River and stream condition report

[Spindoctor]

Checked out the water late Friday, and found that most of the rivers and streams are in very good to fantastic shape for Trout.
Whitewater, although high, had perfect water color for pitching hardware, and in the upper portions of Crystal Springs and Beaver, there should be some great stretches for feather floaters. Better details can be obtained from Keith at Elba Valley Express in Elba.
The Root is now very good from Lanesboro all the way up into and above Forestville. Fellow Trout Chasers can find any type of water they like in this river right now, from high and colored, in the Lanesboro area, to fairly clear, up in and above Forestville. Huge swarms of white to pale Duns are coming off of the Root right now, but the colored water down stream around Lanesboro seems to be keeping the trout focused on feeding below the surface on large critters, but upstream where it clears up a little, they’re bouncing like popcorn.
I fished a block long stretch of the Root yesterday afternoon, right through the town of Lanesboro.
The water was a little high and a little bit more colored than I like, but it really produced trout!
It was 2:30pm , a clear sky, my little thermometer, hanging on my vest, read 80, and I was being seared by the sun. The water temp was just below 60, cool compared to last year at this time.
I threw Super Bow spinners (what else is there), all colors seemed to produce, and in the short time I fished it was hard to tell just what was working the best. From first cast on, the action was almost nonstop, and furious. Gold/Silver Super Bows and Silver Super Bows, seemed to have a slight edge, but Gold and Copper brought fish in as well, and with just a short amount of time on the water, and that fast of action, it was too close to call. Most of the trout that I caught and released, ranged in size from just under 11” to 13”, including a large 17” beauty that assaulted my Grandbaby Pink spinner, which I have been experimenting with since the birth of my Granddaughter.I quit at 4:00 with a total of 28 trout C/R, all Browns except for 1 small rainbow. Almost all of the fish caught came out of the faster water.
Still very few bugs, a couple of Dear Flies, but they didn’t bite me. Gas at Chatfield was $1.96, Lanesboro was over $2.
The higher cooler water should help keep tubers and other such nonsense down for a while, so the next week or so may very well be the best Trout fishing we get this year.
Good luck, don’t forget your camera and raincoat!
Spindoctor
I’ll try to get some photo’s up if I ever get this old slow POS -200 straightened out.

[This message has been edited by Spindoctor (edited 06-05-2004).]

[Lucky Dogg]

hey Spin! i also fished the root, on the 5th, above lanesboro. it was like you said it was! i fished in the early morning(5:15-9:00am) and caught fish on almost everything in my vest, from crawlers,raps,spinners,flies and jigs, they all seemed to work. it was like the dinner bell was ringing on the end of my pole! i caught so many i lost count, lots of browns but only 4 rainbows(all small). i hope people don't get mad at me but i did take a couple 12" browns home for dinner. the browns belly was so big and hard i had to see what was inside. any guess at what they were full of? crawfish! three or more atleast in both fish. i was fishing in the rocks. i'm always lookin to fish with new folks, so drop me a line if you got the time! later,Dogg

[Spindoctor]

L, dog, excuse my late reply, Rain had blown out my phone system. sounds like you had a great day! I escorted a friend the next Sunday, just above Preston, although I got him into a few fish, the action was not as hot as I expected. He caught and released 5 times his limit but we had some real slow stretches. I also took him above the park, pretty scenery, but crystal clear low water made midday fishing worthless. Well, we don't have to worry about that now, after all this flooding we get to start all over. Can't Wait!
Spindoctor.

[Jim W]

No need to wait any longer folks! I hit a small trib on Monday evening. At first glance I thought it might be a tad cloudy...nope.
IN one hour and fifteen minuites I landed 7 browners and missed the same. Nothing under 13 inches..largest pushing 20!

Most fish were relating to the fastest water!
Keep that in mind when fishing cloudied waters....fast water!!!

Jim W