Exploring the Northwoods: 2015 - Part 1

Few weeks ago, I had a last minute opportunity to do whatever I wanted, so, I decided to quickly pack my car, load my kayak, and head to the Northwoods.  The weekend forecast called for clear sunny skies, and 90 degree weather.  I was hoping to arrive with time to spare on a Friday night, so, I was racing the sun.  Fall and Winter are on their way, because, the sun is starting to set at 8 PM and rise shortly after 6 AM.  Need to take advantage of what strange summer we have left.

Racing the sun on beautiful open roads.

Almost there.

I made it to my destination with minutes to spare.  I grabbed my bait caster and tossed a few top water lures into the river with no luck.  After providing many mosquitoes with a 5 star meal, I decided to call it a night, and head over to a familiar campsite.

There were a few strong storms that passed through the area throughout the day, and I'm sure this tree fell casualty of the high winds.  Luckily it left just enough space on one side of the dirt for me to pass.  There would have been no way I would have been able to remove it.  I do carry an SOG tomahawk in my trunk, but I would have been chopping away at that tree for quite a long time, if it came to that.

Bumps in the road.

The next morning I got my waders on, loaded up my kayak, and tied a rope from the front of it and attached it to my wading belt with a carabiner.  Wading up river, I was dragging my kayak, and I didn't even know it was there.  It glided over the water and didn't hinder me once.  With the kayak I was able to bring a spare fly rod, my bait caster, extra water, tackle boxes, and a dry bag with some miscellaneous stuff.  In hindsight, I could have just loaded up my Yeti Cooler and had a really nice lunch out on the water.  Hell, I could have just brought everything in my car. Haha

The smallies were en fuego, and still loving the brown fly I had so much success on them my last trip back in June.  So enjoy some fish porn!

I really cannot get enough of these fish.

Catch and Release.

Got some from the kayak.

TANK.

And more tanks!!!

This place is special to me, and I pick up any trash I find along the way, I only found 1 can of Old Style this trip, but 1 piece of trash is usually all I find.  Another good reason for the kayak.  As I reached the end of what should be a 2 day wade, I hopped in my kayak and floated all the way back to where I launched....BRILLIANT.

Athletic tape saves my wrist and fingers from blisters before they even start.

Be on the look out for Part 2.  I did quite a bit of exploring of new waters this time.

Ohio - Part 2

Yep, you read that right, this is part 2.  Part 1 has not been written, yet. Ha

Last year around this time, my GF and I took a road trip to visit my best friend  Mike and his GF out in Toledo, Ohio.  Last year we went to a German American Festival, and had a great time, but our timing this year was off.  We came out a week too early for the fest, but we made due and had a good time any way.

Got out to the same spot I fished last year with some success catching smallmouth bass while wet wading on the Maumee River.  When I came out here around the 4th of July, the river was unfishable, because, of high fast moving water.  Hoping that the water levels have decreased since then, I was hopeful to get out there and fish.  As we finished lunch at a pizza buffet, my GF and best friend Mike sat down on a bench in the shade and watched me do my thing on the river.

Maumee River - Ohio

I brought my 5 wt fly rod and bait caster down to the water with me.  I casted a few flies, but had zero luck.  I waded back to the shore to some bushes I laid my rod down in, and swapped my fly rod for my bait caster.  I hooked up with a really nice smallie, but lost it to some sly aerial moves done by the fish.  After that, I waved for Mike and my GF to come down.  Mike refused, but my GF didn't, and it was a nice surprise, because, she normally would refuse, as well.

After my GF came down it was smooth sailing from there, I had lady luck on my side, and started to catch fish....some strange fish. Haha  I was tossing a chatterbait and working some of the deeper pools and runs/ripples, and hooked up with quite the eclectic group of fish.  Normally this lure catches me bass and northern pike....fish that I usually fish for.  On this day, there were no bass caught.

Here we have a Channel Catfish.  I cannot even remember the last time I caught one of these, but I can tell you, the last time I caught one of these was on a nightcrawler.

Channel cats got sass.

Next up on we have a Sheepshead. A strange fish that I do not know much about.  I caught 3 of these last year, and all 3 came in kayak bass fishing tournaments.

This one put up the best fight out of the 3 I have ever caught.

Release.

Last but not least - This fish was actually the first fish that I caught that day, and it was right after I took that picture with my GF.  She was about to go up, but I told her to give me 5 more casts, because, I wanted her to be there when I caught a fish.  Sure enough, 3 casts in, I hook up with something BIG!  

What was it...I had absolutely no idea.  I couldn't tell what kind of fish it was by the fight, and it didn't show face until it was at my feet, and when I saw what I had hooked, I could not believe my eyes....My very first Flathead Catfish!  I've been wanting to catch one of these on the Fox River back home, because, of their size and what I hear about their fight.  This one lived up to the hype.  One thing I will remember about this Big ole Flathead was that it smelled absolutely horrible. Hahaha  Hand down the stinkiest fish I have ever caught.  Cool none the less. Haha

Flathead Catfish - you stink.

Before exiting the water and climbing up the rocks back to the bench my GF and best friend were, I spotted some trash on the rocks.  As I got closer to it, I took notice that it was a cast net.  It was probably washed away and caught up on the rocks when the river was flooded.  When I picked it up, a shed from a snake skin fell out.  I was thankful that it wasn't alive. haha  I gladly tossed that net, so, other animals would not get caught and die in it. #leavenotrace 

Trash.

School of shad.

With my limited allotted time, I caught some fish, smelled some fish, cleaned up some trash, and knocked a fish species off my catch list. It was a beautiful day.

Poppin' for Pike

Got our for a float with some cool dudes.  Met up at a boat launch on a Northern stretch of the Des Plains River (DPR) about 7 AM.  Spotted this at the boat launch out of the corner of my eye, and got a good lauch out of it.  I have a simple humor, and I'm a little upset, I didn't think about this. HA!

Here's looking at you!

The Float Crew this trip......

Urban Assault Fly Fishing - Dave

Marcus - DPR Pro

No Intro needed.

Not pictured are Dan and Saul.

4 Kayaks, 1 Canoe, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Dave tied up some big weedless frog flies, and gave me one.  It's just a super sized version of a Gutless Frog pattern, and they're awesome!  Both Dave and I tossed the top water for awhile.  I had a small pike fly completely out of the water trying to eat it...It was AWESOME!!  Unfortunately, none of us hooked up with any top water pike.  I was 0 for 3 or 4...I forget.  Dave hooked up with 2 pike, and I forgot how the others fared.

9 AM...is it too early for a cold one on the river????.................NAHHHHH

Thanks, for bringing the brewski's, Dave!! I got 'em next time.

UA Dave and a solid DPR Pike.

DanK got a good shot of UA Dave and I in his canoe approaching the take out spot, and getting in some lasts casts.  This is the very spot that I caught my first pike on the DPR.  T'was a good float Gents.  You would have thought with the overcast conditions that the fishing would have been popping off, but it wasn't.  Next time!

DPR...IT'S BACK!!!

We've had an extremely wet June and mid July here in the Chicagoland area.  That means that one of my favorite fisheries has been blown out or not to my liking to fish.  Finally, the rain let up for a few days, and the Des Plains River returned to it's normal levels, and allowed me to finally get some fishing in.

One of my favorite shirts to wear out on the DPR is a $3 shirt with a shark on it for "Shark Week."  Well, this past Spring I was checking out the clearance section of a store and stumbled across this gem of a shirt.  It's a Shark Week shirt, and it says "I <3 Snuffy"...I'm not familiar with Snuffy, but someone told me that's what they named one of the seals at the infamous spot where Great White Sharks fly out of the water.  The best part about this find is that it was another $3 shirt! SCORE!!  I couldn't wait to wear it out on the DPR, and I finally received my chance.

SNUFFY and PIG FARM INK

There were 4 of us that day...DanK, Keith, and Piker Mike.  We floated a section that Keith was familiar with, and it proved to be tough.  DanK, Keith, and Piker Mike tossed spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and some other lures.  I tossed some flies, with the occasional soft plastic swimbait (I wanted to try something different).

Cleaning up all of the missed pike. :)

I ended the day with 3 pike caught all on a firetiger baitfish pattern of mine on a size 2 hook.  Nothing with crazy size, but the normal hammer handles that love to keep me busy.  I really with all of the ones that missed came back for a 2nd run.  DanK hooked up with 1 little "pickle" and missed about 25 others using a buzzbait.  He was really determined to hook up with all of his pike top water.  Keith caught the biggest one of the day toward the end of the float trip, and missed quite a few others.  Piker Mike finished the 8 beers he brought too early and didn't even see pike.  I'm sure he had some unseen follows, the pike are getting hungry!!

This one exploded out of the water when it hit my sub-surface fly.  Great strike!

DanK got caught playing with his Pickle!

Great company to go on a float with.  Looking forward to our next outing Gents.

Catch n Release

Weekend Floats

SATURDAY 7/18

I was hoping to fish early and beat the heat, but that plan did not work out. I woke up late. It was forecast to be cloudy and 70/80 until Noon, and then it was going to be clear skies, sunny and in the 90's. I got to the Des Plains River around 9:30ish, unloaded my kayak, and paddled upriver.

What a workout! The water was high, stained, and moving fast due to some recent storms we've had. That did not make paddling up river easy at all, but I toughed it out. I brought some beers with me, and that helped offset the calories I burned paddling. Haha.

A local Chicago brewery - Revolution Brewing - Fist City

There's a very busy road that runs along the river, and it's appropriately named River Road. I started to hear some rumbling, and figured it was just some semi trucks hitting one of the many potholes. Started to hear it some more, and I saw the sky get a little darker west. I quickly checked my phones weather app, and nothing. Same forecast as before. Then I heard the rumbling, again, but that time I was damn sure that it was thunder. The fishing was terrible, so, I decided to just paddle back the rest of the way. The wind picked up and it started to drizzle as I approached the launch.

Right after I got my kayak and gear loaded, and sat down in my car, it started to downpour. LUCKY!

SUNDAY 7/19

I arrived at Busse Lake around 8 and fished until 11:30...I think. Ha ...I really don't remember looking at the clock.

I had an are of the lake known as CWB all to myself. The rogue storm from Saturday churned the water up, so, it was murky everywhere. The water was up, too, so, the weeds that I normally fish with a frog were all submerged. I tossed a frog with my casting gear, and some flies out in some open water parts of the lake. I was receiving a skunk, so, decided to call it a day.

On the way back to my put in, I decided to make a few more casts before I paddled the 25 yards to the take out. Boom! I was rewarded with a froggin' bass, and beat the skunk!

Decided to wear a Hoo Rag so that my racoon eye tan lines don't get any worse.

CPR

All in all, it was a rather interesting weekend. That rogue storm was really something else. I should also note that I'm happy to hear that some friends that were out fishing on Lake Michigan were able to make it off of the water before it got too hairy out there.

Side note - My farmers tan is looking killer!!!

Obsessed with the Northwoods

***FOREWARNING***

This is a picture heavy post, but it's worth it.

One day mid June, The Fat Gordo, hit me up and asked if I wanted to head North....my answer was YES!

What perfect time, as well - The Fat Gordo's birthday was the 12th (Friday) and mine was the 14th (Sunday - Flag Day). It's funny, because, the two of us really don't like celebrating our birthdays, so, it was kinda perfect we spent it on a river in the middle of nowhere with one another. Ha How cute, right?

I casted 3 flies the whole trip, and found great success with a brown pattern I had tied this past winter. The Fat Gordo used his usual double blade inline spinner, and mixed it up with a frog.

The smallies were definitely ready for us, and wanted to do battle with us often. These river smallies never cease to amaze me with their strength, heart, and willingness to hit big ole musky flies. 

This particular small jaw (pictured below) put up one hell of a fight, making multiple runs, and never giving up. I could not believe the fight this one put up against my 10 wt. As it was bent over, I shouted to the Gordo, "It's a TANK!....Whoa!!!!!" As I held her up, Gordo and I, were in awe of her beauty. The colors and markings were just beautiful. After a successful release, Gordo and I, must have high fived and fist bumped a hundred times. Good times!

What you can't see is the biggest smile on my face. Like Christmas morning.

Another shot of the big beauty.

After a super long wade...which should have been split into 2 days, we decided to find a backwoods road I know of in the dense forest, and hike it back on land. We knew that it was going to be a very difficult wade back, and both of our legs were jello. The Fat Gordo already took an accidental dip in the river, and we didn't want to chance anymore.

Killed around 6 ticks on my waders when we made it back to camp.

Walking along the road we came across this big bad momma. She was relaxing in the middle of the road soaking up the last of the sun, and did not like our presence. We saw a few areas on the road where it looked like something was digging. The Gordo and I, started to think she was looking for a place to lay eggs. I'll have to do more research on that, because, I'm curious. Anyone have knowledge of snappers and when they lay eggs and where?

Also, I am still AMAZED at how fast they snap. She snapped at my GoPro camera, and my jaw dropped. Excuse my language, but HOLY SHIT!! I advise everyone and their mothers to never put your fingers near their face, that is, if you still want them. It's safe to say that I will never go noodling after this experience. F THAT! Hahaha

SMILE you're on camera!

...and of course no trip North is complete for me without stopping and picking up a 6er of something from Wisconsin's finest breweries, New Glarus. I usually go with Moon Man or Spotted Cow, but I've never seen this one before, so, I gave it a try, and I was very pleased with it.

New Glarus Hopster

My Nautilus Premium Fly Reels Yeti Cooler is pretty awesome, and I am thoroughly impressed.

Some more fish porn. Another thing about the smallies in this river is they are all kinds of different colors. Some are dark, some are light, others have more markings than others, and some don't have any at all. Really interesting stuff. I know some people associate it with spawning, but I guarantee that these fish were not spawning.

The Fat Gordo with another small jaw

One of mine. Keep 'em wet.

The Fat Gordo was determined to catch a smallie using a frog, and he was successful. The first one he did not get a photo of, because, of some sly tactics from the smallie after the Gordo removed the hook. The small jaw pictured below fell victim to a Booyah frog, and you can just see how happy the Gordo was, but I know he wanted a picture of that first one.

BOOYAH!

What a great trip. There's nothing better than having a successful trip, getting back to your truck at the end of the last day, packing up all of the gear, enjoying a quick lunch, starting the truck....trying to start the truck...SHIT...the truck didn't start. I forgot the headlights on. The Fat Gordo's truck does not have a beeping notification telling you that you left them on, in turn, leaving you with a dead battery if you leave them on.

So, here we are, a few miles away from the main road, in the middle of nowhere USA, on a Sunday afternoon. Luckily, we were able to get a hold of a 24 hr wrecker service that was very familiar with the area we were in. 1 hour later...the truck received a jump, and we were finally on our way home.

WANTED: KING OF THE NORTH

Already looking forward to my next trip North.

Solo Musky Mission

Friday, June 5th.

With my gear loaded in my car the night before, as soon as I was out of work, I headed North. No one else could go, but I didn't let that stop me. I was on a mission, a musky mission. Ever since I caught my first one last year, I just can't seem to get that fish off of my mind...as my best friend, The Fat Gordo, would say, "I'm Musky Minded."

I arrived to my destination with 1.5 hours left of day light. I did not waste any time.

Bugs love the Subie.

Waders.

Boots.

Fly Rod.

Fly.

Extra Fly in my hat.

Go Fish!

40 minutes into my short wade, I hook into something big.

Strip set.

Oh. Wow. It's big! 

(I know, I know...That's what she said.)

After the initial hook up, I could tell what it is by it's ever distinctive fighting style. It kept digging, and digging.

...It's a tank smallie!

Saturday, June 6th.

It was in the mid 70's when went to sleep, but I woke up at 5 am to my car telling me it was 38 degree's outside. Awesome. It eventually warmed up to the mid 70's again.

Clear blue skies. Not the most idea musky conditions, and that theory proved true for the day. I did have 2 follows, but they were definitely only following, and not partaking in any extra curricular activities that day. The only fish that came out to play was this small jaw, I spotted tailing in a shallow pool between some rocks. It was the end of the day, Saturday skunk, no more.

CARF approves of this.

Upon arriving back to my car, I noticed something on my car door handle. To my surprise, it was a tube, that was already rigged. I laughed, because, I immediately knew who left it. He's sort of a tube fanatic. Hahaha It's always good to know you've got friends out there in another state, in the middle of the woods checking on your car. Haha!

Forever thankful for the person who left this tube, for pointing The Fat Gordo and I in the right direction!

After some dinner, and a few New Glarus Moon Men. Exhausted as I was from a very long wade, and casting my 10 weight all day, I mustered up enough to hit a spot of the river from shore. Hooked up with 2 nice sized smallies. 1 on a spinnerbait, and another on a jig 'n Stankx Bait Company sultress trailer. Then back to camp for another sandwich, and the rest of my beer.

Hands down IMO thee hardest fighting fish.

I was rained out on Sunday. Woke up to a huge storm rolling through, and after checking the future forecast, I decided it was best I just start heading home.

The fishing was tough, but that's musky fishing, right?

Until next time.....