Spring 08 Open Water...

[CNY Tim]

Well Todd and I fished last night from 7 to 10 p.m. and had only a couple of taps on the big O. Still had a good time casting and shooting the bull, through a massive bug hatch. Got to see a tremendous sunset. Picnic at Mom's today, cooking for 22, everyone enjoy your holiday...

Sundown

These things were every where..

Flying (back)

[Otis1]

Only got out once over the long weekend, yesterday. Another one and done. The one and only walleye cane on my first cast again. A scrawny 17 incher. Despite our best efforts that was the best we could do.

On another note I got to be a doctor. A guy and his girlfriend came puttering up to the pontoon while we were fishing Monday morning. He had a sonar embedded in his ear! Blood was everywhere. He was begging us to help him out, seems his girlfriend wasn’t up to the task. I clipped the hook shank, and he managed to get the hook out himself. I think my plans to push it through his ear and cut the barbed end off encouraged him to do it his self. I even got to use our first aid kit.

At least I got to see what lure he was using!

[CNY Tim]

Aaron that's funny right there.. So what color was he using, LOL

[Otis1]

Gold!

Got them figured out, almost! Went out last night and had a good learning experience. I know where they are and how to catch them. Now if I could only set the hook, I'd be all set. Give me a call, email, or pm on MFF/IS for details.

[CNY Tim]

Gonna be a wet weekend guys. Looks like I will get tomorrow nights double header in the nick of time..

[Dark Cloud]

Back from a quick trip. Two other guys were gonna be down there so we had promised them "walleye & eggs" for breakfast. We made a stop on the way down and picked up 4 eaters and released a few others. Headed to the camp to meet up with the other guys, have some burgers, then hit the river for the evening.

Heres the pict of the trip from the breakfast gathering part of the trip...

That was looking down river, here was at the same time looking up towards Tank...

Evening trouting - not much going on, very few bugs hatching and no trout activity. A few caddis, sulphers, and march browns started comming off later with more march brown and some big green drakes real late.

Heres a "crippled" march brown(yep not very brown). Alot of flies hatch this way and never make it to adulthood. He only had one good wing and could not shake free of his shuck - thats the exoskeleton they live in while they are in nymph form. They live along the stream bottom for usually a year then wiggle to the surface when its time and bust out of the nymphal shuck, then float along till thier wings are dry enough to fly. Some species mate right away and deposit thier eggs right into the water, others will be around for 3-5 days till they mate and die...

A picture of Tank on the other side of the rift...

With about 20 minutes of light left more bugs started hatching and the fish were getting active. I missed one and Tank hooked a nice one that came off after a few jumps. A little bit later I missed another and just as we were nearing leave time I hooked a good one. The fish was all over the place and jumping but it was to dark to see. Eventually I slid the net under this nice bow. About the same time Dad hooks up again and fights what turned out to be a big chub...

Had a nice breakfast this morning and chatted for a while then headed home. Taking Beth to the CopperTurret for her B-Day then up to the casino. See ya soon Chef...

[Otis1]

Another awesome read DC.

[CNY Tim]

Outstanding post yet again Jay! Nice chatting with you and thanks for the early christmas present

[Dark Cloud]

Tank was subbing in a golf league and I had the evening off - that meant throw the vest, waders, and flyrod in the car and head to the river. I should have called Billy but thought of it half way there. Not much going on at first. Low thick clouds and calm winds looked promising. A few fish started to work the surface and all I could see was some small dark duns. I figured by thier size and color they were blue-winged olives. I re-rigged with one of my CDC blue-winged olive emerger patterns in a size 16 and hooked up on my second cast. The fish ended up being a nice rainbow in the 18-19 inch range. About 15 minutes later I hooked another heavier fish and after a bit slid the net under this big brown...

About then two yahoos came down the river in a canoe. Yes they were definatly yahoos! They were faceing each other and had no idea how to control the craft. They came well within casting distance and banged the side of the canoe with every movement of the paddles. I headed for shore, walked upriver, and crossed the rift. About half way down the other side I hooked and landed about a 14 inch brownie. Then got into a solid brown that was around the 20+ inch mark. He got his bearings and was soon down river and into my backing, as soon as I started gaining line we parted ways. Wasnt long and I was tight to another big fish. Fought it for a long time and eventually netted a bow that barely fit int the net. She was not quite 21 inches. I revived her and she swam off strong...

I almost need a bigger net. My best bow on the river...

Wow was I haveing a good time with not a soul in sight, wish Tank was there though. Back to the top of the rift and hooked and landed another brown, this one about 16 inches and fat. Soon after another, this time a 16 inch rainbow that was out of the water and all over the place alot...

By now it was getting real dark and the fish/ hatch shut right down. I left haveing landed 8 fish and loosing a few others...

[CNY Tim]

Outstanding report Jay, excellent article like I was there with you...

Well boys I gotta work Thurs., Fri and Sun. night. Amanda's last game was last night and they were down early and came back to win by 3. Good season...

[Otis1]

You should put a couple of these reports together and submit it to In Fish! Another great read and equally great pictures.

[Dark Cloud]

Otis - thanks! I really enjoy reading a good report post so I try and give them. Hope mine are not too longwinded or anoying in any way. I guess if 9 in 10 or more like em, then we wont worry about the others...

[kirkville1]

Took the kids to eatonbrook for a bit last night

[CNY Lee]

Nice pictures, I know those tree's.... LOL

I'm alive and kicking (barely) and hope to be hitting the lake soon. Count me and Anthony in for the get together, I'm good except for 4th of July weekend and and July 11th.

I'm camping on Cross Lake on July 4th, does anyone have any tips for panfish or walleyes there?

[Dark Cloud]

Nice job with the kids Chris!

Well the pull of the river was too much and I had to go again yesterday. Night and day compaired to the day befores. Went to a diff spot up river a bit further and absolutely nothing goin on hatch wise or fish activity. Fished down the rift and crossed, looked up river and noticed an eagle. Not the best picture but the scenery is great and you can see him in the middle...

I snuck up the other side and got fairly close till he took off..

He didnt go far...

I bailed for the spot I hammered them the day before. Saw these walking up along the river. No idea what they are?

Same deal as other spot - no bugs! Fished for a few hours with not so much as a bump. Only say one or two rises. Oh well I was paying dues for yesterdays performance. Then wammo I was tight to a nice rainbow that was clearing the water by feet and peeling line like it was nothing. I got him under controll and netted him. Not huge but 16 inches, fat and healthy. Was gonna leave as it was dark but decided to work down the rift one more time. And was rewarded with another fish on. This guy was bigger but lazy compaired to the bow - powerfull though. Took a bit but netted this brown a half way past 18in...

[CNY Tim]

Excellent reports guys!

[Otis1]

Nice to see y'all getting out. I'll have to take the camera with us this weekend. I'm getting inspired by the great reports.

[insurance guy]

Excellent Deleware pics DC! I don't flyfish but I'd like to get back to that river and do a canoe float trip one of these years and throw some bigger hardware for those trout. I usually have good luck on bigger stream trout with some sinking Yo-Zuri L minnows and various other stickbaits. I just got done with a month of serious Hudson river striper fishing and did well this season and now it's about time to move onto the summer walleye trolling scene. This hot weather will start to get the fish set up on their summer patterns and make for easy pickins!

[kirkville1]

Got a late start on the big "o" today didnt get on the water till 8 Still managed 4 perch,2 waldos(15 1/4+ 22")4 pickeral all around 22" mark and 6 rock bass.Not bad for the late start

[Otis1]

How'd you do Thunder? The kids went swimming off of Verona Beach and there were a couple big schools of buckeye's roaming the shallows.

What the heck was the cardboard sign someone duct taped on the silver, black, and blue tracker that was parked by you guy's? Funny stuff!

[Dark Cloud]

Back from a day on the river - Tank, myself, and our friend Paul went down for the day. The weather was super nice, not a cloud in th sky all day, probably a little too much sun had the fish down though. We fished around in the morning and afternoon picking up 10 walleyes and a half dozen shad.

Heres Tank with a smaller one. They are a neat little fish that made thier journey from the ocean this spring to make babies and perish. They have a mini-tarpon look with a neat irridescent purple...

Heres a much bigger one I got. We caught them on fast retrieved shad darts I tied up(Thanks Otis)...

[CNY Tim]

Interesting fish there Jay, Mike used to tell me how he use to catcha ton of them out of the Connecticut River growing up. Thanks for sharing...

[Otis1]

Neat looking fish! Can you eat them? So there kind of like Salmon? Let me know when you need more jigs. I haven't done much with them since the snow melted.

[CNYFrank]

Jay, you forgot to tell how they like to make great runs and jump. Your weather down state always sounds so good. Up here its always windy lately. Hoping to finally get the boat on the water this weekend. I don't even care if they bite . . .uh sorry for that lie.

[kirkville1]

I went to the big O this morning @ day break got 6 eyes and 1 sunfish after 6am the bite stopped.East wind was strong went on the west side of shackelton to get out of the wind. Red bucktails were the jig of choice this A.M.