2016 Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series

GREAT LAKES KAYAK FISHING SERIES

With a new year comes a whole new Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series aka GLKFS is a lot of fun and organized by some knowledgeable kayak anglers such as +Colin Belle and Brookfield Angler.  I have participated in a few of the events the past 2 years, and have always had a great time.  Unfortunately, I do not think any of the dates will work out for me this year, but I highly recommend you give 1 or all the stops a shot!

2016 SCHEDULE

May 14th - Fox Chain O'Lakes

Target Species - Walleye, Catfish, and Panfish

June 11th - Madison Chain of Lakes

Target Species - Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass

July 24th - Mazonia/Braidwood

Target Species - Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass

September 10th - Manitowoc/Lake Michigan

Target Species - All Trout/Salmon

Tournament entry fee is $45 per event, but if you pay up front for all 4, it's $160, and that nets you a total of $20 in savings.  There are cash and gear prizes for placing in each event, but there are also a ton of door prizes to be raffled away to everyone at the event after the winners are announced.  Like I said, I had a great time at past events, and while I never placed, I walked away with some pretty sweet gear won in the raffle/door prizes.

- CLICK HERE TO GO TO THEIR WEBSITE -

2016 Illinois Fishing License

Just a reminder to all from Illinois.  Our Illinois fishing licenses have expired, and it's time to get to your local tackle & Bait, or big box store to get your 2016 Fishing License.

To purchase your Illinois fishing license online click the link below.

CLICK HERE

...and remember.

Fly Fishing Chicago

My buddy +Dave Kuntzelman (Urban Assault Fly Fishing and CHI-TIE) gave a very informative presentation on fly fishing opportunities around the Chicagoland area at a recent NIFTY aka Northern Illinois Fly Tyers meeting.

He covered the different species we can catch, flies that he uses for those species, gear, and access to the waters he fishes.  Dave talked mostly about Lake Michigan, and shared some great stories of 20-30 lb carp that really put his reels and fishing skills to the test, and the passerby's that offer him money for the carp that he catches.

Thanks goes out to NIFTY and Dave - t'was a good time!

Fish where you live.

For more information about NIFTY and CHI-TIE, please click on their names at the top.  This will bring you to their websites.

2015 Year End Review: Part 2 of 2

2015 was full of fish of all sizes, new water, laughs, and good times in my white sunglasses.  I continued my 2014 resolution to "Explore New Water."  The amount of water around me in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan is simply incredible, so, I'm just going to make that my resolution every year.

Two of my favorite posts of the year about my explorations up North.

• Exploring the Northwoods: Part 1
• Exploring the Northwoods: Part 2

One of my favorite non-report type post from this year on becoming a Bass Pro.  I should do more like this.

• HOW TO FISH LIKE THE PRO'S

River Warrior. This one was an absolute beast!

This year has also brought many surprises.  One of those surprises was my first Flathead Channel Catfish caught on the Maumee River in Toledo Ohio with a chatterbait.  It also wins an award for being the smelliest fish I have ever caught.

Grip, grin, and hold your breath!!

I've been trying to catch a carp on the fly for over 2 seasons now (I think), and I finally did it!  Looking forward to hooking up with some of it's bigger relatives and hearing my drag scream!

I've struck GOLD!!!

This Summer I hosted a successful PIG FARM INK: Iron Fly event with the help of homies UA Dave and Adam Alexander.  I was very pleased with the turnout, and look forward to hosting another one, so, be on the look out for the next one, and a late blog post about this one.  Haha

PIG FARM INK - Iron Fly!

Here are just a few of my favorite photographs from this Summer.  Coincidentally, they're all from my trips North.

CARF approves this message.

Keep 'em wet.

Sassy Snapper and The Fat Gordo.

2015 Fish of the Year Award goes to.....

The Backyard Pumpkinseed!

I had never seen one with this coloration on one before.  My first reaction to seeing this fish was, "what the hell is that!?!?!"  Then I calmed my excitement and got lost in it's beauty.  The Pumpkinseed also had a great answer on the topic of world peace...Make Bugs Not War!

What a beautiful fish.

There has been a terrible mistake.

The Pumpkinseed is the 1st runner up.

The actual winner of the 2015 Fish of the Year goes to a catch I have written no post for, and have shared only 1 photograph of it.  Basically, I've been keeping her all to myself.  It's a fish I've been chasing hard the past few years with my fly rod, with plenty of ups, downs, and many many missed opportunities.  Without further adieu, I give you...

The 2015 Fish of the Year...

Northwoods Musky!

39 inches of beautiful violence.

Caught fly fishing, with one of my own flies.

My personal best musky and fish to date.  This picture only shows 1/4 of my excitement.

Smile - you're on camera!

I would like to thank all of my readers and followers.  I would also like to wish all of you a happy and safe New Years!

Chewy, get ready to engage the hyper drive.

2016 here we come!

Keeping Busy

Back in August when I was visiting my best friend in Ohio, I stopped at a fishing store about 8 minutes from his house.  It's called Jann's Netcraft.  I have come across their website online a few times, and know a few people that use them for lure making supplies.

Well, I went in there, and decided that I was going to buy some supplies to make inline spinner baits, because, I don't have enough hobbies already Haha.  My intention with these were to just give them to friends and use them myself.  You know, something different.  I bought some size 4 french blades, heavy gauge wire, brass weighted bodies, split rings, and clevises.  Pictured below you will find my first attempt.  

That heavy gauge wire is strong and was not easy to bend.  With time and repetition I will refine my skills.  Oh, and I plan on dressing up some treble hooks with bucktail and just putting those on the split ring. 

Fly tying and lure making are not at the top of my list of things to accomplish this Winter.  My #1 mission is to get my singing voice back.  I have neglected my acoustic guitars and voice for far too long.  It's been so long since I've sang on a constant basis that my voice has gone away, but like with most things, I am a firm believer of practice - practice - practice.  While I never had a voice that will win me any television contests, it would just be nice to be back to where I once was, plus, playing my guitar and learning a song are just as satisfying to me as catching fish.

For those that don't know...I used to do quite a few cover songs.  Don't remember if I have ever posted any of them here to share with all of you.  Here's a cover I did of "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down.

Here are just a few scenic shots of me reminiscing of a time when there wasn't snow on the ground. Haha

Wood Dale Grove

Lake Michigan and Downtown Chicago

Recent Orders

I've been keeping busy at the vise the past few weeks. With the weather warming up some of my friends are getting those fishy feelings, and realizing they need to restock their boxes.

I've been keeping busy tying up marabou and bucktail jigs. All different sizes. These are great on any body of water with a spinning rod. Here are some white ones that are sure to fool some river smallies, and possibly some Lake Michigan coho, and perch.

...and per usual. I've been tying up what I think I do best. My big bass, pike, and musky flies. As the temperature warms up, I've got a few friends that are gearing up to fish the DPR for pike once they're done with the spawn. These are proven patterns and colors that work. The one below is a favorite of mine. It's prodominantly white with a slight layer of pink underneath. Looks great in the water. Also pictured with the fly is a sticker from a local bass fishing crew in Chicago - Cast Crew - They're a real cool bunch of dude that have some really great appearal ideas. 

Check 'em out at www.cast312.com 

Got them big bass in my sights.

I hope everyone has nice weather to get outside in this weekend!

2014 was a good year.

One of my main fishing/outdoor goals this year was to explore new water, and I did just that. Here are the posts that prove it.

• Gulf of Mexico - Fly fished the Gulf of Mexico and caught my first salt water fish.
• 31st Street Harbor - Lake Michigan - It's a brand new harbor on Lake Michigan.
• Orlando Florida - Caught my first gar on the fly.
• Fox Lake - Fished for the first time from a kayak. Explored new areas and water.
• Illinois River - Fished for the first time, and from my kayak. The river is HUGE!
• Northwoods Part 1 - Explored new waters up North.
• Maumee River Ohio - Wet a line for an hour and found a new place to fish when visiting my best friend.
• Northwoods Part 2 - Returned to the same area, but explored new sections. I love it up there!
• Northwoods Part 3 or 4 - Finally hooked up with my first musky. Cannot get enough of the Northwoods!

The Northwoods would definitely be my pick for favorite trip this year. There is just so much water, and wildlife. I would be happy just getting lost in the wilderness for a few days, without my fishing gear up there.

I was also, successful in catching some new species. One of them has been at the top of my list for years, and I finally did it, I caught my first musky! I'm still jazzed by the thought of that beautiful fish eating one of my flies.

I also, caught my first salt water fish in the Gulf of Mexico, a speck/sea trout, and with my fly rod and on one of my flies. Looking forward to visiting Florida, again!

I even hooked up with my first gar on the fly. It was a nice surprise, and definitely a rush, because, I didn't have a proper leader tied on, because, I was bass fishing. I didn't think I was going to find anything with teeth in the lake that I was fishing.

My biggest smallmouth and largemouth bass of the year. I don't weight my fish, so, I'm just guessing, but I'm sure both of them were between 4-5lbs. I can tell you that both were definitely 20+ inches in length.

Looking back on all of my adventures this year, I can only smile and think about all of the good times. 2014 was great, and I'm looking forward to what 2015 has in store for me. I know that it already has a new job lined up for me, and I start the first Monday of the new year. Exciting!

I'm going to continue my 2014 outdoor/fishing resolution to explore new water for 2015. It's amazing how much of it is out there.

I would like to wish all of my friends out there in blogger world a Happy New Year! Cheers to 2015! (Sorry if I forgot anyone.)

• Dave - Urban Assault Fly Fishing
• Nick - Brookfield Angler
• Mel - Pond Stalker
• Juan - Breaking the Bank
• Mark - Northern California Trout
• Howard - Windknots & Tangled Lines
• Kevin - Feather Chucker
• Teresa - Run-A-Round Ranch
• Mike - Troutrageous!
• Lucas - A Tenderloin Runs Through It
• Bryan - Atlas Fishing
• Jeff - High Plains Fly Fisher
• Daniel - The Impractical Fishermen
• Blake - Illinois Wisconsin Fishing Blog
• Bill - Fishing Through Life
• Tim - Critical Angling

I'll end this post with some of my favorite photographs from this year.

Gizzard Shad - Lake Michigan.

Northwoods Smallie ready to be released.

Wading the Gulf of Mexicco. Such an awesome experience!

My biggest DPR Northern Pike of 2014.

The Fat Gordo and I, taking a break from all of the fun.

Short visit to the big pond

My second visit to the big pond (Lake Michigan) this year.

Had an appointment to be somewhere at 09:30, so, I decided to leave extra early to beat the morning traffic, and to fish 31st harbor. It's a new harbor that has fishing piers, and was nearby where I was supposed to be.

What a beautiful harbor. I was a huge fan of the fishing piers. I didn't need a long net, because, I was practically on the water. I was the only one there, and that kind of threw me off, because, the lake is a popular place to fish....at the other harbors. I didn't mind though. I rather enjoyed the solitude, because, I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to Lake Michigan. No one can witness my follies ha

I started out casting a small berkley swim bait on a small jig, then a small shad colored flicker shad. I was able to hook up with a few small smallmouth bass, and a few small rainbow trout.

Then I decided that I wanted to cover more water, and tied on a silver and blue spoon. After a few casts I had a follow from a HUGE brown trout, I twitched the spoon and he was aggressivley swimming toward it every twitch, but just wouldn't commit. After another cast, he followed, again, but just wouldn't commit. The next few casts and he was no where to be found.

Beautiful day out there. Cannot wait to return to the Lake, because, the perch have started moving in, and I love perch fishing in late May early June.

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.

6 Days - Zero Fish

So, I've been out fishing 6 times thus far (Not consecutively), and I've only accomplished to shake the rust off of my cast. Which is fine by me...for now anyway. Here is a day by day recap w/pictures of my outings.

Day 1: Salt Creek
I had zero expectations, because, there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground, and the temperatures were still boucing between the teens and 30's.

This snowball took a size 6 black wooly bugger.

Day 2: Downers Grove Pond
After work I decided to fish a decent sized pond. When I arrived I took notice that there was still quite a bit of ice on the lake. It was a beautiful day, the temperature was up, and the sun was shining. I was actually hoping to catch my first fish of the year, but she stood me up.

I was dressed to impress, but my first fish of the year stood me up.

Day 3: Songbird Slough
This lake is litterally down the street from me. It's only good for sunfish. It was an extremely windy day, but the sun was shining, and that's good enough for me. Only thing caught was this tree....

What not to do while fly fishing....catch trees.

Day 4: Meachem Grove
What a beautiful day this was. That was about it. No fish, but I got some nice pictures.

Day 5: Lake Michigan
Wasn't planning on fishing, but while in downtown Chicago I decided to give the Big Pond (Lake Michigan) a few cast's with a spoon, because, I know the browns and salmon are moved in. Didn't catch a thing, and I neither did anyone else I talked with. No fly rod today.

Day 6: Songbird Slough
I now know why I dislike this lake. I talked with a guy that was fishing nightcrawlers under a bobber, and he said that he heard from a guy, who was talking with another guy, about how they shocked the lake and hardly any bass came up. Mostly carp and catfish." So, I just casted with extremely little expectations.

My weapon of choice.