Big Crappie

Just like, Mel over at The Pond Stalker, I love catching me some crappie and other various panfish on the fly. Lakes and ponds are where I grew up fishing, and those are the bodies of water nearest to my home. I spend a lot of time at these places after work during the week catching bluegill, sunfish, crappie, and bass.

I just wanted to share an old picture of the biggest crappie I have ever caught, and it was on a size 4 black zonker. I thought I had a decent sized bass on, then I saw the flash of it's side. It was pretty exciting.

Justin Carfagnini approves this message.

What's your biggest crappie on the fly??

What's your biggest crappie ever??

Ice Fishing

As I was wandering through Cabela's killing time, and looking at a bunch of hooks, I came across some very small jigs that looked perfect for ice fishing. The hooks were 1/100 oz, and they had a clean hook shank to work with. 

1.  I tie on some marabou for a tail (Do not cut off the excess.)
2. Add some crystal flash for an attractor.
3. Wrap the excess marabou around the rest of the hook shank.
4.  Whip finish.

Done.

I am going to give ice fishing another shot this winter.

Step by Step - CARF Crappie

Here's a step by step of how to tie a small but big crappie pattern I've been tying up lately for bass, pike, and possibly musky.

Step One - Self explanatory.

Step Two - Tie in nice size hunk of white craft fur to use as a tail.

Step Three - Silver crystal flash.

Step Four - Black holographic Flashabou.

Step Five - 2 natural grizzly hackle feathers. One on each side.

Step Six - Reverse tie in some black buck tail.

Step Seven - Add more silver crystal flash.

Step Eight - Reverse tie in another small hunk of black buck tail

Step Nine - Tie in some white craft fur. Make 2 wraps and work it around the hook shank with your fingers before making more secure wraps. (I ran out of black thread....Oops!)

Step Ten - Dumbbell eyes towards the front.

Step Eleven - Palmer some silver polar chenille up to the back of the dumbbell eyes.

Step Twelve - Tie in some black Senyo laser dub to make the head.

Step Thirteen - Whip finish.

Step Fourteen - Beer yourself or go fishing....or both at the same damn time!

Material list

1. 5/0 aberdeen hook
2. White craft fur
3. Crystal Flash - Silver
4. Flashabou - Black
5. Natural grizzly hackle feathers
6. Black buck tail
7. Hareline Polar Chenille - Silver
8. 6.3mm dumbbell eyes
9. Hareline Senyo laser dub - Black

I hate it, but not really....

Is there a body of water that you absolutely hate, but can't seem to stay away from?

Well, Busse Lake is that place for me. It's a large body of water that offers a variety of species.  An angler can catch bluegill, crappie, carp, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and musky...and it's only been 10 to 25 minutes from me for the past 15 years, so, what's not to like!

2005

I have yet to hook something huge at Busse, and my visits to the lake have decreased throughout the years. I was proud of myself for only fishing there 5 times last year. It was a challenge, because, every week I would read reports on a local fishing forum of guys consistently killing it over here, catching huge bass, keeper walleye, and musky!

Fast forward to my heavier days a few years later. One of the first fish I caught on the fly.

Now that I have a kayak, I can now fish off the beaten path that is usually crowded. I can get to those places that I could only see from a distance. This is the year that I make Busse Lake my bitch!

After work today, I headed on over to the lake. As I was unloading a guy was just finishing up his day on the water from his kayak. He told me he landed a 30" musky on a night crawler. Awesome - I brought my 9 wt and musky flies :) 

4/0 single.

Beefcake

I floated around and tossed the usual musky meat. I hooked up with a few downed trees, but no fish. Paddled around some more. Saw some activity near some downed trees, so, I slowly and silently made my way to what looked like baitfish trying to get away from something. I casted. Thump. I could feel something with significant size on the other end...could this be?!?! Then as fast as it happened, the line went slack. I felt broken. I made more than a few casts back into the area, but there was nothing. Could that have been a Busski (Musky from Busse)!! I'll never know....

Crotch Shot!

Finished the day skunked for the 3rd time in the past 2 weeks at Busse.

Sunset.

New toy!

Pulled the trigger on a new (used) toy.

I am no longer anchored to the shore!

It's an Ascend FS12T. It's a 12 foot, sit on top kayak, with 2 flush mount rod holders, a terrible placed forward rod holder.

I took it out this morning an hour after picking it up. It was a very windy day, so, I left my fly rod in the truck, and brought my spinning and bait casting set ups.

No fish were caught, but it was a treat to be out on the water in my own vessel. I am very excited that I now have the capability to explore the places I like to fish, without, the restrictions of the shoreline.

After my first short outing, I have 2 issues...
1. The 2 hatches do not seal water tight, and a little water gets is able to get into the hull. They do not have any lining to them. I have been told marine goop will fix that no problem.

2. Some forgetfulness on both my part, and the guy who sold the yak to me (used)....No scupper plugs. I sat in water the entire time. Didn't even notice until I got up and out of the yak. Anyone have any suggestions on some good scupper plugs?

All advice, tips, tricks, websites, and knowledge are always welcome, and appreciated!
Thank you, all, in advance!!

It's a Midwest thing

Reasons why I have never gone ice fishing in the past:

1. I don't see the enjoyment of fishing from a hole in the ice.

2. If there's ice, that usually means it cold....not a big fan.

3. Being a bigger guy, I have a fear of stepping on the ice, breaking it, and falling through.

4. I like to move around when I fish, not sit in one spot.

5. Did I mention that it's usually cold out?

I knew not to expect this...but there nothing wrong with wishful thinking, right!

So, I went ice fishing for the first time with a friend who had invited me out. He had an extra ice fishing rod, and I needed a fishy fix.

The outing was short, different, and exhausting. The ice was 16 inches thick, and a pain in the ass to auger for a first timer. After drilling my first hole through the ice and dropping a line, the action was immediate. I hooked up with 3 bluegill, one after another. FUN! Then the bite died. My buddy finished the short outing with 6 bluegill and 1 crappie.

CATCH

RELEASE

Did this change my mind about ice fishin...No.

Will I go ice fishing again...Yes, but I'm not spending a dime on ice fishing gear!

FISH EYE

***(For some reason this post went back to draft, and took changed on me.....WTF Google!)***

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day

I've been keeping myself very busy this winter.

The weather is on the up, and I cannot wait until I see some open water.

Hope everyone enjoys their Valentines day, and hope you all remembered to get your significant other a gift. (That is, if you do Valentines Day.) ...myself...always forget, but don't really recognize it. (Fake day). Do yourself a favor, and watch this video. Hilarious! Valentines Day with CVS

I will be paying a visit to CVS when I leave the office today. Ha!

Vise Season

With the cooler temps, and the sun going down at 6 PM. There is not much time for me to get out and fish during the week. This allows me to sit at my desk and tie an abundance of flies that will never get used. Haha. I also have a goal of using up most of the material that I already have, before I purchase some different material, so, I can tie up some new patterns. (Doubt that will happen. I've been itching to get to my local fly shop for some new material.)

If anyone is interested in purchasing any of the flies that I have posted in this post or past posts, please feel free to contact me. =)

Size 2 - Rainbow Trout and Shad with CCG eyes and head.

Size 2 - Large Mouth Bass with CCG eyes and head.

Foam Slider for Pan fish. (Fly Fish Food pattern - Foam Dragon.)

Pink Eggs - Size 8

Learned this pattern at the 2013 Early Show. Unfortunately, I forgot the tiers name. I added heavier dumbbell eyes rather than the chain bead eyes. Swims with the hook point up. Wooley Bugger 2.0?

Gettin' weird! - I was really bored. Haha

That's more like it!!!

Few days ago, I was leaving work a few hour later than I expected. As I was driving out of the parking lot I noticed there was someone fishing, so, being the curious type I drove over toward the person. Turns out that they were fly fishing, and I got really excited then. Got out and walked over to him, and turns out it someone that I know that works in the same building. Who would have thought!

I got my gear out of my car, and fished with him. I have only tried fishing the lake at work a few times with no luck a month ago. Today was a whole new story. He was throwing a black wooly bugger size 8 I believe, and he caught a big crappie, and then he caught another big crappie. I wasn't using a black wooly bugger, and I was catching nothing. 

So, I made the logical choice in switching to a black wooly bugger. After a few casts I hooked into a few bluegill, and then some nice crappie. Then I started fishing off of one of the small bridges, and tied on a larger wooly bugger, and what do ya know...hooked up with a decent sized bass! Unfortunatly, she fought like a dead fish. She was also full of eggs (I'm assuming) After jumping down the side of the bridge and catching a rear end full of thorns from the bush I was trying to avoid, I was able to release her, and call it a night.

Bluegill

Some really nice crappie here. They were all averaging this size.

Damn thorn bushes!

I assume she was full of eggs.