Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Tight Lines Fly Shop - what a great store!

I stopped by the Tight Lines Fly Shop last week after work; in hopes of some special flies for the upcoming warmer weather. Well, I wasn't out of luck; they had just what I was looking for. We also had a good chat about catch & release fishing in NEWFishing Land, and shared some fun tales about fishing for "golden bones" up in Door County (that's carping on the fly for the uninitiated).

As I left the shop, I was struck by what a great store Tight Lines is; a little piece of angling heaven that somehow still captures the essence of a traditional tackle shop. To me, a fishing store needs to offer the following attributes to be a "great store" experience:
1. Welcoming atmosphere - I want to go somewhere where I feel like a guest and a friend, as well as a customer. Too many stores these days seem like angling-themed mini-Walmarts.
2. Quality gear - these mid-western "fishin' warehouses" bore me; it's always the same cheap stuff, stacked high and low-priced to sell. When will the "buyers" for these chains realize that some of us want a specific product, the best product, AND the most knowledgeable salespeople to help us make a decision?
3. Tradition - You can't buy it, but you can't run a successful fishing business without it. Call it the "know-how" of generations, call it the smell of well-varnished split cane; whatever it is, most tackle shops don't have it in this part of the world.

I suppose that's why I like Tight Lines so much, it has all of the above 3 features and then some. Maybe it's because it also reminds me of the great tackle shops in England that I knew? I was a sponsored angler for a couple of stores during my competitive fishing career, and both of them had and still have that "come in and make yourself comfortable" feel. I still get offered a "cup of tea" whenever I can spare the time to make the trip back across the pond to visit them!

Nostalgia, fishing stories, a variety of quality tackle, great service and that wonderful "guest at the fishing club" atmosphere; yes, Tight Lines is a proper fishing tackle shop! Here's the link, go visit (mention that Lee sent you!), and enjoy the experience: http://www.tightlinesflyshop.com/

Monday, March 19, 2007

I caught... and so did the DNR!

It was a sunny and cold afternoon, with the wind blowing straight down the Fox River. Conditions didn't look good for anything other than a Northern or two, but there's always a chance of a reasonable Carp in this spot, so I spent a few minutes spodding in my "Winter Mix"!

I fished 2 rods, one with a sliding snap-tackle (otherwise known as a sliding quick-strike rig; I make my own as I can only buy fixed quick-strike rigs here, and they don't work well at anything over 30 yds range) fished at 45 yds at the bottom of the drop-off. The bait of choice was the largest fathead I could find in Green Bay; I was confident that it would attract old Esox if she was in the 'hood. The other rod was fished at 55 yds, next to what can only be described as a "Snag Pit" of wood, metal and piping. A simple hair rig on a 6 inch snell to a large Feeder. Bait was 3 sunflower seeds and a chunk of field corn for visibility, feeder was filled with Winter Mix bound with quick-dissolving flour; I had my fingers crossed for a Carp.

I expected a long wait for any action. After all of 2 or maybe 3 minutes, there was a confident, medium fast run on the Snag Pit rod; I struck and walked backwards and to my right, all in the same motion. This stopped the fish from diving straight into the snag; it's amazing what a 12 foot 2.75lb test curve rod can do! I followed this up with lots of right-hand side strain, as I hopped precariously down the riprap to my "net position"... I like to plan well in advance! Although the fish hadn't managed to run through the snag pit, it proceeded to kite to the left, where there are more snags to run around; so the fight developed into a short but hectic tug of war, with the rod continuously hooped well past it's test curve until I'd managed to drag the fish into open water.

Once in an area where it could run safely, it became obvious to both of us (me and the fish!) that matters had reached a conclusion in my favor, and within a couple of minutes a fat & healthy 8-9lb Carp rolled over the edge of my net. And that was it for the rest of the day... one bite, one fish! Oh well, it's a cold start to March, these things happen.

However, I wasn't the only one to catch. There were about 6 or 7 other guys fishing close by, as this is a park area and has a boat launch. I was waiting for my next fish (positive thinking!) when a voice behind me asked what I was fishing for; I looked round to see a DNR Warden. After checking my '06 license, and asking about the gear I was using (a constant topic with other anglers), he went over to check the other guys licenses. Apparently, he did a lot better than I did that day, as he hooked, played and landed 3 Guys, whereas I only banked the 1 Carp! When I saw his bag, I felt a little sorry for the them; it was obvious that he wasn't interested in catch & release... However, to his credit, they were dispatched cleanly and compassionately.

Which brings me to my question; was I wrong to feel a little sorry for them? After all, if you fish in WI, you need to carry a valid license with you. If you don't buy a license and don't get caught, then I suppose the rest of us who have bought licenses are subsidizing your fishing? I was just relieved that I hadn't somehow left my license at home. Make sure you always take your license with you when out fishing; as it's unlikely that the DNR will practice catch & release on you!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Gone Fishin'!

The sun is shining and I'm about to go fishing... too bad the temp is only going to rise to around 40 today. So, where to go? Is it an attempt at big Browns at Kewaunee? Possibly later in the evening, but it's way too bright right now. How about a big Walleye at De Pere? Again, the sunlight thing is a factor for me; I will fish for big Walleye under a bright sun if I don't have any other options... but I bitch and moan all the time I'm doing it!

Am I the only one facing this problem this time of year? It often seems that March and April are either perfect fishing weather (if you don't mind being half-drowned and blown inside out at the same time), or we have a series of sunny, low temperature days that don't make it easy to catch anything. I'm a big fan of nasty wet & windy weather for most of my favorite fish at this time of the year; it always seems to me that when it's hard to actually fish properly, that's just when the fish are most obliging!

So, I have to make the best of what I've got, and a couple of options spring to mind. There may be a chance at a fat & lazy big old hen Pike at this time of the year, particularly if I can find some sunny, mud-bottomed bay without any cold breezes blowing across it. The other option is fishing for Panfish and/or Carp, somewhere near a warm-water outlet. Of course, the ideal would be a warm-water outlet into a sunny, mud-bottomed bay! Wait a minute, I can think of a couple of places that might fit that category, I'll let you know how I do...

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Steelhead Spring?

It's mid-March, and I'm wondering; are we looking at a Steelhead Spring this year? I'd be the first to admit that we probably need a little more rain... but try telling that to the Manitowoc River-bank residents after last weeks ice-melt! I didn't hear too much in the local press, but I'm guessing that as the water was only 6 inches below the bank, that someone was flooded out?

In the streams and rivers I like to fish, plenty of March and early April rain is very welcome. I'm not one of those guys who cluster shoulder-to-shoulder in a few well-known spots on our Lake Michigan streams; for me that is more social experiment than fishing! No, I'm to be found up in the wilder, streamier places, even though I'm probably trading numbers of fish I'd like to believe that I'm receiving a better quality experience? That definitely means I need more water in Spring, to maximise my chances of Steelhead running through my chosen stream.

I'm not difficult to spot when I'm out; I'll be the guy with the 13 foot or 20 foot UK-style river float-fishing rods, coupled with either my beloved Young's Centerpin reel or a medium-size spinning reel, depending on the flow and volume of water on the day. I find the combination of a well-balanced float & jig/float & fly outfit, together with a rod, reel & line specially developed for river fishing, gives me maximum chance of catching whatever fish make it past the horde of anglers downstream, to the more peaceful stretches I wander. That's also one of the reasons why I need the extra space, my techniques are designed for drifting float & jig/fly down the fast water/slow water "crease" in the flow... sometimes I'll hook a Steelhead within 5 or 6 feet of the drift, sometimes I'll be hooking my fish 50 or more yards downstream!

If anyone is interested about this method of catching lots of Steelhead, without continual retying bottom-bouncer rigs (our freestone streams hereabouts can be tough on rigs!), then let me know, as I have several articles and can give you the skinny on the tackle you will need to be successful. Only one problem... you may turn into a lone Steelheader, rather than just one of the crowd? You have been warned!

Thursday, March 15, 2007

In-Fisherman Editor Matt Straw is impressed!

I haven't met Matt yet, but it sounds like he might be a convert to Carpfishing! Here's his trailer from a recent In-Fisherman article on Carpfishing:

Editor Matt Straw has caught giant steelhead and salmon and most everything else that swims in freshwater. "An absolute blast," he says of his experience with carp in clear water. "The fish are absolutely mombos. It's like nothing else I ever experienced in freshwater fishing."

Thanks Matt, and here's a link to that series of articles.

In-Fisherman Article on Spring Carpfishing

Here's a good article from In-Fisherman; it's just detailed enough to get you thinking, without giving you all the answers! Check it out here.

Now, if you are interested, let me know and I'll give you the skinny on how to tune those basic methods to get you catching big fish right here in NEWFishing land! :o)

Good Websites for US Carpfishing

With humble apologies to anyone I may have missed, here's my shortlist of good websites for Carpfishing in the US. My classification of "good" means that there's plenty of information for the beginner and experienced angler alike. Here they are:

American Carp Society: www.americancarpsociety.com
Membership-based society, with a good forum, great competitions, bait & tackle webstore, what more could a serious carp-head want? :o)

The Carp Anglers Group: www.carpanglersgroup.com
Membership-based society, some good information, local chapters in most states.

Carp.com Website: www.carp.com
An extensive forum on all things carp, tackle webstore, and a truly international flavor... you can hang out with the English Carpers and learn what the European Carp Scene is all about!