The Witching Hour

Happy Bloomsday

Sulfurs Are Here!

Willow Beauty

100 Fish in Four Evenings

Mayfly Madness

Breaking in the New Fly Rod

The Hatch Begins

The Rest of May

Limiting Out

Date: May 7^th

Weather: 75 Degrees

Stream: gin clear

Hatch: minimal

Beer: The Dancing Man

Spring is Here!

Date: May 6^th  

Weather: 75 Degrees

Stream: High w/ slight stain

Hatch: minimal

Beer: The Dancing Man

Last Day of the Early Season

Date: April 27^th

Weather: 74 Degrees

Stream: High w/ slight stain

Hatch: minimal

Beer: The Dancing Man

            Everyone in this picture caught a trout but me.

Crossing the Water

Date: April 26^th

Weather: 72 Degrees

Stream: High w/ slight stain

Hatch: minimal

Beer: The Dancing Man

            It’s been almost six months since I’ve felt 70 degree weather. That’s too long. I had this great fantasy of great weather as I wrapped up my last few weeks of student teaching but it finally came my last day. After a long three month teaching experience with some wonderful students I felt I couldn’t cap off the experience any better than ending it on the river.

            I had high hopes for some kind of hatch – Dark Hendricksons or midges – I didn’t care which but the river was eerily quiet. The river was very high and still carried a slight stain from weeks of rain and snow. I cast a few dry flys with no success but admired the soft ripples each fly forms as it so delicately lands on the water. A crayfish streamer produced a nice trout but not much else. It felt nice sitting on the river banks devoid of snow and catching some sun. 

Love Medicine

Date: April 13^th

Weather: 37 degrees

Stream: clear

Hatch: little BWO’s

Beer: THE DANCING MAN

            Oh my God! The Dancing Man has returned to the shelves a month early. It looks like the folks at New Glarus took my advice – put your best beer on the shelves for a longer duration – it’s that simple. I was so happy to it see but I must admit it’s strange to be drinking the D-Man when snow is on the ground. But I’m not complaining, it’s one of the few brews out there made for men.

            Big storms, melt and snow have blown out the rivers. All the river conditions updates for the past two weeks had the Willow, Kinnie and Rush flowing like chocolate milk. The Kinnie was running really high when I first set out, higher than any time last year. Nymphing rigs had to be set much deeper for the same spots. They produced decently, nothing special. I was sure some big stoneflies would hook some hogs but nothing. I think I was using a Prince nymph too but I don’t remember I was pretty zoned out on the river.

            However, spinners have been the hot ticket this snowy spring. Something about the gold or silver blades flashing over runs proves irresistible. At a bunch of nice pools and runs I casted my spinner 45 degrees upstream, let the current pull it, reeled slowly and sure enough a gold flash would appear from the murky bottom tugging on your line. I caught a bunch, mostly in that 8-12 inch range, nothing special but it’s fun when they are biting.

            I hiked far back again but my honey hole from last week was dry. It was disappointing but that’s how it goes. The scenery was beautiful; turkeys were roosting in the bluffs, lots of eagles were out and I believe I saw a bobcat sneaking through the woods on the opposite bank. It was a good day to be on the river. It was nourishing for the soul and body spending seven hours next to the river in tranquility. Love medicine, it’s powerful. 

A Long Hike Deep into the Kinnie

Date: March 28^th  

Weather: Snow and Cold

Stream: Willow Clear

Hatch: midges

Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

            The Kinnie has spoiled me, especially after my 2012 season. I had no competition due to bridge construction and all the holes were clear of overzealous anglers. This March I’ve seen more anglers on my beloved gem of a stream than all last year. I’ve always wondered what hidden secrets the Kinnie holds beyond my usual stomping grounds so today, captive to my imagination, I set forth a long haul back beyond the canyon.

            It was like I was in the Southern Hemisphere, everything was different. It reminded me of the Brule. Something about fresh snow absent of footprints set my soul at ease as I looked for a promising spot. As is unusual for me, I set down the fly rod and set up my new Saint Croix ultra-light spinning rod. As my uncle told me, March is for spinners. In a promising combination of deep water, riffles and structure I threw out a spinner and got hit after hit. It was beautiful.

            It was great slaying the trout on the spinning rod, it’s different than a fly rod and I was out of practice. I lost a few as a result. Switching it up I tied on an ugly pink scud and hooked a beauty on my first drift. I love the action on a fly rod, the bend and the fight is just so fun. Fifteen fish later and I was set. 

            It’s hard marching through a foot of snow. As eager as I was to keep pushing on the sun was setting and I had a long hike back. Some of my days on the river blend together, I cant keep all the details separate. However, today as I charted new territory I had a big smile on my face all day. Next time I will be pushing onwards and upwards deeper in the heart of darkness that is the Kinnie. 

Day Two After a Hot Bite

Date: March 25^th  

Weather: Snow and Cold

Stream: Willow Clear

Hatch: midges

Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

            Through a stroke of divine luck my camera still works after dropping it in the river. I left it overnight in a container of rice and it’s working like it always has: flawless. Feeling so good after the camera, I thought I’d try my luck again after such a hot bite. I hit the same holes plus a few others. I managed four beautiful 10-12 inch trout in the same seam close to my favorite spot. Despite the cold, I opened the drag and had some fun reeling in my quarry. But after that the bite stopped and I was left to partake in the beautiful, frozen scenery. 

  

Dropped the Camera in the River

Date: March 24^th  

Weather: Snow and Cold

Stream: Willow Clear

Hatch: midges

Beer: New Glarus Snowshoe Red

Right after I dropped it

            It really sucked when I hooked the day’s first fish only to drop my camera in the drink taking my trophy shot. With my lighting quick reflexes I grabbed it from the water before it sunk but it was still wet. Two miles upstream and my options were bad: go back home and put the camera in a container of rice or keep fishing. Obviously, being the red-blooded male I am I chose to keep fishing.

Redux

            A size 14 stonefly nymph was my ticket to the gates of glory and redemption this day on the Kinnie. Though my camera was not working the trout kept smacking my fly. I lost tally but it got the point where my hands were numb and burning from releasing so many fish in the cold March water. One of the best fishing days of my life but no trout pictures, you’ll just have to trust me. 

The Pink Squirrel Actually Works

Date: March 16^th  

Weather: Snow

Stream: Willow Clear

Hatch: midges

Beer: New Glarus Snowshoe Red

            The Pink Squirrel actually works. I’ve heard a lot of guffaws about this fly but I gave it a try. I hooked a nice Willow brown and let it go. At the next pool I lost the fly in a snag but caught some more trout using spinners. 

Snow Trout

Date: March 9^th 

 

Weather: Snow

Stream: Clear

Hatch: midges and stoneflies

Beer: Summit Horizon Red

            It’s been a snowy March but I’m not complaining because the fish are biting and the crowds are minimal. 

WI Catch-and-Release Opener

 Date: March 3^rd

Weather: Cold and Snow

Stream: Clear

Hatch: midges and stoneflies

Beer: Coffee

            Winter is still in full swing but I’ve been out of the trout fishing action since the season closed last September 30^th. Nothing was going to stop me from heading out. Scuds and prince nymphs were the ticket to some long awaited trout. Being out on the river again for an afternoon really lifted my spirits. 

Hay Creek

Date: January 11^th  

Weather: 37 degrees, drizzle and fog

Stream: Clear

Hatch: One midge

Beer: Boulevard Wheat

            It’s taken me a year but I’ve finally made the hour plus drive to Hay Creek near Red Wing. I’ve heard whispers of its bounty plus an active, ongoing restoration effort. Typically, it would make for a better story if I was exploring new water as new growth was sprouting from the forest floor and season’s first mayflies had emerged. But I live in Minnesota and I have to take advantage of the season when I can even in January plus I got the chance to check out my new spinning rod.  Hay Creek was beautiful; it winds through some beautiful pastures, rolling hills and thick forest. However, it’s nowhere near as good as the Kinnie.

            I approached one promising pool and tide on a brand new spinner hoping the flashy orange and gold would entice something. First cast caught a snag but the second hooked something big. It would be disingenuous to say my fishing reflexes were sharp, I hadn’t caught a fish since September 30^th and kept reeling instead of setting the hook. To my luck I saw a gold flash emerge out of the depths and rip line from the drag. In a short battle I had the beauty ashore for a quick picture. I’m still in disbelief that I landed the trout without setting the hook and using barbless spinners. It measured out at a stout 14 inches, a great start to 2013. In the next five minutes I caught another brown and a 10 inch brookie. Then the bite stopped.