The story here in Southeast Minnesota is hot weather and high water. The stream banks are a jungle of thick nettles and tall vines. Because of the wet conditions bugs are plentiful, particularly the gnats, combine these with a skeeter or two and you have a good reason to stay in the water as far from the bank as possible.
I recently had the chance to get out and fish with Glen, a long time buddy. We fished a stretch of the Root, between the towns of Preston and Lanesboro.
The water here has been high due to a fairly wet spring and summer, and today was no exception.
Dark clouds rolled in as we put on our waders, and we were escorted to the river by a chorus of lightning and thunder. It wasn’t until we stepped into the water that the rain started and pretty much ended all chances of sun burn. Shortly after it started raining, the thunder stopped, but it continued raining for about an hour.
It stayed cloudy for the rest of the evening, and after the storm subsided a fog started forming along the surface of the water, and it wasn’t long before we were fishing in a fog.
The water temperature was in the mid 60’s and a little cloudy. The air temperature was in the mid 80’s. I started out throwing a single hook Golden Rain-Bow and Glen was using a Black Lightening.
In the past I have found that during conditions of hot weather and high water, going to a large bait can often increase the action, so even though I was having good results with the Golden Rain-bow, I switched to a Gold/Silver Big Bow, after that the action was nearly every cast.
I believe that I have better results in amount of fish caught as well as performance and hook-set, using spinners with the new single hooks than the spinners with trebles, but I did not have a Big Bow spinner with a single hook with me at the time.
We were too busy telling stories and solving the world’s problems to keep track of the number of trout caught, but we set a personal slot size to only keep fish between 11 to 13 inches and we easily limited out in fish of this size.
With off-and-on rain and hot weather in the forecast, look for conditions to continue for a week or so and large spinners with gold or copper blades doing well.
Until next time.
Keep it low, slow, and with the flow, and don’t go without your Bow!
Spindoctor.
Todays hot spinners.
Golden Rain-Bow
Black Lightening
Gold/Silver Big Bow
For all your Bow spinner needs, please visit the following fine bait and tackle merchants:
Minnesota
Hooked On Fishing, Rochester 507-282-4982
Gone Fishing in Rochester. 507- 289-0039
Elba Valley Express, Elba, in the White Water area 507 932 5489
Curt’s Bait and Tackle in Preston 507 765 2106
Magnum Sports in Chatfield 507 867 4399
Root River Outfitters in Lanesboro 507 467 3400
Tri-State Bait & Tackle in La Crescent 507-895-2000
River Valley Outfitters in Wabasha 651-565-2326
Maple Springs Campground and Country Store by Forestville 507-352-2056
S&S Bait Shop in Spring Valley 507-346-7121
Now available at: Peterson’s Sport Shop in Harmony 507- 886-2165
Wisconsin
Anglers Nook in Lancaster 608 723-7709
Captain Hook’s Bait & Tackle in Genoa, 608-689-2800
Jack’s Tackle Shop, 923 main St. Cashton, 608-654-7775
Schnitzler’s Sports Store, in Sparta, 608-269-2686
Iowa
And now at SPORTSMEN’s UNLIMITED located at 866 Allamakee St., in Waukon, Ph-563-568-4955
Ozzie’s Outdoors in Cresco
Illinois
Franks Bait Shop, 621 North Dixie hiway, Momence, Ph-815-472-6638
Colorado
Jonah’s in Jefferson, 719-836-0289
Three Rivers Resort in Almont 1-888-761-FISH
11 Mile General Store of Lake George, 719-748-3424
Pomeroy Sports in Aspen, 970-925-9589
American Hunting & Fishing Supply in Salida, 719-530-0725
River Bend Resort on the Big Thompson River by Drake 970-667-3641
You can also see and purchase these fine spinners at http://www.eggersspinners.com
