Fishing Small Streams

I was out Monday and Tuesday afternoon to take advantage of the Hendrickson hatch. It must be winding down since there was only about a 15 minute hatch on Monday and nothing to speak of on Tuesday. But the fishing was still off the charts. Monday I met up with Ben from the leaper blog.youtube.com There was a brief hatch and I could see some noses taking duns in a soft eddy behind a large rock in some heavy water. After readjusting angle and approach to get an acceptable drift with the Hendrickson comparadun, a pair of nice browns were in the net.


After the brief hatch, I took the Euro nymphing rod and worked the slots in the fast water and picked up a couple rainbows and another brown. Mid afternoon a bald eagle flew overhead with a brown trout in it's talons. He made graceful, banked turn showing off his wingspan and white head in the clear sun, a truly impressive sight! Later the beavers and the waterfowl made their appearances as well. Ben opted to stir things up with a "gurgler" and entertained both of us watching the big browns mash the noisy mess of a fly. After fishing hard all afternoon, I sat down for a rest and waited to see if a spinner fall would occur.


I was hopeful since I had been seeing them most of the afternoon. As the sun set, the sky filled with egg laying spinners and the trout were taking them with abandon. The water was being covered with so many spinners that trout were taking the naturals within inches of my fly. As the light was fading and things wound down, we both had battled and landed quite a few of hefty browns. Big browns in the dark; the color got washed out in the low light. Tuesday, I decided the head upriver to see if I could catch the Hendrickson hatch. There were very few Hendricksons in the air but fish were still rising. Based on the small dimpled rises, I guessed that there were probably taking olive emergers.


A size 18 olive comparadun was what they were looking for and I was able to land a handful of browns and rainbows. At one point, I hooked three fish on three consecutive casts. At 4PM, I headed back to the spot I was in the night before. The upper run covered so I picked a good spinner location and swung a bead head pheasant tail soft hackle and picked off a nice rainbow. As the sun went down, the wind that had been blowing most of the day died down and the spinners started coming in mass. It was another stellar evening of spinner fishing with too many fish to keep count to the next and one brute that I got within arms reach before the spinner popped out of his mouth.


Four ASEAN states - the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei - along with Taiwan and China are locked in disputes over the strategic waterway. ASEAN has been in talks with China to negotiate a nonaggression pact called the "code of conduct" to prevent major armed clashes in the offshore region, which has long been regarded as a potential Asian flashpoint. Southeast Asian diplomats have told The Associated Press that the first of three rounds of talks on the proposed pact was expected to be completed this year. The more difficult aspects, including whether the pact should be legally binding and cover the entire disputed region, have been relegated to the final rounds so as not to stall the talks early on. They cite China's construction of islands on seven disputed reefs in recent years despite it being a party to a 2002 non-binding regional agreement discouraging such actions. China initially claimed some of the islands would serve as storm shelters for fishermen but Beijing instead installed defensive missile systems there and its naval forces shoo away and warn ships and aircraft that stray near. Associated Press journalists Jerry Harmer, Tassanee Vejpongsa and Gemunu Amarasinghe contributed to this report.


Also including a bass of around 7 or 8lb mark which done great things for my confidence with a rod. Around this area the big bass fishing is quite exciting as its really the fish we are blessed with. Other fish are dogfish, small whiting and codling. The flounder fishing especially in the Conwy river can be very good. Ive decided that every time i go fishing from now on i will only concentrate on fishing for big bass. In winter we do not get much Cod of any size and the odd bass will still be scouring the area. This means that from now through next year also this will be my strategy. I enjoy bait fishing more than lure fishing, its just the way i am i suppose.


My strategy is to go as much as i can, when the weather looks good enough. I will be hitting the areas that big bass maybe lurking. Big baits will be used to tempt the silver armoured predators of the sea. Double/Triple crab baits, whole squid baits, big launces and small mackerel/mackerel flapper baits will be the flavour to lure in the bass. Every minute of the fishing will have full concentration with No slacking. Hopefully the dedication and clear focus on concentrating on solely on double figure fish will help me achieve more than last year. It would be great to pull out some more surprises, but as always all fish will be returned.


Just a thought. There are some spectacular places to fish in Yellowstone National Park that are less than a mile from a paved road. Most fisher folks don't even think about them. That's fine with us. Some of the absolute best catching of trout in Yellowstone National Park is not on the Firehole River, or the Madison River, or the Gibbon River, or the Gallatin River. How many can you catch? It might be on Slough Creek, but not where the elbows are. It might be near the Lamar River, but not within sight of the road. It could even be in the mosquito ridden Bechler Region of the park.


Most fly fishers are of a gregarious sort. Yet, they whine about too many folks on their water. They sob about the fact that there are even other folks on their water. They bemoan the fact that someone found their secret spot. Then they return to the same holes on the same rivers and wonder why things have not changed. Most of the glory waters in Yellowstone National Park are about comfortable fishing. Do it the way you have read about it. Do it the way the counter help at a feather merchant's shop tells you to do it. Listen to the guides as they extoll the virtues of their successful outings and the grins on their client's face. It's comfortable. Go where you've been before - it's comfortable. Go where someone told you to go - it's comfortable.


Most fly fishers measure their fishing experience in terms of the fish that were caught. A few in terms of the bugs or the rivers. Very few, (we plead guilty,) in terms of the place, the time, the surroundings, or the weather - fish be caught or not. We encourage all fishers that come to Yellowstone National Park to engage in comfortable fishing. Measure your experience in terms of the size of the fish, the number of fish, the various species of fish, the beauty of the fish, the strength of the fish - enjoy the fish. You will have the memories of having fished and caught fish where millions of other fishers have fished and caught fish.


You will be able to tell stories of the same parking places, rocks, runs and riffles and pools that others have experienced. It's fullfilling to be part of the club. We do not suggest that you spend any time in the winter looking at maps. We do not suggest that you plan to walk too far or explore the thousands of miles of streams and rivers in Yellowstone National Park. We do not, for an instant, suggest that the local, professional, experts are not omniscient or omnipotent - heaven forbid! After all, they make a good living by being the way that they are. We, silly us, are spending many hours this winter looking at maps.


We're looking at Google Earth. We, at the moment, are comfortable. But it's not fishing. We are planning a summer of distinctly uncomfortable fishing. Catching may accompany it: may not too. Resources for the uncomfortable fisher folks are wide and varied. Google Earth is good. Com is exceptional and lets you print the maps you need - it's free! Searching the various "YELLOWSTONE FISHING" web sites gives many insights that even the local experts have not yet discovered. Most of this "research" is butt-time, in front of a computer, we hope it pays off. Last year, Many of the wader friendly lodgings in town were booked well in advance of the fishing season in the park. The owners of these establishments have developed a following of repeat customers and suggest that it's never too early to grab your place. Of course there are over 3,000 motel rooms in town - BUT - not many have facilities for drying waders, tying flies, and other things that gregarious fishers enjoy. Right now, by gum, the sun has made an appearance, so we're getting off our butt - for the moment.


Water is flowing in many areas. Live bait, fished slowly is going to be a great way to kick off the season. I'd fish for pike or walleye and wait until the weather stabilizes a bit if you want to target bass. Shallow dark bottom bays will be where most of the action is on Saturday. Live bait will be a key presentation option. Targeting Musky, Pike and Walleye will be more productive than chasing bass in the morning. Panfish: Crappies and Bluegills have started their transition into shallow water, and the bite has been steady on the sunny or warmer afternoons. Primary pattern working for keepers is to find the schools that are relating to weed clumps in shallow water.


Newer, green weeds, reeds or small wood laydowns are attracting the most fish right now. For crappies try small fuzzy jigs tipped with waxworms, or a hook and float combo with small fatheads or rosie reds. Bluegills have been biting on plastics tipped with waxworms or spikes, as well as redworms, leafworms or pieces of nightcrawler. Hot tip: Sunken trees and cribs in deeper water that is close to a shallow drop will holder better size fish right now. Best Lakes For Panfish: Ashippun, Silver, Kessus, Golden, the Genessee lakes, Lake Five, Okauchee (Bay Five, the Channel, Icehouse and Stumpy Bay), Garvin and the Nehmabins.


Trout: Stocked trout fishing is always very popular for opening weekend. Stocked trout are easy to catch before too much pressure gets put on them. Watch for them swimming in groups just below the surface and cast ahead of them. They'll hit a variety of tackle/bait options but the use of gold really will help. I typically use a gold ice fishing jig with live bait under a small balsa bobber. Bass: Largemouth are in an early prespawn pattern. Small schools of them are chasing baitfish in the shallow water. For the best action look for LM to be along the first drop offs or at the edges of shallow bays. Later in the day they may move to the backs of spawning coves. Lindy or split shot rigs with nightcrawlers or suspending large shiners under slip bobbers are your best live bait options.


Texas rigged plastic lizards, wacky worms, neko or ned rigs and jigs with a chunk trailer will be good options if fished very slowly. Slow rolling spinnerbaits or ripping rattletraps around weedy cover could produce some reaction strikes, but it never hurts to have natural pattern floating minnowbait (like a number 9 or 11 rapala) to twitch on the surface near roaming fish. Best lakes for largemouth: Okauchee, Silver, Nagawicka, Golden, Pine, Pewaukee, Moose, Kessus, Pretty. Smallmouth remain in deeper water for the most part, although a few have been seen making foraging runs into rocky areas during the middle part of the day.


Look for them to be suspended in the water column in deep water near points and other rocky structure. Suspending Jerkbaits, swimbaits, slow rolled spinnerbaits or twister tail grubs in natural pattern are good options for chasing suspended smallmouths. If you can find some fish on the rocks, lindy rigging with leeches or nightcrawlers or grubs on a mushroom head, wacky or ned rigs should do the trick. Best lakes for smallmouth: North, Lower Nehmabin, Oconomowoc, Nagawicka. Pine, Lac La Belle. Note: There's an Anglers Choice Tournament on Okauchee on Sunday. Walleyes are roaming shallow flats chasing baitfish. This indicates typical post-spawn behavior patterns, which matches the water temperatures on our local lakes. Bottom bouncers with spinner harnesses, lindy rigs and jigs will all catch these fish, but don't overlook the classic spring pattern of hitting rocks with the lip of a number 5 or 7 shad rap.


Look for walleyes to relate the edges of shallow water, but especially at the junctions of rock/sand transitions. Best lakes for walleye: Lac La Belle, Pewaukee, Pine and Oconomowoc. A few fish are still being caught on the Rock and Crawfish Rivers. Northern: Pike are past their post spawn blues and are feeding aggressively. Typically with these conditions small pike will be all over shallow water and you can expect the big pike to be relating to the first break. This is prime time to chase pike with live bait. Use slip bobbers and suspend large shiners and suckers around weed edges or near areas with visible panfish.


Casting with lipless crankbaits, buzzbaits, spooms or spinner baits, especially around shallow weeds on he edge of the sandy flat areas can be dynamite. Remember the best color for pike has always been red/white, but if the sun gets out, flash and shiny can draw some big strikes. Best lakes for pike: Forest, Emily, Kessus, Moose, Golden, Nagawicka, Fowler, Lower Gennessee, Okauchee. Musky: The fish that seem to be chasing active baitfish are relating to green weed growth in mid-depth water. You never lose out by floating a sucker or the largest shiners you can buy. Best lakes for musky: Pewaukee, Lac La Belle, Fowler, Okauchee, Garvin and Oconomowoc.


I have openings for guide trips or fishing lessons during May. Email me for more information. Be safe out there. I'll see you on the water. Getting ready: Need bait, equipment, or a fishing license? Do yourself a favor and buy from one of the locals. The DNR maintains a database of printable lake maps online. There's also a easy to use reference to find boat launches at the DNR Website. Need some help with the boat? Are you sick of never getting your boat on time? Tired of getting over charged by the big guys? Lake Country Recreation has your sale and service needs. Lake Country Recreation is the best and only mobile marine in Lake Country area! With over 20 years of service experience Lake Country Recreation can help you with all aspects of marine repair at a fair price!


So if you need help don’t hesitate to contact Lake Country Recreation! Taking a Kid Fishing this weekend? Location: In Oconomowoc, WI. Take Capitol Drive west to State Highway 16, go west on 16 to County Highway P, then take P north to County Highway K, go west on K to McMahon Road. Watch for "public access" sign. Notes: Run by Waukesha County Parks. Park has picnic area, restrooms and shorefishing. Location: Located on Crowbar Drive, south of Kelsey Drive. Notes: Public park with ballfields, restrooms, picnic area and boat launch. Not much shorefishing, due to marshy area near shore. Location: At the Fowler Lake Dam, on Highway 67, one-quarter mile north of State Highway 16 in the Oconomowoc, WI.


Located just northeast of the beach and park on Lac La Belle. Notes: Disabled accessible public fishing pier. Location: Access from Idle Isle Park in Muskego, WI on the northeast side of Little Muskego Lake. Take Martin Drive to Hardtke Drive to the park. Note: Idle Isle Park has a beach, picnic area, restrooms, accessible public fishing pier and boat launch. Location: In Phantom Glen Park in Mukwonago, WI. Take County Highway ES (Main Street) to Andrews Street, then go west into the park. Notes: Public park with picnic area, restrooms, disabled accessible public fishing pier and boat ramp. Location: Trout pond located on the west side of Highway 67, between Piper Road and Road X. About 3 miles north of Eagle, WI.


Notes: No facilities, but there is a picnic area with restrooms just a short distance to the south. DNR manages as a children's trout fishing pond. Although it is officially category 3 (3 bag and 9 inch length), there is a voluntary regulation for adults to catch and release, and kids are allowed to keep one trout of any size. Designed to encourage adults to take kids out and teach them to trout fish. Location: In Nagawaukee County Park. Take County Highway C, three-quarters of a mile north of Interstate 94 in Delafield, WI. Notes: Public beach, picnic area, restrooms and concessions, camping, shorefishing and boat launch.


Notes: County owned access on frontage road between the two lakes, Highway DR. shorefishing on Upper Nemahbin from the road right-of-way. DNR owned carry-in site on Lower Nemahbin off Sugar Island Road. Location: Village park in downtown Pewaukee, WI. Notes: Public park with beach and public fishing pier. Can also access Pewaukee River just below the dam. On Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Pewaukee. Moose Lake: Shore and pier fishing is available at the Moose Lake Public Launch area. This launch has a nice park like area available to shore fisherman. The Launch area is just off Highway C, across from Cedar Bay road. Lac La Belle: Public Fishing Pier Located in Memorial Park in downtown Oconomowoc.


Nashotah Park: Just off of the corner of HWY C and HWY R in Nashotah there is a park and ride. Across HWY R, there is a low fence that marks access to the Forest Lake area of Nashotah Park. Anglers have to hike down the hill, but the entire shoreline of the small lake is available for shore-fishing. Fowler Lake: There is space for shore fishing by the Labelle/Fowler Dam, at the boat landing and in the Riverside Park. The lake is just off HWY 16 in Downtown Oconomowoc. The boat landing is behind city hall. Nagawicka Lake: Two areas allow public shore fishing access. There is some space at the public launch in the County Park off of HWY 83 near Delafield.


A second option allows you to access St John's Bay and a section of the Bark River. Take HWY C to where the Military Academy is. There is a small park just south of downtown Delafield on the east side of the road.youtube.com Pewaukee Lake: Located in Nagawaukee County Park on the west side of the lake. From I-94, north on State Highway 83 for 1/8 mile, east on County Highway DR 1 1/2 miles, north on County Highway E to park entrance. Park fee is charged. There is also a public fishing pier along the city strip near the beach on the east end.


Ottawa Lake: Located in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. From State Highway 67, west on County Highway ZZ for 1/3 mile to park entrance. State Park sticker required for entry. Upper Genessee: Carry in boats and shore fishing are available. Paradise Springs: Located in the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. From downtown Eagle, west 1 mile on State Highway 59 to County Highway N, north on N for about 1/2 mile to site. State Park sticker required for entry.youtube.com Lower Phantom Lake: Located in Phantom Glen Park. From County Highway ES, west on Andrews Street to park entrance.


As I write this piece I am watching the rain pour down my wafer thin windows, the weather fluctuation is typical of this time of year. My old man keeps moaning about it and to be honest I don't blame him, a couple of weeks ago I was fishing for Perch with my friend Julian on a commercial that has recently done a 5lb er. I thought. Days later we took a trip to the glorious Emperor lakes to film a Pike fishing DVD demonstrating basic methods and handling for an up and coming free supplement from Fox. A reschedule looked like a good idea when we met at Exeter services at 5 30 am, the temperature was -3 with a gale force easterly blowing the shit out of everything that caught its path.youtube.com The Perch trip I spoke of earlier was no walk in the park.


In the last run of the day an aggressive fish slashed at the Bomber twice but could not be coaxed back for a third try. I removed the dry and the dropper and replaced it with a more subtle Adam's Wulff. On the third drift of the Adams, the brown came out of nowhere and crushed it. After a brief but surprisingly intense struggle, I was holding a beautiful wild brown in my hand before returning it to the water. It was an amazingly beautiful day to be out fishing again and enjoying the warm afternoon after a long cold winter.