On the Water (Part III)

Today was mostly sight nymphing... small PTs and Kite's bare hook nymphs. Challenging fishing in the summer heat!

"Enzo" 9' 5wt Fly Rod

Another casting machine, built for Kevin Stull on CTS Affinity X blank.

On the Water (Part II)

Another beautiful day on the stream... Today was windy, but trout didn't want beatles all the time. Most of the action was happening under the surface with nymphs and woolies, with just enough lazy sippers providing excitement on the top.

On the Water

This must be the rainiest June I can remember... Finally went to test the new rod on some spring creek browns, and enjoyed the nice, sunny weather. The water was slightly murky from the rain, and there was no hatch until the brief BWO appearance in the early afternoon. I was having fun with beatles and crickets, and finished the day soft-hackling downstream until I reached my car by the bridge.

Pictures from Afar...

Received by email this morning... The baptism of a new rod, in eastern Serbia.

Built for Speed-"Testarossa" 8' 3/4wt Fly Rod

Tip action, lightweight casting machine...

"Mlava" 7'6" 5wt Fly Rod

Fly rod "Mlava", built for an aquaintance in Serbia. It was named after the famous spring-creek in eastern Serbia, known for large, wild brown trout. The picture of the river is not very recent, since I haven't visited it for the past ten years... It shows the fairly open spring section. Further down the valley, the river becomes overgrown with trees, and its deep, emerald pools used to hold trophy browns, years ago...

Translated to English, the name Mlava would mean the Crushing River-due to the fact that after the snowmelt, it often becomes quite temperamental. It is a magical place, which holds many happy memories from my youth!

Casts and Boils

More jetty madness and more fish activity! Fish boiling, bait spraying, sometimes a vicious strike on each cast...and suddenly, everything would be quiet again. Most white bass caught were between sizes of the fish pictured. A couple of saugers were a nice bonus...

Lake Pepin Jetty

We visited a nice jetty on Lake Pepin today, and fished from it for a few hours. I was hoping to run into some white bass action, and even though I found some fish, the fishing was slow... I rigged my bass rod with slow sinking "hover" head and fished with small shad imitations-jig hook clousers, and craft fur minnows.

While I was fishing, Amy took a bike ride around the park. These cool looking blue bikes are available for everyone to use for free!

I saw several boils-whites were chasing baitfish, but very sporadically. This little guy came to my fly about 30 minutes upon my arrival. It was the only white bass for the day...

These guys were more common, bumping my fly often.

Just when I was getting ready to leave, this sauger attacked the fly in the rocky shallows... a pretty little fish!

On our way back, we watched a pair of cranes in the valley. We have been observing them already earlier this spring. They have been nesting in the valley for the past six seasons. Amazing birds, indeed! I took several pictures from the car, and even though not great (they were pretty far from the road), this one turned out the best. We'll be back on the lake soon!

Retrograph Rod: Graphite Hunter, Glass Heart

My latests build...a longer, light-line graphite rod with fiberglass soul :-)

Last Week's Fly

Caribou & Elk Caddis

• Body: Caribou hair (with under-fur)
• Wing: Elk
• Egg sack/hot butt: Green dubbing (optional)

As an afterthough, here 's another one, tied with caribou ...

Woodcock & Caribou Soft Hackle

• Tail: Wood duck
• Body: Caribou hair with under-fur
• Hackle: Woodcock

Scenes from the Caddis Blanket Hatch

Fishy Kid Writing Contest

Check out the Fishy Kid Writing Contest, with some great prizes for finalists! Grand Prize for the contest is a 10' or 12' NuCanoe worth over $900.