September 29, 2008
Filed under: Reflections — admin @ 7:28 pm
The shallow water smallmouth season we fly fishers reveled in for the last fleeting four months is on the wane. It’s hard to bid farewell to another exciting season. Take a minute and make a a few notes on the highs and the lows of your season. Answer a few of these questions:
- What percentage of your outings were successful?
- How do you classify a successful outing?
- What was your biggest smallie of the season?
- What was your most vivid recollection of the greatest “hit” you had all season?
- What was your favorite and most spirited fight of the year?
- What was your most productive fly of the season?
- Did you experiment with new patterns?
- Did any of the new patterns pay off?
- Did you grow as a fly fisherman this season, try new techniques and equipment, etc.?
- Did you introduce anyone to the fine sport of fly fishing for smallmouth bass?
- What was your most memorable missed strike or lost fish of the season?
- Did you keep a log on your fishing activity?
Answers to these and other questions above will force you to relive the season and identify milestones for which you can compare in years to come.
Why is this important? Life is short folks and it’s very easy to forget the details of what transpired from year to year. Tracking some of the milestones within your hobbies aids in future outings - as well as the enjoyment of reliving moments, both good and otherwise, through out the year.
One Vignette:
One of my favorite outings of the year came about two weeks ago and it turned out to be one of the last great smallie trips of the season. The warm Indian Summer of ‘08 held the fish in the shallows until the very tail end of the month as cool air finally ushered out the shallow water season. One of our frequent partners on our floats is Dennis Erickson of St. Cloud, MN.
He’s an old college bud who converted to fly fishing about ten years ago and now fishes only with a fly rod. Despite this snobbery, he’s a great companion, but is smitten with dropsy. I cannot begin to guess how many fish either flat missed or were hooked briefly and got off his offerings this summer. AT LEAST 75% of fish that tried to eat his flies were not landed.
Unbelievable!
Nonetheless, “Maynard”, as we call him, never complained and was always game for a river shot. On our last good trip of the season two weeks ago, my brother, Maynard, and I drifted a familiar stretch on the upper Mississippi. Yes, Maynard missed a few that day, but the smallies were so cooperative the many chances equated to a grand day for all. Most memorable was Dennis’ 20 incher that was the biggest fish of the day and his biggest (by far) for the season.
Congrats Dennis for not dropping Ms. Big!
We’ll catch her again next year when she’s 21″ or better!
September 22, 2008
Filed under: Adventures — admin @ 4:48 am
I’m fortunate to live amidst a riverine paradise. The Mississippi is across the road and a beautiful tributary, just a 1/2 mile away. In addition, within 1-2 hour’s drive, I can access a number of great tributaries (when they have water) as well as prime sections of the Ole Miss and other great rivers such as the Crow Wing, St. Louis, and even the St. Croix.
You can’t beat the upper Mississippi for numbers and size of fish. Last evening after cutting up blow down trees all day, I decided it was time for a little respite. I was dropped off up river from my take out spot for about an 1 1/2 hour float/wade fishing foray.
The trees are just now turning as we head toward the end of September - my vote for the nicest month of the entire season. The winds were calm, the water low and clear, and still warm enough to keep the smallmouth in the shallows. This time of year four or five days of cold nights can plummet the water temperature and send the smallies scurrying for their winter holds in deep holes and bends. We deserve this extended summer since it didn’t start until mid June this year.
I pulled my Crow Wing Kayak down a steep sand bank and slid in the water. I paddled across to a large exposed area where I got out and commenced sniping fish, methodically working a popper up river. The plan was to work the popper up - from behind the fish, and then work my way back down with a streamer.
The tactic worked just OK. Sporadic action was made up for with decent size, I took a 17 1/2 and 18 incher that slammed the yellow popper as if it was the last meal for a while. I caught a 15 incher on the way down on an Orange Crush and spied a very live crayfish trying to crawl out of the mouth of the fish while I removed the fly. I left the crawdad in his mouth upon release. I figured that was the least he deserved.
The highlight of the trip was just drifting down the river on one of the last hot muggy days of the season amidst the fall splendor of color. I watched a hazy sun slowly move below the tree tops on the western horizon. I caught myself smiling at the sheer pleasure of being transported gently along by Old Man River who was kind enough to share a few of his treasures with me this day.
September 13, 2008
Filed under: Adventures, How To... — admin @ 9:21 am
There’s a new kid in town. I call it the Santa Shad. I know that’s not the right name, but its Christmas colors bring lots of joy.
I was busy striking out on a piece of slow moving side channel on the Mississippi the other day. I had a lot of wet duds in my fly box. I managed one “pecker pack” (our demeaning term for a small walleye or smallie) on a Crystal Grub.
Nothing was working - I assumed the fish were of course: Off Feed.
Then I pulled out this thing - I had never used.
Unbelievable! I swear every fish I put it in front of ate it. They didn’t just bite it, the ate it. Many were hooked rather deep, requiring some deft hemostat work (always carry a hemostat and a pliers).
I used it on a floating fly line with an 8 wt outfit which is relatively standard for my smallmouth fly fishing. I use a variety of rods but my trusty old Sage RPL 890 is like a magic want compared to all the others.
Click on the fly to learn more about tying this fly. I believe the eyes are Spirit River Stick-On eyes (available HERE). They’re probably not absolutely necessary, but they give the fly an irritated “hung-over” appearance that smallies seem to relate to.
I’m still testing this one on other water, but at the very least, it appears to be an excellent late summer pattern mimicking larger silver shiners or shad type minnows that must be available this time of year.
September 12, 2008
Filed under: Adventures — admin @ 11:22 pm
Just about the time I thought the season would start to fizzle, I am once again mistaken. I stumbled down to the Ole Miss today. As I approached a favorite haunt - a tail out area before a long rocky point that forces the river into narrow shute. I noted a couple of rise forms.
I assumed these were Rock Bass or Sunfish.
Negative - they were smallmouth bass (micropterus dolomieu - for you Latin lovers).
The water surface was full of insects. A cursory glance told me they were stone flies.
Negative - they were size 14 brown flying ants. And the smallmouth were enjoying the floating smorgasboard. The flotsam and jetsom included smaller size 18 black ants, as well - in great number. The smallmouth were targeting the larger brethren with the classic head-tail rise of a big brown. Some were Big Bronze.
I realized I had no patterns to match the hatch. Was this a problem?
Negative. When a green foam popper came into view, most (not all) figured to bulk up quickly with this strange looking green thing. They sometimes sipped it and other times slammed it like a drunken slob in a bar fight.
All told, in about 1 1/2 hours, I hit nearly 20 fish, losing about 5 of them that were hooked for various time periods. The ones that rolled and cleaned missed were nearly all hooked and landed later, after a short respite.
The fish ranged from ten to eighteen inches with the average being, probably around sixteen. I lost a slob right near the end - a big pig that roiled the shallows, causing a seismic tremor in the water - as he turned on the popper.
I was giddy, talking to myself - trying to figure out why I was so lucky to be there all by myself - having the time of my life. I even reverted to the “Lord, Take Me Now!” rant (that I reserve for very special moments like this).
Get out on the water now!
We only have a few scant weeks left for thin water smallmouth fly fishing. Give the smallmouth of autumn a chance - they’re waiting to fill you with memories that will take you through a long winter - as you nervously anticipate yet another season of unforgettable action.
Hail the Flying Ants of the Fall!
September 4, 2008
Filed under: Adventures — admin @ 5:28 pm
I have a step-father-in -law who’s a great guy: Melvin Baken, MD. He’s been a retired OB-GYN physician for nearly 20 years. He’ll be turning 86 in a couple weeks. There’s a lot of opportunity to take people fishing: young or old.
Yesterday it was Melvin’s turn for a day on the river with yours truly. We’ve been doing river smallie trips for well over fifteen years. 
He gets to set in the front and do nothing but cast for bass all afternoon. Our trips are usually around five hours which is plenty long, but typically not too long.
Melvin is unusual for an octagenarian. He plays tennis at least three times a week and he’s in better shape than men 20 years younger. He can still handle a rod and reel almost as well as a tennis racket. His physical fitness allows him to participate in outings like this which few his age can do. Just getting in and out of the canoe takes balance and strength which Melvin luckily still retains - and not by accident.
The 3rd of September was a beautiful day in Minnesota, but brought a harbinger of cooler weather ahead. A big cold front had changed things dramatically from a couple days before when the temps nearly hit 90 F. Today the high barely made 70 F.
I was fearful our smallies would be tramatized by the change. And maybe they were slightly. But the water temps were around 70 F. and that’s pretty decent for active fish.
It didn’t take long to realize that at least some of the fish on this river stretch were unaffected by the front. We had two come up right away and roll on his surface plugs. He was throwing Cupped Faced poppers and Shug Bugs. Both brought a total of about a dozen big hits throughout the afternoon.
After several near misses and fish on-fish off, he solidly connected with the beauty above and later with one just like it around 18 inches. Both were the biggest smallmouth in all of his 85 years.
Congratulations, Mel!
Great Fish….Great Guide.
