My Biggest Trout On The Fly

Caught my biggest trout on the fly today on Garvin Brook... only trout of the day... beautiful weather.. low 70s.. sunny.. nice breeze... the redhorse are now starting to move in and spawn

CaddiShack

Another day off of work means another day of fishing.. Headed out to Trout Run as I had not made it out there yet this year... Would today prove to be a successful day of fishing?  Success would be an understatement.. today was probably one of the craziest days of trout fishing I have ever witnessed... got to my first spot around noon... step out of my car and notice that the trout are already leaping out of the water.  It's sunny.. probably in the high 60s... fished the first couple holes with little success.. water is crystal.. i'm spooking more of the trout than anything.. the rest are sitting down low.. with no interest in whats happening above the water... turn the bend and come to my next hole.. literally spent an hour here.. caddis were coming off the water... and the fish were in a feeding frenzy.. cast my elk hair up and watch the trout come up and pick off my fly.... all was done by sight the streams were so clear.. i could cast my fly right on to their nose and they took it without a second though.. i don't even remember how many fish i caught in this hole as every 3-4 i would inch up on my knees another couple feet.. soon after hitting the holes with the elk hair i got bored with the ease of picking off these guys off on top of the water.. so i switched up to a tandem with a #14 Pheasant tail.. trailed by a #10 Danger Baby... haven't tried these Danger Babys out yet.. but it seems to have this cased caddis look to it.. so i figured it would produce.. and produce it did.. as soon as i went below the water the trout got bigger.. nothing huge.. but definitely bigger.. i noticed a lot of the bigger trout sitting at the bottom.. so that was one reason for switching to nymphing... as the day progressed the caddis got thicker.. and thicker.. and thicker.. at one point it was just a sheet of caddis.. almost enough to gross me out..  4 hours and too many trout to count later i decided to head back to the car.. a car covered in caddis

     Spot #2... decided to head up to some more familiar territory and stop at Bucksnort.  There were a couple cars.. nothing too bad.. and from talking to the other anglers it was worse upstream... started out rather frustrating.. fish are jumping everywhere but refuse to hit anything i throw at them.. nymphs.. more elk hairs.. just not happening.. same followed suit for the other angler i was talking to.. just weren't interested.. maybe the amount of caddis was just too much for the fish to key in on my particular fly.. 100s of caddis... 1 fly.. odds are not on my side.. so i decided i would hike downstream a ways and work my way back up to the bridge.. put the elk hair away and tied on a #12 pheasant tail and  #12 Hot Wire Copper John(red/copper)... this tandem seemed to work it.. kept trout on my line as i worked my way back upstream.. later due to snag.. I switched to a HWCJ and Brassie... which continued to pound the fish..

    I don't think I could have asked for better fishing conditions than what I got today.. Warm.. Sunny.. Breezy.. 7 hours of non-stop caddis hatching.. a couple trout for the kitchen and too many to count beyond that..  yeah.. it was a good day

Fruits of Labor

If there is one thing I love about fishing.. it's the part at the end of the day where i can enjoy my catch.. the "fruits of my labor"...  Today was a perfect day for getting some fish to fry.. nice and sunny.. temps in the high 60s low 70s... slight breeze but nothing to be worried about.. After work I decided I'd take the fly rod down to the lake and catch my limit of sunfish to fry up for tonight... Bluegills are stacked up in the weed beds for spawning.. and there were many people out enjoying the day to give me the weird looks.. as if they have never seen a person with a fly rod before.. Catching my limit was a simple task.. done easily in under an hour.. but always a fun task on the fly.. even if so simple.. kinda gives you that child like bliss -.-

Rush Creek 4-19

Got out to a section of Rush Creek this afternoon with a friend of mine... Fishing was good.. temps were in the mid 60s.. sun was shining.. and the Caddis were hatching... forgot the camera.. which always sucks.. caught about 12 trout.. all were in good healthy form.. caught one 14" rainbow on a #10 red SJW... then as the trout started rising...  I'd been a fool had I not switched to my last elk hair caddis.. which had me into a couple of trout right off the bat.. one as a nice 12" brown that put up a hefty little fight... kept the 12" and 14" for eating.. right now I am on a definite trout feast... C&R is awesome and all.. but sometimes its nice to savor the fruits of our labor..

Obviously this section was not touched on opener seeing as the only foot prints in the area were of my buddy's dad's boots... which is a great thing because there have been some nice chunkers pulled out of this stretch this year.. I'd say it's is as healthy as I've ever seen it..

Trout Opener!... Not what was to be expected...

     April 17th.. 2010.. Minnesota official Trout Opener.. got a campsite at Beaver Creek Valley State Park for Saturday and Sunday.. or so that was planned.. since about mid week I was kinda sick.. something going on in the intestinal region.. really not sure.. but it was minimal so i was not worried at all.. well fortunately it made full swing on saturday *grr*.. took my time getting to the water because i knew how chaotic the day was gonna be with trout fisherman every 100 ft from each other at some stretches.. as we're driving to Beaver Creek the bridge south of Sheldon is loaded with cars.. not surprised in the least.. so we get to camp around 10am.. set up camp and lounge.. walked around and showed my girlfriend around the park a little bit... talked to other fishermen to see how the action was.. nothing really saying much of anything going on.. it was a bright sunny day.. and the water is running crystal clear.. no surprise pickin's are slim...
     Around 4pm I finally decided to get out and hit the water... maybe most of the people that are getting out to catch and eat are done.. streams were packed between Sheldon and Houston.. so i decided to head west and go as far as the Lanesboro area.. i get to one of my newly favorited spots... my gut starts going crazy.. "Does a bear shit in the woods?"... after dealing with all that i finally get to the water.. setting up my rod.. FFFFFUUUU!!!... i forgot my indicators at home.. really?  checked everything like 20 times.. and i forget one of the most important things to my rig.. good job dumbass!... day was already going bad with the sickness.. didn't get any better with forgetting the indicators.. so i switch to a #6 brown Wooly Bugger... hook into one trout.. the only trout..stomach starts F'in me in the A again.. so i get off stream.. and head back to camp.. stomach not doing any better.. i decided its time for bed.. not the greatest time for camping may i add.. got down into the low 30s... needless to say i was in many layers of clothing and still kinda chilly... really hoping i wasnt gonna have to use the head in this cold night...
     Wake up the next morning.. the lady doesn't wanna have to deal with the cold.. i'm still sick.. so we pack up camp and decide to head back home.. At least i was able to catch a fish opening day.. what a disappointing opener that would have been... get sick and get skunked... btw.. here is the recipe to the trout i made sunday.. it was to die for..

14" Brown Trout.. gutted and skinned
1 Tbls butter(cut into 4 slices)
4 Lemon Slices
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 c. Cornbread Stuffing(use less water when prepared as the trout, lemon, and butter will add moisture)

Preheat oven to 450... stuff trout with the cornbread stuffing..  take a piece of aluminum foil that will be big enough to wrap the trout.. lay 2 pieces of butter in the middle of the tin foil.. top with lemons.. sprinkle half of the black pepper onto the area.. lay trout down.. repeat the process on top of the trout.. pepper, lemon, butter.. wrap tightly.. roll up edges so the fluid stays in the aluminum.. put on a sheet pan and cook for 17min.

Treading New Waters...

o after going to work today and finding out I didn't have to work I decided to do what any avid fisherman would do on a day off... go fishing.. and I decided that fishing a new stream was in order.. so after some thankful pointers from Mark Dahlquist.. I decided to hit up a stream in the Caledonia area.. as I have had interest in this stream before yet have never fished it..
1pm I arrive at the destination suggested by Mark.. very windy.. warm.. temps in the mid 70s.. storms have been in the area for the past couple days.. looks like rain fall has been close to nil as the stream is running crystal clear.. I first start out my day rigging up a prince/hwcj.. first decided to walk down stream and see what was provided.. plenty of deep holes with minimal riffles seemed to be the name of the game on this stretch.. as i was going to make my first cast.. trout started rising...such a bi-polar day made well for a caddis hatch.. sunny... then cloudy.. rain tease.. more sun.. more clouds.. repeat..  caddis hatch.. in full swing..   so i immediately switch up my rig before even making a cast.. no nymphing today.. tie on an elk hair and start pulling in the fish.. nothing too big.. all were under 10".. all were browns..(on a side note.. the trout in this stream fend for their lives.. as probably half the trout i caught had some sort of scarring on their sides.. as seen in the picture above.. probably from close calls with eagles and hawks..) as the day went on and the flies got lost due to less than pleasurable wind conditions.. frustration ensued.. and finally i was spent.. day over... don't want to fish anymore.. sometimes frustration wins.. mother nature *shakes fist* you win this time!.. on a positive note i think i finally got the double haul cast down.. had to.. there was no choice when the winds were easily gusting over 15mph.. so in the end.. i guess it was at least a day to practice casting technique and catch a couple fish in the process... and i learned new water

Root River 4-12

Went to work this morning.. got done around 2.. from there i scouted the weather for awhile.. wondering if any of that storm was gonna hit where i potentially wanted to go this evening.. as 4pm rolled around i check again and was clear for take off.. decided i would take to one of my favorite islands on the root river.. got there late about 5pm... first look at the area seemed to be as normal as the year before.. minus a couple feet of shore that had eroded away during the thaw... as i got closer to the river i noticed a few redhorse in the shallows.. i knew there was a reason i brought the crawlers.

So i make my ford and get to the island.. water looked to be about right.. if not slightly low... i decided i'd start out slow and hunt for a stick to hold my rod up as i dunked some worms.. threw my line in and tended to getting my fly rod set up.. soon after i hooked into my first fish of the evening... my spinning reel screamed... that's a redhorse.. put up a hell of a fight.. not a small guy either.. soon after getting bored with the worm dunking.. i got the fly rod out... in hopes of landing my first redhorse on the fly.. but that was not happening today... i hooked into only one more fish on the afternoon... but it's always nice to get out and fish when the opportunity is there.. i cannot wait for the weekend to get here.. trout opener is gonna be a blast!

Fish and Whistle.. Whistle and Fish...

What a beautiful day and I was stuck indoors cooking for the masses. Next weekend is a different story.. no work.. trout opener.. whistle and fish =)

Mmm.. Caddis

Woke up late.. was busy partying it up the night before.. decided i would drive on down to one of my favorite stream sections on Rush Creek.. didn't get on the water until 1pm.. had to be at work at 5pm.. so it was definitely crunch time.. the day before i fished a section of Garvin Brook and didn't even get a hit.

Conditions:
Sunny/Breezy/Windy
Air Temp: 54F(1pm) 61F(4pm)
Water Temp: 56F(1pm) 58F(4pm)
Clarity: Crystal




The rush looks to finally be settled in and not a bit high anymore.. last week it was still a couple inches up.. i hooked up a rig of a Hot Wire Copper John and a 20 incher.. expecting trout to hit on the same flies i was throwing last time i was on Rush... walked down stream a ways before deciding to start making some casts.. While walking to where i wanted to start i spotted Grey Caddis in the bushes along the stream.. and then started noticing them everywhere.. quick to get on the rising fish i immediately switched to an #12 Elk Hair Caddis... and within a couple of casts i was hooking into the feeding frenzy fish.. as the day progressed i noticed some mayflies.. maybe Dark Hendricksons.. March Browns? and i also saw some small stoneflies flying around the area.. the trout literally had an all you can eat buffet of bugs to eat this afternoon.. i threw Elk Hairs.. Sparkle Duns and Dark Hendricksons.. all of which produced fish. Overall.. great day to get out.. and in the end.. i guess it was a good thing i woke up late.. too bad i had to go to work.. would have much preferred to forget about that place and just fish all day.

4-7-10

Started the day late... Didn't get on the water til after 11am this morning.
Conditions:
Overcast/Breezy
Air temp: ~46F
Water temp: ~49F
Clarity: Clear

Not much was going on on the Pine today.. rocks examined showed very little for nymph action. Saw a few trout rising but could not tell what they were feeding on as there was no obvious hatch going on nor was there a sign of one. The day itself was not very productive either. 2 browns.. 1 fat 12"+ brown hiding under the cut that took on a #16 copper brassie. Both were taken on brassies. Sucks when you lose what they are hitting and cannot find any thing else suitable.

A fool... I am not

Got out on the south fork on 3-31 and 4-1. Stream conditions were good. Two amazing days that resulted in amazing fishing. 31st I fished by "The Million Dollar Bridge" caught an assortment of browns and brookies. Weather was amazing. Started my day at 8:30am. Was cool and sunny; around 50F as the day progressed though the day got warmer(mid-70s), brighter and the bite got better. Trout were taking on a Zug Bug that a wayfaring fisherman gave to me that morning that had good success until I lost it to the stream. Changed up a couple times and finally got them hitting on a variety of flies: #12 Orange Hare's Ears, #12-14 BH Pheasant Tails, #12 Brown Mini-bugger, #10 BH Prince Nymphs. No significant hatches were going on throughout the 8hrs i spent on the stream that day. Bite was definitely good and it was a great adventure. Before I had only fished this section of the south fork from the gate to the bridge with spinning gear. This time around was a whole other story. After getting some pointersfrom another angler earlier in the day I had decided to venture further upstream than I had been before. Resulting in some amazing scenery and great fishing. After I was done at the south fork i headed back towards Rushford and fished a favorite stream of mine for the remainder of the day. The day prior a tip from a friend had mentioned the spotting of and success of fishing a stonefly nymph. Using a #10 20 incher i was able to get hooked into a nice run of trout to top of an already excellent day of fishing.

April Fools, I got up a little later in the day. First day of Spring C&R. That means all streams are open in Southeaster Minnesota. This was a great day because it allowed me to finally fish a stretch of stream that i have wanted to fish ever since trout season closed. I wasn't the only one obviously thinking this as when i showed up there was one car already parked at the bridge in Choice. By the time i had entered the stream another car had arrived as well. Normally I seem to be the only fisherman on this stretch most of the year, which i am perfectly ok with =) Another day of venturing into unsung territory to me and it again turned out to be a great success. What i once didn't venture because of what seemed like boring water made way for an amazing treasure after walking into the spot about a 1/4mile. Again, browns and brooks hitting on #10 prince nymphs.. didn't even bother with putting anything else on. That is until i ran out of princes. This gave me a chance to use my new mini-buggers. Tied on #10 black mini-bugger and went for a walk. Got into some amazing scenery and even more amazing water. Riffles for a good 1/4mi and deep limestone boulder riffles. Trout willingly took the bugger and they were nothing far from short. All 12"+ and a couple around 16"