Finally

For awhile I thought I forgot how to catch a fish. That’s tough to say, especially during peak steelhead season. Social media fishing groups are filled with reports of 10+ steelhead catches almost the norm. And I make five trips in February and March to Lake Erie tributaries and not even a bump. That’s some bad juju!

Wrong flies…wrong time…wrong stretch of water…wrong day. It was all wrong. The strange thing was I fished good water that had always been productive. And, on the days I was on the water I wasn’t seeing anybody else catch chrome. There would be five or six fishermen sharing water, all coming up empty. Was it me? Was I spreading my bad juju to them? It was getting so bad that I wanted to go up to them and apologize, explaining they won’t be catching anything today. But for my own safety, and not wanting to spoil their day before it began, I just went about my business…of not catching a fish.

Something had to change. I went fishing yesterday and decided to go as far south as I can go on the Chagrin River. Maybe get away from the crowds and find some unpressured water. I had nothing to lose. If I wasn’t hooking up on popular stretches of water I’d find some place without footprints in the mud. I found the spot and began to swing flies in pools and riffles. For a little over two hours I threw every color woolly bugger in my fly box without a bump. Was it going to be another long ride home smelling of skunk?

Absolutely not. Running out of water I had a small riffle left to fish. Only having about 10’ of fly line and the leader on the water I got a tug. I set the hook and it felt great. A quick fight ended with some chrome in the net. How ironic. The shortest cast of the day catches the fish. Not the biggest steelhead I’ve caught but at that time it was a giant.

After a long drought getting this fish in the net felt great.

 

After I released it I said to myself “that wasn’t a fish, that was a smile. I’m back!

Go out and fool a fish!

The Pause That Refreshes

Can't believe January passed me by. I took the month off from chasing chrome. Not by design, it just happened. Actually, I spent a lot of time beginning to teach myself Spanish. This is to correct a mistake I made in high school a long, long time ago. I chose French as a freshman and that ended up a bust.

I also recharged my batteries. Just stepping away from the water for this short period made me appreciate even more the time that I do get to spend on one of the greatest hobbies man has ever created.

I'm ready to catch some chrome.

With that said, the calendar change to February and I’m ready to catch some fish, if there’s any left. From the reports I’ve seen there have been many great catch days out there. As a “pescador” I want some of that.

Go out and catch a fish!
Sal y engana a un pez!

Christmas Came Early

December in northeast Ohio can mean a lot of things. A lot of cold and snow is the general rule. But this year, December has been a sleeper. We’ve had some cold and snow but it could have been much worse. In fact, as I’m writing this, it is sunny and 53° F. It’s called a heat wave around here. I couldn’t pass up a day like so I hit the water and received an early Christmas gift.

My favorite steelhead river was fishable, and I’ve been eager to try a streamer pattern that I was introduced to during a trip to Virginia for trout. It was successful on a couple of rainbows and I thought it would be ideal chasing steelhead. After working a nice stretch of water for 1-1/2 hours I was beginning to think the streamer only liked southern hospitality, as I couldn’t get a bump. I was down to my last 20 yard stretch of fishable water when the tug finally arrived. I came tight and the fight was on. The fish surfaced a few times, splashed and rolled to break free, but to no avail. After a brief chase downstream I was able to guide it to the edge of the river. The Kreelex pattern did its job. Christmas a few days early.

Go out and fool a fish!

Steelhead with some nice color. Took a swung streamer fished deep and slow.

 The streamer hanging out of the mouth is a Kreelex. I fished it for trout in Virginia and thought it might be good for chrome. It was.

Blame It On The Cat

I was able to get out yesterday and hunt for some chrome for the first time in a couple of weeks. Leaving the house pumped to get a tug on a swung streamer I made my way to a local Lake Erie tributary. That feeling did not last long.

Driving through the park a little after sunrise I was startled by a black cat running in front of my car. Oh crap! Just what I didn’t need. Funny thing is, I am not superstitious in everyday life except when fishing is involved. I quit packing bananas for a snack a few years ago and noticed that I don’t get skunked as often. And, on several occasions after catching a fish on the first cast of the day and nothing after I now always make a half-hearted attempt at the first cast of the day. Now I have to add a black cat to my superstition checklist.

The day went as expected. Not even a bump for a couple of hours. Maybe it was the low and clear water conditions. Maybe I just picked the wrong stretch of river to fish. Or, maybe the cat knew I am a dog person and was seeking revenge. Anyway, it’s a good excuse for not catching anything.

This is what I didn't catch yesterday, and I'm blaming it on the cat.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Go out and fool a fish!

A Surprise Catch

Lake Erie is known for fantastic walleye fishing. According to reports, it’s even better than fantastic this fall. Size and quantity of catch have been unbelievably strong. Even fishermen working the rivers for steelhead are reporting walleye catches. With first-hand experience I can confirm those reports.

A couple of days ago I went on a hunting mission in an attempt to determine if any steelhead have made it past Painesville on the Grand River. With little rain, the Grand hasn't been able to get a big push of water since August. Well, the hunt went on for a couple of hours and I finally got a take on a white woolly bugger. I was surprised when I realized it wasn't a steelhead. It was a walleye. Not big, but a walleye none the less. This was my first walleye ever on a fly rod.

A surprise catch three miles upstream from Lake Erie.

A toothy walleye.

(Click on image for larger view.). 

A great time of the year to be on the water.

Oh, by the way, on my second cast after landing the walleye I did hook up with a steelhead. Unfortunately, after playing it for about a minute, and after three jumps, the hook pulled loose. I examined the woolly bugger and the hook was bent. Oh well, that’s fishing.

Go out and fool a fish!

Fall Colors And A Little Fishing

Nothing screams “Road Trip” like warm weather and fall colors. My wife and I have a favorite spot in the fall. When the opportunity presents itself we head south to Mohican State Park. We’ve made the autumn drive four or five times and have never been disappointed. Catch the maples just right and Mohican shines as bright as any other destination.

As for fishing, it is secondary on these trips. Oh, I’ll fish for a few hours, but the setting on the Lower Clear Fork is right out of a magazine or book. Pools that look like glass, and reflect the yellows and reds of the maples dominate the landscape. So, I forgive myself if a hookup is missed.

There's an old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words". I can't describe the day better than using pictures. Enjoy.

Go out and fool a fish!

View upstream from the covered bridge.

Do you think there is enough structure for the largemouth and smallmouth bass?

(Click on image for a larger view.) 

(All photos courtesy of Chris Zimmer.)  

I did not want to wade into the water.

The dam area always produces.

Mist on the water and a bass on the line.

 Just another mirror view.

Water so reflective there's two covered bridges.

I'm just a bit player in this scene.

From Another Time

I know the phrase “catch and release” has been around for a long time but there was a time when “catch and keep” was popular. And I am old enough to know about it.

Growing up in the 1950’s fishing with my dad he always made sure the stringer was handy. Whether it was perch or catfish from Lake Erie, or walleye when we took trips to Canada, we would keep what we caught unless there was a size requirement. We would catch and my mom would clean the fish. The catching and keeping helped put some food on the table.

About the time I began high school my family used to take fishing trips to Canada. It was an area north of Peterborough in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. The lake we fished had bass, walleye and muskie. I always liked those trips because we got to fish from a boat as opposed to pier fishing in Lake Erie. And there was a chance to catch some big fish. One big fish stands out from all the rest.

Our last fishing trip to Canada was 1969. On one of the last days of the trip I hooked and landed a 48” muskie. It was by far the biggest muskie of any we caught in the four years we’ve been going up there. Immediately my dad wanted to have it mounted because back then that is what you did when you caught a fish like that. So, being almost second nature to keep a fish, we had the muskie mounted. Little did I know but that would be the last fish I would catch for 40 years. And, looking back I am amazed I caught it. If anyone could see the knots I tied back they would also be amazed. I used to make 5-7 overhand knots when attaching the lure to the line.

This muskie was caught 50 years ago. 48" length, 28 pounds. 

By far the largest fish I've ever caught.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Now, 50 years after catching it, that muskie still hangs on my basement wall. It reminds me of another time. Not a better time, just different in many ways. Thankfully, making replicas by taking several measurements and a photo is now available. I would definitely do it differently now. Saving the resource is important.

Here’s hoping everyone has a chance to hang a fish on the wall.

Go out and fool a fish!