Hoo Rag

I won another contest!

3 weeks ago, I entered another contest on Instagram on Hoo Rag's page. This one was simple, because, I was only needed to comment on the photo. They chose 4 people to win, and yours truly was one of them. Hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing. This is borderline ridiculous. The winners got to choose which Hoo Rag they wanted.

I received my Hoo Rag the same day I decided to make another appearance at the warm water discharge to get my fishy fix in.

That guy hates me so much.

Upon arrival at the WWD, I was surprised to see I was the only person there, but that was short lived. The kid/teen in the background showed up, and he is notoriously annoying to all of the fishermen that fish the discharge. I had a few encounters with him last year, but he didn't recognize me with my new Hoo Rag on. My superior skills in annoying certain people proved to be too much for him, once again. I win!

I fished for 15-20 minutes, caught a few bluegill, took a few pictures, and beat a pest at his own game. I'd say that was a successful outing.

Exploring the Northwoods

So, I took a 4 day trip to the Northwoods of Wisconsin with my buddy Fat Gordo. We drove around in search of any water we could find to fish. We fished some rivers, and we fished some lakes...pretty much just stopping when we saw something fishable. I'll let the pictures do the talking. It was a great trip!

The top water bite was on. The smallies were loving the fire tiger Todd's wiggle worm I was tossing.

I love these Northwoods smallies. They all fought way bigger than they were.

An underwater release shot I got of this smallie with his war paint on, all ready for battle, again.

When I'm in Wisconsin, I just cannot pass up picking up a 6 pack or 2 of some of Wisconsin's finest beer. New Glarus Brewing Co. This was my first time having Moon Man, and it did not disappoint.

Lucid Fishing Grips helping me handle the toothy pike. Check out them eyes!

I didn't take a measurement, but this pike is way bigger than my personal best 25" northern pike.

The Fat Gordo hooking up with some chunky smallface bass. 

Replacing the studs on my wading boots, and eating dinner. Turkey and Dorito's sandwich.

The nicest fish I caught all trip. What a freakin' beauty!!!!!! My face doesn't show it, but I am beyond psyched! (I've got a good poker face.) This one took a swim jig with a Stankx Bait Co. mudbugz trailer in the Gobi Wan color pattern. Killer!

Just another shot of the beauty with me holding back my excitement -  I really don't know why I wasn't smiling in those pictures, Haha. I was really pumped up, that's for sure.

Pulling over on the shoulder to cast a frog in some of the best lilly pads I've ever seen while my buddy watched. I went 1 for 2. I got too excited for the 2nd fish and set the hook well before it had it.

3 days of turkey Dorito sandwiches will make you want a whole pizza to yourself.

My favorite shot of the trip.

The smallies up there are something else. They fight they put up is second to none. I absolutely cannot wait to return up there. There's a ridiculous amount of water up there just waiting for me to explore it some more. Big thanks to the fishing gods, we were able to catch a few!

New Toy

Received some awards points from my employer to use towards a prize/gift/small bonus.

I cannot wait to start using this for my fly tying. I have a lot of foam and balsa wood that needs shaping.

Exciting things are on the horizon at my fly tying desk.

Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series: Bass

Tournament number 2 of the Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series.

The day - June 14th...Flag Day...My birthday!

The location - A large stretch of the Illinois River down in Ottawa, Illinois.

The target species - Bass...Smallmouth, Largemouth, and White.

Going into the tournament I thought I had birthday luck on my side, so, I was feeling good. I have never fished the Illinois River before, and have only seen it when I went hiking around Starved Rock State Park (...and Google Maps).

At the launch at Heritage Harbor - Ottawa.

It was a beautiful day, but the rain during the week raised the water levels for tourney, and the river was moving. I spent some time out on the main river, but not much time fishing. Most of my time was spent paddling upriver, to get out of the current, and back into the harbor, where I stayed a majority of the day. The river was just, too, much for me.

At the mouth of the harbor. 

Out on the river. Took me 5 minutes to paddle back to where I was after taking this picture.

I ended the day catching no bass. There were quite a few people with bass skunks, so, I wasn't alone. I know a lot of people caught sauger along the walls and places the bass would normally be. I ended the day with a gar, and a sheepshead. I am becoming a tournament sheepshead master! That's 3 in the last 2 tournaments. Hilarious!

There was little to no fight in this one. Once hooked I just  dragged him in.

Congratulations, to +BrookField Angler of www.Brookfieldangler.com on taking 3rd place at this event. I would also like to say, thank you, to the organizers of the event. It was a great time. 

I'm really looking forward to catching some sheepshead at the 3rd and final event September 6th out of Manitowoc Marina in Wisconsin. (North or Milwaukee). Target species - King Salmon. For more information click HERE. 

Froggin'

Took one of my good friends DANK, and another buddy GEO to the honey hole I found last year for the first time. I've been trying to get him to come out, but just never happened until now. He doesn't fly fish, so, he was wondering what would work...I told him to bring his frogging rod, and his finesse set up for a weedless rubber worm. DANK is a Jedi Master with a frog, and I knew that he wouldn't even need his finesse set up on this lake, because, the weeds have started to take over. I have never caught a bass using a frog with my regular rods, and I am truly envious of his skills.

Foggin' force is strong with DANK

DANK with a tank!

GEO hooked up with his first top water fish of the year with this fine specimen. 

GEO and a beautiful bass

A lot of bass were caught. The aerial display put on by the bass was quite impressive. On 2 occasions I had 2 bass come straight out of the water to take my frog fly offering. It reminded me of Discovery Channels Shark Week and how the great white sharks attack and fly out of the water at Seal Island.

Air and water show participant

I love top water!

The bluegill

Far too many people over look the bluegill, and think of it as an annoying fish...

I can guarantee when those same people started out fishing, one of their first fish was a bluegill.

Next time you catch a bluegill, take a closer look at it, and you will find an array of colors revealing a beautiful fish. A fish that's always willing to bite, and save the day of a skunk.

Love is in the air

Love is definitely in the air. I floated the lake I have so much hate for, for 6 hours.

The weeds have taken over a very well known popular area for kayaks and boats. Now I know what you're thinking, that has top water written all over it. Indeed it does, but stupid me left all of my top water flies and frog lures at home. D'oh!!!

I chucked a size 6 black/red/silver gotcha fly with my custom FSA 3 wt rod, and was able to hook up with several dink LMB and bluegill in the shallows.

On my spinning set up, I tossed a weightless fluke, and enticed 2 very nice sized bass, but 1 spit the bait before the hook set, and the other...I just flat out lost to a couple head shakes. It's been awhile since I tossed a fluke, and forgot how much I loved the action on it, when weightless.

The carp were all over the middle of the North pool gettin' down and dirty with one another. I floated right past a bunch of them, through the chocolate milk colored water they had made. It was quite humorous.

All in all it was a beautiful day to be on the water. Regardless of the missed fish, I am just loving being on the water, and being able to paddle around.

Party until you're blue in the face!

I stopped by my local honey hole to see if the big bluegill wanted to play. Casted a small boogle popper with my custom FSA 3 wt, and the bluegill did not disappoint. They accepted my blue popping invitation with excitement, jumping out of the water with each delivery. Every cast was greeted with as much excitement as the last. It was a fun 30 minutes.

Taking more than they can handle.

All jacked up on mountain dew, and came at me like a spider monkey, but I was ready. I came in first, and he came in last.

The Fuzz showed up forcing everyone to dip.

I even made a new friend. There's no doubt his kung-fu will grow strong, and he will enjoy plenty of pizza.

Turtle planking...this little dude is on some next level shit. Look at that focus...and the form...perfection.

Grandparents Camper

Helped open up my grandparents camper at Fish Lake. Did some cleaning and helped with all of the heavy lifting to get it all ready for Memorial day weekend when the whole family usually goes up to get together.

Lot's of memories at this camper, and it's very hard to believe they've owned it for 14 years now.

Before this permanent camper/trailer, they had an old pop up camper. They belonged to a camping group that went to different campgrounds every year around the states of Illinois and Wisconsin. They're one of the reasons I learned to love and appreciate the outdoors.

Looking forward to making more memories with the family sharing laughs and stories around the campfire, taking my cousins fishing at the lake, and just having a good old time with the family.

Yak Bass

Finally - I found a bass at the lake I have a love/hate relationship with.

Got out early to beat the storms that were in the forecast. With some tips I received from my buddy Geo over at Geo Fishing on Facebook, I headed toward an area he had success in the day before. I brought both my fly rod, and spinning rod. I was casting a double willow spinner bait along the edges of the weed beds, and what do ya know...I hook up with my first largemouth bass on the new kayak. It was also my first decent bass of the year. I was stoked!

Not the biggest of bass, but that doesn't matter to me.

I had a few misses later on before calling it a day. On my way back to the boat launch it seemed the fishing was starting to pick up, because, I saw a few guys fishing from shore hook up multiple times with bass tossing spinner baits.

Catch - Photo - Release

Slowly but surly I am starting to figure this lake out.

I am also starting to really need/want an anchor trolley on my kayak, but I need to hold off, because, there is a possibility of me upgrading to a Hobie. Negotiations are in the happening as I type.

Shhh...it's a secret!!

It's rumored that 80% of the Great Lakes are covered with ice (Heard that from a guy, who heard it from another guy, that knows a guy). So, when Dave from Urban Assault Fly Fishing invite me out to a portion of the 20% that wasn't, I just couldn't say no.

The location was extremely hard to find, and that's all I will say about that. Gotta keep it secret, right!

Can't get enough of that scenery!

When we arrived, there were 2 other fly fishermen out there. Turns out we knew 'em! There was probably a secret to the fishing, too, because, I couldn't hook a thing. I was the only one that didn't accidentally foul hook a smelly gizzard shad...lucky or unlucky...it would have been nice to feel something on the hook end of my line....even if it was stinky.

Can you smell 'em?

None the less, it was just great being out, and shaking the rust and ice off of my cast.