April 21, 2024

With last week's harvest opener in the rearview, the 70 plus degree weather also went with it.

I fished all morning with fishing buddy Charlie. It was a cool start to the day, but sunny skies and clean water awaited. We pulled into a remote spot to find a truck already parked. Our fears of having to fish behind someone where quickly dispelled as two turkey hunters emerged from an unsuccessful morning hunt.

We both rigged up differnt nymph rig set up. I opted for a scud and a trailer, and killed it on the scud all day. The trailer, however, was a fly that I changed up periodically throughout the day, especially when different bugs began to appear. First, it was some small tan caddis, then some gray #16 mayflies.

We nymphed our way up the river, catching fish where they should be, and coming up blanks in some areas where they should be. Water levels are at least a good six inches short of what I'd like them to be, so many trout are podded up in pools and not yet in the pocket water areas.

I sported a sun hoodie for the first time, as I've had bouts with pre-cancerous sun spots from years of being on the water without necessary sun protection. I admit that I wasn't excited about wearing a hoodie all day, but I give it a thumbs up for those looking for sun protection. It's lightweight and easy to get used to.

There are plenty of trout out there right now. Years of dry spring and summers (note: no big flooding) has created some big trout numbers right now. I have availability if you're looking to get out. Drop me a line and let's get it on the books.

March 29, 2024

Good Friday was as good as advertised when it came to a day on the water. I was on the first stream on the day by 9:30 with sunny skies, brisk east wind, and temperatures hovering around the freezing mark. Depsite that, fish were on nymphs, and it didn't take long to start catching an array of rainbows and browns.

After an hour and a good start to the day, I drove a few valleys, checking on streams: all were clean and low, and no significant snow pack remained other than the east facing slopes.

I stuck to the tandem rig set up for most of the morning, doing well in pools, riffles, and anything that had enough depth to hold fish.

I caught and released a ton of fish today, to the point that I didn't bother to get my camera out for a bulk of the day, just to soak in the moment and enjoy the day.

Around noon, a few BWO's showed up, so I went with a dry cripple as the lead fly and a small dark, soft hackled emerger as a trailer. Both did equally well, and some quality fish came up to take the dry.

I was a brook trout short for the Driftless trifecta, so I hit an obscure brook trout stream on my way home and managed a few in about ten casts.

It was, without question, an awesome day on the water. Sunshine (mostly), clean water, and hungry fish...not much to complain about.

February 25, 2024

It didn't take long after looking at the forecast to pencil in Sunday as an ideal day to phone a friend and get out for a day in the southeast Mn Driftless. I hadn't fly fished with longtime childhood friend,Troy, in ages. Life, family, and other commitments had prevented us from convening in the southeast for a day on the water.

We rigged up and started fishing by 9:00 with midges already all around. Water is clean, and I mean damn clean, all over. Low, too. It's a broken record from me about lack of precipitation and the effects it has had on the southeast Driftless, as well as the rest of the state.

We got on fish right away. Nothing complicated about our set ups: two nymphs with the latter being a midge trailer.

The pool structures on streams are loaded with fish, and I mean loaded. We fished several pool structures with enough current to not spook every fish in the river with great success. Flat pools with high sun were a challenge: make a good first cast because that might be your only shot at hooking up.

The weather looks good Monday and Tuesday with a snowfall predicted thereafter (good). We need precipitation, and lots of it, right now. After the Arctic blast, things look better again by the weekend.

January 28, 2024

The exceptional January weather continues in southeast MN, and today marked my first outing of 2024. I did nothing complicated: tandem nymph rigging with a midge trailer, no indicator, and some split shot. I covered a mile and a half in three hours, so hitting and running was the MO. No one else was out on the stretch I hit, and there were no boot prints, either. I suspect that will change in the foreseeable future with nice weather and minimal snow pack.