2018 Fishing Canada 

Smallmouth, Muskie, Lake Trout

We all were deciding what to make our next adventure special.  We decided on a fly in lake from Nestor Falls, Ontario.  The lake was one we had tried to get into through the years but the two cabinets were always booked.  By our luck an opening was available mid-June.   We were so excited and began our preparations. 

We had a  very successful trip for all days that we fish throughout the lake.   The Muskie were in the coves eating the post spawn smallmouth bass.  What luck to target this game fish.   We ended with 2 mistake 44" and 2 smaller ones.  Many looks by others at the boat.  The smallmouth were big and grouped as the post spawn was just happening.  The lake trout appeared just across from the cabin in a deep trough.  

Follow the link to see some of the special places Canada has to offer for avid adventurous fishermen.

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipPDz4vXcReDgehsncSa_5hyQFlKwHlHNHwxNW7S

2017 BIG FISH YEAR

It has been a while since I updated the blog, almost 2 years.  Bad for me so it is time to update my fishing adventures.

A lot of changes in my life, with my daughter moving into her own house and a lot of DIY projects at her house and at my house (a better Man Cave with a bathroom, grilling station on the new patio).  

But for the few fishing times there has been, it was a couple of years of Big Fish.  Don’t know why but maybe a better concentration in the areas where the big ones live and best use of the time on the water.   

The bass fishing was spectacular with many Purdy Frogs raising the big ones. There is nothing better than the topwater action early mornings.  The frogs in the timber were the answer.  Some of these frogs are on in the blog, and I continue to make the hand carved balsa wood frogs and then use the copic marker and paint to bring these forms to life.  

The other fishing success over the last two years was in the North Carolina rivers.  The trout were large and the stock brookies were enormous.  Catching these fish on my 5 wt bamboo rod, (Rattlesnake A), made these fish special and a lot of fun.  Got to name your rods.   The beautiful  

browns were also great to hook up and still my favorite fish.

So enjoy a few pictures of the BIG ONES and look forward to more adventures.

Wisconsin Bass'n 2015

The last couple of years our fishing adventures have been focused on Smallies. We decided to travel back to Wisconsin to Boulder Junction for another bass trip in the area where Bob’s teenage years were spent honing his bass skills. In our Fish Cat Float tubes and 10,000 lakes to choose from, we hit the post span of the smallies. The bass were in shallow water “cruising” the ledges for any type of food. This allow for topwater and large fish. Small tube frogs and minnow tube flies were the ticket for raising the smallies. Some lake also had large numbers of largemouth in the 2.5-3 lb. size. Plastics were used in the cabbage patches to target these largemouth. Boulder Junction is also the Muskie Capital of the world and would allow me to stalk another Muskie. Two big strikes on the Flambeau River but no hookups this time. We also ventured into Michigan Sylvania Wilderness area. All lakes were no motors and about a ¾ or 1 mile hike in. The remote lake of East Bear had lily pads along the shore and small largemouth bass every 10 feet. No challenge to catch one here except for the mosquito’s in the millions. A swampy creek that was a great breeding area for the tiger mosquito fed the lake. A wonderful time with my best friend and fishing buddy. If you would like to go to this area, the DNR is very helpful and can advise you on the lakes to fish. Smallmouth Bass in these lakes are large and willing to provide you a great fight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql4-rIpWKsE&feature=youtu.be

Summer Fishing Bass

Summer 2014

It was difficult to get some good photos this summer since I had a camera break and leak, electronics don’t work the same after getting wet !!! The Pentax crushproof, waterproof and dustproof camera did not make after a drop from my pocket.  It was a great camera up till then. 

My fishing partner, Bob, and I agreed to focus a few trips this summer on Smallies. This summer started with a float in June on the South Fork of the New River and the New River in North Carolina.   We have a great time on the South Fork on Saturday afternoon once we arrived around 1:00 till 7:00.  We fished in our float tubes about 5 miles.  A lot of fish but small.  Mostly on soft plastics.

The next day we fished near Independence above the area the North and South Forks join.  The water was bigger and the fish were bigger in size.  It was an over cast raining day and when we crssed the South Fork it was very stained but once we arrive at the main river water quality was good.  So off for our adventure.  The river fish big with ledges of rock being the target.  Soft plastic was the preferred lure again.  Only a few managed on topwater late in the day.  Rain did come and the fish turned on before and during the downpour.

We will be back and go into Virginia for the bigger water below the dam.

For the last couple of months I have been fishing the small electric only lakes.  Using my frogs and poppers for bass and bream.  I purchased a new Copic airbrush and have added some more detail to the frogs and minnows.

A couple of bream have been beast, pulling my kayak around once hooded.  They are some much fun when that size.  The poppers sitting on the water and just a small wiggle and wham !!  It is just great. 

So in the hot moths get out to the lakes and enjoy some vicious strikes and a wonderful time with topwater.

2014 Fishing

Since the fishing weather has not totally cooperated for the winter trout fishing with rain and high rivers, we finally expected a good day for fair conditions the 2nd weekend in March.  Even this day was overcast and a reported high of 60 at the Tuckaseegee River in North Carolina.  The morning about 8:30 found the temperature around 32 degrees, hoping for the sun to rise for the warm up.   The dam release reports were for one dam flow later in the day, so we started our fishing in lower water.  There was a slight stain in the water so we will start the day with a black wooly bugger and a Purdy"Want-a-be Prince".    Good choice!!

The Tuck most recent stocking had been a few weeks before so we expected a good day.  Well a good day it was for sure.  The NC stocking must have been a spring brookie release.  A you can see from the pictures it was a banner catch.  We each landed multiple 15"- 18+"  brookies.  The one I am holding was a female full of eggs and hard to take a quick photo.  She was a brute.

So the fishing was great on marginal day, never warming to 60 as reported with no sun.  Very few people were fishing so it left the river to us brave ones.

Thanks North Carolina.

Tube Frogs

These are the featured flies that were made for bass fishing.  The frogs are hand carved balsa wood with an epoxy finish.  these are tube flies with interchangable hooks and feathers for different action and looks.  The tube minnows are made the same as the frogs. 



See the viedo on the home page and order based on tube frog name.

Bamboo Rod Contest Winner

The winner of the bamboo rod contest at the Dahlonega Gold Rush Days is Susan C. from Atlanta. There were 120 entries and only 24 correct answers to the three questions based on the pictures on the contest board. 1) Local river Shoals (Hint: another name for Satan) -- Devils Shoals on the Chattahochee River 2) Famous Bridge on the Madison River -- (Hint: $) -- Three Dollar Bridge 3) Bass Fly Featured in Booth -- (Hint: Picture of Stealth Bomber)--- Stealth Bomber We tried to make the contest fun and thanks all that particpated. Next time on the river look for Susan and her new Purdy Bamboo Rod. It is a special rod made from bamboo harvested from the Chattahoochee River. The bamboo rod is a 7' - 1" blonde - 5 wt. perfect for the trout in all of the rivers in Georgia. The rods and flys that were displayed at the fair will be for sell in the next couple of weeks as I will update the web site with these items. All who purchased items thanks agian and send me pictures of your fishing adventures and I will post for all to enjoy.