what is in the bait bucket

So our first run at minnow trapping wasn't the huge success I was hoping for. Me and the kiddos went to a local still water spot and tried soaking the trap for a few hours in one of the channels of the lake. We baited the inside with dog food from the house and made my safety line out of dacron fly line backing. Then we tossed the trap out and let it sit. My first observation is that all the dog food...

Read More »

shimano bantam coriolis co-200b

I have a serious sickness, it really came on full force this winter when fishing was at its slowest, but it has continued on into the spring. I can't seem to help myself but I've been buying up all the vintage fishing gear I see. Some I like well enough to add to my personal collection, and some I play with for a little bit and end up flipping it. Being able to resell things for a profit...

Read More »

on the hunt for bluegills

My daughter and I have a plan to chase some serious panfish this year. Over the winter she has become super interested in all the flies that I've been making and has injected herself into the process. The connection of making the bugs and then feeding them to the fish is only natural, right? 5 years old and looking like a pro The bluegill part was my choice, partly because of their abundance and...

Read More »

hare'e stonefly nymph

Hook - Tiemco 5263 size 10 Bead - 1/8 inch Weight - 10 wraps lead wire Thread - tan Antennae - goose biots Body - Hare'e wiggle dub (golden brown) Hackle - india hen back soft hackle In The Riffle Instruction Vide...

Read More »

a driftless trout fishing blog post

A trip to the Wisconsin driftless area for some trout fishing can really revitalize a persons spirit. Despite the scattered and persistent storms last weekend the trout fishing refused to disappoint. I was able to visit a few streams from the past as well as some new water to bookmark for returns. Streams of the past have changed their faces in the last few years. Pools have changed in shape, some...

Read More »

eagle claw featherlight, a cult classic?

eagle claw featherlight Trying out my new 6'6" Eagle Claw Featherlight fly rod for the first time while in the Driftless area was nothing short of spectacular. Matched with the Martin 65 fly reel acquired this winter and strung with a DT 5 fly line this combo was perfectly suited to tackle these small spring creeks. I tied on a wooly bugger and it took just 3 casts before I deflowered this rods...

Read More »

martin 65 fly reel

I blame the severity of this winter for the vast amount of vintage gear purchased off the auction site in the last four months. I now have a completely new arsenal of rod and reel to break in this year and am totally juiced to use some equipment with a bit of back story. Of the fly reels purchased, the cheapest score has turned out to be my most favorite. The Martin 65 fly reel was the first one...

Read More »

creek creeping

I've been creeping around some local creeks for a couple weeks now. Many of the big rivers just iced out and most of the medium sized rivers locally are running high and dirty. While I am still fishless since switching over to fly fishing this year, I'm content just to finally be throwing some loops. As flows and clarity begin to level out I expect to find the fly fishing picking up. fox river...

Read More »

late ice fishing on lake geneva

Many ice anglers know that late ice can be some of the best ice fishing to be had the entire season. Neal caught this gator this past weekend on Lake Geneva on a panfish rod and 3# test. He said that the battle was touch and go especially after the fish buried itself into the weeds. He opened the bail and waited for the fish to work itself out before re-engaging pressure on the fish. Now that the...

Read More »

spring run off

The larger rivers are still looking a bit high and muddy, the smaller creeks and rivers that flow into Lake Michigan are looking prime. Water temps are still in the 30's and don't imagine a huge improvement until most of the snow and frost melts. Don't be discouraged, its finally spring and reports of fresh chrome are starting to trickle in. While we came up empty on the first try, we did see a...

Read More »

slump buster fly

A simple fly that is highly adaptable to many species and easy to wrap up in a variety of sizes. It consists of a braid or cord wrapped under-body and wire to latch down the tail and body section of rabbit strip. The head of course is a cone with a second strip of rabbit wrapped in to form the collar. By no means is this a technical tie and are pretty easy to knock out in quick succession. On...

Read More »

in the cloudy first few feet

Have you ever noticed that the first few feet on Hummingbird and Vexilar sonars always seem to have a lot of interference? I cant speak for Marcum flashers as I have never used one, but I always seem to have some trouble getting a good reading right below the puck. I've spent 95% of my time ice fishing jigging close to bottom only raising bait to suspended fish that move in on the sonar. The last...

Read More »

the winter is dragging

The winter is dragging, and I'm about to scream. All I want is a fly rod in my hands and flowing water. I really believe that I was bred for warmer conditions then this. Ice fishing is what keeps me going in the winter and more of a chance to hang out with friends and family while waiting for the thaw. Fishing in the last few weeks has been pretty slow. While we have been on top of fish both times...

Read More »

fox chain of lakes ice conditions

The winter of 2013-2014 has been quite frankly an ice fisherman's wet dream. Early ice, thick ice, and willing fish it really doesn't get much better then that. On the flip side, it has been a long and cold winter and every time it wasn't blistering cold, it snowed. Ahhh yes, payback is a bitch Mother Nature. In the waning days of winter it is most important for ice anglers to take the necessary...

Read More »

fox chain of lakes ice fishing report

Neal spent a few hours out on the Fox Chain of Lakes today, fishing about 100 yards of an ice party. He said fish were schooled up and active. Pretty good news as we are heading out tomorrow to try some new spots. Jigging rap was responsible for all the fish in the picture...

Read More »

skandia tungsten ice jigs for big panfish

Its been a few years since I first added Skandia tungsten ice jigs into my winter time tackle box. Tungsten has really made a huge impact in the ice fishing scene in recent years. Nearly twice as heavy as traditional lead, tungsten allows jig manufactures to make lower profile jigs at half the size as before. Finicky fish often prefer a more diminutive profiled ice jig and with tungsten you can have...

Read More »

winter time pond management

When a pond of 10 acres or so is over run with stunted pan fish, winter is an excellent time to put in some work to improve the overall health and quality of the fish populations. I'm no biologist but why do panfish become stunted? My Humble Thoughts -Lack of food, too many mouths to feed in this family and not enough food to go around. A scary reality for this little ecosystem, and it all...

Read More »

blind wander

Ice fishing is not for the lazy, especially for those who walk their gear out long distance. I'm no sissy but my sled kicks my ass sometimes. Throw in some snowy drifts and sub zero temps, and its a real knock out. After a strenuous exertion sometimes I get content sitting down over unproductive holes for longer then they deserve. The shack is warm and the ice is thick, and hand cranking 24 inches...

Read More »

the next generation of ice anglers

Whats better then catching a big fish, or catching a lot of fish? For me, there is no better feeling then putting my kids on some fish. Dress em warm and bundle em tight and keep your interest on them having fun. Make the trips as short as their interest levels dictates. Follow these steps and you will create memories that both of you can carry forward forever. next generation ice angler, looking...

Read More »

going back to early ice

early ice in lake county illinois Cold and windy, those are the words that come to mind when I think back on this winter. I often question my sanity for choosing to continue residency here but I do admire the resiliency of our people. We have endured record low temps this winter without even missing a beat. I'm not gonna go on about a polar vortex, negative 42 wind chills, or the consistent...

Read More »

fall fly fishing in review

In a blink of an eye, Wisconsin's fall fly fishing season for Great Lakes salmon and trout came and went. In recent years we had experienced a great variance in the severity of Midwestern winters, some mild and some not so mild. Just a few years back we rang in New Years by throwing streamers to big brown trout in flowing water. Conversely, this fall, it was just Thanksgiving when rivers started to...

Read More »

the breath of life

a stupid pike photo to make it look like a fishing report In 2014 I have decided to breath new life back into my fishing blog. I have no regrets for taking a step back from writing and posting a quarter way through last year. It's been almost four years to the day that this site was created and that amount of time is something I don't take lightly. I never have tried to use this site for profit,...

Read More »