Update...Not Sure Where To Begin...

Ok...Last few weeks have been a bit hectic between work and some fishing over this past weekend...here we go...

Amy throwing bugs up North!

Amy's first brookie (Wild!), on a dry!

Finn's first brookie!

Yeah, one of my smaller ones...



Up High...



Before the high water...

After The High Water...

Gorge...

She's BIG!

Amy's First Moose...

Subi - Yellow Canoe Optional...



Golden...



  

Boz Destroying Brookies...

And Again...

And Yet Again...

Camp...

Katahdin...

Katahdin x 2

Mount Desert Island...

Blonde Wifey...

 

Treats For Camping...

Coast...

Sunset Set-up...

Tourist Season...

Beans Spring Fishing Weekend...

Home again...not too bad of a trip. Having been tying yet, though I'm hoping to grab a few more items and ideas up in Freeport today...

Check out the schedule of events HERE

We are hitting up the The Drake Fly-Fishing Film Event this evening. Should be interesting, as Tom Bie is expected to be there, so stay tuned for a review...

Schmidt is hitting the water today up in Erie, so we should have a good report for the Weekly Update.

Until Sunday...

Weekly Update...

Well, another week goes by fishless, though I will say that I’m starting to get geared up for some spring fun. I was in Cleveland for the week, and we had a large thaw in Southern Maine. Not all the snow is gone, but a decent chunk…

After a horrible travel day on Friday (14 hours, 5 of which were on a bus and NOT planned), I sat down to the bench on Saturday, and started tying for the first time in months. Since the house has been on the market (a year ago), and really even before that, I hadn’t had much time to really tie flies. Sure I had a few eggs here, and some sucker spawn there, but no real tests. I finally came to the conclusion that I NEED to practice. I spent the last 2 days pushing out some black ghosts, and a few Montreal whores…Nothing too complex, but enough to help me get a bit of an edge back…I have been playing around with a few experimentals but I’m not too sure where they’ll end up…in a box or under a razor…

So on the fishing front…Maine is ice…Boz is being ambitious with a predicted day of April 10th for ice out, so we’ll see. The 10 day has some decent temps in it, so fingers are crossed…
In Ohio, warm weather, wet snow, and rain have kept the rivers HIGH! Some of the smaller tribs have been fishing, but I would definitely say we haven’t had a chance to really get out and see what the fishing will be like after the flood. Fish are being caught, and they are beginning to get a bit more active with some of the run off. Fingers are crossed for a decent spring run there…
Here’s a few pics of the bench over the last few days…

Marabou

Black Ghost

The Whore

Finn Excited About Tying

Back in Cleveland this week...see you all in a week!

MAINE, THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE...

I’ll apologize in advance for the book you’re about to read…

So as many of you know, I’ve always had a soft spot for the state of Maine. I grew up vacationing there, and many of my best childhood memories and adventures (along with mishaps) have occurred in the easternmost state of our nation.

Having grown up in Connecticut and lived in Ohio for the last few years, I’ve found myself wondering what I want to do with my life…what do I want to do? Who do I want to be? Where do I want to be?

About 2 years ago my lovely wife and I came up with a really nutty plan. We decided we should move from the house we had just purchased, and start migrating back to the East Coast. Having already lived in Connecticut, I knew that the hustle and bustle of Southern New England wasn’t going to keep me sane. I needed space…lots of space…and fish…

As I’m sure you’ve already guessed, here I am, in my new apartment just outside of Portland, ME, typing to you in a room full of boxes. We’ve made it, and just in time for the fishing season…

So where does this leave me, and the blog…

Well, I’m positive that this is the beginning of perhaps one of the best chapters in my life. Not only am I in an area I love, but I’m so close to some of the best fishing, hiking, and camping in the world! Brook trout that can exceed 6lbs. Landlocked Salmon that are measured in feet rather then inches. Striped Bass and Bluefin Tuna that visit our coasts…

We’re still going to keep pace with the Midwest gang. Having learned to cast a long rod in Ohio, it will always hold a special place in my heart and soul.

This is going to be the adventure of my lifetime! I’m looking forward to sharing it with you and changing the face of the blog.

The Caravan...A 24' Budget Truck, An Expedition With A 15' Whaler Behind, And A Subaru...All Packed To The Gills...

Finn all geared up...

Finn was glad Jimmy came to help...

The view from my couch...Tidal Flats...

The Fish & The Fly 2 - Nymphs

From Wide Open Outdoor Film

Think Like A Midge...

Interesting Fact-oid...

"According to the Biosystematic Database of World Diptera, midges comprise 12 percent of the planetary biota. With such abundance it is no surprise that they comprise a very important trout food, particularly when the weather cools down."

"Fly Fishing With Midges"

Full article on sierrasun.com (Bruce Ajari)

Plans...

Steelhead Trip - NY style - Next weekend!

stoked to meet up with Boz and crew...

Tying updates coming.

ACF...

A little love from Schmidt on the photography front...and ACF's Homepage...

Make sure to check out his show dates for the upcoming season...bottom of the homepage...

Two For One?

Two flies for one fish?

"John Berry's Fly-Fishing for Trout: To catch more fish, use more than one fly" - via Baxter Bulletin (John Berry)

"Man Wins Fishing Contest With Hook Stuck in Head"

"A 23-year-old man won a regional fishing contest in which he fished for 10 hours with a fish hook stuck inside his head, United Press International reported."

LINK - Fox News

Barbless...Or Not...

Interesting read on the barbless debate....

"There is, however a slight but consistent increase in mortality due to barbless hooks."

FULL LINK -

From the Sun Journal

Alas...

For those of us getting ready to chuck streamers to fresh fish this fall, be sure to check out Schmidt's latest tutorial...

THE REAPER (via SAO)

Check him out...Angler's Choice Flies...

Soon enough we'll be seeing more of him on the annual steelhead pilgrimages....

Schmidt's MI Conquest...

Pictures are worth 1000 words...if not more...

Ties...

a few idea from Schmidts's PATTERN:

Was gonna fling it to some willing bass tonight, but ran across a few rain clouds...will try to get some fishy feedback in the coming days...

Micky Finn

Interesting history on the Micky Finn:

"The information provided on the Mickey Finn especially interested me because it had details I was not aware of on the origin of this fly. Part of the appeal of fly-tying is not only crafting your own flies for fishing but also the history of some of the fly patterns and how they came to be.

I always knew that the Mickey Finn fly, which is a streamer tied with a silver body and red and yellow bucktail for a wing, had a long and illustrious history. It is an old pattern but continues to be a favourite among trout and salmon anglers to this day. Its popularity is probably due to the fact that it catches fish, even if it doesn’t represent anything in nature.

In the stamp booklet it claims that the fly was first tied by a Quebec fly-tier, Charles Langevin, in the 19th century. First known as the Langevin its name was later changed to the Assassin. I knew about the Assassin fly and how it was popularized by outdoor writer John Alden Knight. Knight is famous for his development of the Solunar Tables, which outline the best times for hunting and fishing based on lunar cycles.

The effectiveness of the fly for catching trout prompted Greg Clark, well-known Canadian writer whose column ran in the Star Weekly for years, to proclaim, after being on a fishing trip with Knight, that the fly was as effective as a Mickey Finn. Now, at that time the Mickey Finn was a famous drink, developed in New Orleans in the 1920s, that was very potent because it contained narcotics of some sort. As the story goes, famed actor Rudolph Valentino died from drinking too many Mickey Finns while at a hotel in New York and the term, slipping someone a Mickey, comes from that event.

Greg Clark’s renaming of the fly as the Mickey Finn stuck and Knight continued to popularize the fly through his writings in the 1930s and 40s. Time hasn’t dimmed its effectiveness and it continues to be one of the most popular streamers for trout and salmon in North America. I like to use it for sea trout in the spring but I also use it, in larger sizes, for salmon in the fall."

Full article from http://www.capebretonpost.com/ (Don MacLean) FULL LINK

Conklin’s Quarry

A story/report from a gentleman who has been one of the bigger influences in my fly fishing quest…

"A perfect day – a beautiful day, a day we all long for. Absolutely ideal conditions for….just about anything that does not require an umbrella. I was drawn to where Elk creek meets Lake Erie and was amazed at the bounty. Just beautiful aesthetics. I walked North from the access area off Rt. 5 and that alone was spectacular. Up until now I have only ventured upstream, or South from the ramp in search of steel. This time was different however. This time I was in search of the great and wily smallmouth bass. It was April 14, early in their anticipated run. Too early? I would soon find out. I chose the East bank of the creek as my path to the lake. There was a well worn trail from the legions of steelhead fisherman who have trekked to the lake over the past 8 months. Today, they were gone. It is late in the steel season and while there are still trout in the creeks many have made their way back to the depths of Lake Erie to heal and convalesce from the rigors of the spawning event. As I moved along the absence of other fisherman was conspicuous. Maybe they know something. Maybe there are no fish to catch today? Possibly others, more knowledgeable others have treaded this way and discovered that it is too late for steel and too early for bass. Never mind. I aim to find out for myself. As I reached a large sandbar that serves as slight break between an estuary and the main stem of the river I realized the water was absolutely perfect. It was rich in shades of green depending on depth and the clarity was superb. The water met a blue spring sky that created a contrasting palette of colors that made one appreciate what nature had provided. A glance North out to the Great Lake further cemented the magnificence of the colors and created multiple hues of blue/green. More than once as I slowly stripped in the fly over the next 3 hours I found myself slack jawed at the surrounding beauty. The sound of the wind blown waves lapping on the sandy beach where I stood ankle deep in water, the squawking of the Canada Geese as they flirted with each other and carved out their territory, the play of the ducks – some I could identify and others not as they zoomed up and down the water corridor, the few wispy clouds high in the azure sky whipped along as telltale markers of an impending weather change – all of this made for captivating scenery which would have made even a fishless day a success. Even the few carcasses of creatures that lay in the sand and rocks and had met their demise were fascinating.



I began casting with a bleeding minnow pattern, working the water depths and trying to strip through anything that looked like it might hold fish. This proved fruitless for the first 30 minutes. A short while longer and the smallmouth changed their mind and 4 fish came to hand after a tussle with 6 of them. As I reflected on my quarry I recalled Bob Clouser. He had designed the Clouser minnow for these very fish in the larger rivers of PA. It was an aha’ moment. Suddenly I realized that this was the perfect fly to tie on to my 6# tippet. First cast – fish on!! It was a handsome 16 inch smallie who gave a noble fight worthy of the many reflections that these fish have inspired in other’s writing. A few minutes later he was in hand. After a picture or two I gave him a quick release back into the watery emerald depths. Next cast, another chunky smallmouth. About the same size and just as mad at the hook in his mouth. This game continued for quite a while with similar fish. The big fish of the trip was a 17.5 inch bass that put a fine bend in Mr. Sage. He was matched later with another 17 inch plus bass that increased my blood pressure substantially. 6 Fish came to the bank with the Clouser and then it seemed time to try yet another classic in the smallmouth arsenal: the crayfish. I had tied a handful of this last winter when the rivers were frozen, the snow was deep, and I needed a brief mind trip to somewhere warm. I stashed them in my vest long ago and now was the time to see if they had any mojo for these pre spawn bass. First cast and nothing…oh well. Second cast and game on! This fine fish took on the far side of the channel so I had a nice battle on my hand as I tried to work him to my side while keeping him free of any woody snags on the river. He bulldogged down to the bottom several times and punctuated the fight with numerous jumps and flips into the sunlight. It was a great fight and one that would be repeated on 14 occasions that afternoon. Out of 14 crayfish inspired skirmishes, 10 fish found their way into my hands for our moment of mutual admiration. I had been handsomely rewarded for avoiding the few remaining steel in the rivers and opting for the less certain game. This bet was a gamble but had huge returns if the conditions were right. Apparently they were as this trip was memory making."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BASS THUMB!
 
Special thanks to Tom for the story and pictures...
 
If you also have stories, pictures, or reports to share, we'd love to feature them also.
 
Themadtrouter@gmail.com