Last Hurrah

I convinced the family to go on one last comping trip before the Minnesota weather turns terrible and none of us ever want to leave the house again... During this time of the Coronavirus, Minnesotans and all Upper Midwesterners seem to be heading to campgrounds in droves, so it was a little tough to find a spot that wasn't already spoken for, but eventually I was able to find a fun site, not too far from our house. It is my newfound policy to never give out the location of our travels, so let's just say it was somewhere in the northern half of the Continental United States. If you expect more info you clearly don't know me very well.

Our home away from home.

The entire weekend was pretty much perfect, except for the annoyingly loud family that was playing catch right outside our camper well after quiet hours on the first night. Thankfully they quieted down as soon as the hero of our story went and looked at them menacingly. Oh, he also asked nicely, so maybe that is why they quieted down. Being menacingly polite usually works wonders, if you ask our hero...

On a hike/death march.

In our party were 2 pre-teen girls. Apparently they were too cool to hang with us, so in this pic from our hike they are up near the end of this gravel road. 

The weather was perfect, the terrain was beautiful, the hikes/death marches were not too grueling, and the food was amazing. What more could you ask for?!?! Oh, yes, and the fishing was superb, too! I got up early both mornings and got a little bit of fishing in. To be honest, I got up too early the first morning, meaning I had to sit around in the front seat of the Family Truckster, waiting for it to get light enough for me to see my hands in front of my face. Who knew that the sun comes up so late in the middle of October? Not this night owl, that's for sure...

Waiting for the sun...

I told The Missus that I would be back in time for breakfast, so once the sun finally came up I had about an hour to fish before I had to blast. I know the fish in this particular stream love Wooly Buggers, so I tied on one of my Mushroom & Swiss Buggers, and it proved to be the correct choice. At the end of the hour I had landed about 15 trout and one nice chub, and I missed many others. It was epic.

A wonderful spot.

I had a little bit more time on the second morning, so I decided to park in the same spot, but head downstream to see if the fish got bigger the farther they were from civilization. The action wasn't as fast and furious, but I did manage to land about 8 trout in an hour and a half or so. Plus the 2nd day's chub was quite larger than the first day's chub. So there's that. And I would say the average size of the trout was bigger than the first day. Epic yet again!

This big boy wouldn't stay in the net, so I snapped a quick pic before I got him back in the water. Not the best photo quality, but oh well.

The rest of the weekend was spent with the family, hiking, exploring, eating s'mores, and just generally having fun. A wonderful way to end the camping season. Can't wait for next year!

Last trout of the trip, and probably of the calendar year for me. A great way to finish things up!

 

Getting Together

 As I have written before, I have a couple of buddies who are as nutty about fiberglass rods as I am, and we sometimes get together, with our glass rods, and do a little bit of casting out in the yard outside my office building. I will call these two buddies Peter and Greg, because those are their names. If they wanted to remain anonymous they shouldn't have become buddies with me...

Just a few of the rods we were trying out...

With all the Covid stuff happening this year, we hadn't gotten together to do any casting all summer. We finally were able to get a day that worked for all of us, so these two nutty dudes came over last Thursday at high noon. Somehow we lucked out with the Minnesota weather, as we had a beautifully warm and cloudless day. We all brought all the rods we had acquired since the last time we got together, plus a few others, and we had a fun hour or five of casting. 

Greg (foreground) & Peter (background), trying out rods.

Greg has fallen deep into the world of rod building, and he has started to pump out some beautiful, high quality builds using Lamiglas blanks. I believe he now has every rod in the Lamiglas Honey Blank lineup, and he brought them all. My favorite of those was his 6'6" 3wt, not necessarily because it seemed like a good fishing tool, but more so because I had never felt a rod that flexed so far into the handle. It seemed as though the reelseat itself was flexing along with the rod, which I think is impossible, but that's what it felt like. If I was actually fishing, I would have chosen one of his other rods, but for casting in the yard, that little 3wt sure was something...

Four of Greg's Lamiglas rods. The 6'6" 3wt is 2nd from the bottom. That is one noodly rod!

Peter brought his two Fred Paddock rods, which are both super sweet, along with his Orvis Superfine Glass and Orvis Fullflex "A" 6wt. I brought my two Vince Cummings rods, my Larry Kenney 5wt, and a few others. All of the rods were sweet. As you may have heard me say a billion times before, I believe that the fly rod is the coolest tool that man has ever invented. Can't wait for the next casting get-together!

Winston glass.

St. Croix glass

Because of the Corona and susceptible family members, we wore gloves and masks for the first time at one of our get-togethers. Afterwards we all went out and robbed a bank. Don't tell anyone...

Trout Trip 2020-And-A-Half: Weisse Wasser

First fish of the Trip. Look at those cool spots!

There is a river complex in southeastern Minnesota which has a reputation as being very popular amongst trout fishers, because it is comprised of three high quality trout streams along with several other smaller feeder creeks. There are literally dozens of miles of public access within this complex, with excellent trout habitat throughout. Add to that several public and private campgrounds in the area, and you have a terrific destination to do a little angling. My buddy, Bryon, who I go with on our Annual Springtime Trout Trip every year, and I decided to do another, shorter Trout Trip to this very destination this past weekend. It was a hoot!

We began Trout Trip 2020-And-A-Half on the northern branch of this particular river complex, because we were going to camp on that branch. The northern branch has its proponents, but overall the water quality and habitat is not quite as good as on the other branches. We got a few fish, and I even caught a nice rainbow on a perfectly placed grasshopper imitation, which rarely happens for me. (I mean the catching a fish on a grasshopper rarely happens... The perfect placement happens often, if I can toot my own horn for a second...)

Nice rainbow on a hopper. Look at those cheeks!

First rod/reel of the trip: Vince Cummings Superlite 7' 4wt glass & Orvis CFO III Disc 

Bryon and a buttery brown.

We moved on to the middle branch of the complex later that day. The section we were fishing is as lovely as a trout stream can be. The water was in perfect shape, and the fish were, sometimes, willing to be caught. Actually they seemed to be more off than on, but some were caught throughout the afternoon. At one point I caught three nice fish in four casts, but then I didn't get a bite for the next couple of hours. I guess that's fishing for ya!

A beautiful section of stream!

A chunky bow. This was the 3rd of the three fish in 4 casts. Each one was bigger than the last one.

Second rod/reel: Larry Kenney 8'3" 5wt glass & Ross Evolution #2

Sunday morning was spent on a different section of that middle branch. Fishing was slow, despite more beautiful water. To end the weekend we decided to skip over to the south branch of the river complex. We found a newly-rehabilitated stretch of stream that looked great, but the word on the street was that the trouts hadn't moved into the new habitat yet. Being the two stubborn dudes that we are, Bryon and I both scoffed at the word on the street, and jumped in with both feet. I am glad we did, since on my 4th or 5th cast I hooked a slab of a rainbow. Being the honest fisherman that I am, I will estimate it at somewhere between 15"-25" in length, and 12"-30" in girth. In other words, I didn't measure it. But it was the biggest trout I have caught in a looooooooong time. What a hoot! I hooked another about five minutes later that would have been close to that size, but he went aerial a second or two after I hooked him and he threw the hook. What a jerk!

Big ol' slab of a rainbow!

Me, landing that big ol' 'bow with the grace of a ballerina...

Third rod/reel: Bozeman (now Livingston) Rod Co. 8'6" 4wt glass & Ross Gunnison #1

We had a great time fishing, and we are already starting to plan Trout Trip 2021, which is sure to be quite the trip! Woohoo! 

Camden State Park

My family loves to camp! We try to get out to a campground several times a year. This year was a little strange, since the Covid-19 pandemic kept campgrounds closed for a large portion of the Spring. Once the powers-that-be decided that campgrounds could open, camping reservations were gobbled up by people who were going crazy being cooped up in their own houses. Apparently we weren't as crazed as many others, since when we finally got around to searching for a site, most of them were already full. We did find a State Park that is located out in the western part of Minnesota, called Camden State Park. This past weekend we loaded up our seemingly infinite amount of kids, most of their earthly possessions, and the dog, and headed out there for 5 days.

Our Home away from Home at Camden State Park

I would say that western Minnesota is about 99% cropland. Whatever direction you look in, you will more than likely be looking at corn or soybeans or some other kind of crop. The remaining 1% is roads. And everything is flat. To say that I was a little nervous about the possibility of finding a scenic park in the area would be an understatement. Thankfully Camden is located in a lush river valley that was filled with mature trees and hills. 

The lush river that flows through the lush river valley is the Redwood River, which is a Designated Trout Stream, according to the Minnesota DNR. I had never been trout fishing in that part of the state, nor did I know anyone who had, so I was excited to see what it had to offer in terms of fishing. It was not much...

The rod of the weekend: Sage SFL580 glass rod, with Ross Evolution #2 reel

Sunrise on the Redwood River

I got up early and fished the first two mornings we were there. Hardly anyone else was around, so I could have my pick of the pools on the stream. Despite low water conditions, there were some prime looking spots. I soon learned that spots that look prime to me might not be so prime for the trout. I never got a bite, never saw a fish, on either of the two mornings. And I tried some good flies. Proven fish-slayers. But nothing. It was a little frustrating.

Proven fish-slayers...

By the third morning the campground was beginning to fill up, and it was obvious that many of those recent arrivals were also there to fish. So I stayed in bed that day and the next, leaving my rods and reels in the truck. I did talk to many of the other fisherpeople throughout the weekend, though, and none of them caught any fish either. One of the best feelings I can think of is to find out everyone else is not catching just as many fish as I did not catch. What a great weekend!

I had never seen such a high cut-bank in the area as I found on the Redwood River. I was sure that if I hung around in this spot for a few more minutes that tree up there would soon be down with its friend in the river...

Although the fishing was terrible, we had a fun time. The Wife and I took all the kids and the dog on at least one long hike (also known as a death march) each day. And we biked and swam and swatted mosquitoes and went to a Little House on the Prairie Museum and just had an all-around excellent time. Maybe the fishing would have better in the Spring when the water was not so low...? Whatever the case, if you are looking for a fun place to take the family, I would recommend Camden State Park. See ya there!

The kids counted at least 50 of these over the weekend. There were almost as many Garter Snakes, which I did not get close enough to photograph. Only because they were too fast...

The hoodlums, I mean kids, on a death march.

Weird tree.

We were followed by vultures on one of our death marches. I think they heard us joking about it being a death march...

This was on the 8-year-old's arm for a second or two, until it got flung off. I found it few yards away and took the pic. By that time the 8-year-old was in the next county...

The moon was super bright a couple of the nights. This was as good a pic as I could take after having a beer...

What's New?!?!

Here's the short answer to the title question: Absolutely nothin'! I haven't been doing a lot of fishing lately. I haven't caught a trout since early May, if I am remembering right... That's kinda sad, when you think about it. So let's stop thinking about! I have caught quite a few bass and bluegills this summer in the in-laws' lake. And I even caught my second and third walleyes ever, a couple of weeks ago. For those who don't know, the walleye is the state fish of Minnesota, which is where I reside.

My second walleye ever. It looked a lot like my first and third walleye...

People are crazy about walleye fishing around here, so when they find out that a crazed fisherman like myself has never actively gone walleye fishing, it can boggle their collective mind. The only three walleyes I have ever caught have been by-catch, while fishing for Smallmouth Bass. And, together, those three walleyes probably weren't long enough to fit in a slot limit on any lake in the state...

I have been doing some tying, so that's fun. I finally finished my Spring order for Lund's Fly Shop, a couple of weeks before Fall starts. I never said I was fast...or organized...or focused... I promise I will try to finish my Fall order while it is still Fall.

A gaggle of Pink Squirrel Parachutes that now reside in the fly bins at Lund's Fly Shop

I have also been starting to get ready for my Tying classes that will be starting soon. I have been tweaking which flies I teach, and I think I finally have them all figured out. Once I re-do the syllabus it will all be finalized. Oh, and I officially changed the name of my class. It used to be The Joy of Fly Tying. That was OK, but I felt that it could use a reboot, so now, when you are looking through your local Community Ed catalog, look for Fly Tying Essentials! This Fall I will be teaching it in-person in Forest Lake (starting September 22nd), White Bear Lake (starting October 12th), and Northeast Minneapolis (starting December 1st).

Egg-Laying Nurple, Size 16

If the in-person option doesn't interest you in this time of Covid, I will also be teaching it via Zoom! through the city of St. Paul (starting on December 5th). If you or someone you know wants to learn how to tie flies, and have fun doing it, make sure you tell them about my class options!

Lake Superior tributary on the Minnesota North Shore

I have a couple of trout trips planned for the near future. I will be sure to write about them, so come back and check it out. See ya next time!

Trout Trip 2020

This is the third year that my buddy Bryon and I have gone on a multi-day Trout Trip somewhere in the Upper Midwest. The plan for this year was to head to Whitewater State Park in southeast Minnesota. We would camp in the Park and then head to various spots on any and all of the branches of the Whitewater, along with any other smaller streams in the area. It would have been epic! But then the dumbest of all viruses hit, and all State Parks in Minnesota were closed to camping. So we made plans to camp at a privately owned campground in the Whitewater valley. Everything seemed to be OK, but then I got a call from the owner of said privately owned campground, informing me that the Sheriff had come by and told them they had to close as well. Strike two! After doing way more research than I ever put into any of my college papers, I stumbled upon a "campground" that isn't really a campground, in western Wisconsin. Since it isn't technically a campground, this "campground" hadn't yet been told that they had to close down to camping. So, Bryon and I settled on western Wisconsin instead of southeastern Minnesota, and Trout Trip 2020 was back on! Woot!

Bryon and our camper, in the "campground"...

Since I have so many photos to show, I won't bore you with too many words, but I will say that we spent countless hours on 5 different streams, we caught a bunch of fish, we tied for the most different species caught (3 each), and I used all six of the rods I brought with. We saw deer and turkeys and muskrats, and great blue herons and eagles and vultures. A big ol' snapping turtle splashed into the river as I got close, scaring the bejeebers out of me in the process. We got too much sun and ate too much food, and we can't wait to do it again next year. Would you like to see some pics?

Gearing up at our first spot

My first rod of the trip, a St. Croix 7090 XXL, paired with a Ross Gunnison G-1

A quaint little stream.

Second stream, not quite as quaint or little.

2nd rod, Diamodglass 8' 5wt, and Cabelas HP1 reel.

Lots of these guys emerging, and not a trout rising anywhere. It was very frustrating!

No fish rising = time to sit down and pout!

Bryon, in mid-loop

I did finally catch something, a lovely little brookie, in a spot I was not expecting a brookie. Off the schneid!

Brookie colors

I bet you can't figure out where we were...

Gearing up at our 3rd stream of the day, right before dusk,

3rd rod, a Vince Cummings River Rat. 7'6" 6wt. Smoooooth!

I have never seen such joy whilst holding a sucker! Photo by Bryon Tang

4th rod: Winston 8' 5/6wt glass. Silky!

A nice brown.

A beautiful brookie

Biggest fish of the trip for me. 

Chub.

You can't tell me what to do!

5th stream of the trip. 

Carefully extricating a hook.

5th rod: Scientific Angler System 5 glass rod. Velvety!

Nice place, but no fish...

6th rod: Scott F754/3, paired with a Ross San Miguel #2

Ditto

A healthy brown.

Last fish of Trout Trip 2020.