anyone been out lately???

well, how bout it guys. with all the nice weather we had the past week someone must have got out fishin somewhere. with that whole list of new streams that opened up someone must have tryed it. so what’s the report. John, D.A., Todd???? anyone????

I bounced around to three different streams on Saturday. Two of them were OK, the third was a bust, but for a good reason. It happened to have a lot of remnants of shelf ice and is not the recipient of much consistent water temperatures, so it hadn’t really warmed up much (the down side is that it won’t cool real well in the summer either). Thus, the water temperatures on that strech were very cold.

I fished the yellow/orange scud all day and caught fish on it. The guys I was with fished the same and even used a midge pupa trailer. In general, the water’s real clean and real low, There have been some reports of blue winged olives, but I haven’t seen any yet.

Have not had the chance to get on the water a whole lot lately (swamped at work unfortunately). The last couple of times I have been out were at Beaver with minimal success – taking a few fish on olive buggers.

Todd Olson
The Fly Guys Guide Service
EFN Field Staff
[email protected]

I was out friday and sunday. I caught a lot of fish both days. Most of the fish in the 10″ to 12″ range but also caught a mess of 13″s and 14″s. The lure of choice for me was a black body and silver blade spinner 1/8 once, that is the only lure I used both days. Like D.A. said the water is low and crystal clean. MED

Made it out after work today. Hit Garvin Brook (it just opened Mar 1) and had some good success. In just over an hour I caught 9 – most 10-12″, but had a couple of nicer fish on. All fish were caught on Pheasant Tail nymph.

Todd Olson
The Fly Guys Guide Service
EFN Field Staff
[email protected]

I spent the whole day on the water yesterday – all on “new” catch and release streams. Conditions weren’t optimal, in fact, I was drilled with some heavy snow for a half hour. The winds made casting accuracy difficult, especially on some of the really small streams where accuracy is essential.

I fished the amber colored scud most of the day and switched to the Pink Squirrel with a #16 flashback Hare’s Ear later in the day when I encountered some dirty water for some reason (there was no snow melt to speak of). I also nabbed a few fish on the Simpleton Midge. I caught a few 10-12 inch fish including a nice golden 15 inch brown (and my first brookie of the year).

Streams are still cold, low, and clear so stealth is important (stay low), make good casts and get plenty of weight on your nymphs as most of the trout will hang in the slower water during all of this colder weather. When it warms up and more insects start to move, so will the trout – usually towards the heads of the pools and higher up in the water column to pick of those emerging nymphs.

Got out today for a bit in the morning while all the snow was falling. We fished near Winona and did quite well. It was really a great morning. WE fished from 8:00-10:00. Nothing was rising so midges were out. I caught twelve on a #14 orange scud. Most were 9-10inch range while one fat one topped out at 14 or so. It was a nice fish. I lost one that may have been even bigger than that.
Anyone else get out today?

Sorry Jake! wife and work has kept me nailed down. If it wasn’t for the reports from you and the rest of the gang, I don’t think I would rember what fishing was about anymore! LOL.
John.

Fished from about 10:00-3:00 today on two different streams south of 90. The weather was pretty decent until the winds came up and made casting accuracy difficult at times. There weren’t any real hatches to speak of, but I did run into a few midges and BWO’s, however, there wasn’t much for surface activity.

I fished a variety of patterns with mixed success today: scuds with a #18 olive PT trailer (black krystal flash wing case), or a #18 Shillinglaw Emerger trailer, or a #16 Flashback Hare’s Ear. I used the Pink Squirrel for a while, and even threw streamers (with the wind at my back) for a bit. Nothing really large to speak of, a few in the 13 inch range, but I ran into only two other guys, so chalk up another reason why fly fishing is better than golf.

On a side note, I used Climax tippet for the first time today….and the last time. Now I know why I spcifically fish with Rio Powerflex tippet. I lost too many flies today to poor tippet quality. For those of you who think tippet is tippet, I politely beg to differ.

All finally, all streams that I saw were very clear and very low as well.