I Got A Fever..

And the only cure is open water.. I got the itch.. Tied up my first ever warm water patterns today.. Just kinda winged it.. I'm sure they'll tie me into some fish this season...

 

 

The Trout Carrot

I have been tying and using this pattern all winter long.. And it has served me well... I was looking for a name for it.. I would just call it an "Orange Hare's Ear" but it's not a hare's ear at all in the end.. same basic pattern style.. But with differences.. So it's been officially named the "Trout Carrot"

 

Hook: TMC 5262 #12-14

Weight: Bead head and 4-5 wraps of .015 Lead

Thread: Black

Tail: Pheasant Tail

Body/Thorax: Custom Angler's Orange Dubbing

Ribbing: Fine Gold/Copper Wire

Wing Casing: Pheasant Tail

Simple.. Yet extremely deadly

Feb 25th.. The Return

Saturday morning.. Arrived stream side a couple minutes after 9 a.m... Temps were in the mid teens.. I made sure to slap on an extra layer.. It hasn't been this cold too often when I've gotten out on the water this year.. I've been able to be picky this year and more often than not choose days where the temps were above freezing this year.. With a few sub-freezing days here and there.. I tell you what.. I don't miss it.. I don't miss the cold toes.. The iced up guides... The touch of the bitter cold surrounding you... But soon enough you forget about it.. Especially when you're catching trout...

I made it out with a buddy of mine Ted Nilius that I had met on the HSO Forum awhile back.. It started out slower than it normally starts for me.. First couple spots on the run were slow.. Iced guides led to early frustration.. But hopes were far from up.. A couple holes later and I get my first trout to hand.. Next hole Ted takes a couple... Next hole I take a couple more.. And so on and so forth.. All on nymphs.. 

 Then we came up on the hole we came here for in the first place.. The last time out Ted had told me he had a trout take him to reel within seconds of hooking him and leading to instant break off and heart break.. The plan was to start pounding it with streamers and hope for the best.. Unfortunately nothing came of it.. No hits.. Nada..

We continued upstream pounding a couple larger holes with streamers.. Pulling out a fair share of 12"+ trout.. And Ted landing the biggest of the day.. a brown chunker in the 16" range.. It was a blast and definitely made his day for sure.. I too was able to become more confident in my streamer skills.. Landing 4 or so trout in the 12" range.. I mean that is why I bought the 4 wt.. Or so I was reminded that's the reason I gave to justify the rod *wink*

Overall the day was great.. It was kinda cold.. But the sun and the trout made it feel a lot warmer than it was.. Our rod guides though kept icing up as a reminder to let us know it was not anywhere near above freezing.. In the end we covered a lot of water.. I became ever more familiar with a stream I have now fished close to a dozen times this season now.. We took at least 20 trout to hand with at least half of them over 12" and a few healthy looking brookies.. I became more confident in my streamer chucking.. All was well today...


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Thursdays Outing... Visiting Dr. Feelgood

He's the one that makes you feel good.. And this is the stream that is almost always on and will have me landing at least a couple trout throughout the day(don't want to jinx myself &&&).. I met up with my buddy Ted and we did pretty well.. I took around a dozen trout with a lot of misses near the end.. While Ted landed his fair share as well.. Also having the occasional problem of not setting the hook in time.. Winter can be irritating like that.. You have a very small window to tell whether or not a trout hit your nymph and if you don't act fast.. You won't land'em..

I had left Ted behind as I had to head back home and get to work... When I got back to my car I had realized I had left my net streamside.. Obviously too happy to land 1 final trout after missing probably 8 trout before it.. My description of the end of the day did not want to be "Well I had a lot of hits at the end but no trout".. And then BAM!  Got him after him and his buddies had struck 6 times the previous.. Anyways.. Thank god Ted saw it!  I definitely wouldn't have minded having to head back out there the next day.. But good thing he found it.. I had no motivation to fish today!

I talked to Ted later that day and he said he had had a trout take him to reel and snap his line.. Saturday is hopefully redemption!  As we will be streamside in T-Minus 8 hrs.. Which means I should probably stop typing and try to get to bed...

New Camera: Panasonic Lumix TS10

Well I finally got a new camera.. Or well I've had it for a couple weeks now.. And figured now is a better time than ever to give it a review...

 

I have seen these cameras around for about the last year or so and have been keeping an eye on them.. I know a few other bloggers that use this camera and was pretty impressed with the image quality overall.. I was pretty much a Fuji Film kinda guy.. Owning nothing but Fuji cameras ever since I got my hands on my first digital camera ages ago.. I liked them.. So no need to change.. That is until I started looking into a good rugged waterproof camera and not reading the best reviews for what Fuji had to offer.. So I began to wander and look at other options.. I took the Olympus and Canon waterproof cameras into concideration and after reading more OK reviews I decided I would stick with what I was going after.. A Panasonic Lumix..

Now there are 3(I believe) models of the Lumix line.. the TS10.. TS2.. TS3.. New for 2012 I think is a TS4/5.. But anywho.. The TS10 was the more "Stripped" down version.. I don't need Geo-Tagging.. I can remember where I took pictures and well If I want others to know.. I will share that info... The TS10 shoots 14mp HD Stills and 720p HD Video.. It lacks a wide angle lens for your landscape-y pictures I may take out in the wild... But I have not been disappointed with long wide range shots yet.. The image stabilization is a great addition(I know.. Its been around for awhile now.. believe it or not.. This is my first camera with it.. No more Top 3 mode to pick out the clearest of 3 pictures)... Macro seems to work well enough.. My last camera was Fuji's P/S "DSLR wanna be" camera.. Had much better macros than this camera.. Could take pictures mm away from the object... The Lumix you must be about 4-5cm away for any clarity... But they are still good clear pictures.. Underwater pictures are clear and crisp.. Haven't used the video recorder yet.. Unlike the TS2/3.. The TS10 only has 720p.. I'm perfectly OK with that...

Overall this is a great camera.. And at the price I got it.. (A jaw dropping $114 through the Amazon Warehouse Deals).. I don't think I could have found a better deal.. It's small.. Rugged.. Waterproof.. And takes crisp clear pictures... Everything the fisherman with an itch for photography needs!

Old Stream... New Water...

Hit up a new section of stream on one of my favorite streams... Not much else to say but another successful outing!  That now makes ~6mi of stream that I have successfully fished on this stream.. One day I'll be able to fish this stream blindfolded HA!

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The Good.. The Bad.. The Ugly...

Happy.. Upset.. Irate.. That Kinda sums up the 15th and 16th..

The Good....

Well Wednesday I woke early... Been working a lot and haven't had time to get out and play with my new toy.. My brand new St. Croix Imperial 7'6" 4wt.. Matched up with a Martin 61 reel and Airflo Ridge Line Supple Tactical WF4F.. I had been drooling over this rod for about a week or so as I waited patiently for my fly line for it to come in the mail... The one downfall of online ordering.. Sometimes companies drop the ball and you got to wait longer than expected..

So I take my new setup to one of my favorite stretches of stream in SE MN in hopes of having a productive day of fishing.. I get to my destination.. it's a great day.. already in the low 30s and supposed to get up to 40.. No wind.. No chance or snow or rain... Typical weather for February.. Just kidding.. Amazing weather for February!  First couple casts with this new rod and I'm feeling like a pro.. This rod loads amazing... The line shoots off the guides like its covered in greased lightening.. Just what I was expecting from St. Croix and Airflo.. This is a great rod setup.. and at under $200 for the rod and a Lifetime Warranty.. You really cannot go wrong... Anyways.. Enough acting like I'm some sort of St. Croix rep.. (feel free to send me free garb though if you any of you guys are reading ^.^)


The day started out great like I said.. Sunny.. No breeze.. And within a couple casts to start the day.. I hook into my first trout of the day.. A nice 7-8" brookie.. The rod handled the fish with no problem.. Besides the fact that I didn't know there was a tree hanging over me and high stick my rod into it.. Tangling up.. But still landing the brook... Next couple casts result in a few more trout.. Mainly browns.. I skip a couple holes.. Being selective of what I fish.. Time is precious as I have to be back in town and at work at 5pm.. I hit my next hole and pull out a few more.. Couple browns and another small brookie..

 

I move up stream to finish the day off on one of my favorite holes on this stream.. Usually stacked up with trout year round.. Sure enough.. As I'm walking up on it I see risers just below the riffles taking midge that have been popping off the water all morning.. First cast.. Brown.. Next cast.. Brown.. Next cast.. Brook.. Next cast.. Hit and Miss... Cast back to the same spot.. Brown... If I didn't get them on the initial hit.. They took the 2nd time around.. Productive little hole that lands me about a dozen trout to hand in a matter of minutes.. Mainly browns with a brookie or two thrown in the mix...

 

So after that little onslaught of trout I figured there was no better way to end a good day of fishing so I retired back to my car to head home and get ready for work....

The Bad...
I get back to my car.. Break down my rod and put all my gear in the trunk of my car... Get in my car.. Key in the ignition.. Nothing.. Again.. Nothing... Again.. Nothing.. Again.. Stereo.. Hmm... Stereo.. Stereo.. My ignition gets stuck in what seems auxiliary as the only thing working is the stereo.. No clicks.. No dash lighting up.. FFFFFFUUUUUU!!!!.. What am I to do?.. 45-60min from town.. Depending on how ya drive.. 35+ miles... Walking is obviously out of the question.. and I got to be to work in roughly 2 hours....

So I call my step-dad who knows a bit about cars and helps me out when I need it.. He's nice enough to call into work and come pick me up.. Looks at the car... Can't figure out whats going on.. Other than knowing the ignition is shot.. So we make plans to take the pickup out tomorrow and pick up my car with a car tow...

The Ugly....
So Thursday morning I wake up.. Go to my morning eye doctor appointment.. And then off to get the car.. The thing that stung the most at first was knowing I was going to my favorite fishing hole.. And I was NOT going to fish... So we go and pick up the tow.. Everything seems to be going as planned.. We get to the car.. Everything still going as planned.. We first try pushing my car up onto the trailer and it's just at too steep of an angle for 2 of us to push.. So my stepdad says he'll get behind the car with the truck and push it up onto the trailer.. Everything seems to be going fine.. And then he over shoots me.. And my frame is now sitting on the trailer.. tires up in the air on both ends.. FFFFFFFUUUUU!!!!!!!!  My step-dad now goes "OK. I'll try pushing from the front".. Little info that's key.. My car is roughly 2ft from a good 100+ft drop into the valley below... So I get into the car so that the wheels are held straight and to break if we get off this trailer.. He pushes and the trailer skids.. Bringing me closer to the edge.. OK I'm Done!  Jump out of the car through the back door and walk off.. No way I'm bout ready to die at my favorite fishing hole... He goes "put it in neutral".. So I reach through the window and put it in neutral.. No way I'm getting back in that death trap.. He pushes again and the car kicks to the side.. Smashing up the passenger side door...

Irate.. I storm off.. Fuck it.. I'm walking home.. Without another word I start walking down the road(actually UP a very steep road).. Not giving a rat's ass anymore.. Yeah I'm 35 miles from town.. But rage fills and that's the last thought in my mind.. After walking for a couple miles I finally get around to calling my gf and having her come drive and pick me up along the highway.. As I'm walking though along the highway.. Two farm dogs run up to me and I give them a pet and keep hoofing it.. They follow.. I turn around and walk them back to the farm.. And continue.. They continue to follow me.. Fine.. You guys can tag along... So I got these two dogs following me.. They must've known something was up and needed some uplifting.. So they keep following me.. And following me.. Finally my gf picks me up.. And I throw the dogs in the car.. We got some dogs we gotta return.. So she heads up the road and we drop them off.. And I head home..

Shortly after I get home.. My step-dad returns.. He was able to find some farmers with a front end loader to help pop the car off the trailer and get everything situated.. I feel bad leaving him behind in the end.. But at the time.. There was no forgiving.. Rarely my tempter gets the best of me.. Especially that bad... But it was frustrating.. He tries to help.. and Sometimes its more steps backwards than forwards.. But in the end means well...

Ugh.. I'm just glad my car is back home...

Learning To Fly... Tie

So this past November I had gotten a couple gift cards for the b-day and spent them wisely... Sorta.. Guess it depends if you ask me... Or the gf.... So anyways it was spent wisely on a fly tying kit and additional fly tying supplies.. And off to the races I went.. And by a month later was into a supply cache that is well into the hundred.. Hundreds of dollars of supplies and materials.. But it's a great investment and have had fun learning to tie my own flies.. Releasing myself from the expense of paying per fly has been great and a lot less stressful when they are lost..

Overall fly tying is not expensive... Beyond a Vise, Bobbin, and Whip Finish Tool.. You don't need any other supplies to get started... A pack of natural dubbing, black thread, hook, wire, bead.. And you can tie a variety of flies.. And lots of them.. Hell you can make them out of nothing more than thread and wire!.. People think that it's so much more expensive to tie your own.. But it's only as expensive as your compulsive spending and curiosity allows it to be.. Once it Comes down to per fly cost.. It's a lot cheaper in the end... And with enough imagination you can find things around your house to tie with.. Or cheap alternatives at bead/jewelry stores and big box stores like Walmart.. Hobby Lobby.. Etc.. Honestly since I have started I find myself constantly looking through every stores craft section looking for cheaper alternatives to the fly tying "exclusive" materials which are often prices 2-3x more than the same thing you'll find in a craft area...

It's funny how fly tying can start taking over your living space.. I started out tying on my kitchen table.. didn't need much space... Had my one box of supplies.. Lets turn the page to today.. And I take up a corner in the living room.. 4 drawer desk.. All of which are filled with supplies.. 2 desk top storage for yet more supplies.. And a small storage rack subbing as a bookshelf and random don't know where to put it storage...

In the end I'd like to believe that though it has been an decent investment that it is an investment for the best down the road... It's nice after a long day to sit down in front of the desk and just relax and tie up a few flies....

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Still Alive....

Been a long time since I posted any thing here but I am still alive.. and still fishing! Unfortunately my cameras have both been trashed.. need to invest in a waterproof camera as booth have been fried from unintentional swims... So I have been left with my cell phone.. and excuse me if I'm a little weary of using my phone over open water.. as 2 years ago I had dropped a month old phone in the ~40* water of the root river leaving me stranded with flipping and t9.. never again! Anyways..

Well for starters it's Winter C&R Season.. Which starts on Jan. 1st here in Minnesota... after 3 months of no trout fishing season from oct-dec.. So far the season has been nothing sort of pleasing to any trout fisherman in Minnesota.. barely have we seen single digits so far this year.. let a lone days that didn't at least reach 32*... Much better than years past of 5-15* days being the "prime" winter days to trout fish and above freezing temps are nothing short of luxurious on any given average Jan/Feb day.. But this year has been nothing even close to resembling an average winter.. Hell you couldn't have even seen more than a patch of snow here and there up until 2 weeks ago!

Either way.. With the weather the way it has been.. It's still Winter.. and the water is still gin clear.. and the water is still cold... they are either on.. or they are not.. Have had a couple skunked days.. But after 3 months of not fishing.. I'll take the "casting practice".. and the scenery is always nice.. only those who understand truly get that a day of no fish can still be a great day on the water... Anyways.. Enough rambling from me..