tanker

Just got back from D.C. with Barto and I had to throw a pic up of this carp. We had a phenomenal day, we hooked loads of fish, we got some sun and were home in time to partake in the festivities of the weekend. This was our first fish of the day, one of the biggest carp either of us have ever seen up there....or anywhere for that matter. Needless to say that after that battle, Bart spent a little time targeting some smaller fish. Weird, there's my backing...again!

oh snap

Watch yourselves this weekend if you're driving near lakes or streams as the snapping turtles are laying eggs as we speak. I've seen lots of them on the banks of the rivers and even some laying eggs in the gravel on the sides of the roads! It's too bad that a lot of people see them as a "pest" and make a point to hit them with their cars or get out and mess with them. Leave them alone and they'll leave you alone. Just a heads up...I can't imagine it would be good for you or your car to hit a fifty pound turtle. I know a lot of you have time off for the fourth and if you can, get out and fish. I've heard good reports of hex hatches and the smallmouth and muskie fishing has been great. I was out last night with Matt from about six until dark on a small river near my house and did pretty good on smallies with poppers. I even landed a couple of my all-time favorite fish, the noble rock bass. Have a great 4th weekend! Enjoy the fireworks, food, company and cocktails and take a moment to look at a flag and be grateful that we have these freedoms. Go fish!

you're going to do what?

That's the response I got from several people when I told them I was driving two hours to go catch carp...with a fly rod. Well, the pictures speak for themselves. It was an awesome day. I couldn't venture a guess as to how many fish we saw, but it was a lot. We landed eight nice carp, lost at least twice that many and foul hooked several more. One fish took me so far into my backing that I couldn't see the end of my fly line. Just about every flat that we looked at had cruising fish but when we found the tailing (feeding) fish, that was when we really got into them. Big nymphs, bonefish flies, crayfish flies, it really didn't matter. As long as we made good casts, we were hooking fish. We rounded out the Lake Michigan flats "grand slam" with a few really nice smallmouth as well. They were hanging with the carp and several times we'd cast to a carp, not even seeing the smallies, and the opportunistic little buggers would engulf our flies. An awesome day, can't wait to get back over there.

fat tire and black boogle

I'm getting sick of the weird weather patterns of the last couple weeks. Seventy one morning, fifty the next. No rain in the forecast but yet there's this weird black cloud coming up on us and what I want to think sounds like a train but my heart tells me otherwise. I can't wait to get the more consistent summer weather. However, the smallie fishing has been great. Some slower mornings, but we've been working slow and steady until the afternoons warm up a little. The other day we maybe boated eight fish by two in the afternoon, then the popper fishing just exploded. We were getting eats on poppers when the fly was just dangling in the current below the boat while we were taking a picture of another fish. It was great. The Me is finally falling back down after some really high water last week due to the opening of the dams, which was interesting. The fish still ate, but it was a slightly different game there for a bit. The Smallmouth Trip from Hell is rolling right now and I'm sure Matty and Kip have put the guys on plenty of good fish. Matt Z., Danny and I just got back from a day on the Oconto and we had a great day. We got some decent fish on baitfish patterns but when we switched to poppers we had the most consistent action. Black papa boog rocks. Well, I believe it's time to go eat some grilled meat and have some cold Fat Tire. What a day.

Happy Father's Day

Just got home Sunday afternoon from four days on the water. Thursday, Friday and Saturday were trips for Tight Lines and Sunday was a relax day with the family. The river fished pretty well the three days we were up there, lots of big bass, some really nice pike and my guys on Friday even hooked into a muskie, twice! After dropping my clients off Saturday evening, I got to head over to Merrill to meet my family and we spent Sunday chasing bass and bluegills around a little lake in the drift boat. It was a great way to spend my first Father's Day. The weather looks like it's going to be gorgeous for the rest of the week and we deserve it. It's been a cool, windy spring and we need some warmer, calm days to really set things off. I know the Hex fishermen are praying for the same thing as well. Things are starting to roll now as far as the guiding season goes. One of the things that I enjoy most is the diversity of people that I get to work with from day to day. A great example is last week; one day I had an avid saltwater fly fisherman who now works for the IGFA (International Game Fish Association), the next day a younger couple that had never touched a fly rod. Both were equally great to have in the boat, bringing different perspectives and personalities to the day, and both willing to listen and learn and ultimately catch fish.

next generation fisherman

Had my little guy, Logan, on the water for the first time last night chasing bluegills on Shawano Lake. I think he's "hooked".

paging will smith

This guy was on the screen door to my house last night. Can anyone tell me what the hell it is? My guess would be a dobsonfly, but it also looks a little like a giant stonefly. I checked one of my insect field guides and didn't really see anything that matched. It's about two inches long, maybe a little longer.