week after the fact.. This fish is in another category all together, her girth is <em>staggering</em>. Hard to handle her briefly for a couple pics she's that out sized, makes my hands look small. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7E1OVPSCTDSR4rjbxgkBeFBNICCX-6_jzZnPVaeI4uzR_NvgPMeYtDxfLJuvvuxjyg7r0qkAEmFSZPO04Qggpb1713MAXI8RA_n9GeJKznMKHBnFBlRyWXZj_eeqS0976iq29CpuDVQO/s1600/streamer+fish+drop+061516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7E1OVPSCTDSR4rjbxgkBeFBNICCX-6_jzZnPVaeI4uzR_NvgPMeYtDxfLJuvvuxjyg7r0qkAEmFSZPO04Qggpb1713MAXI8RA_n9GeJKznMKHBnFBlRyWXZj_eeqS0976iq29CpuDVQO/s400/streamer+fish+drop+061516.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Scott picks up the rod and starts casting as it continually darkens. Only a few minutes have gone by when he has a good fish take a swipe at the fly without hook-up. We continue along at peace with the world, our day is cloud 9 already. Shouted exclamation from him as another NICE fish shows itself and attempts to eat the fly with no luck. Wow.. it is one of the ultra rare and elusive windows that open and for some yet unknown reason the big fish just go on the feedbag. Getting quite dusk now and just above a tight technical narrow spot created by fresh downed giant Ash tree. you guessed it, third one is the charm and he's hooked up solid, rod bucking like crazy! We slide into the chute him doing his best to keep the fish out of the drowned wood, me all I can do to keep the boat somewhat on track. Couple times his rod tip or line were under oar path creating tense moments for me. We came through in fine shape though, boat under control and fish still on but up gator rolling and thrashing in the surface on a tight line. Fortunately he buried the rod tip and fed him some line saving the day. Not long after I slid him into the net.. beautiful male, still full of attitude. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSWp9cjRgSNxsRQqzhpGMyGpRkXqb7UMReZnpQb5P9mV2pAgziEQ9xJ1LNhvJoHed5ZdAST6deFFQJFEGUChcGwMZe1QOY9FkM-054-o1JADF_6SaUknKym_elGYUJgcUcYSLIVixU8GN/s1600/SRA+Streamer+061516.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSWp9cjRgSNxsRQqzhpGMyGpRkXqb7UMReZnpQb5P9mV2pAgziEQ9xJ1LNhvJoHed5ZdAST6deFFQJFEGUChcGwMZe1QOY9FkM-054-o1JADF_6SaUknKym_elGYUJgcUcYSLIVixU8GN/s400/SRA+Streamer+061516.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>On 06-20</strong> Scott once again defies the norm.. and comes up with a fantastic resident Rainbow (21") I can count on hands the Rainbows I've caught with none of them notable size. Must be something with the name "Scott" since my old (different) friend Scott "I" seemed to just 'find' them as well.. or do they find them?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0N6M4upUrjavPk5kNhhUed9iW822jHbWydGlBBC1K0117Od2IYqUxSLFA9Fns7NHFryqMwzYChaAExO7eF_jKVQKPhh_cVkbI-HqnL-mk7cIeSxRca2d63v85AfzyVOi7yUF2rElWhW3/s1600/Scott+Rainbow+Homefront+062016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0N6M4upUrjavPk5kNhhUed9iW822jHbWydGlBBC1K0117Od2IYqUxSLFA9Fns7NHFryqMwzYChaAExO7eF_jKVQKPhh_cVkbI-HqnL-mk7cIeSxRca2d63v85AfzyVOi7yUF2rElWhW3/s400/Scott+Rainbow+Homefront+062016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll finish with pics from the Hex hatch. <br />
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<strong>On 06-26</strong> we took four 20" class fish from same bend in 1 - 1.5 hour time span. A lot of people would never believe that number of trophy class fish would live or be that close together.. but they can and do.<br />
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<strong>Scott 06 - 28</strong> - A rare red phase male.. 21"<br />
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<strong>Scott 06 - 30</strong> - Hex Spinnerfall victim<br />
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Last Saturday <strong>(07-16)</strong> we met at 3:00 a.m. and dumped the boat in for a try at fishing big surface wakers. Early in Scott had one pop hard on his fly but no hook-up.. then nothing. I was up front as daylight came on and continued with confidence fishing the surface bug.. but nothing came and confidence waned. Picking up the Streamer rod we continued down through. What a great morning, misty and intermittent sprinkles but not uncomfortable. Casting into some parallel submerged wood around 30" depth on second strip I saw something coming.. it was a good fish. He slowly eased upstream about 4' then shot like a rocket the final six feet to the fly and crashed it in full on kill mode. VERY cool to be treated such a showing. The furthest I've yet to see one move / come to the fly. Several more fish were moved before we had to get out. Condition were so fantastic we decided to bite off another short section, but made complicated by the bridge crossing being torn out. Turns out we should have just kept fishing and dealt with it later. The momentum we'd built carried through another 45 minutes and multiple fish moved, but began to wane as the skies cleared and the sun began peeking through. About the time we were moving into the area KNOWN to hold giants it was out in full force and scorching. Hind sight is 20/20.. </div>
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I've had the luxury of fishing Scott's flies 90% plus so far this season. He has ruined me on the junk I've fished for years, destroying confidence in them.. Or rather the fish have! </div>
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Hope fully more to come.. </div>
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shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-2570907022896692942016-06-04T18:48:00.005-04:002016-07-06T18:40:20.298-04:00The road less traveled..<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road less traveled.. barely room for a truck to pass under those leaners.</td></tr>
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Over winters deepest extremes I can't help but look ahead towards spring. With sincere full intentions of giving serious attempt toward numerous different extremely viable options. May is a crazy month.. with so much diversity it would be impossible to actively pursue all of them. I still wish I'd do better with following through on at least 30% of the mental itinerary.<br />
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I did wake up at 4:00 a.m. not long ago and instead of fluffing up the pillow and turning over leaped ..well, rose slowly.. with the thought that it should be a good day to try a little hidden backwoods gem I used to spend a lot of time on with rod and gun both. It was one of my all to rare "smart moves"<br />
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Even getting a boat on it requires considerable effort. Back in the day the only way possible was two guys, both in hip boots, cursing between coughs from inhaling mosquitos as they drug a boat 150 feet through deep treacherous peat muck interlaced with dead cedar limbs. Over the last two decades a sort of 'hillbilly' boardwalk has been implemented, mainly from old pallets and scrap lumber. I bet there's 6' or more of old pallet base supporting the current deteriorating ones above the muck. Not a place for the meek white tennis shoe crew. On the plus side it see's decidedly less pressure than most fishing lakes with a 'civilized' access and more importantly ..the modern boat launch.<br />
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I tried to tough it out get the boat in and move off shore before using the dope (grin) but couldn't take them long enough. As a rule once off and away from shore they don't seem to be able to zero in on you as well. After a good dose of deet I drifted.. rigging the rod, an old 8' Orvis 'Western' that was picked up at bargain rate for a spare / loaner. Noticed a Loon off to the north, the direction I was drifting. He was skeptical of my intent and kept the same distance between us. Finally he ran out of lake and was being pinched into the bank. At this point he took off, skimming the surface with his wing tips for well over 100' and passing the boat less than 15' out. Times like this you wish for the capability to shoot a little video. I watched him climb to an altitude above tree tops and circle to the east then resumed rigging. In less than 30 seconds I heard a sound and barely had time to recognize it.. wings. If you've never hunted waterfowl odds are you wouldn't have known it. Anyway, all this in about 2 seconds. I looked up and the Loon passed me so close that it's still hard to believe! I would say 5 feet tops.. Startled me big time.. had he struck you at that speed and weight you'd have been stunned and dumped over the low sides of the pram boat before knowing what even hit you. I still don't know why he took such offence, there was no nest, no real reason, other than he was apparently just a cocky misanthrope Loon. A new experience for me. <br />
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Completed rigging the rod and tied a small black popper on, couple test casts and began easing the boat along the breakline. A rise well within range got the first real cast.. nothing took nor did they on the second. However I sighted another ring ahead and eased along to it and dropped the light 7 pound anchor over fixing me in place. First cast it was game on! Nice Gill<br />
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The next fish wasn't long coming. He was hooked a bit more difficult but got the popper freed without much trouble. Looking at it decided to pinch the barb.. THAT was the best move I could have made! Next fish ATE and was hooked deep. To complicate things more yet he was a smallish fish. Without forceps and a crushed barb fly I would never have gotten it. I had some other flies that were bigger and looked very promising (reason I bought a few) basically the old foam wiggle bug pattern but scaled way down from the standard Bass / Pike size. Seemed like a good time to try one, bigger fly, tougher to swallow. It's overcast big time and threatening rain.. Black was the call once again. You couldn't keep the fish off this fly! It is the epitome Bluegill fly! (Pictured in the mouth of the Bull Sunfish) With it's longer shank and crushed barb most fish didn't even have to be removed from the water to release. All you had to do was reverse the shank and wave good by. Even a deeper hooked release was a breeze with the forceps.<br />
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The day stayed DARK threatening rain that never came.. occasional brief periods of sunshine before going back to darkness. These kind of days are ones I've had epic outings on and this one did not disappoint. I fished from 5:30 a.m. to just after 3:00 p.m. before prying myself away, long out of drinking water and tired of battling the wind. The fish seemed enthused by the stiff breeze and even though it affected casting and you had to occasionally grab for your hat as it lifted off, I didn't mind. The trouble was with the light anchor.. between the waves and wind it wouldn't hold. Always a frustrating circumstance. I never saw another person all day..<br />
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..It was one of blurred casting, admiring beautiful fish.. and releasing them. The heaviest hardest pulling one came un-buttoned (naturally) Did not much phase me with present circumstances.. not a big deal. Pretty sure it was a Bass but not positive.. it ran in a big wide arc against the line tension like the other heavy Gills had, versus a Bass bulldogging at depth. I'll remember it a long time.. I did get two Bass about same size (see below)<br />
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It never ceases to amaze me how gorgeous most fish are and how perfectly adapted (color wise) to their environment they seem. <br />
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The next morning Scott and I went back, getting a later start due some responsibilities he had. We were still fishing by 8:00 a.m. It started out pretty gang busters but fell off considerably from what I had experienced the day prior. I lay it on the bright sun conditions. Still, all in all it was a good days fishing! I tied a chartreuse wiggle bug on his leader and wished I would have tied it to my own! The fish REALLY seemed to be ga ga over it. I didn't fish for the first hour or so then tried same bug in white. They did not care for it. Same with white body heavy red hackle. No go. After that I fell back on 'Old Faithful' the beat up eyes nocked off black bug from day before. They would take it.. but still not as readily as the chartreuse. An interesting observation.. now wondering if it's a constant. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott with a nice one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Copper Barring</td></tr>
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The fishing was good enough that he went back the next morning with his daughter. She's fast catching onto casting fly line ..and fish! Hopefully she'll excel at rowing drift boats as well ;-)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The future.. in fine fishing form</td></tr>
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<br />shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-23576367340154593132016-05-25T17:53:00.001-04:002016-07-06T18:41:39.609-04:00Building a strong case for RESULT..<br />
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Monday 05-23-16 found Scott and I back on the upstream reaches of our home river. I'd spent a good portion of the day going over and rigging tackle. My long neglected Scott G 803-3 has sat in the corner catching dust since I acquired the little DFR 8' 2wt. I never had a line I was satisfied with on the Scott.. that has changed! Over winter I picked up a Scientific Anglers Mastery VPT WF 3 F. A lot of people seem totally enamored with the old school DT format. I am not one of them. About the only valid point I'll concede in their favor is the fact that they can be reversed and are actually two lines for the price of one. The myth that they have a longer / finer taper is just not true in comparison to modern WF finesse tapers. There are multiple options available with front tapers that notably exceed that of any DT I've ever studied. Enough on that pet peve.. <br />
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One of the things I like with RIO and some Airflo lines is the factory loop at the rear. Looping a line on a reel is so instant and painless also increasing the efficiency of your reels, spools, and lines. I wish SA would get on board with this plan too. After reverse blind splicing a loop and nail knotting to the running line it was spun on. Now came the next step of the process.. I've been noticing how savage the conventional off the shelf leader (even on a light line) turns over a ultra-fine whispy small dry fly. Not cool.. It reminds me of trying to do finish work with a 20 ounce Estwing hammer.. it's possible but not the best tool for the job. Digging out my recipe book I built a 9' leader blood knotted and tapered down 8 steps to 5X starting with .018 butt material. Much different than the standard .023 ..or .021 if you can find them. A lot of people don't like knots complaining that they catch debris, etc.. I agree ..but where I'm fishing is pretty clean and free of weeds.. plus it's a well known fact that knotted leaders just plain turn over better. Case closed. <br />
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The last step in building a strong suit for luck was picking the right hat.. which was apparently the correct one!<br />
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The fish came easy on the second cast with biot bodied #14 Spentwing pattern. I was lucky to sight him as he wasn't rising all that regular with scarse bugs available. Had no clue on his size but confident from rise form and more so, the location. My 9 knots all held great (smiling) I love this line! Probably going to add another one or two as resources permit.<br />
<br />shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-25763961724999547752016-05-23T12:38:00.001-04:002016-06-04T19:22:44.373-04:00Full blown spring.. FINALLY<br />
Even though December was one of the mildest in memory (EXCELLENT Steel Chasing!) the spring months made up for it. March treated us to any early false sense of sweetness in the air and greening surroundings.. Only to wither into cold nights, more snow/s and dreary temps.. I don't know why anyone was even surprised (smiling)<br />
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It has finally gotten around to Spring in mid May. That unbelievable greenness that "POPS" so vibrant.. and also signals good dry fly action.<br />
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I've had a tough go trout fishing for longer than I care to contemplate. Within the first week of May I accumulated 21+ hours of streamer fishing and never hooked let alone landed a trout. Not complaining (at least not loudly) but that is pretty uncommon. Luckily things have finally broke free of the vortex.. I landed two mid sized Browns last week on the strip. <br />
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Friday 05-21-16 John Hayes, Scott and I embarked on a first light mission that really turned out very well. Numbers are never the goal with out streamer endeavors.. more like trophy hunting (hoping?) The first surprise came as we cleared the point of a long narrow flat with major gradient change, the river widening and slowing. Scott cast to the inside edge along submerged wood and grassed bank. Several strips in as he lifted into the sunk fly for next cast, speeding it up, just as it reached the surface and was going airborne VIOLENT EXPLOSION.. On the oars and looking right at his fly I had great look at the fish as it turned and left town. Not extremely heavy but lean and lengthy.. the streamlined predator profile of a meat eater. It was sizeable enough to potentially make a guys entire season with no complaint. It was also gone just as fast as it appeared. <br />
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Not long after and on same bank, depthy slack pool Scott sweeps the rod into head shaking weight.. and is just as quickly holding a slack line straight rod. States; <em>"I think it might have been a pike.. I wish the prick would give that fly back!"</em> Simultaneously a mid sized pike jumps boatside, high and shaking his gill plates.. twice more he jumped.. but never gave up the fly.<br />
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A while later as we came up on a prominent outside bend tributary mouth John cast to the inside tight to the bank in a vegetation pocket. First strip produced a hard slam and solid hook-up. I crossed the river as he played it and entered the creek mouth where they eventually landed it. Beautiful fish that broke the 20" mark so universally accepted as "trophy Brown" standard. We were elated.. the day a huge success. Quality over quantity is feast or famine.. but the desserts are so sweet!<br />
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Later in the evening we met again on the upstream reaches of same river. The Sulphers are just kicking off.. my favorite spring hatch. We all took a few fish but no real 'good ones' or pigs this eve. Skipping Saturday I was back up and met with Scott on same stretch we'd fished Friday. He'd brought his 11 year old Daughter along. It's promising to see youth so full of enthusiasm and wonderment at all the new things there are to learn.. something so rare in this modernized world we now live in. It reaffirms and defines the word hope.</div>
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Almost instantly after we'd rigged rods* and started up stream the air came alive with clouds of caddis, some stones in the mix.. sulphers started to emerge. So did the rise rings! I didn't get out of sight of our vehicles before hearing and seeing a thunderous rise at the head of a productive slack inside seam lengthy run, a long time favorite and producer of good fish. Beeing no sense in going any further up I entered the shallows, stringing line and choosing a tie. A perfect Sz 16 light Cahill from my own vise. The caddis now coming in waves, the air thick with them resembling those GIANT snowflakes on the breeze during March Steel chasing. Fish were rising heavily as far as the eye could see. All in all it was good night, I brought to hand one of the nicest Brookies from this reach in many years. The pigs eluded me though.. I had a promising riser just before dusk when the temp dropped sharply and the billowing snowflakes ended.. the rises following suit. I know his home though and there's always tonight!</div>
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*This rod is a true little gem, G Loomis IM6 964-2 (8' 4wt) I've had it a couple years without use due reel foot fitting issue. Came to me in as new condition, tube and sock included.. inside I found the warranty card. It tips my USPS digital scales at a whopping 1.6 ounce. The little Loop Nymph Wide is the only perfect fit I've found for it's slide-band seat. Just good fortune it's such a sweet spot on match!</div>
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shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-50073565928830988522015-04-21T14:55:00.001-04:002016-07-06T18:40:40.639-04:00Home front kick off<br />
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High winds nuked any thoughts entertained of spending time on big water searching for Steelbows. Wisdom is purchased by youth. John Hayes had came up and was ready to air some line. The upper river is a nice place to be at ANY time, so that was the plan.<br />
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It felt great to be back on this stretch.. just like coming home. I started out with a big twin winged cone-head Madonna. Water still quite cool / cold so swung some defined pools, slack water seams with soft strips in the mix. I did get one good grab but felt like a change regardless. That's kind of uncommon for me, don't often change unless there's an obvious need to. Like breaking off on a snag or your boat partners are getting significantly more interest. Anyway, I went with black, a color I don't choose as often as a guy should because of it's low visibility. I like to track my fly in and around structure whenever possible. Yellow has been a solid go too. <br />
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Playing around with some different single hand spey casts was as much direct result of the calander and my state of mind as necessary. It often is though so good to keep these skills in tune and build upon them. Coming down a nice little soft water pocket pool on about fourth swing.. fly is tracking perfect. BLAM.. Blasted and connected to a tail walking Brown in 1/2 seconds time! He was one of those special fish that register a lasting impression. Hard charger, jumped hard two more times then was landed. All roads merged as one and things were perfect at that moment in time. <br />
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Yesterday: spent six hours with the long rod standing in cold rain with WIND about two hours by car downstream from this spot. My hopes were high. Saw one chrome beauty of the 10 pound class roll in the surface even with me, about 60' out.. water I'd just swam the fly through a few minutes prior. Not long after I felt life force up through the line.. things and timing felt right so I swung -and missed- my solitary opportunity of the day. I'm blaming that one on the new "Connect Core" runner from RIO.. that additional feel screwed me ..lol..shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-29588284721457986752015-04-06T15:16:00.001-04:002015-04-21T14:08:48.342-04:00Attention! delayed arrivals. ETA unknown..<br />
Mother nature fooled all once again. The 'false summer' of early - mid March stalled.. into a looong extended COLD spring. Lack of precipitation has had the expected result. <br />
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Conditions were set up perfectly for a favorite trib early in the third month. With the unexpected heat wave at same time I was caught up with instant work concerns and the narrow window closed before I could make it. History repeats itself all to often.<br />
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A little over a week later I was fortunate enough to find a couple fish on a different trib. Postponing my annual B-Day fishing due to conditions paid off with a dime bright fresh in fish followed by a supreme 24" Brown Trout. Those were the only takes over a long day.. my good fortune continues to replay as day dreams while awaiting the next solid head shaking connection. <br />
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Friday 04-03-15 was not it. What it was though was a great day showing a good fishing friend one of my special reaches of water, high up on a connected trib. Plenty of snow yet in the woods and evaporating with the first rays of morning sun created an aura you could taste and feel. Dense cedar flats combined with hardwood ridges makes for a nice atmosphere. Ours were the first tracks in many places. The river was surprisingly high with a little stain. Good fortune from a few years of decent water has restored the ground table supply. When I first fished this trib you could only cross at very specific points and you'd better not stub your toe. Usually there was a beaver stake or two stationed near by in the shape of a perfect wading staff. You picked one up and crossed, then left it handy on the other bank. It's been several years since wading this water due a couple reasons I wont delve into here. I've missed it. It was nostalgic looking over the bank on the run a good friend and I were gifted with our first hook-up ever. A big Buck that shell shocked us with casual display of raw power.. and promptly severed the fragile connection we had only just established with barely enough time to recognize before it was gone. It was enough. We were hooked. Pic from 04-03-15 below<br />
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shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-8488586479804532112014-11-29T23:50:00.000-05:002016-05-25T18:52:48.743-04:00Do you believe in kharma?Today I bailed on a family Thanks Giving Dinner and went fishing.. but not without guilt. The end result was extremely exciting though.
Conditions just don't often cooperate for winter fishing, especially when your working full time. That seems to stiffen your chances of hitting a decent day on a week-end considerably. That being the case when the odds favored us I didn't hesitate much. The river had just received a BIG push of water less than a week ago and was almost settled back in to the same flows. Late November - and all through the next month have proven to be my best luck with Steel on this particular tributary.
Typical of me I was off to a too late start but had the perseverance to stick with the plan. Made the hike in and rigged up. Stepping into the water and making the first casts, a little higher than necessary to hopefully shake out any cob webs before reaching the real holding areas. Casting was pretty solid. I'd drug along my 12'6" 7/8 Guideline Lecie and Loop Danielsson 8/11 reel which is 4.25 inch diameter (for reference) A couple years ago I'd picked up a RIO Scandi Short Versi-Tip 6wt and this head is a very good match for the rod. Earlier this fall I'd added a Intermediate body to the kit and coupled with the 10' type 6 tip it was a spot on match for the water conditions, which are very decidedly UP from the past few seasons. I'd forgotten to put my thermometer back in but the water feels alarmingly COLD already. It's not that uncommon to go into December still above 40* but I'm pretty sure it was well below that.
The first run I hit has the best and historically most productive water beginning not far below the start, there's a nice lengthy crescent shaped divit in the bank that offers an additional current break. I worked it slowly and made sure it was covered well, losing one fly to the bottom in the process. There's a distinct feature in this run that averages a half hour - forty minutes to reach and signifies the furthest down I've ever taken a Steelbow. It's always a bit depressing once you reach it without a pull. However,there's a considerable amount of water still below it, and I have taken some VERY nice Browns from it through the years. There's an area that's slowly but surely been evolving over the seasons. Changing into a deep but ultra slow center channel run. I'd gotten a good start on it and my swing was coming across right in the gut when it got picked off. Not the light 'tick' variety nor the full on slam, but an assertive take that ate up the loop I was carrying under my index in short order. When it came tight to the reel I gave it a solid 'pop' to be sure.. and all hell broke loose. The first run was long and continuous, surging heavily with boils near the surface. I was certain it must be Steel, seemed way to rowdy for a Brown. With no advance warning the fish jumped, WAY upstream of where my line had just been but was no longer! Reeling like crazy I caught up and was still connected. The fish began jumping and running, definitely Steel.. BIG steel. He shredded the pool to a froth and jumped so many time I lost count. Then the moment was at hand, I had him whipped. What the hell? Where did that line come from? There was extra mono in play! Yikes.. well wrapped into the lower head and sink tip. It was touchy business but I was able to untangle my line from the refuse, at one point I had to release all tension to the fish and thread my rod through the stuff. Thankfully it came up tight again and in short time I swept him into a little pocket just inside the shoreline break. WHAT A FISH, my god he looked enormous, waves of elation were washing over me and increasing the intoxication. WHAT A FISH!
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Shell shocked I quickly shot a couple pics and pulled the fly. A small Olive Sculpin that shows up when image is enlarged. My Deer season Buck faded back into the depths..
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<strong>The Kharma:</strong> That's when I notice my feet are still tangled in line. The same piece of crap I feared would prevent me from landing this incredible fish. I started chasing it down, I never leave something like this in the water or bank side. I couldn't come up with an end? I tracked it waaay up-stream and dead ended my self in water to deep to wade with the line solidly lodged on something still well up above me. Thinking that was the terminal end I reversed direction and chased it downstream well beyond the place my fish was landed in. I was and am STILL blown away by the amount of length involved. By this time I'm hoping there's a rod on the downstream end! After braving going out on a submerged sweeper a long ways over deep water I made some headway and got the line cleared. It is without doubt BY FAR the longest full section of line I've ever removed, easily exceeding 200 yards and covering two bends of river. It was a job retrieving it and ate up well over an hour that could have been spent fishing. But I stuck with the task hoping to balance the scales of kharma. I'm not sorry I did.. How could you improve on the day?? Oddly, there was no hook, shot, or lure at either end. What kind of a person just lets 200+ yards of about 12 pound mono spool off in a pristine river? I'm ever puzzled with stupidity.
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The fish measured 35" and had not missed a meal since leaving the spawning redd. I'm guessing him at about 17 pounds.. a little heavy for length but his girth supports it. My largest to date Steelbow and may never be bested. What a beast and incredible gift to briefly touch.
shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-51864015465483621012014-11-29T22:35:00.000-05:002014-11-29T22:35:04.485-05:00Where does time go..
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Has it really been just over two years since I've written a blog post? Many apologies for anyone that's checked in here and seen only the same. Mourning the death of our old XP desktop has been tough.. Windows 8 I could live without!
shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-69560860772940907132012-11-19T14:36:00.000-05:002012-11-20T23:21:19.875-05:00Wildcats & Result
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Spent the afternoon of 10-08 hanging around watching my Dad work on loading ammo for his new rifle, a Kimber MDL 84 'Montana' chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. This was a bit more involved than with std cartidges as there wasn't any new nickel stock available. Time was short so he decided to fire form his own using std 280 Remington casings. The Ackley Improved* version [left front] reshaped the case wall & shoulder angle creating more powder capacity.. easily seen in picture.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P.O._Ackley - .280 Remington Ackley Improved, an improved version of the 280 Remington cartridge with 40 degree shoulder, dies readily available. <b>It duplicates the ballistics of the vaunted 7mm Remington Mag, with 30% less propellant used and less barrel erosion.</b>
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Good friend of the family Dennis B fire forms the test loads.
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The rifle & Leupold 4.5 - 14X weighed in barely above 6 1/2 pounds.. and yet nipping at the heels of Remington's 7mm magnum ballistics & energy.
The next morning it was headed west to Colorado. Included in group; Dad, Denny B and life time friend co-conspiritor, Tom G.
Bull Elk <i>had</i> for some unknown reason managed to elude him.. despite countless hours spent in CO, WY, MT, & ID. Not one to take the easy routes he'll always go straight up rather than switch back. A peek to his dedication, during a Manitoba Whitetail hunt he logged 31hrs & 40 minutes on an open platform stand in single diget temps with wind before seeing his first deer. A great Buck that came home with him. This Elk hunt took a different turn. The Bull never knew what hit him and piled right in his tracks, never attempting to get back up. Several people have asked him if he found the bullet and what did it look like? He just smiles and tells them "<i>as far as I know, it's still going</i>".
Couple more pics I have on hand from the decades of seasons he's been wearing out vibram soles.
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Montana 2007
shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-17115113874614798772012-07-01T08:43:00.006-04:002012-07-01T09:53:58.829-04:00Shadow of the Hex<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcogQ0S7PlrYmQfPJkhcqlm5ogPkkVZXlEoRogRYbyIc3fFRzGxuInQzIoz5wxxcnFo1ZU16uk1mzM8t8aRe08o5mI0aaN4zVzzzx2Gmyd3Nd5x58oaKYnAuO516ZjHuRVRJ_O_1krTM7/s1600/061612McNeally.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcogQ0S7PlrYmQfPJkhcqlm5ogPkkVZXlEoRogRYbyIc3fFRzGxuInQzIoz5wxxcnFo1ZU16uk1mzM8t8aRe08o5mI0aaN4zVzzzx2Gmyd3Nd5x58oaKYnAuO516ZjHuRVRJ_O_1krTM7/s400/061612McNeally.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760184005778484082" /></a><br /><br />Fishing continues to be great.. but I'm pretty sure the grand finale has played out. Hex bugs were quite spotty and other than a few spinners I saw none. No tears to be shed here though, the fish were still on the grab in a BIG way. So many people insist on fishing the giant flies.. even when it's counter productive. I've always been baffled why anyone would lob a 1.5" MONSTA leashed up with 0x on top of a good fish feeding in daylight on #18 - #12 spentwings. To each their own I guess.. Personally, I'd rather take a good fish on a small fly anyday of the week. The scarcness of giants worked towards that means, getting the fish looking up, but not so totally glutted that they became jaded. Just snappy and willing to take a well presented fly. I've threatend for years to ignore the Hex season and all the infectious energy it brings [admittedly, with good reason] There are other sections of river, and other rivers, with none on them.. and by default no other anglers either. I never tied a Hex pattern on this season. They say theres a first time for everything.<br /><br />John with a good fish. Bear in mind he's 6'4" with large hands.<br /><br />Pic two: John plying his favorite summer tactic, dark thirty and big waking flies.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg05eIBtSMqLpQF7GSoR0KJe5l4b0cikZV_MItQtS_NYSzFe7InzVuu_T0DNvxcFGSr7ZtfGH-w-kDyfL_lDvAZWmt2NlUsp20hbeN9Xiet_4dp4ecaQu5iZ8RC881MqOjanec59LNAG0x/s1600/BelowSunSet061712+003+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg05eIBtSMqLpQF7GSoR0KJe5l4b0cikZV_MItQtS_NYSzFe7InzVuu_T0DNvxcFGSr7ZtfGH-w-kDyfL_lDvAZWmt2NlUsp20hbeN9Xiet_4dp4ecaQu5iZ8RC881MqOjanec59LNAG0x/s400/BelowSunSet061712+003+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760186519787567922" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKwi5ir5wqxQAxKog_DGrpbmA2-gQtAFhc121rDwR_DY_ovyX5Uu_6om1xikUGR3HqehU69-1ZkC45ikOo79SV9iO6OZ-8ckiHRL0dVnCWafg5JcHbwMJ6DutrIneH4slrkvE-7CSBl_X/s1600/JH_Waker_UpperSection.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKwi5ir5wqxQAxKog_DGrpbmA2-gQtAFhc121rDwR_DY_ovyX5Uu_6om1xikUGR3HqehU69-1ZkC45ikOo79SV9iO6OZ-8ckiHRL0dVnCWafg5JcHbwMJ6DutrIneH4slrkvE-7CSBl_X/s400/JH_Waker_UpperSection.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760188694788086194" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This guy put a bend in the rod in a big way. Sucked down my favorite mid-June pattern with zero hesitation on second shot.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe8nyRVwXNyUl-WtBQ8fzAJQNy3mbkf0AlzbtJ2nKyl0Rsg7stDj7yZsvEbXYP3KE8D7ZsDzFKDWACSxcrripDM8ePjWW5paiZa9-mSbv85VncHsFDqo9ERsLRiTl8Ffb37cLybEtYWAU/s1600/BelowSunSet061712+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe8nyRVwXNyUl-WtBQ8fzAJQNy3mbkf0AlzbtJ2nKyl0Rsg7stDj7yZsvEbXYP3KE8D7ZsDzFKDWACSxcrripDM8ePjWW5paiZa9-mSbv85VncHsFDqo9ERsLRiTl8Ffb37cLybEtYWAU/s400/BelowSunSet061712+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5760198486653847874" /></a>shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-82045458370824747152012-06-15T07:47:00.004-04:002012-06-15T08:48:22.303-04:00Prospecting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlTzgzRLC71txw2vgwPHbx4-mMMG1GN1p6I2YvNE0rB03EuWeKTNF5u5uDdacRgf-W-8GgBQSeyRyppb5ceGQQyKp6rEm8W99uTxNrx_5-tDLv7oTALACp_WEvu5_DK0cMJqXjkIfWxIW/s1600/RiverHome061412+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlTzgzRLC71txw2vgwPHbx4-mMMG1GN1p6I2YvNE0rB03EuWeKTNF5u5uDdacRgf-W-8GgBQSeyRyppb5ceGQQyKp6rEm8W99uTxNrx_5-tDLv7oTALACp_WEvu5_DK0cMJqXjkIfWxIW/s400/RiverHome061412+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5754230043425895794" /></a><br /><br />I will go on record and say that summer is here. Great on the obvious front -the fishing is currently pretty spectacular- but also concerning that time has flew by so fast. Don't know why I'm surprised with the pattern manifesting.. every year seems to whirl through quicker than the one before.<br /><br />I've been doing some water prospecting and it paid off big last eve. Fish was a real toad.. heavy. Not a great pic, considerable bend in him, but I'll take it.. and gladly! Tough to get decent quick photo on your own within brief few seconds of unpinning the fly. Dusky / dark light conditions are no help.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmm1uGRJ733fys9vbRH9vjKdCYx3YzCdHVIOPD9mfNLjQxE5YiZwIVjV0kpP6DImhq3JUELmXnKmAaseXcnTrDo8uxkaQiJzCBYHhRSymLaBCld57u3GXN2oDvpXq03FPwm5QEnwjizlk/s1600/RiverHome061412+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmm1uGRJ733fys9vbRH9vjKdCYx3YzCdHVIOPD9mfNLjQxE5YiZwIVjV0kpP6DImhq3JUELmXnKmAaseXcnTrDo8uxkaQiJzCBYHhRSymLaBCld57u3GXN2oDvpXq03FPwm5QEnwjizlk/s400/RiverHome061412+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5754235947424779218" /></a><br /><br />Bugs were unreal both in amounts and variety. Spinners, emergers, terrestrials.. Maylies, Stones, and Caddis in wide range of sizes. No shortage and plenty to keep you guessing what each riser might be looking for. Fish down here seem to be quite spooky. I've put down a couple now after only one cast. Interestingly, they both false rose on the fly then left town. Ones up above seem a lot more beligerent sometimes displaying an indignant attitude towards your clumsy efforts. The ultimate 'flip you the fin' when they move up down or over several feet and continue feeding.. talk about feeling incompetent! I have a friend with a theory; <em>"fish that have seen virtually no pressure are ultra sensitive to it. Much more so than ones living in popular sections."</em> I whole heartedly agree.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-21383429531861745882012-06-06T23:02:00.001-04:002012-06-06T23:42:22.726-04:00Game on<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8P98qy_w3hwRxjydviK4QvYo73vrKYUV-1bHCzo3ltWQ3LkMuqav1xHIVd1ZgmAPxhLRKmUN2S-IM6iSJJUfAJtiqS6PJKdJOtwPFoCTToJ0XFlUCQaMTi8dDwieBcBSz1XzXPaLJSPEO/s1600/HomeFront060612+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8P98qy_w3hwRxjydviK4QvYo73vrKYUV-1bHCzo3ltWQ3LkMuqav1xHIVd1ZgmAPxhLRKmUN2S-IM6iSJJUfAJtiqS6PJKdJOtwPFoCTToJ0XFlUCQaMTi8dDwieBcBSz1XzXPaLJSPEO/s400/HomeFront060612+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5751125686495701458" /></a><br /><br />First time out with new line for the little CND. Last fall friend Forrest had me trial his 5/6 SRO Vector on it. The line felt pretty good, as good as any tried so far. However, I was pretty curious what a Vector 4/5 might feel like on it.. but if the call had to be made I'd have chosen the 5/6 based on the satisfactory results. MJC at the Red Shed Fly Shop was kind enough to sell me one line but shipped both. I'm super glad I waited and feel fortunate for that favor.. the 4/5 is a dream on the little Speytracker!<br /><br />We were hit with multiple days of steady soaking rain starting on friday 06-01. Three plus inches. I went out on Sunday 06-03 to try the lines and could barely get away from the river bank in an area thats normally knee to mid-thigh depth. Thick chocalate milk.. Heading upstream this eve I stopped at first crossing for a peek. She's still up high but much MUCH clearer.. only a modest stain. Aproaching my riffle the air had that fishy scent to it that only rainfall brings. Quite a few caddis buzzing about but not much sign of sailboats.. Tied on a #10 soft hackle pheasant tail and began working line out. Did I mention how amazing this line is? Worked down a ways and had one halfhearted roll on my fly. 15 minutes go by and I get a pluck. Haven't seen nor heard a rise.. Nice little soft water pocket on the far bank just inside the seam, the head & two rod lengths of run line reach it in good shape. Third swing and I get old familier feeling <em>..this is the shot..</em> sure enough a fish rolls on it, smacking it's lips in the film.. line comes up tight and reel starts to sing.. What the zxvxxz!! I was expecting a tiddler or bit larger fish. Out in the main flow it put good bend in the rod. After slugging it out a bit swam upstream to me, my break. No trophy but what a solid picture of health 18" chunker! Not a bad way to put the first stretch to a fresh line. <br /><br />This seasons looking promising.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-49390385131972088322012-06-04T16:45:00.000-04:002012-06-04T16:45:26.560-04:002wt gets bent<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu8lKAbFTTPmMx22k9IqbcKv6Nradhu-IGwPvL1K_306fc2eWpjy51j9JyiBOVNCOPxfZaDC4ADIJ9ERpgHuv0zRT1car1Q80DvgKmqcGGT4WfsC2dqBl7mmvQMT8c2ko_CFR2RSEroQR/s1600/052012_UpperManistee_2wt+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu8lKAbFTTPmMx22k9IqbcKv6Nradhu-IGwPvL1K_306fc2eWpjy51j9JyiBOVNCOPxfZaDC4ADIJ9ERpgHuv0zRT1car1Q80DvgKmqcGGT4WfsC2dqBl7mmvQMT8c2ko_CFR2RSEroQR/s400/052012_UpperManistee_2wt+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" /></a>
05/20 found me back up river meeting John Hayes near one of our usual haunt areas. Tonights hope was to [with any luck] encounter some spinner fall activity. I went down into a familier stretch that has treated me well early in the season more than once. Things looked grim as for promising rises. I brought out the 2 ounce DFR 8' 2wt that has been in my possession about a year now. Changed up reels for a lighter one and it was decided improvement. I finally got antsy enough to cast over one of the small trout rising periodically. Unsure whether it's just me but I've not found these little guys to be quite the pushover most people take them for. He wouldn't touch my fly.. Finally as the sun fell behind the treeline with the black flies & mosquitos turning it up a notch.. so did the Trout. As I slowly waded downstream coming around a prominent point on <i>inside</i> of bend there was a subtle rise just on slack side of seam created. A few minutes of observation disclosed two fish seperated by 15' I stalked in and made my first attempt which looked good but no go.. The trout rose again, quite tight to the grass line. Next cast was money and he sipped my Sz 16 spent wing with confidence. I lifted into solid weight, I'm not sure the fish even knew he was hooked at first. A little more pressure woke him up but he never panicked, just swam slowly and powerfully out into the main trough of the river and began head shaking. I leaned on him a bit and he ran for the other bank, line hissing off the little Loop. Getting him stopped was a mental dilema with 5x tip but it held. A few more powerfull but shorter drives were halted and he was led into the grass. The little 2wt had done well!shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-81070424798656562952012-06-04T16:14:00.000-04:002012-06-04T16:14:31.026-04:00Old Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqgiJpKGn3JKXMTnTnXMhKNCzj-pjOK6TN8-oVcAhDyeYqJJ12NjfHdVZCIahAwSpCDK9iUuBXAF0If7LeykPSDLirQZZnxkgW35PWJoKQpfFhPI6CGTb0iZ8X68dJQkzpCpqY_7tR4Or/s1600/051812_UpperManistee+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqgiJpKGn3JKXMTnTnXMhKNCzj-pjOK6TN8-oVcAhDyeYqJJ12NjfHdVZCIahAwSpCDK9iUuBXAF0If7LeykPSDLirQZZnxkgW35PWJoKQpfFhPI6CGTb0iZ8X68dJQkzpCpqY_7tR4Or/s400/051812_UpperManistee+%2528Large%2529.jpg" /></a>
Another upper river outing 05/18 with Son [one of my oldest friends] had me feeling kind of unsure due the amount of boat traffic and at one of the camps where I've never seen anyone there was quite a shindig going on. I was 150 yards away and could keep up with all of one side and most of the other in ongoing discussion! Not really my style.. best part was as the sun went down & bugs came out FIERCE the partiers went indoors. The boat traffic all passed together [only 3] which is as much as can be hoped for with boats. Still seemed awful early for this kind of activity.. usually mid june before reaching this level. Hitting the banks and traveling a good clip upstream was best move I could have made. Arriving at bend in mind disclosed active risers. A closer inspection identified them to be Sulphers.. my 'bug of choice'. I'd dug out my old Orvis 8'6" 4wt.. another old friend that had been neglected to long. It was still just as nice casting as remembered. Really can't imagine a better rod format for this size water. The fish proved a bit finicky or my fly was caught lacking. At any rate I rose three and landed [basically] two.. the bigger one coming off at my feet while fumbling with the camera. Daylight was now gone.. even in years past when my eyes were much better I always wished that magical 15 - 20 minutes could be stretched.
Walking back down to the vehicle took me right by the party camp.. nine vehicles at this tiny cabin! No wonder such a noisy place.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-75641391117293232612012-06-04T16:06:00.001-04:002012-06-04T16:06:13.634-04:00Spring Streamers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH99-pGVcc89yr7bpCeXxViih2BGY5y7U6ItKw_y14bakPX5LX6gA0rGbIXcekzZJlw3PjHpJIzDzaGrow5Wkpw_anhUv8CjqT5CN38jgdobl25g7qjASb7zav5Ihw51sd0tRJR6goh19/s1600/050612_UpperManistee+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH99-pGVcc89yr7bpCeXxViih2BGY5y7U6ItKw_y14bakPX5LX6gA0rGbIXcekzZJlw3PjHpJIzDzaGrow5Wkpw_anhUv8CjqT5CN38jgdobl25g7qjASb7zav5Ihw51sd0tRJR6goh19/s400/050612_UpperManistee+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" /></a>
First, I'd like to extend an apology for the faithfull who have continued checking for fresh posts. It's greatly appreciated. I ended up A LOT busier this past winter than planned. Weak excuse but true.
The local rivers are in great shape, right now on a big spike since multi days of rain totalling over 3"
Sunday, May 6 turned out to be a great day chosen. John Hayes & I hit the water bright & early for a day of Streamers on the Upper Manistee. One of those all to rare occasions when the weather actually cooporates. It stayed cloudy / overcast all day with only a few sprinkles of rain. Only once did I think seriously about reaching for my rain shell but never did. The fish were grabby, after the first couple hours chartreuse established itself as colour of the day. We never hit any 'big' fish but plenty of nice ones in low to mid teens, john had one to hand that would have hit 15" - 16" and I had a good chase by one we had no qualms labeling NICE.
John had afternoon obligations and no time to spare after hitting the skids of our takeout. I left my waders on and rod rigged, placed in backseat. John's the 'up high' guy on the upper river sections.. me, I cut my teeth on waters quite a bit lower and had a couple runs in mind if I could summon the energy to stop on way back down. As it was I'd convinced myself to just call it a day and go home.. until I drove past my turnout road and there were no tracks, old or new, only a blank slate. It was more than I could let go, so hooked reverse, backed up and turned in. A modest hike put me into and area that just feels like arriving home. The river is up and rolling at good brisk business like pace. I wondered if I'd be able to cross where I [almost] always have. It's hairy, enough push to shove you lower threatening to up-end me. What a relief to start back up out of the trough. She's reminding me of the old days when you didn't just wade with impudence but better be on top of your game on all points. Raining again now.. just a nice sprinkle occasionally settling back to mist.. sweet spring scents in the air.
Starting at the low end junction of a nice split my streamer isn't really getting down quite the way I'd like it to. This water is MOVING. I start casting a bit higher and mending.. instead of stripping just animating the fly with light pulls. It's helping but I'm getting more sceptical with each cast, the water is fairly cold still. Almost convinced to reel up and move on I get whammed out of the blue by a strong tough customer. The water speed is really working to his advantage, rod is a GLX Classic 9' 6wt.. no weak kneed willow wand but he's still putting a big time bend in it! Finally I get him steered into some softer water and after a couple hard burst runs he's mine. What a gorgeous Trout. Pictures could never od justice at some moments and this is definetley one of them. The cold high water, his supercharged strength, golden buttery red spotted flanks & metallic 'dime' spot on cheeks with prominent kype all came together to represent quite a specimen and forge a moment I won't forget. Not many fish have that effect, this one is among that cadre. Pic is decieving as most of him is hanging vertical.
Took one other about 15" and left with a new lease on state of mind.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRnXcggyBCP8id_OtzirSncMfobbKfcNWDR1p98kCy-eBHDS-dxpQq_dR9kKl6LiKzw5nvvIZIbRv6vCVtMZDrTTtyNR5syau7U-n79N5pEbaZTEXdpTkQx4IT_mEz1Srma0NzKbA39cK/s1600/050612_UpperManistee+006+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRnXcggyBCP8id_OtzirSncMfobbKfcNWDR1p98kCy-eBHDS-dxpQq_dR9kKl6LiKzw5nvvIZIbRv6vCVtMZDrTTtyNR5syau7U-n79N5pEbaZTEXdpTkQx4IT_mEz1Srma0NzKbA39cK/s400/050612_UpperManistee+006+%2528Large%2529.jpg" /></a>shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-88922218176039196322011-12-26T17:44:00.004-05:002011-12-26T19:13:26.769-05:00Home Waters<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4uA_uTJyelcFEKtLpZTmCmLWiOwj3Q1BsWL8Pg_PVQAB_1LAEyMHL3RA-3izODVjKeU1CKKq11_RfyuWIa09TYgnX9z2MquM26c4MLxYeoSftW8xDjyE3rCYT3VUh746Nw6Y-1FKJdBU/s1600/HomeFront122611+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4uA_uTJyelcFEKtLpZTmCmLWiOwj3Q1BsWL8Pg_PVQAB_1LAEyMHL3RA-3izODVjKeU1CKKq11_RfyuWIa09TYgnX9z2MquM26c4MLxYeoSftW8xDjyE3rCYT3VUh746Nw6Y-1FKJdBU/s400/HomeFront122611+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690591310842870482" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />With the holidays present it's been pretty easy to get lax.. visit with friends family and over indulge at an alarming level. We're still enjoying very light snow condition for this time of year. Have had a couple 'fishable' days [temps that would have kept guides from icing or at least been minimal] that should have been capitalized on.. but weren't. <br /><br />Today I managed to laze around all of the morning before looking at the thermometer again.. 39*F! Trouble being that a good brisk breeze had picked up, not good on the wide open marsh - estuarys of my favored haunts only a stone toss from Lake Michigan. Thinking of the 3 hour round trip drive.. even my weak math skills brought things into focus. Jumping into some cloths & tossing gear in the truck it would, at best, be after 2:00 p.m. before getting the first cast off. Plan B was implemented.. fish the home waters. This is no small placid trout stream, she's all river, just lacking runs of potomodrous fish. <br /><br />The winter of 2011 is the first one since regulations and general season have been in effect [unsure what year that would have been] that I could legally fish this huge section of water. The pull of 'connected' tribs is always strong but there are some very good residents -mostly Browns- living local. With dry flies and stripped streamer I live for and on this water ..spring summer and fall.. seldom going anywhere else.. no need.. but never the chance to fish it in winter.<br /><br />It seemed the drive had hardly started and I was there. A bit of a bushwhack in to where I'd mentally slated to start. All kinds of tracks.. none of them men. I love this remote area and feel unbelievably fortunate to have grown up and continue to live here.<br /><br />Casting the little CND was going well, I fell into a rythem and stepped down the run covering some very good looking water. Not a nip lip nor half hearted grab to show for it 40 minutes later and at the tail. My guess; it was just a touch quick paced for holding. <br /><br />More bushwhacking across a couple flats into the head of a nice run, just below a sweet split, surface heavily broken by submerged rock. Quite a stretch of straight before turning into a bend. I'd covered most the straight with again no pulls. Just into the head of the bend as I'm daytripping casting on auto pilot I get cracked.. manage to put in a decent set and am now hooked up. Fish is instantly airborne once, then twice. Probably about a pound and a half but I'm unsure just what variety. Cast was long and my eyes that never were that great are less now.. couldn't define. No matter it was off. Guessing a Rainbow purely by the instant acrobatics and snow white clean belly. I've seen plenty of Browns go ariel but not really in same fashion. <br /><br />I start wondering about the hooks barb, or lack of. I'd crushed it as soon as knot was in place. A few more swings and I'm right into the 'gut' of the bend, theres a little soft spot on a midstream seam where the fly slows and all but stalls. I'm giving it the slow teaser strokes through there and sure enough it gets blasted HARD. Whatever it is is weighty.. the big wide head shakes reverberate up through the rod right down into the grips! Fish is just sulking mostly while I try to get on the reel. he makes a sudden run at me and I strip hard but no avail.. he's gone. This hurts, that was no 18" fish.. I'm getting my tail kicked! Having second and third thoughts about crushing that barb. Getting down into the tail of the bend something grabs on as I began stripping in. Feels like a minnow in comparison to that last one! As he comes in he turns into a decent little Brown, very healthy and fat. Good signs. He was even kind enough to hold there near the rod while I fumbled for the camera.. the fly had fallen out again ..lol.. Not sure what to make of that.. I've always enjoyed very good luck fishing crushed barbs. Sun was dropping below the ridge so I called it a day with the one to hand. I'll be back on it though.. there are some BRUISERS here ..lurking & hungry.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xu_2PuIEKuH5fyNBDc5SCV_UJTTom8ZoS9bvh4iA9esezQrzeZNZnNVcViloHmlb7JcQ7T-IRkp2-WV4N1ZrEWuiBF_6Z7BdGOaqMR5VwQT2eEK-USSQuuWvPTbzXZxXXWA3X0wEcHa_/s1600/HomeFront122611+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xu_2PuIEKuH5fyNBDc5SCV_UJTTom8ZoS9bvh4iA9esezQrzeZNZnNVcViloHmlb7JcQ7T-IRkp2-WV4N1ZrEWuiBF_6Z7BdGOaqMR5VwQT2eEK-USSQuuWvPTbzXZxXXWA3X0wEcHa_/s400/HomeFront122611+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690589571686375538" /></a>shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-551067074348727092011-12-11T12:02:00.009-05:002011-12-11T13:32:50.968-05:00New Trout Spey ~ Winter Seasons kick offHow bright he is.. even outshining the reel seat!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW58iq0SBk9HIsJLdrxkabPZzGEcBJ8zYgfM3niJqU_u2MHgypuInfuIr_2ahAM65GnaehCa2AQntH58Jf5fA8mt7-ArtdGv53XnJKAEThP093ck-xepokcobewybkgeAaws3fr6Sym_6N/s1600/Trib_C_120411+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW58iq0SBk9HIsJLdrxkabPZzGEcBJ8zYgfM3niJqU_u2MHgypuInfuIr_2ahAM65GnaehCa2AQntH58Jf5fA8mt7-ArtdGv53XnJKAEThP093ck-xepokcobewybkgeAaws3fr6Sym_6N/s400/Trib_C_120411+002+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684931370786420354" /></a><br />It's been an odd fall early winter so far but you'll hear no complaints from me! Water levels are up considerably with the good fortune enjoyed from earlier multiple significant rain falls.. also leading fresh fish up the tribs. No accumilation of snow ..yet.. An unusual circumstance for my home front. <br /><br />Sunday, 12-04 I made first journey of the fall season to a smaller river that fishes best [for me] latter november into winter. It was obvious flows were increased but I was about to be confronted with just how much! Getting in at a normal realiable crossing point and approaching the channel I wasn't long finding the tops of my heavy neos . No worries, I simply dropped down a few yards and tried again with same result [feeling first pressure seeps in groin area.. YIKES] Getting impatient, I dropped several more feet and <strong>ass</strong>ertively started fwd intent on crossing.. almost at wader tops and midway into next step the fact was borne home that I was not yet on floor of channel but that there was <em>another</em> step down still. I teetered on the brink a second thinking this might be a very short day.. With the current pushing there wasn't much time so with a leap of faith I turned hard and made a big bouncing tip-toe step back.. and luckily came up with solid footing above water line. First lucky break of the day and though I didn't know it at the time ..not the last.<br /><br /> Today was Maiden fishing voyage for my new 'Trout' rod, CND Speytracker 12'2" 5wt line. Caught on opposite bank forced me to restructure my pool route and I was unsure if I'd be able to make the cast needed to reach the holding water, a tight deep outside bend with considerable depth. Not easy wading in the head of my casting station either, always a challenge even in low water. Nearest line fit I had on hand was a 9/10/11 Windcutter ..Yes I'm serious.. well most of it anyway, being one of the older versions I'd disconnected both fwd tips one and two leaving only the body of 23' @ approximate 330 grain. A mini integrated skagit thats been around and in use gaining on a decade. 8' of sink tip then the fly, a black UV bodied skulpin with orange throat. Casting was sketchy getting going but I'd tried a couple combos on my test water 5 minutes from home. I knew it would be passable with right stroke combination. Fished length of this pool without a pull but benefit of casts improving. That was good news as one of best pools was next on roster. <br /><br />Starting next pool I considered changing out tip and fly, the water was up that much. Opted not to and not long in, just at the head of the Steelbow bucket portion, I get good solid 'plucks' twice. I knew there was no way this was bottom.. Backed up a few steps and came at it again ..No go.. Dissapointing. Continued down through the long pool arriving at a deeper slow center channel thats always appealed to me but never produced. About midway down the fly stops.. and I lift into solid headshaking weight. The Zenith sounds off, back and forth a couple times and my suspicions of the powerfull bulldog antics are confirmed as I get first glimpes down in water collum. It's a Brown, a very nice Brown! My luck held and he was landed.. what a beaut!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4neT8df4KHlm0Id8E9dpb4abn7c0NLnsrY1Pgyl17lIkO_x4-qwMqPMgwox6EHPpuJKhNNmKKU2sGXJ6Bw1jOSM2qUYI7V636PquzPJvUXiZJGCrIDsJbQy54DSNa63Ws7oAKpoFT3_E0/s1600/Trib_C_120411+005+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4neT8df4KHlm0Id8E9dpb4abn7c0NLnsrY1Pgyl17lIkO_x4-qwMqPMgwox6EHPpuJKhNNmKKU2sGXJ6Bw1jOSM2qUYI7V636PquzPJvUXiZJGCrIDsJbQy54DSNa63Ws7oAKpoFT3_E0/s400/Trib_C_120411+005+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684930007896379954" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BzxzexMr6_0wh4ZW4BtgMCPWJsCRM78DmtU37CWAFVKjFjLjUmcKWDPj9U4ZSX21HAURBIfdLyLTrBisFetrW4W69Psqcpm9sylBLyiMZMlr1hcubs73QxIAzk3KUNBk_pPaLqI3rFjt/s1600/Trib_C_120411+007+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BzxzexMr6_0wh4ZW4BtgMCPWJsCRM78DmtU37CWAFVKjFjLjUmcKWDPj9U4ZSX21HAURBIfdLyLTrBisFetrW4W69Psqcpm9sylBLyiMZMlr1hcubs73QxIAzk3KUNBk_pPaLqI3rFjt/s400/Trib_C_120411+007+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684930585989672690" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Went back up to head of pool, wanted to try the plucker again. Re-tied with a fairly loud Temple Dog tube friend Forrest had gifted me last year. Right in the fish zone he came again, once more a couple good taps was all he gave. Oh well, save some for seed.<br /><br />Crossed the stream at 'old reliable' [more groin seeps] nip & tuck but made it, thankfully. Swung same tie through a known producer with no plucks offered. By this time the wind is picking up, chilling big time. One more pool.. it's a bastard to fish but has produced enough to make it worthy of effort. Funky mid-stream back eddy, considerable depth.. current seam and undercut bank on opposite bank. Could barely get in the water with extra flows.. brush tight to back. Made a quick pass that left me feeling less than satisfied with my presentation. This pool changes hugely with water height, it's almost like an entire new set of rules each time. Starting back up at head of bucket trying a couple things different on about fourth cast it's the one you occasionally recognize as 'it'.. Just as I was thinking 'that should get cracked' BLAM it did! Instantely tearing up the pool and jumping, the nice fresh skipper pictured at front of this post. A fine gift to close out the day.. and illustrating how big of a factor presentation is. That fish had seen the same fly multiple times and only with the change did it turn him on.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-33291496765815460932011-11-17T21:34:00.006-05:002011-11-26T11:19:07.726-05:00On the strip.. finally<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2G0Z0E8lsnP6be8P3PwReMD5eRNQZQYN9p8Ta37x6mKz3CvdDZnxM58VAQVR_TKDh5Yft4EBoXpADTpk_sLnkGKxDD8TKRBzvqRCN5YpfsQnHfWGwXqYEEYzjU6LwfoSACxoIpECWcRIz/s1600/smolt_Pete_%2526I_11_13_08_%25237+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2G0Z0E8lsnP6be8P3PwReMD5eRNQZQYN9p8Ta37x6mKz3CvdDZnxM58VAQVR_TKDh5Yft4EBoXpADTpk_sLnkGKxDD8TKRBzvqRCN5YpfsQnHfWGwXqYEEYzjU6LwfoSACxoIpECWcRIz/s400/smolt_Pete_%2526I_11_13_08_%25237+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676170749192578162" /></a><br /><br />With the recent 'buzz' in the air [o.k, more like on the forums] concerning whether Steel will take a stripped fly very often or not.. it had me wondering. I'd seen it one time prior in 08 and had a very brief hook up of my own the following season. <br /><br />The Buck Charles took has stuck with me every since.. and left me a little envious. Fishing a long cast he was starting his retrieves slow short and teasingly. It resulted in him getting blasted big time, his shout still rings in my ears. What a grand fish! Such a distinct predatory profile.. he certainly looks the part of MEAT EATER. Anyone recognize the 'Rockstar' posing with fish ..lol..<br /><br />At last, on Weds 11-16 I got one of my own. Fly swimming ever so nice in and throughout a small pocket pool John Hayes had chosen for me.. from a few seconds of dangle the short tease strips began.. and BLAM hooked up just that fast! In the end it only seems to require such a short amount of time.. it's the journey thats endless.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrxjtUzmxbic-QEBmGJyDHYthIa1GkM4PLnxqnjI5bGyOXl_-MiFm6y-1VDr2x3339rdbl1KoWSIFEohxLP67vcRBV7x_GbsuKR4m5ie2yVNlc1aazKje7ZqV238Qa7VIrx0OAbG95Bqe/s1600/Croton_111611.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrxjtUzmxbic-QEBmGJyDHYthIa1GkM4PLnxqnjI5bGyOXl_-MiFm6y-1VDr2x3339rdbl1KoWSIFEohxLP67vcRBV7x_GbsuKR4m5ie2yVNlc1aazKje7ZqV238Qa7VIrx0OAbG95Bqe/s400/Croton_111611.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676169888632394850" /></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQt3TSGDSU4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQt3TSGDSU4"></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQt3TSGDSU4"></a>shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-4195859973283829232011-11-13T10:05:00.009-05:002011-11-13T12:19:19.834-05:00Warm water = HOT fish on the Muskeegon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK1ajERLOcY5vn0PgbBsdOeHcsQp40tM3avSVc4XWvgvqszuIrf-wKyfKdKEEefdnLTC-MXdsmg6LyX3ZIryJXm9LPYtshGr_9fn7Fxi3KcXD5qaWcIK8CQQJ_KKQ6l9FT2r-XYVrCF05/s1600/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+010+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK1ajERLOcY5vn0PgbBsdOeHcsQp40tM3avSVc4XWvgvqszuIrf-wKyfKdKEEefdnLTC-MXdsmg6LyX3ZIryJXm9LPYtshGr_9fn7Fxi3KcXD5qaWcIK8CQQJ_KKQ6l9FT2r-XYVrCF05/s400/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+010+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674520658849082482" /></a><br /><br />Originally john and I were supposed to meet Charles and share a float on 11-01 but in the end like so many plans.. it didn't work out. Charles had been on the river 10-30 and 10-31.. they found a few fish but I never was in contact with him until later in the week. <br /><br /><br /><br />Jamey with a nice lake runner from 10-30<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1zkLvt9cP3YiNSl30Eco6KVS9hy9oVgEccH3eqLEvnCr7a_thdlrwP6IWYtEOhmhzE0bzRsf-z917DtQTWNPwesgkeWdAezqageJ40pTuj2zpF9tE1XQUIaiEDPUwzNcpwsvl3xO4HWs/s1600/McLoud_103011_MO+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1zkLvt9cP3YiNSl30Eco6KVS9hy9oVgEccH3eqLEvnCr7a_thdlrwP6IWYtEOhmhzE0bzRsf-z917DtQTWNPwesgkeWdAezqageJ40pTuj2zpF9tE1XQUIaiEDPUwzNcpwsvl3xO4HWs/s400/McLoud_103011_MO+%2528Large%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674499617327756674" /></a><br /><br />Charles and Chromer from 10-31<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoITnwM31FAG61YFLKzDtkCogm7HaoBdOemd7DmSMXVFu5YTb4t_dylsgqE58JUpOCviToymVctKrbqpKvth9ro5P7UJJoMlntWtW6N4_QVtF3IMHhUFbPfoC7MhCbo20723Fu8pJxOYy/s1600/Smolt103111+%2528Large%2529.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoITnwM31FAG61YFLKzDtkCogm7HaoBdOemd7DmSMXVFu5YTb4t_dylsgqE58JUpOCviToymVctKrbqpKvth9ro5P7UJJoMlntWtW6N4_QVtF3IMHhUFbPfoC7MhCbo20723Fu8pJxOYy/s400/Smolt103111+%2528Large%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674501081784828498" /></a><br /><br />John and I met early at a remote rural gas station and shared the ride down, narrowly missing a nice Buck that pressed his luck by crossing between us and an on coming vehicle.. there was no margin for error. John states "well I was a little sleepy but not anymore!" It was that tight..<br /><br />Arriving just at first light were all grins as temps have stayed high enough to hold off the dread hoar frosts.. simple things so greatly appreciated! Checking the water temp reveals a startling 52*! ..Highest temp I've ever fished here in late fall. Very light pressure at the launch, just as were dropping the drifter in a power boat comes up and anchors on the first location I had in mind. As we glide by we see it's Matt Supinski schooling a woman on the art of drift fishing an egg down through the run. Conditions looked great.. I wouldn't doubt that they had some action there.<br /><br />We drop down continually, clearing another boat anchored well below Matt and head for a good bend pool. I'm on the oars, John first up caster. The water looks super sweet, that perfect 'Steelhead Green' so often -and appropriatly- referenced. Lots of late run Chinook staged and spawning on the gravel at the head. This river is the last to cool in the fall and stays cold longest into spring.. offering extended opportunities over other area tribs. <br /><br />We worked the run hard with no reward.. not an uncommon result but I'd had that <em>feeling</em> about it.. dropping down another section into the head of a straight drift of depthy pocket water we set up to try it again. Not far into the head of it John comes back with a nice sweeping set and I see a good fish roll well below the surface. Game on.. She ripps down the pool and slugs it out a while, enough I considered dropping the boat, then comes up.. a lucky break. Nearing the gunnel John gets her head up and skillfully skates her right into the net like the true troutsman he is. Doesn't get much easier.. The other side of the coin was about to come up though.<br /><br />Poor pic, but shows the size well. Nice diameter tail wrist, bright fresh henfish near 8lbs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXIGJUPRsHPUItK90uhb4bKMyo4lrX8UwP_He0RlJVkwg5Uf0EMtG5nYXewInG1Oy3a_WouVaZXQs9WsKoYH_huXQh5LmDPQBXHRZhuPxlveM6ks5U_oO68VMAMenQ3b3bPi8rVcxcMv5/s1600/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+006+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXIGJUPRsHPUItK90uhb4bKMyo4lrX8UwP_He0RlJVkwg5Uf0EMtG5nYXewInG1Oy3a_WouVaZXQs9WsKoYH_huXQh5LmDPQBXHRZhuPxlveM6ks5U_oO68VMAMenQ3b3bPi8rVcxcMv5/s400/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+006+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674507849850027986" /></a><br /><br />After the dust settles it's now my turn up front. I'm pretty optimistic as were not even 1/3 the way into the run and still high with our success. Ever notice how your sometimes reminded through various painfull ways that NO ONE is immune to rookie mistakes no matter how bullet proof they have been <em>allowed</em> to feel since last humbling incident.. Johns says six but I think closer to 10 swings in I get picked off with a nice assertive take and come up with a perfect lift / set into heavy throbbing weight. The fish is instantly airborne [a NICE Buck!] then back up and wallowing in the surface, a move that never fails to make me very nervous.. I drop the rod and let him rip out line downstream, the old Loop Traditional is really sizzling! <em>"their playing our song"</em> ..lol.. Another high leap crashing back into the surface.. I ask John to move us over onto the bank to finish playing and land the Buck. Current is really ripping as I work him in.. two more nice jumps on short line then a hard dart into a pocket as he senses the shallows.. the bend in my rod straightens as the leader shoots back over my right shoulder. John looks at me, net in hand, ..I can read his mind.. "WTF??"<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUMd6LNSNHxOMxxWJnaFbY4Syvlx2rvnABmUL-bq7QnLMxAlGDVrtLE-Z5PbvYR9S1sJoS-xgNHkSE3ua2gaMdXsPCvU0rKwVcUn5nCefOg-FTbxEPzl1cP1urMaIxdmsIyN0goGQRURL/s1600/Muskeegon_1101.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUMd6LNSNHxOMxxWJnaFbY4Syvlx2rvnABmUL-bq7QnLMxAlGDVrtLE-Z5PbvYR9S1sJoS-xgNHkSE3ua2gaMdXsPCvU0rKwVcUn5nCefOg-FTbxEPzl1cP1urMaIxdmsIyN0goGQRURL/s400/Muskeegon_1101.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674514390710797762" /></a><br /><br />I'd been dealt the deserving blow for employing a classic 'rookie move'.. taking a short cut by tying on to an old tippit section. I was pressed for time running the boat for John and rigging my rod. I use Flourocarbon so felt safe from deterioration but failed to consider the 'used' nature had likely left it weakend through a couple nicks here and there. Don't think I didn't hear about it for the rest of that run, another, and another, before 'another' incident trumped mine ..lol..<br /><br />With the water temps above 50* I anchored at the head of a swift tight chute created by boulders both sides and preceded with considerable gravel bars decorated by active spawning Chinook.. an 'egg dump' in full functioning mode. John seemed a bit skeptical but worked out his line and started swinging the head of the throat.. maybe a dozen and a half swings and one boat drop in, he gets absoloutley CRANKED.. The fish is up surface wallowing bigtime in that fast current.. It's a big fish, Buck, with slight color.. I all but screamed at John to drop the rod, but knowing the amount of experience he has, couldn't imagine him doing anything but. I was wrong, he came back again, harder.. and popped the leader off.. We were both shell shocked beyond disbelief. The way he explained it to me he felt the take but was unsure if he's gotten a good set on it, hence the second lift. The way I saw it, he didn't expect a fish there to began with and was kinda blindsided by the power grab.. I looked at him and laughed "You got Buck fever" thats all.. Good to have close friends with a sense of humor! In his defence he has been fishing a lighter actioned rod long before the current powerhouse came along. The fish would have been near or just above 10lb class. Very nice for our tribs. I didn't hear so much ribbing about tying onto a used leader for a while..<br /><br />Same run, I assume casting station. Once more within 10 swings I feel an assertive rap..rap..rap.. as the fly comes across. I'm thinking this water is WAY to fast for me to be tapping stones and by default lift my line ..a bit early.. into next cast. Instantly I see a mirror flash and profile of a mid sized Steelbow turn and shoot back into the run. It never came back.<br /><br />The clock was fast gaining on noon.. What scant cloud cover we'd enjoyed was burning off and into sunshine. We gave it the old college try fishing mostly known cold water pools but no more players. In retrospect I wish we'd have fished some more broken water sections. They aren't nearly as well known to me though, as it's so uncommon to fish this late in the year and still have warm'ish' water temps. Certainly would be worthy of learning a few more just in case those stars ever align again.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-88994067447054721392011-11-06T16:44:00.007-05:002011-11-13T10:02:44.328-05:00Pick'n pockets on the Pere Marquette<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs801JY81q7D6m48Cl2kvbRC0sjGCX_YRtaTm-PKn4UvBcQCUBWT_sFyRfOe0uibGOU7K-X-blwplV4z6IeGw5ht3aW_yiWmPPRDkyBm1Julmkr6hCGX8209FedrEq24DlG8dp5n-Sfi6m/s1600/Pere_Marquette.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 343px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs801JY81q7D6m48Cl2kvbRC0sjGCX_YRtaTm-PKn4UvBcQCUBWT_sFyRfOe0uibGOU7K-X-blwplV4z6IeGw5ht3aW_yiWmPPRDkyBm1Julmkr6hCGX8209FedrEq24DlG8dp5n-Sfi6m/s400/Pere_Marquette.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672413649626076338" /></a><br />It had been a while since either John or I had wet a line in the Pere Marquette. When mentioned on the tele I got an instant "let's do it" so a quick agreement for Sunday 10/30 was made.<br /><br />Arriving on schedule there was only a hint of light off in the east. VERY heavy frost made for a long morning of iced guides and cold hands. We didn't cover much river until the air temps rose enough to aleviate the handicap. The river looked fairly low considering the amount of rain we've had. There was a slight stain yet which we were grateful for.<br /><br />Eggs were on the menu, the plan was to play around in the abundant pocket water high up in the system. The fish showed no love for enough time to make us nervous, this river is anything but a pushover. Finally John lifts into the first good take of the day, it's a bright henfish instantly airborne. After a heated give & take both up and down I make a lucky shot and gain control of her, right hand under the pecs and left on tail wrist.. both arms in up to the elbow! I jokingly told John I don't do that for just anybody. Note to self: next time be sure net is put in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip05rKg0zqesQ4vkZklQxb9obov5qMfEEoh97x9uMWyntMnjWwSBNGOPANPHFwh43n48pRhoqQZPC6fWUmrtiD_HHbFep3vBpBKb9UKMvE0M82lNJGI-QRkoJcribJgWapCpmKcUi2BDUW/s1600/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip05rKg0zqesQ4vkZklQxb9obov5qMfEEoh97x9uMWyntMnjWwSBNGOPANPHFwh43n48pRhoqQZPC6fWUmrtiD_HHbFep3vBpBKb9UKMvE0M82lNJGI-QRkoJcribJgWapCpmKcUi2BDUW/s400/P.M._Muskeegon_1029_1101_2011+001+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672007984316696274" /></a><br /><br />Surprisingly there is quite light pressure.. an uncommon gift on this popular water. Early; two guys in a drifter and one guy on the bank that came back out after only an hour or so. Pleasant fella from Illinois, cited his tele had rang.. wife was ready to go. Had it been me I think would have conveniently 'forgotten' my phone when I left for fishing ..lol.. He stated repeatedly "I will be back" and "what a gorgeous river". Not uncommon quotes from first time visitors.. the river is a true jewell. <br /><br />Not much action, I'd given up my egg rig for an 8' tip on a Wulff Ambush and was swinging a small leech. Meantime, John had picked off a couple fat trout. We reached a premium pool that is of the sort you salivate over in anticipation.. about the third cast John gets picked off by a nice Buck Steelbow which shredded the pool for several seconds before coming unbuttoned.. oh well, no worries.. just nice to come in contact with them. <br /><br />Swinging my leech through a sweet looking stretch of bend water I finally get cranked by a decent Brown trout, the only one for the day, I was glad for the coup.<br /><br />Gaining on dark thirty so we rowed out and through some of the best pools.. good mojo to save some for later.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-33768198237209860902011-10-15T11:00:00.003-04:002011-10-15T11:31:02.284-04:00Another email ghost..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWTO0ziYbwa-mZ_I-uaGrTHrBRSmZVk1Ptlp5IlpnpD6-qkdkK3kD0wr6kUNIJG9bX0Yj1MChR6eAxgyxXtsLWJnYNUGsur77ziGqwiqsERPrf6cEgqL879g3ixAx3CdyjzNxpOUtTsBJ/s1600/06_26_08_UpperMan+009+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWTO0ziYbwa-mZ_I-uaGrTHrBRSmZVk1Ptlp5IlpnpD6-qkdkK3kD0wr6kUNIJG9bX0Yj1MChR6eAxgyxXtsLWJnYNUGsur77ziGqwiqsERPrf6cEgqL879g3ixAx3CdyjzNxpOUtTsBJ/s400/06_26_08_UpperMan+009+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663740602345937458" /></a><br /><br />3.5" Reel in pic<br /><br />Due the lack of fresh material, another 'ghost' from june of 07 <br /><br /><blockquote>"Fishing was pretty grande for a while, before all the out of towners got clued in. The hex came on beautiful starting june 15 [early] i missed that night but was on it the 17'th for a nice emergence into light spinnerfall. Stuck a god awfull hog casting my S3 4wt, havent felt that kinda power in quite a while. Naturally had a piss poor knot to the fly that let go not long in as he surged up stream [luckily as he was only 6-8' above a massive jam] going into a deep undercut bank. You know the sick feeling, one sec your into a hot massive fish and the next.. PLINK.. they're off. i did put one just over 20" on the bank that eve and one more around 14"<br /> <br />Things kinda turned off for afew days after that and word never really got out that there had been some big bugs already. We fished every night which was surprisingly blank. On the afternoon of the 20'th the weather preachers were all revved up calling for a HUGE storm, high winds, lightning, golf ball hail, regular rip-snort. The GF about threw a fit when i started carrying gear out, she's big on the weather 'religion' i just laughed and told her i'd wear my hardhat. Pard shows up, off we go, sure as shit rain... We get up there, still rain, getting into waders, harder rain.. Get in river to make sure we dont get cut off... DELUGE.. 40 minutes all done and the sun lightly peeks out. Hex spinners way early, i lost count of the NICE fish i cast over.. put one on the bank about 14" early, pricked a good one putting him down.. moved upstream nailed & landed one 19.5" moved up, worked a riser from tight no backcast area finally getting him to go, fat 22" er. Its well into dark by now, drifter comes around the bend, pro boat with two guys on board, we speak ~ they're pleasant. i hook an elbow over the stern and tail their boat riding down to where i heard one feeding, killing two birds with one stone, keeping them moving and masking my approach. Standing waiting.. pard is wading up, he gets close enough i ask him to stop. I've heard wings twittering and am sure theres a emergence going so tied in a store bought i wanted for pattern reference. Fish feeds again, one lucky shot in the dark...SLURP.. he takes! By some stroke of luck i get him steered around a long sweeper thats halfway across the river and go down. Pard puts the light on him at my request for a look and tells me he'll go 15-16"... "yeah right" get him into the bank @ pards feet and hand him the rod, take the leader & get my hands on him.. 23" beautiful male, kinda lanky, but what a dandy! <br /> <br />Thats the best night i've ever had for multiple big fish. Should one of those lightning bolts struck me down i'd have went out smiling. Son [pard] had his biggest fish to date @ his feet after long fight when hook popped out. Estimated 23-24"<br /> <br />Things got worse for him, his wife had worked herself up pretty serious over the weather religion / reports and the fact that she couldn't reach him via cell [no service up there] <br /><br />Next night, 07/21, we went back to same spot with John Hayes. Had very nice spinner fall, I took a approx 15" fish then got on and got to go a nice one, 21" People are starting to show in the area, there were a couple guys just above where i fished and while we were suiting up a drifter pulled in and anchored downstream on the exact pool Son had planned on fishing. Time for plan B<br /> <br />Fri 07/22 we made long drive north to a diff river i had an idea might be doing something by now... Things shaping up bad in yard while i was putting gear in his truck.. he's on phone with wifey.. xtended convo... We go fishing anyway but was beganing to wonder.. Right @ dusk water surface lights up with nervousness.. seconds later hex start popping off so fast it was unreal. The duns didn't ride the surface at all.. up & out. Trout were going balistic, i stung a couple and peeled one 15" er. Freakin BLANKET spinnerfall starts.. unreal! Totally covering the surface, trout hot-n-heavy ..some BIG fish.. no way to compete with the little <em>ripples/reverberations </em> the naturals give off. I keep thinking the bugs will thin out then a guy will be able to do something. Never happend... spinners kept coming & fish started dropping out one by one... even the most gluttonous trout gave up. Still blanket of spinners on water still after 1:00 a.m. Wierd.. <br /> <br />Havent seen Son since. Apparently he got grounded <br /> <br />Went up on the rapids [Sault Ste. Marie] not long after. Drove all night hit the river at daybreak. Didn't find any Atlantics but did get one nice resdient rainbow 17" , and about a 5lb male steelhead. There was a small pod of bucks attending late henfish, HUGE male in the mix. Swung a few differant flies above them 3 passes each, had some short chases but no go. Let them be after less than 1 doz casts.<br /> <br />Well better give up on this novel for now.. Hope all is good with you."</blockquote>shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-43831120650503586262011-09-30T19:19:00.006-04:002011-10-01T08:38:36.626-04:00In the breakers..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTG4ZwdumxGsavrDSWcnhnFka-7cSbNekATQz3BYA1vVQlxhwatmRCJfTeck7PMOnEXklD9a2DfTfUMpCRY3XiLxeNkq3lvC4dzLOEUy-v4Ozuo9OoEqkSCakh4vFYGf4EZD94ZyAwiKqY/s1600/092611_Surf+007_+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTG4ZwdumxGsavrDSWcnhnFka-7cSbNekATQz3BYA1vVQlxhwatmRCJfTeck7PMOnEXklD9a2DfTfUMpCRY3XiLxeNkq3lvC4dzLOEUy-v4Ozuo9OoEqkSCakh4vFYGf4EZD94ZyAwiKqY/s400/092611_Surf+007_+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658498036182238898" /></a><br /><br />A week later and another monday fishing opp. The weather is right to give the beach a try. Storms have proven themselves to me as a good time to be there. <br /><br />Some crazy breakers rolling in but it isn't long before I see some green shadows sharking by. Nothing like a visual to boost your confidence. Occasionally conditions would shift slightly, bigger waves or showers pelting the surface racing in towards me off the horizon, and at times both together. This would bring a pod or two of fish in everytime, riding in on a bruiser wave followed by confusion of the shallows. Even though I was never touched by a fish it was such a great time.. my state of mind is completely refreshed. I wish now I'd concentrated on getting a decent shot <em>first</em> instead of attempting to hookup. Once in particular, a pod of eleven fish almost collided with me. When I turned quick during the retrieve it spooked them and they sheared off towards open water throwing some acceleration spray, darting and diving. There was one, an oversized hen Chinook of solid light rust color that lifted her head and shoulders from the surface for an instant making eye contact with me at no more than six feet.. It was what I call a 'moment' ..something totally undefined.. but still very real and tangible.<br /><br />Things were getting even more extreme, an occasional big one would slam hard enough to drive you back a step or two.. enough for today. Stopping on some lower river pools found them stacked with freshies, much as I'd mentally predicted. Coho were rolling and porpoising as I walked down. Best time to attempt a dry I've had yet. Stalking the gin clear bend I crouched down in the sparse grass cover and tied on a small Bomber. Working out a cast I touched it down at the head of the pool just above some holding there and immediately began a slow strip. This excited them in a big way and over the course of the next few casts several fish moved to the fly chasing and boiling on it, but no takers. I re-tied with a quite small Comet and swung it in front of them executing short smooth strips a few times with absloutley no interest shown. By then it was starting to get dark. Not connecting with a fish didn't bother me in the least.. I'd gotten what I came for out in the lake earlier.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3Ax8dit8lvAqozjSV3xv9Yd_l8bUW3G4i-koRnouuQXzR1oKixsw3TtEbKXo-ieuIAN7FGuHmwjR26QCvdhLlPWvmyBhtJQwgBtaIupssZCvTMhfWdcY0_2ZpTRlp2Xz9y8caCRRMSq0/s1600/092611_Surf+013_+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3Ax8dit8lvAqozjSV3xv9Yd_l8bUW3G4i-koRnouuQXzR1oKixsw3TtEbKXo-ieuIAN7FGuHmwjR26QCvdhLlPWvmyBhtJQwgBtaIupssZCvTMhfWdcY0_2ZpTRlp2Xz9y8caCRRMSq0/s400/092611_Surf+013_+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658498421376857714" /></a><br /><br /><br />A small pod I saw coming while walking in and crouched down for a shot.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c3DyCdD8GOPuSxzdxqaMjQ2UITDvug6Pmiavp44I7JQ37gnmWz_FXLEEV_IWc3-hgn1MXjs8ypplVhfFMpakZYO0D71SDaA5Vh6BdBbNlVRaJ8j7AvwE6HoZEipCi5AxAcF5aYPs07Ju/s1600/LakeMI_Bay_09_29_09+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c3DyCdD8GOPuSxzdxqaMjQ2UITDvug6Pmiavp44I7JQ37gnmWz_FXLEEV_IWc3-hgn1MXjs8ypplVhfFMpakZYO0D71SDaA5Vh6BdBbNlVRaJ8j7AvwE6HoZEipCi5AxAcF5aYPs07Ju/s400/LakeMI_Bay_09_29_09+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658498851352018882" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Stalked an outside bend for shot.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-56724174440375968082011-09-29T20:13:00.005-04:002011-09-29T20:53:46.256-04:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqq7m9cA8OKUp-DkPvVpkCbROBOY0yJmGgrPH8bnE3ZQyXvnpUfndpM9A3xga16BqHGR2sOWKEmDmgE45ZKAz6kMSsTkoL_nUCwpXNeOIKjNJIAtU5_CJrwemnMb4fXcHstu-eUc7R_Ur/s1600/HomeFront_091911+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqq7m9cA8OKUp-DkPvVpkCbROBOY0yJmGgrPH8bnE3ZQyXvnpUfndpM9A3xga16BqHGR2sOWKEmDmgE45ZKAz6kMSsTkoL_nUCwpXNeOIKjNJIAtU5_CJrwemnMb4fXcHstu-eUc7R_Ur/s400/HomeFront_091911+004+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657943799017394402" /></a><br /><br />The amount of rain has been pretty substantial lately. I took a wet afternoon on 09-19 to scout / fish some local water. I've played on this section my entire life chasing trout, deer, grouse, girls and following big game hounds or beagles up & down both banks. This is some pretty remote area in comparison to other sections of same river. Finding your way in to a <em>specific</em> pool or run on foot can be quite a task.. and if you stay well into dark fishing the spinner fall getting out can become a real adventure. 'bushwhacking' is how we call it.. not many care for it's flavor. Thankfully.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxrWuN2JDqO_s_d4e_s-G6_4HZh8BzpcbaPRbTAIGYEJIMDRffPNQoVMFMoG4nTRfUH2kSa6GVfTnsioceK1rWlF70VWYO37D0x90zaxKWID-AIXpsznI_vl9vUTv4ubPyzKm9cOfa701/s1600/HomeFront_091911+007+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxrWuN2JDqO_s_d4e_s-G6_4HZh8BzpcbaPRbTAIGYEJIMDRffPNQoVMFMoG4nTRfUH2kSa6GVfTnsioceK1rWlF70VWYO37D0x90zaxKWID-AIXpsznI_vl9vUTv4ubPyzKm9cOfa701/s400/HomeFront_091911+007+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657944390025982546" /></a><br /><br />Anyway, I was amazed at the amount of fruits and feed in evidence! High bush cranberries, crab apples, thorn apples, wild grapes and dog wood berries all in abundance. Sure enough before long I jumped out a nice adult bird drinking from a small rivulet created by a fresh beaver dam. Later in the day three more went out as I worked downstream casting a run. Promising.. <br /><br />Fishing started off quite slow until it started to rain again. This kicked off a nice emergence of mayflies, some epherons and approx #16 mahoganys. This really jump started the trout and I took a couple smaller ones. Finally I made the target pool and made a good call reading the water, fishing an inside slack seam with depth. The fishpounced on my streamer pretty hard and pulled strong. Once he broke surface I thought it looked a bit different and sure enough it was a nice Brook trout, one of the better ones I've taken in quite a while. That reel is 3 3/4" diameter and I guessed length at 13.5 - 14" ..full bright spawning colors, very pleasing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fqFUDIoOhG_vTMGU0RpaK3CNla7Z_Kh83o5TXEaflmeebKYGKXilnkmjORipz7S1lfKd70QoJvyWPLdpOdCqVqeWYMsTSdrDflitDpIyghCP4KWPA7DIPBd7YSLGo6XXcq4-lXeeoyDb/s1600/HomeFront_091911+011+%2528Large%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fqFUDIoOhG_vTMGU0RpaK3CNla7Z_Kh83o5TXEaflmeebKYGKXilnkmjORipz7S1lfKd70QoJvyWPLdpOdCqVqeWYMsTSdrDflitDpIyghCP4KWPA7DIPBd7YSLGo6XXcq4-lXeeoyDb/s400/HomeFront_091911+011+%2528Large%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657946791561702146" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The pool spills nice into a long boulder broken run that looked decent so down it I went.. early in I had a smashing grab but came up empty. Midway down I got picked off and landed a decent Brown to finish out a well spent afternoon.shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785440348842195353.post-17882991400515581602011-08-28T21:33:00.009-04:002011-08-28T22:41:14.055-04:00Email GhostsI tend to run a lot of searches. My email accounts, various forum boards, Ebay, Google.. the list goes on. It can be quite interesting what turns up unexpected.. much like cleaning my room as a child, I'm easily sidetracked [big smiles]
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<br />I'm going to go ahead and post a couple.. I hope you enjoy them too. First up is an excerpt from good fishing friend John H from 05-16-2009, fishing the Upper Manistee River.
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<br />Pic of John during some night time mousin.
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<br />"<em>I came up last night and stopped on the upper. At first, I thought I was going to hosed with the weather. Light rain fell for a minute or two. Luckily, the weather cooperated and I started to see some bugs. I guess there were black quills, the larger mayfly sipiloplection basilae (which is a about the size of brown drake), hennys , mahagonny's and bwo's. Time was going by and no fish were feeding. Finally, one nice rise. It was just below the *****, below the log pile and in front of a small sticker. I'm sure you know exactly where I'm talking about. Anyway, the fish fed two more times and wasn't interested in my henny comparadun. I tied on a henny spinner and after a handful of casts, wham! Game on.
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<br />I should first say I was using a 4wt with 4x suppleflex with my sage reel which has turned out to be my go to reel now. I love it. The fish immediately took off and found the main seam and started up river like it was chrome. I thought to myself this might be interesting. Then the fish stopped, shook it's head several times and stayed planted mid river. I thought this could be easy and maybe the fish is a healthy 18". Well, just as I started put a little muscle in it, the fish responded with a long run downstream with me following. I was literally running mid seam in high water after this sucker without regard for all the shit on the bottom and the water being up and that section is loaded with a lot debris and troughs. The fish made it into the shoot briefly and for some unknown reason came back up stream. Finally! I thought wrong. The fish promptly wrapped itself around some major wood and there I was thinking to myself this can't be happening. At this point I knew this special fish and really wanted to land it. I could feel the fish still on, but in the back of my head I was thinking I was fighting a log and the fish pulled a drive-by and lost the hook. I worked as delicately as possible to get the fish free, but figured I was hosed. Then, after a minute of so and just seconds before breaking it off, it freed itself and shot downstream into the shoot with me high-stepping all the way. I figured I was going to get wet...thankfully I'm tall 'casue I had about an 1" to spare. The minute or so the fish was tangled gave it time to re-energize and I didn't think was going to be able to land it. At this point, my hand was getting pretty sore. The Winston doesn't provide much leverage especially with reel with no drag and fighting a large fish in a pretty respectable flow.
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<br />I finally managed to get the fish to shore and net it. It didn't fit into my net! It twice jumped out with me both times catching it mid air. After all that, I laid it on the shore and admired my catch. I though I was going to be longer...it was 23"... but I have never caught a fish as heavy. That was the thickest river brown I've ever seen let alone caught. Unfortunately, my camera was in my truck that was less than 100 yds which I was looking directly at with utter contempt. Oh well. No pic can replicate the fun that was had. Once I got the fish on shore, I quickly got the hook out and put him back in the water. I revived the fish for 2-3 minutes as I knew it was really tired. I wish I could have brought it in quicker, but that wasn't going to happen with him wrapping up in the wood. It swam away with lots of energy and I feel confident it's going to be fine.
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<br />Three more fish were rising, two dandies and one nice one. I went to the biggest fish and he wouldn't come up. The smaller fish, just up was making some noise, so I cast to it and wham. That was a quick battle and a nice 18" or so was in the bag. I went up to the last fish rising and got two really late refusals. If I'm right, the last fish is bigger than the 23" I caught. Right where the shoot starts, there is a birch clump and beaver work river right. In that stuff is a dandy. I've never been able to get it, but not for a lack of trying.
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<br />The light got low and the fish shut down. Just one of the those nights that keeps me coming back and makes me take those am trips back home."
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<br />j</em>
<br />shotgunnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08150506550917602970noreply@blogger.com0