Minnesota - Wisconsin back to back

My wife Carole had a business trip to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. and I was quick to saw I'm in as I hoped to be able to break out for a Driftless fly fishing adventure in either state or ideally both.

April weather was unpredictable but I was going fishing come hell or high water.  Having never fished Minnnesota, I dug thru my old Fly Fishing magazine articles I had cut out over the years, and found some water only about 30 minutes from Rochester.  The afternoon I arrived in Rochester Carole was in meetings all afternoon so I punched out and found some trout water.  Once I got to the stream I quickle geared up and headed upstream casting a black wooley bugger initially. I picked up one Brown trout and went back to the bridge, reassessed and walked downstream and fished back up.  I tried everything... I picked up one on a pink squirrel, one on a caddis and one on a parachute adams before calling it a day.  Four Minnesota trout - nothing to brag about, but another state to cross off the list for having caught a fish.  

States I've caught trout now include Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Oregon, Idaho and Utah.  I hope to add a few more states one of these days.

The next day I made a 2+ hour drive to my old stomping grounds in SW Wisconsin.  Weather wasn't great, it was raining off and on and I was worried the rivers could get brown and muddy with a good thundershower.  I hit up Knapp Creek and caught about a dozen browns on streamers below the bridge I parked at.  No big ones though. 

After a couple hours, I headed to Avalanche to fish the West Fork of the Kickapoo but the road was blocked and I couldn't fish the stretch I was hoping to.  I parked in a new spot and decided I wanted to nymph as I haven't done well nymphing for the past couple of years.  I'm glad I made the switch.  In my first run, I landed four Brown trout on pink squirrels, and over the next couple hours caught about 15 total on the squirrel and pheasant tail.  The action was steady and productive.  The rain picked up just as I got ready to head off the water. 

Hard to tell a Wisconsin trout from a Minnesota trout !

Connecticut River Grand Slam

Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout and Landlock Salmon -- the Connecticut River Grand Slam. It requires some skill and equal parts luck to achieve it on a trip. But that's where the luck comes into play, and on this eventful trip, I managed to get the slam during a single afternoon, and all on dry flies.

Blue Ribbon Trout Stream is no joke - Provo River, Utah

I'm not sure if I have ever fished a "Blue Ribbon" trout stream before. Rivers like the Pere Marquette, San Juan, Henrys Fork, Davidson are all well known by their reputations as premier fly fishing destinations. I've just never been a blue ribbon guy, until this afternoon when I spent a couple of hours on the Provo River in Utah. As Carole and I had wrapped up our couple of days filming for The Chosen season six, we had some down time before flying home. She graciously gave me a hall pass to go fly fish for a couple hours. No waders or boots; I packed only the minimum as I really didn't have any expectation of fishing. I packed my 3 weight rod that I made back in my Project Healing Waters days, dry line, one fly box with a smattering of streamers, nymphs, wet flies and dries, and that was it... hindisght - I wish I had packed better!

Weather was 50s and water temp was probably high 40s. I ended up wading wet in a pair of sneakers as fishing from shore wasn't happening -- too tight for casting. I started witha streamer and prince, and saw that I was spooking a lot of fish... big fish too. I laned a little brown trout on the prince, then proceeded to lose both flies. Switched to a another streamer and pheasant tail, had a nice short hookset, then lost both those flies to a tree. You get the idea - I was quickly running out of flies - streamers and nymphs were gone. After a while, and partly due to no better options, I switched to dries. And about that time, I saw some fish sipping on the surface - tiny BWOs. I only had aabout 3-4 dries so I first tried a 14 mosquito but it was too big. I put on a griffiths gnat and had a nice hit, then lost that fly. No parachute adams... would have been the ticket. I put on a caddis even though there were no caddis anywhere to be found, but the fish were pretty active still on the surface. I had a narrow tight line to cast upstream as trees had gotten several of my other flies. I laid one cast up to the top of the run and BAM - fish on! It was a big Brown. I worked him away from the bushes and submierged branches to the back of the run and saw that he was hooked solid in the lower jaw. What a fish... about 17", and fat. I saw many fish bigger during my couple hours on the water. After a couple pics, I released him unharmed. Last cast - last fish. Perfect way to end on a high note. With the right gear, I have to believe some epic days could be had on that river... definintely a Blue Water stream.

Idaho never disappoints

 It's been 15 years since I last saw Brad Hinken.  We served together in the Coast Guard in Milwaukee where he was the Aids to Navigation Officer when I was CO.  We used to fish the Driftless Area of SW Wisconsin regularly, and even had a memorable trip together circumnavigating Lake Michigan visiting all 21 field units and casting a fly whenever the opportunity presented.  After I transferred to DC in 2006, we reunited in 2008 in Idaho of all places where we had an amazing trip again. 

Exploring new waters with my old friend Brad

Fast forward to 2024 and we met up once again and hit some of America's finest cutthroat waters in Central Idaho.  This trip we hit some new waters - the Big Lost above Mackay Reservoir and the North Fork of the Big Lost, as well as an old reliable - Camas Creek.  We passed on the Big Lost below the dam as the water was ripping at 370 cfs - I was dumb enough to attempt wading at the bridge and nearly got swept downstream (but I did catch several brookies and rainbows beforehand so it wasn't for naught). We passed on Big Creek, which is my favorite dry fly paradise for cutthroats and bull trout, as well as Challis Creek.  Just not enough time this trip. 

The trip produced lots of cutthroats, many rainbows, and a handful of brookies - mostly all caught on dries.  Swinging streamers and wet flies resulted in a good number of hooksets while nymphing , which hostorically was money really didn't produce this trip.  [Maybe my nymphng technique has been lost, but experienced the same result on the Connecticut last summer.]

The North Fork was the most productive water.  My dad and I explored this river 20+ years ago - he always liked to just drive and see what was at the end of the road.  We found cutthroats then and I always wanted to revisit the area, but never seemed to work it in.  I'm glad we did.  In addition to spectacular scenery, the winding creek was packed with bends, runs, riffles and small pools... one right after another.  The cutthroats were big for this small water: 10-14" was the norm.  The stream laid out well, allowing for long, unimpeded 30-45 foot casts with dries.  The stream also produced a new highlight - moose sightings... up close and personal sightings!  While walking upstream around a bend I came across a mama and calf about 50 feet away.  I'm sure they saw me first and didn't move.  I didn't move either, creating an old fashioned Mexican standoff.  After a few pics, I worked back out and around before reconnecting with the stream.  Six hours later I ran into them again - at close quarters this time as well!  In addition to incredible fishing, the moose encounters made the North Fork memorable.

Beautiful cutthroats on the North Fork of the Big Lost

The Big Lost on Trail Creek road fished as advertised by the fly fishing shops in Sun Valley -- nice pools but you need to hike a ways in between each one.  We didn't catch many fish, maybe about 10 between us on dries, but Brad hooked the monster of all monsters - a 20+" cutthroat that he fooled with a green wooly bugger drifted beneath a log.  

Camas Creek yielded its share of 13"-15" cutthroats as well -- on hoppers.  The scenery on the drive through this deep back country showcased severl healthy does and 2-3 sturdy bucks alongside the roadway.  We witnessed half a dozen spawning salmon that successfully made their final trek from the sea.  Amazing how they return from the Pacific, up the Columbia, up the Snake, up the Salmon, up the Middle Fork of the Salmon, and fuinally up Camas Creek where they spawn and ultimately die.  Tell me God's works aren't of this world!

The town of Mackay remains a personal favorite for me to serve as a base of fishing operations.  The charm of a small town (population 600), the friendliness of the townspeople, and the numbers of deer (does and bucks) wandering the neighborhoods every evening at dusk, including the front yard of the Beer Bottom Inn where we stayed.

Every Idaho trip is always too short, too memorable, and too much of everything I love about 'fishing in the great outdoors.'  That's why I'm already looking forward to returning in the not so distant future.   

Pittsburg on the fly

 

There was a time when fly fishing the Connecticut River in Pittsburg meant nymphing with indicators, split shot, Copper Johns, Princes and Pheasant Tails.  As the years went on, we began catching trout and salmon on streamers, mostly Golden Retrievers and Wooly Buggers.  A few years later we started picking up a few on dry flies.  Fast forward to 2024, and this year 90% of all trout and salmon caught were on dries, a few on streamers, and none on nymphs.  Funny how that goes...

Marc and I headed up for three nights at the Buck Rub and hit the river ahead of the 4th of July holiday.  Last year when we fished the river, we saw the largest crowds ever on the river, nearly every hole had someone fishing, and it made for a less than enjoyable outing.  Surprisingly other than a few cars/trucks at the dam, cemetary and bridge, the crowd was manageble and we were able to fish all the runs and pools we wanted. 

I began with dries - tying on a Purple Parachute Adams #14 and was soon into small salmon on Day 1.  We both caught several more that afternoon and I lost (sounds familiar) a big, really big salmon in the Ledge Pool on an ugly home-tied  Black Crystal Wooly Bugger after the fish made multiple airborn leaps.

The next day we travelled down to what had been one of our favorite native brrok trout streams, but after about an hour and no fish, something just wasn't right about the feel of the water.  Hmmm?

We fished the Connecticut in the afternoon again and again all action was on dries, mostly working from the Judge and Jury Pools up towards the dam.   A mix of rainbows, brookies and salmonbent our rods - no brownies on this trip. 

Our last day was more of the same.  Watching and talking to other fishermen on the river, they were all in nymphing mode as we once were.  And though they were catching the occasional trout, none of them (including those with river guides) had the action we did.  As it was raining, I started my day nymphing with no success.  In betweeen the raindrops, Marc was picking up several nice rainbows and salmon so I switched and was soon in the game.  I was amazed that the bite was on with dry flies in the rain.  Tuck that lesson away for the future.  One quick sidebar - I was fishing the Judge Pool and swooshing over my head from upstream was a bald eagle that exploded into the Jury Pool, wings a flutter, and popped up into the air with a nice trout firmly nestled into its talons.  The eagle's wingspan had to be 6-8 feet -- a huge magnificent bird. 

About 4:30 pm, Marc headed back to the lodge for a couple hours of rest before the evening hex hatch.  I stayed on the river and fished a couple more hours.  Turns out if was the best dry fly action I'd ever experienced on the river.  Twelve salmon and trout were brought to hand, and I lost (I seem to do that often) a big rainbow that I horsed in too quickly (I caught him in the exact same hole I hooked this rainbow from last year. Same fish maybe? 

A Parachute Adams #14 seemed to be the best fly in all the pocket water as I worked my way upstream.  Although I spent about an hour in the Judge Pool working a number of rising trout.  They didn't want the adams, nor it seemed anything else bigger or smaller in my arsenal.  I caught one of the real flies that was popping off the water and it resembled a Green Drake... I big fly that I've never caught a single fish with in my life.  I had one drake in my box, tied one on, and as it typically goes, the very first cast in the same area I had placed a hundred other casts - boom - a nice rainbow brought to hand.  

I love fishing the Connecticut.  The river can break your heart, frustrate the devil out of you, and make you question if you even know how to fish.  You can go several hours without so much as a bite... and that happens fairly often.  But when it's on, oh my gosh, that river and the fish in can bring more fulfillment and joy in a split second.

I hope to make the trip back up in September toward the end of season and get my last "trout fix" of the year. 

Semper on the Fly Top 10 Fly Fishing Moments of 2023

 This past year brought some terrific fly fishing opportunities to Semper on the Fly.  Many awesome fish, adventured and moments, but in narrowing it all down, I came up with my ten favorite fly fishing moments of 2023. 

#10.  Israel River, NH.  (July)  Fishing new waters for the first time is always a step into the unknown.  While driving down a dirt road taking a shortcut across the White Mountains I came across a fishy looking piece of water.  I pulled over to the side, rigged up, and jumped in... Swinging a Golden Retriever, I proceeded to land 6-8 feisty rainbows while working upstream through some gorgeous water with deep holes, river bends, riffles and rifles.  I'll definitely add this river to my New Hampshire summer rotation.

Adding to the awesome experience from the Israel River was the surprise of seeing the North Woods Law game wardens waiting for me when I climbed out of the river.  I really thought I was in the middle of nowhere fishing down this dirt road.  I guess it shows the game wardens can be anywhere at any time.  I did have my license! 

#9.  Nameless feeder stream, Route 16, NH.  (June)  I was looking for new waters on a picture perfect summer when I passed over this non-descript little stream.  The water was running cold, had a decent flow and was 2-3 feet deep on the far bank.  I grabbed my Orvis Superfine 1-wt with a Parachute Adams dry and jumped in right below the bridge.  Thirty minutes later I had brought to hand 25 native brook trout in the 5-8 inch range - all on dries, all in the same run (maybe 50 yards in length).  I brought my brother there a week later and gave him a taste of this special little spot.  

 

#8.  Hidden spillway, Pittsburg, NH. (July)  After fishing a remote pond where we caught a handful of tiny brookies, and while loading up the NuCanoe, my brother Marc walked over to a spillway at the end of the pond.  He decided to give it a go for a few minutes.  That mini tail water proved lights out for hungry brook trout and a Parachute Adams was the ticket for non-stop action.  Nearly every cast  resulted in a hookup. 

#7.  Duncan Lake, Ossipee, NH.  (June)  My family has had a camp on Duncan Lake since 1960.  It's where I hang my hat when I travel to NH for a couple weeks in the summer and/or fall.  Duncan used to be one of the state's best designated trout ponds.  But over the past several years, the state stocks fewer and fewer trout here and put them in other waterbodies across the state.  My dad used to fish the summer evening mayfly hatch in the 1960s and 70s, but it kind of disappeared after the pond was reclaimed.  This year, a new hatch was back in force.  Two distinct areas had the bugs popping off the surface.  One was by the point on the island and the other was a rolling hatch that began around Brown's camp and came right down the shoreline past our camp.  These were big mayflies - size 8 or 10!  I used a Yellow Stimulator because it floated high and was easier to see at dusk.  I fished the island a couple nights and climbed up our family raft and fished the rolling hatch as it passed the camp.  2-3 rainbows were brought to hand each night along with a horned pout of two (nuisances).  I think a Hex Fly would be a good fly next summer.  I know my dad would love to have seen that hatch. Who knows, perhaps he ordered it up from on high! 

#6.  Ellis River & Ammonousoc River, NH guiding. (June) Guiding is a passion I really enjoy from my days working at Orvis.  It's not just seeing people catch fish. That's part of it, but there's the fly casting instruction, knot tying, reading water, and best of all the camaraderie of guiding for lifelong friends. Ed and I have been best friends since 1979! We talked about this trip for several years and finally made it happen.  We spent several days hanging our hats at Duncan Lake, and after we worked on casting it was time to catch some trout.  There is a nice stretch of the Ellis River heading up toward Mount Washington that often produces wild brook trout on dry flies.  We walked a bit further downstream to a new spot and in a matter of minutes Ed was on to his first brookie.  He landed several more before we hit the road for some new water.  There is a spot on the Ammonousoc River that has been money in the past and I wanted to get Ed into that section of water.  It was fire! Swinging a wet fly down and across, Ed landed 8-10 nice brookies in about an hour's worth of fishing.  We're already planning our 2024 trip. 

#5.  Hex Hatch, Northern NH. (July)  Marc and I made our annual pilgrimage to hit the magical hex hatch in early July.  Once again, we landed many brook trout with some pushing 16 inches all caught on dry flies... big size 6 dry flies.  We even had a couple of doubles which is always exciting.  Casting big dries for big brook trout has to be one of the most incredible fishing experiences I've ever experienced.  Pittsburg is a long drive, but well worth the effort.

#4.  Connecticut River, Pittsburg, NH (October)  I realize I mentioned above how exciting it is to catch a 16 inch brook trout on a big dry fly, but that really doesn't compare to the epic moment I had on the river this fall.  Towards the end of our final day, I decided to switch up to a size #14 Parachute Adams for the last hour.  In a little piece of pocket water by the bank, in a scene reminiscent of A River Runs Through It, I cast my dry fly along a seam edge.  As clear as day I saw the trout come up from the bottom with its mouth open.  Boom! Fish on.  Five minutes later I landed the biggest rainbow trout of my life - 20+ inches and 4-5 pounds. The interesting thing worth noting is about five years ago I caught a 16 inch brookie in the same spot... on the same fly.  Fishing the Connecticut in the fall is pretty amazing as the salmon begin making their way up river for the fall spawn.

#3.  North Fork Big Lost River, ID. (September)  It had been five years since my last trip to Idaho.  The Big Lost was unfishable because the state was draining the reservoir to repair the dam and the water was ripping.  So I decided to take a look at the North Fork, which I had never paid much attention to.  I will start paying attention to it now.  I jumped in at a bridge crossing, and figuring the hole under the bridge gets pounded I planned to only make 1-2 cursory casts.  Four rainbows later (courtesy of a Golden Retriever) I was sold on the North Fork.  I caught a few more working upstream.  I could definitely spend an entire day or two working this river.  It seems that good.  Nice holes, runs, bends... looks to have it all.  

#2.  Big Creek, ID.  (September)  So Idaho became my second best friend guided trip of the year. Spike and I have been best friends since... 1979 (a good year for forging best friends).  Spike had been wanting to learn how to fly fish for several years and we've always talked about a trip to Idaho and 2023 we finally made it happen.  The Bear Bottom Inn grass lawn was our teaching ground and soon we were catching fish in Challis Creek, the Mackay Reservoir and Camas Creek, but the best day was clearly on the dry fly crystal clear waters of Big Creek. True story, on the very first run I recommended we fish, Spike was fish on with a Westslope Cutthroat Trout in minutes.  We caught 5 in that first run, and the stage was set for an incredible day taking turns landing fish going hole to hole upstream.  Small grasshopper patterns seemed to be the right fly on this day.  Spike even had his moment of zen (after three takes!). 

#1.  DIY Fly Fishing Bahamas. (May)  In 2022 I messed around a bit with some DIY Bahamas bone fishing and was able to land two bone fish off the beach at Sandals.  I figured it couldn't get any better than that... until this year.   In one section of the beach near some rocks, I seemed to get into a school of bone fish on a couple different days.  It was awesome.  Mix in some Jacks and the fishing was pretty intense throughout the week.  But the highlight proved to be hooking into a big snook right in front of the main beach at Sandals.  I watched to take -- he was in only about a foot of water, and the fight was on... and on.  Bringing that amazing fish to hand was the highlight of 2023.  

 

I can't wait to see what 2024 has in store... New Hampshire, Idaho. Virginia, Bahamas and beyond... stay tuned. Tight lines my friends.

COVID bonefish bust out in the Bahamas

 Have you ever heard any of those old time Southern preachers shout during a Sunday sermon, "Can I get an Amen from the congregation?" Well that's what the past 15 months have created -- pent up/ spun up fervor to the point folks are about done with it.  Most everyone's ready to break out. 

Well, bone fishing  seemed an awesome way to break out... and for amazing scenery and fly fishing - is there a better spot on the planet than the waters surrounding Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas?

I think not. 

With Carole and her army of butlers waiting on her by the pool at Sandals serving her endless Rum Runners to go along with coconut shrimp and whatever else she fancied, I had the green light to pursue what I love best.

I hired local guide Bonefish Stevie whose ritualistic chants on the water "C'mon bonie" always seemed to draw these muscular titans out of the mangroves into the flats. 

Using my Orvis Access 908-4 tip flex and Hydros reel I was amply armed and ready for the challenge.  Using an extra long 16 lb fluorocarbon leader and a #6 pink shrimp -- soon it was game on. 

Over the course of a couple of mornings, I landed upwards of 15-20 bonies as Stevie liked to call them.  Even the 14 inch little guys were beasts fully capable of peeling out line and doubling over an 8 wt rod.  

In times past it was strictly sight fishing, but on this trip one day was sight fishing off the mangroves and the second day was fishing the shallow flats.  That's where a guide is worth a million bucks.  There are flats everywhere, but the fish are not.  Stevie would stop in some spots, and I'd be scratching my head, but sure enough it wasn't long before "fish on" and off to the races again.  

 

I landed two really amazing fish on the trip.  If you watch the video I thought I lost the biggest not once but twice.  Stevie told me the bonefish wrap your line the soft sand and around anything they can find to give the "oh crap" I lost it feel... and he did - twice. 

Fly fishing the flats for bonies presents a few challenges in both casting and landing the fish. In casting, it's always windy, and invariably the cast I needed to make most of the time was off shoulder into the wind! Not easy but over the course of the day it gets better. It certainly makes one relish those opportune down wind double-haul casts and the chance to really let some line fly. 

When landing fish, again you can see in the video, once you hook a fish and you have 20-30 feet of line at your feet -- it's troublesome.  If the fish cooperates and gingerly took off at a steady speed, no problem feeding the line. But that's not these guys' MO.  Instantly they double your rod over, then as your trying let some line through your line finger to get the fish on the reel, they start thumping the rod violently, which if you're letting line out simultaneously, the line is flinging everywhere -- in the air, around elbows, wrists, buttons, rod butts.... funny afterwards, but like drinking from a firehose while it's happening. 

On the trip we spooked, although spooked isn't really the right term, as tarpon don't seem to be spooked, intimidated, threatened by a whole lot on the flats. Next trip, I'd like to have a separate rod rigged with a large streamer ready to take a shot on one. 

Lots of reef and lemon sharks roamed the flats. 

And barracuda... all over the place. I did land a few and was fortunate to not have my tippet cut through each time.  ALL TEETH - talk about an apex predator.

In a perfect world I'd love to have the opportunity to learn the trade, guide, have my own boat, down here in the Bahamas.  Learning the tides is key, but paying your dues on the water is the ultimate ticket.  Maybe that'll be my 3rd or is it 4th or even 5th career?

Tight lines until I journey up to northern New Hampshire later this summer.

By the way, I've got the greatest wife in the world!