Wading

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I tied a few yellow perch streamers and decided to see if I could get some bass on the fly rod.

My technique would be to paddle to the islands, anchor the kayak, and wade about, casting the the points of the islands.  I had paddled upstream and decided to work down the river, hopping from island to island.

We river had dropped a few inches and the water was starting to clear.  The wading was good, but I was kicking up a lot of silt and mud.  I made a mistake deciding to work downstream as I would always be muddying the river where I would be casting.

As I was getting ready to head over to White Birch Island, the geese came by.  Groups of  parents and goslings were swimming upstream towards me.  They came around the point of the island, saw me, and nonchalantly headed across the river.

Wade, cast, wade cast.  Back in the kayak, paddle downstream, wade, cast, wade, cast.

No luck, to strikes.

I broke out the spinning tackle.  Crank-baits weren't getting too much action.  I caught a rock bass.  The spot between White Birch and Goose Islands gave me a couple of smallmouth.  I switched back over to the fly rod, but still no luck.

I'll keep trying. . .

Working The Points

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The river finally started to recover from the recent rains and high water.  It was expecting to rain later in the day, but I felt it would be a good day to chase after some bass.

The river is still new to me.  I took my depth finder out a few weeks ago to get a better sense of the river near the river house.  I then think about the places I catch fish.  I do seem to catch a few fish near shorelines, but I seem to take more fish just upstream or downstream of the various small islands.  This time I just decided to work these areas.  I would slowly paddle to each point (downstream side and then upstream side), slowly closing in and casting about the points.  From my soundings with the depth finder, the river would rise from about 15 feet right up to 2 feet near the points.  The river-bottom by the points is rocky and weed free.

I had consistent success using this approach.  I caught a nice 12 inch bass near the pier downstream of the Crescent Islands, and then another upstream of Goose Island.  Both fish were fighters and jumped as I brought them in.  I then caught a nice 18 inch largemouth - the biggest bass so far.  I was using light tackle and had fun bringing it in.

I then caught two more fish (one downstream of White Birch island and one upstream of it).

The water by Squirrel island was still very murky (it is near Sucker Brook) and it is quite shallow and weedy.  No takers there.

I paddled along the north bank of the river and caught a small bass near a stump.  It started to warm up and get muggy - the storm was approaching.  I paddle along and worked the logs near the shore.  My last fish hit my lure.  It was so sluggish I though I had snagged some weeds.  I hadn't set the hook well and he jumped and shook it out.  I kept fishing, but all got still.  The coming storm and low pressure seemed to put the fish off.

I think I will try the fly rod soon.  Though getting a great cast from the kayak is hard, the water is very shallow and wade-able by the points of the island.  Maybe I can paddle to each point, anchor the kayak, get out and cast about from the shallow water to the deeper water.  Sounds like a plan . . .

Murky, Muddy, Mallards . . .

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Late June into early July always seem to be very rainy in these parts.  We dodged a big storm on the way to the river house, and arrived in time to see a layer of mist clinging to the warm river water.

With all the rain we had, the river was up about 6 inches.  The water was very brown, muddy and murky.

I set out in the morning for a short paddle.  Maybe it was the weather.  I didn't seem too motivated for a long paddle.  I didn't feel like fishing.  I paddled into Sucker Brook.  The water was still high and murky.

I then continued upstream and came across some mallards.  Usually they don't let me get too close.  This time I came within 20 feet of the pair.  They didn't feel very motivated either it seems.

Across the river I spooked a few mallard ducklings.  They scurried across the surface, using their wings and webbed feet to zoom across the surface.

As the sun climbed in the sky I could see the bands of discolored water flowing in the river.

A swift flew about the river, dipping into the surface.  I wonder what he was snatching off the surface?

I went fishing later in the day.  The off-color water seemed to put the fish off.  I caught a single bass.  My casting was sloppy.  I kept trying to place my crank bait right against the shore, but got hung up in the brush.

Murky and muddy made me moody.  I was glad for this day to pass...

The Best

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A perfect day.  The temperatures were in the low 70's with light winds.  I had some yard work to do - but what I really looked forward to was being on the water.

I took a break and went to the dock..  I sat on the dock, waving to the boats motoring up the river.  One boat had nearly a dozen people aboard - I don't think they were fishing.

I finished my yard work, and then waited for the wife to get ready.  We set out in the middle of the afternoon.

We hoped to see a lot of wildlife.  We did glimpse a painted turtle by the Crescent Islands.

The yellow marsh irises were thick along the slower waters.

A younger blue heron was feeding by the turtle marsh.  It was the first one the wife saw this year!

As we paddled upstream we saw many, many mallards.  Some were solitary pairs, while we also saw a mother with over a dozen ducklings, as well a groups of young males.

We paddled back and then sat on the dock.

The boat with the large party (or was it a party boat), was going back downstream.  We waved to it.  One of the passengers called out:

"You are really lazy!  You were sitting there 5 hours ago and are still there!"

He then gave me a thumbs up.  The wife and I both laughed, and waved back to them.

Later, I grilled a few redhots, and then went fishing from the dock as the sun set.  I caught a few bass, and was just happy to be outside.

It was a great day.  The best!

A Coffee Morning

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The morning broke quiet and peaceful.  I awoke early and made a pot of coffee.  I checked some work emails, and got a report done.  The Canadian geese families were about the yards, feeding and resting.

I walked down to the dock.  The recent rains have discolored the river.

The water was the color of my coffee and cream. . .

I sat on the dock, watching the geese.  Slowly, the day unfolded.  I didn't feel motivated to get back to work.

Yep - moving slow like the river snails.

The silver maples are dropping their flowers and the cottonwoods are spreading their cottony seeds on the water.  I sat and watched the wind push the flotsam around, upstream and across to the other shore (I prefer it away from me as the cottonwood seeds tangle in my fishing lines and lures, leaving little white fibrous knots that I have to pick out.

End of May

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The warming days find the adult geese and their goslings roaming about our property in the mornings.  We grab our morning coffee / tea and just enjoy the families feeding.

In time the geese wander down the banks and move along the stream to their next feeding area.  They follow the same cycle every day.  Time for me to also go along the river.

I decided to try a little fly fishing.  I paddled upstream to the old concrete footing.  I understand this was a footing for some old gas lines.  The old pipes are there, I was hoping the fish would be there also.

I had a few 'popfleye' streamers.  I wore my arm out casting them around, but no action.

I pulled out the spinning tackle and decided to work around the islands.  I got 2 bass by the concrete footing as well as a few rock bass and perch near the other islands.  It was hard fishing.  The current had dropped in the river and the wind had eased up.  The horsetail and other water weeds were not pushed over by the current and made pulling deeper diving crank baits through them more difficult.  I had to work shallow running lures.  Where were the big fish?

It was starting to warm. After a few hours of fishing I decided to head back.  I paddled downstream by the shore of the Crescent Islands.  The scent of the honeysuckles was thick and fragrant.

It was supposed to storm later in the day.  Time to head home and mow the grass.  There will be another day very soon to look for the bigger fish.  May is over - now for June and summer fishing.