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Veterans Memorial Pier, Titusville FL - 31 Jan to 2 Feb 2012
In addition to crowd of shrimp netters, this pier had excellent ultralight fishing for silver (white) trout, silver perch, bluefish, and spotted (speckled) seatrout (look here for identification if in doubt:
My FWC . com
) any lure (or fly, forgot that rod this time to my regret, had to use the spinner..any small clouser, charlie, or marabou fly #6 to #2 hook would have worked ) 1"-4" in length, preferably 3" white or silver got smacked.
Large schools of each species were visible under the lights popping the surface after shrimp and silversides, and anything twitched 1" deep or lower near the pier got hit.
Most specs were very much too small, so be very careful releasing them (single barbless Hooks are good for that), and try not to stress their jaws. Most bites were silver (white) trout and silver perch, which have smaller mouths too.
A very good lure was a 1/8oz crappie jig (or jig head w/soft plastic) though we caught them on everything including a lure made from the clear plastic cap of a ballpoint pen and a #2 barbless hook (worked VERY well actually).
Note: We released everything carefully unharmed this time, but the silver trout and silver perch are very edible fresh.
Trick of the trade: silver (and spotted) seatrout like water 65-70 degrees...so when the surface hits this temp at night under lights..be fishing. If you see shrimp swimming about, listen for the 'pops'.
Busch Wildlife Area Weldon Springs MO - 28 Jan 2012
The last weekend of catch and release trout fishing at the lakes 21 and 28, and the rainbows are active around the ice and creeks as the midwinter thaw progresses.
Off color water did not deter the stocker rainbows from hitting dark nymphs (anything with peacock hurl and a bead) under a small indicator (light bites).
Lake Taneycomo Branson MO- 14 to 15 Jan 2012
Needed a new set of trout to catch, so took a trip Branson during th ebest time to do so. No traffic. No crowds. Low hotel rates. Lots of rainbows.
The winter timeframe on T-como features highly variable water releases. The bigger rainbows are up the feeder creeks or at the mouths of the creeks thinking about the spawn (in March), but
the smaller rainbows, and those that decided to spawn in the lake itself, are very catchable in large numbers. Size 14-18 Cracklebacks, Bead head wooly boogers (olive, black, and grizzly, Size 6-10), size 18 copper johns, and of course
glowballs, scuds, and zonkers all work, anywhere on the lake, and up at the hatchery also. The Browns are mostly in structure feeding downlake, some are staging at the mouth of the creeks (or up them) waiting for cold-chilled baitfish to drift down, zonkers and large mysis or shad patterns your best bet for the scattered fish.
Spinning rod users can troll or cast Pinns Minnows/Rapalas/and spoons anywhere in the deeper sections of the lake from Cooper Creek and down to Empire park for the same schoolie rainbows. Big sunfish are also around for nymph drifters. While in Branson, skip the chain
resturants (we ate at Danas BBQ+Burger and La Iguana-California style tacos/burritos-- both on Hwy165, both very yummy!) and hit the local joints (same applies for shopping in season).
Busch Wildlife Area Weldon Springs MO - 31 Dec 2011, 07 Jan 2012
Happy New Year! As per usual this whole winter, stocked rainbows in the catch and release lakes have consistantly hit most nymph offerings especially orange chenelle bugs, bead head peacock hurl nymphs in 14 and 16,
and bead head prince nymphs 16. The trout have started to get wise to the fact that things that look tastey might have a hook in them, so use small indicators.
The fish were mostly feeding along weedbeds near drop-offs as along the dams, pushing the weeds to scare out dark nymphs.
Baldwin Lake, Baldwin IL - 29 Dec 2011
Took a quick run accross the mighty Mississippi River to the powerplant warmed Baldwin Lake. Channel Catfish 10"-12" were easy picking on the fly (how many places can you say that?),
4lb tippet, and any florescent pattern (I used a hot pick chennelle bug and hotpink/chartruese fathead pattern under an indicator) under an indicator works
quite well for the wiskered fishes and sunfish and drum. Fish near the rocks where you see drop-offs and current (and warmer water).
Meremac Springs Park, St. James MO - 28 Dec 2011
Catch and Release winter trout season at Meremac Springs park is VERY different then during the put-and-take season.
In the winter, many trout are semi-wild and swim up from the main river, mixing with a few hold-over stockers from Halloween, and hanging with
smallmouth bass, northern rock bass, and longear sunfish native to the springs and river. The water this trip was a bit off color due to melting snow,
but the fishing was pretty good on the surface using the big skater fly
and #14-#18 crackleback, mayfly and other dry offerings. Sub surface, woolly boogers in white, black, or olive worked, and a few fish fell for the chennelle bugs.
Busch Wildlife Area, Weldon Springs MO - 17 to 27 Dec 2011
As the trout get smarter, so will you. Variable weather, clarity, and temperatures make these stockers a challenge as the winter progresses, but still very catchable.
#14 bead head hairs ear, peacock hurl, caddis pupae, and prince nymphs 3 feet or more under small indicators get the nod most days, though olive wooly boogers, glow balls, and chennelle bugs still work on better days.
2lb tippet is a must. There is also some surface activity on cracklebacks and the like on calm days. Watch out for the crappie, which like woolly boogers and nymphs too, and for the visiting bald eagles looking for a trout dinner.
Busch Wildlife Area, Weldon Springs MO 14 Nov to 11 Dec 2011
While the walley and Sauger are bitting in the big rivers below dams and dykes (on 3"-4" softplastics right on the bottom), a more regular bite
is again the stocked trout, where they come in all sizes, and are reachable on the fly until the water freezes up.
Chenelle bug, hairs ears, cracklebacks caddises, wooly boogers all work, remember to use a 2lb tippet (they are starting to get smarter). Most bites are 4ft under an indicator, but some fish will take a dry if it is presented right.
Ice will form on cold mornings, so you might need to wait till afternoon for the lakes to open up.
Busch Wildlife Area, Weldon Springs MO - 12 Nov 2011
Winter Stocked trout in the St. Louis Metro provide fun sport without the long drive to T-como or the trout streams. Almost any pattern works (good fishery for the tykes)
though nymphs (peacock, hairs ear, chenelle bug) 2 feet under an indicator will keep a solid catch rate. For the more adventurous, try a streamer (olive woolly booger) or
a dry (crackleback, mayfly). All on 2# tippet, though be wary of the occasional super-stocker tossed in to keep the action lively. Remeber many lakes are lure/fly only and catch and release till February to check the regs on the
MO Dept. of Conservation Winter Trout website.
Lake Taneycomo Branson MO 04-06 Nov 2011
Highly fluctuating water level (normal) with fall turn-over in Table Rock Lake (which feeds T-como warmer then normal water) resulted in interesting
fishing conditions. A full virtual 'mixed bag' was possible, even at the tip-top of T-como, where bluegill, longears, smallmouth, and white bass
mixed with the trout. When the water was low in the afternoon zonkers and dry flies (some ridiculously large, though a crackle back as per usual also) worked well. In
the higher water is was tougher, due to lower oxygen (again fall turn-over) but olive streamers and cracklebacks (and of course scuds and glowballs) caught fish
if swung/drifted right. The white bass at the tip-top (1lb-3lbs) hit floating zonkers w/a split shot or #6 olive woolly boogers
Chain of Rocks (MS River, IL Side) and Dresser Island Access MO (MS river, slough) 22Oct 2011
While there was a morning white bass bite at the chain of rocks (fyi...bring waders and BE VERY CAREFUL, and an 11' rod-like a Cabellas Predator for example, super-braid line on a good spinning reel and cast long using a 3oz school rig),
we slept in a bit and forgot waders, and after seeing sturgeon hitting the surface, instead hit the sturgeon on a 3 way rig w/circle hook with nightcrawlers (though I suspect shimp and squid would work also).
Make sure the dropper between the weight and swivel is very short and lighter than the main line, and make sure the worm extends a flipping end into the current.
The circle hook allows release of the sturgeon (esp. if a pallid or lake sturgeon ends up eating the worm).
However sturgeon and spinning gear seemed less fun then the fly rod, so we tripped over to Dresser Island near ALton MO,
and 'caught' the tail end of the white bass bite there. Spinning wise, a jig w/soft plastic worked, though my choice was a
red chenelle bug first for the carp (silver carp) then a white zonker for the white bass.
Little Calumet Creek (et. al.) near Portage and Porter IN - 15-16 Oct 2011
It is always worth watching the moon phases when salmon are involved, and due to logs we have kept and an understanding of when salmon run in Indiana
we hit the run of cohos and chinnoks (the near the last of the runs this season) on the nose. On solid moon phases salmon move, due to the strong tides in their native ranges,
and add in a bit of rain to raise water levels, and they are in. We hit the typical access points near Portage and Porter. The fish were
primarily in the lower to middle regions, not so much in the Herron Rookery this time, though likely by 25th or so. None in the harbor, so that is that.
On the 8 weight fly rod with 8lb-14lb tippets they are a handful in the tight creek water, red psudeo-marabou, micro-butt skunk, and any day-glow colored zonker got hits from the fish as they ran
up stream, as did clouser eyed-wooly boogers in green/black. The spinning rod users in my trio nailed them on blue fox black-bodied spinners (#3) and similar tools. Light flies (even on the fly-rod) will need a splitshot 2 feet up to keep them at salmon strike height.
They will follow and chase what they want, and the fly should be moving upstream with the fish so they can catch it.
Since these fish will die soon, and not spawn successfully in these creeks (no gravel bars with good water, though an idea would be to put gravel in for them to spawn on to reduce stocking?), we kept a few for the grill.
Winfield MO (17 Sep) Howell ISland Chesterfiled MO (24 Sep) Lock and Dam 22 MS River near Hannibal MO (1 Oct 2011)
Fall weather has begun the swing in temperatures and conditions, from cool and rainy, to warm and dry, and back. This triggers the fall feed
for most species of fish and mammals. Catfish were again easy pickings in the MS River above LD 25 in Winfield, squid again worked for 2lb-6lb channel catfish.
We investigated Howell ISland, which is still seperated by flow-over water on the high but dropping MO river, and due to high pressure air was very slow, but will probably pick up this weekend and next as the
catfish and white bass move in. The gem spot was LD 22 just down the MS river from Hannibal. There were plenty of baitfish (MS Silvery Minnows, small threadfin shad, and silversides) in the
fast water, and this brought in a strong Herring and Drum bite, with a few nice Crappie and White Bass mixed in. The Herring when the are going will hit just about any white or chartruese lure 1"-3" long fished fast,
jigs for the spinning rod, or in my case classic shad-dart and streamer patterns on the fly (4lb tippet just in case of the white bass, floating 2wgt-5wgt line, fast strips just below the surface).
The herring smack hard and fight well on light tackle, take care in releasing those not kept (they have easy to damage jaws). Look for strong white bass and sauger action on the rivers in the next few weeks,
and salmon in the creeks and harbors around the Great Lakes, Tuna out west, Kings in the Gulf, and Stripers out East. In short, fish now or regret it during the long winter.
Sandy Slough and Mississippi River Above Lock and Dam 25 Winfield MO - 10 Sep 2011
Never be afraid to break out of your own mold, and get your hands (and in this case fly line too) dirty.
The Mississippi river levels have dropped due to the 'Fall Dry out', and while the river proper is clearer then normal, the slough is very low and under an algae bloom.
To be a bit different, we decided to target catfish and drum (both of which can get quite big here), and experimented using a bait usually associated with salt water or salmon: squid.
Used squid tentacles and rings on circle hooks (1/0 to 6/0, easier to release fish that aren't going to be dinner...let the squid hang as strips to move in the current) using a dropper weight rig (allows AT LEAST 18" from weight to loop to avoid rocks, 3oz seemed to hold it fairly still, though 1 oz got snagged less)
Bit was pretty consistant all morning (fished the slough in the afternoon--read on) for channel and blue catfish and drum. Blueback herring were shwoing on the surface, though not targeted this time.
The squid worked well, and each chunk survived the nips of smaller fish and was reusable after each larger fish. Will be added to the bait list for this locale.
In the now very low slough, an algae bloom was underway, and the slough became covered in a coat of slime (ala sewer plan), but the fish were still biting.
Since I was willing to put up with slimey gooey mud on everything (took forever to get off the fly-line), I put on an indicator and #8 white wooly worm.
In the shallow clearer sections, small largemouth and crappie were willing.
Under the slime, I used the goo to my advantage (it hid my cast and me from the fish), by spotting carp snouts feeding on the goo, and pitching the wooly worm/indicator near the path of the feeding carp snouts.
The fly sunk below the goo, and the with a few easy tugs on the line to pop the inicator in the slime, I caught lots of black and bighead carp (1lb to 10lbs) on the fly (made for some
drag pulling runs, but very dirty legs and fly-rod).
LD 22 (MS River near Hannibal) and Kaskaskia River (Dam area in Carlyle IL) - 03-05 Sep 2011
The ground is drying out in the midwest US (as it tends to do in Aug/Sep), but the Missouri River is very high even though the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers are low.
Up near Hannibal, the Saverton Dam (LD22) is nearing completion of it renovation project, and was fishable, though the high pressure seems to slow down the midday bite. Nevertheless
a slow bite here is a good bite anywhere else on the river, with Drum showing strongly on lures (jigs-chartruese on spin, zonker on fly) fished slowly near bottom (expect snags), and on
catfish (channel mostly) on the classic river baits (3" chunks of shad and silver carp work well) fished on the bottom in slower areas.
Heading down river, the Chain of Rocks was still very high (since it is below the confluence) though will pick up as the water cools.
Across to the Kaskaskia River below Lake Carlyle, drum, crappie, gar, and white bass are biting fairly on jigs (fly pattern for me was a #6 white wooly worm below a small split shot). Below the rapids under the swinging bridge
sauger are beginning to show, with micro-white bass and largemouth. Cooler weather should bring in bigger walleye and sauger next week.
Salt River near New London MO - 27 Aug 2011
Was a hot day but decided to pull out the fishing kayaks and explore a bit. We lauched at the public (MO Dept. of Conservation, note make sure your craft is zebra-mussel free please) boat ramp and paddle about 4 miles
upstream, fishing as we went. The first few pools above the ramp were relatively deep (up to 9 feet, though mostly 2-4 feet) though the water was warm
(in the 80F range). Every shallow flat held buffalo and common carp, but they were spooky and uncooperative. As we went upstream we passed over shallow areas (6 inches, low releases from Retention Dam upstream)
featuring abundant mussel beds, mussels from 4" to 12" in diameter, so there should be good catfish in the river given cooler water and flow. There was a nasty inflow from a sewer pipe (nearly untreated water with an oily sheen, located near here or maybe a bit further up ) about 2 miles up from the ramp,
and silver carp by the ton sat below it (I skipped those fish). A few shallow spots later (still below the highway H bridge) we turned about, and hit a deeper spot that had large shadowed rocks.
Each rock had a resident smallmouth or sunfish, which hit chennelle bugs (1/80 oz) bounced over the top, and on the spinner, roostertails and microjigs. Not sure if I would keep anything in this section of river (we let the fish we caught here go).
Likely has good fishing for white bass and walleye in the spring and fall, and during heavier flow, but for now will bank that spot for later.
Fort Desoto Gulf Pier, Clearwater-St. Petersburg FL 22-25 Aug 2011
Nighttime pier species are many at the Fort Desoto Gulf Pier in Florida. The two primary baitfish, 1"-2" bay anchovies (a.k.a. glass minnows) and 2"-6" herring (threadfin et al.) surround the pillings, the anchovies favoring the surfline (see a similar situation in the Pacific @ Belmont Shores CA below...same tactics apply) , the herring the deeper pillings.
Add in the stirred up waves and the mole shrimp and gulf shrimps, and pinfish, and you have a predator fish (and dolphin, bird) buffet. This is a unique blend of habitats due to feeds from the bay, artificial reefs, sand/beach habitat, and wicked currents.
Speedjigs and soft plastic jigs (and many other lures--anything that looks like anchovies and herring) on 20#-30# florocarbon leaders (2') yielded many Ladyfish, and a few nice spanish mackerel along the length of the pier. A few tarpon and speckled trout rolled under the lights, the specs nailed 2" herring and the anchovies (#4 circle hook, light weights), the tarpon ignored it all.
The same small herring also yielded mangrove (gray) snappers over the reef sections, and white grunts apleanty (though squid worked even better for the grunts).
Upsize the circle hook on a light steel leader, and catfish and sharks (bonnetheads) hit squid (and herring if you have it). A smaller circle (#4) and squid or shrimp in the surf for nice gulf kingfish (whiting) and the odd white trout or other speices.
A zara spook also got hit under the lights by ladyfish, and flounder hung out by the jetty rocks (live shrimp or live anchovies, or a jig/soft plastic).
Next time I get down there, I bring the fly rod and fish from the beach! (Note everything but the baitfish were carefully released).
Winfield MO Sand Slough and MS River near LD25 - 13 Aug 2011
Old Man River is dropping a bit, and gar, carp, catfish, drum, and a few white bass are biting.
For spinners, the key is using 1"-2" shad for bait for the catfish...hit deeper spots near drop-offs (as near dams or the mouths of sloughs). Worms will of course also catch drum and common carp, and smaller catfish.
The shad will catch larger drum and larger catfish. Dough baits and corn work for common carp.
Fly-wise, poppers or zonker and large indicator combos work for gar (long and short nosed), and very small white streamers (#14 or smaller) work for bighead and silver carp in schools.
Kaskaskia River Carlyle IL (Below lake Carlyle) - 06 Aug 2011
1"-2" silvery minnows and shad continue to abound below the dam (gates are open, water is flowing well oxygenated and cool), and with them
larger shad and everything that eats all three.
Good white bass surface bite in the morning,on flyrod poppers and spinning rod pop-r's, and inverted school rigs like this giving way to gar and a few white bass in the afternoon.
Using smaller nymph, thread-jig, or chennel patterns, lots of drum, sunfish, largemouth, and crappie surround the rock, waiting in ambush for those 1"-2" minnows. As always, silver carp intercept any 1"-2" subsurface minnow-shaped lure.
Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego CA - 01-03 August 2011
A bit slower than the usual on this pier, possible due to moon phase. The water was cloudy with particulates from surf action, a few mackerel flurried in and out, surfperch hung out along the pilings, and some nice leopard sharks patroled the bottoms.
Remember bigger leopards can bite easily through spectra or mono to 60lb test (found this out again the hard way...). Rig a dropper rig or similar w/squid strips (weight-2oz-3oz topedo works good here-- on a 1-2 foot branch, main line to a steel braided leader w/swivel, 3feet or so, to a 4/0 circle, similar to this one or this one)
For the mackerel as rig on a calume stick rig w/1/16oz jig head and squid strips. here )
For the surfperch, just use #10 hook below a split shot or on a dropper above a small torpedo weight, and either ghost shrimp or small sliver of squid, use very close to the pillings.
Also, the (WOW) cafe here has wonderful lobster tacos, spice apple cider, expresso, and mango pancakes, yummy!
Kaskaskia River, Carlyle IL - 23 July 2011
Hot weather still bakes the midsection of the USA, and the fishing couldn't be hotter. Water in the rivers is still very high, and the dams are releasing the excess,
cooling and oxygenating the rivers,sending disoriented baitfish to their doom, making the fish feed heavily. Same drill as last few weekends: White Bass on topwater lures --1"-2" yellow/white poppers on the fly, 2" topwaters on the spinning rod or if you feel odd, two jigs ABOVE a weighted bobber (i.e. a school rig where the bobber is the weight)...i.e. any gurgling lure gets smacked.
Below the white bass (and gar) feeding frenzy, silver carp, drum, and buffalo hit crankbaits (green/white) and jigs for the spinner, or white/yellow streamers (12 inches behind a split shot for an inverted presentation). Drum lover the chennelle bug 4 feet below and indicator and hug the rocks. Drink lots of water, wear sunscreen, and catch fish!
Kaskaskia River below Lake Carlyle, Carlyle IL - 09 July, 16 July 2011
Like down south, the water is high in the Mississippi River system, and the gates on Carlyle Lake are all open, bringing in mobs of fish which blacken the water below the dam.
I used both the 8wgt gear and the 5wgt rods. On the 8wgt, I put on a white/sparkle marabou streamer (see below) and white/yellow wooly boogers (8lb-14lb tippet, small split shot 2 feet above fly) for large bighead and silver carp, and buffalo. Make sure that flyreel has a good drag (good way to test that saltwater gear)
On the smaller rod, I alternated between a white popper on the surface and a yellow chenelle bug under an indicator (4lb tippet) for white bass(!), drum, buffalo, sunfish, bass, and smaller silver carp.
Yes, the 'asian carp' will defitiely bite (and chase) lures, especially behind dams. They also taste yummy (personal experience: silver carp taste like tilapia fyi, though they do have odd bones)
Drum and sunfish carpet the rocks, and large gar patrol for weak fish (like a shark).
(see asiancarp.org for interesting bighead, silver, and black carp info)
Set the drag and hang on! For spinning rod flippers, most lures in the 1"-2" range work for the asian carp: green crankbaits, curly tail jigs, and rooster tails are very good spinning options.
(Maybe one day the IGFA will let one of its life members register fly rod world records for Bighead and Silver Carp (I humbly beg)?)
Lake Taneycomo Branson MO and Bull Shoals Lake Forsythe MO - 01-07 July 2011 
It is always fun to fish Taneycomo and the White River System lakes, doubly so on (U.S.A.)Independance Day, firecrackers in the sky. Lake T-como, Table Rock, and Bulls Shoals
are all high, so the Dam's (Table Rock to Taneycomo, Powersite to Bull Shoals) have also make the water high and murky. Wading near the hatchery on T-como was a bit dicey, but using olive streamers and ginger colored Zonkers worked pretty well most days. Further down the lake, baiters and lure-pitchers also
did fine, though a little less activity then normal. Crankbaits such as Rapalas work (larger models due to off colored water) were a good lure there, for fly flippers, glo-balls and chennelle bugs worked slowly at creek mouths. Lots of bass around in T-como also, which hammered zonkers and poppers, especially in slower areas, over weedbeds and along shore-lines.
Drop over Powersite Dam, and the picture is very interesting. Large striped bass, drum, walleye, and black basses await luckless trout sent over the falls from Taneycomo, or any disoriented threadfin shad.
Fly-wise (yup, upgrade the tippet though to at least 4lb, and maybe 8lb, 6wgt rod or better) a white floating zonker 14" behind a splitshot flipped into the swirlling currents and sharpely stripped along the accessable sections of bank were fun in the afternoons for
a mized bag of hefty fish: rainbow trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, white bass, and hybrid (white+striped) bass. I did hook larger walleyes and stripers, but 4lb tippets got bit clean by those beasties!
Several shad-pitchers (shad >6" in length) did land nice striped bass though. A red chenelle bug (tied on 1/80th jig head) and white wolly worms also worked for bass and rainbows in Bull Shoals.
In Table Rock, poppers were great fun for sunfish above the dam along the rocks (Moonshine beach area) when we wanted a break from everything else.
- Key flies in Taneycomo and Bull Shoals, Weighted zonker, floating white zonker, and the olive streamer (a very old Scottish atlantic salmon pattern, with bead)
- Rainbows in Taneycomo are always hungry for the olive streamers
- A decent zonker eating Taneycomo rainbow
- More of the same along the banks of T-como
- A bit foggy wading in the mornings on T-como
- A chunky rainbow hangs out in one of the Taneycomo hatchery outlets (#3) free from angler attention
- Lots of baby ducks for this Momma duck on Taneycomo
- Taneycomo's bottom is logs and rocks when not covered by vegitation
- High water makes for a waterfall over Powersite Dam to Bull Shoals in Forsythe MO (normally it is 20+ feet below this)
- Big Paddlefish ('Spoonbills' in the local vernacular) like to feed in the turbulent water, the snout is an electric antenna as per Dr. Lon Wilkens
- Threadfin shad are schooling heavily along the banks in Bull Shoals, feeding on plankton
- A log perch poses for a shot before release..they are darters, but perches (along with yellow perch, walleye, and sauger) nonetheless
- A Bull Shoals fly eating rainbow trout (on the small side, caught many bigger ones here too).
- That rainbow above better watch out for these guys, a Bull Shoals striped bass (not my catch, one of the guys using shad caught this nice specimen).
- A zonker eating walleye, same place
- A decent Bull Shoals smallmouth ate my trout fly
- One of many nice zonker crushing white bass
Weldon SPrings Wildlife Area and ponds MO - 24-26 June 2011
Hot weather moves the bite to a morning and evening affair with some exceptions, one being carp. Common, black, grass, and silver carp are lined up
below overhanging bushes and trees, snipping berries, beatles, and cicadas. A yellow popper, or a small chennelle bug, or a black wooly worm work well,
if you are stealthy and can make a very precise fly cast!
San Diego Bay and Ocean Beach Pier CA - 12-13 June 2011
Squeezed in a bit of fishing after meetings out an San Diego. A short skiff rental from Seaforth in Coronado is always nearly a sure thing for sand bass.
Fish the grass flats and drop-offs near the big bridge using soft plastics, and speed-jigs, though flywise a sinking line and clouser work nicely too. Release all the beautiful bass
as the bay is a limited resource.
If you want dinner, the mackerel are running strong off the Ocean Beach pier (which also has a yummy cafe...lobster tacos and mango pancakes). A small jig head, squid strip, and calume stick will
get bit quickly, so good fun for the kiddos too.
Winfield MO Sandy Slough - 11 June
The sloughs are rolling with Mississippi Silvery Minnows and whatever you use better look like one! The fish are on the drop offs near flood waters and in channels, lots of largemouth, channel catfish, and sauger
are roaming the shorelines for minnows. Flywise, a white marabou streamer works AOK.
Private ponds in Orlando FL, Titusville (Vets Pier and MIWR), Port Canaveral (Jetty Park), Cocoa Beach Pier, Indian River, and Fort Desoto Park (Gulf Pier and Canoe Trail/Bay) FL - 28 May-04 June 2011
Yet again, I get to hit fish in two oceans, this time the Atlantic (and Gulf) a few days after catching Mackerel in California. Orlando is a gateway to either coast of Florida, hit the beachline and in an hour the Indian and Bananna Rivers (both brackish) and the Atlantic beaches await.
Purple sea jellies made swimming a chancy proposition, but bridges (over the above rivers) and piers (Jetty Park @ Port Canaveral..good place for 'space-heads' too) are good fishing spots. Merritt Island also has lots of spots (remember in addition to the FL saltwater license, a free refuge permit is required for MerritT island fishing spots).
Dredging off Port Canaveral and around the Bananna River made the water very cloudy, but a few spanish mackeral (among the baby sea turtles--be careful to avoid them) showed on the pier, in addition to spadefish, spottail pinfish, and croakers (and kingfish aka whiting). Squid is the bait if you go that route, followed by peeled shrimp on small circle hooks fished near structures or in the main channel. A few flounder and sharks also may smack that squid. Lures like jigs and jigging-spoons may get spanish for some.
On the indian river, or near the newly renovated Veteran's memorial pier in Titusville, the same baits will get similar species and sheepshead, while a few lucky anglers fishing streamer flies or small jigs will get speckled trout. I tried in vain to get the mullet to bite a fly, but that quest is not over yet.
Back in orlando, a saavy angler will inquire about fishing the various private resort ponds (especially at the resort you may be staying with). Some, like Disney, require a special permit, some do not. These small
private lakes are usually catch and release only, so prime flyrod targets (if you are good at roll casts), and require a quiet considerate fisher(i.e. don't damage the fishery or the landscaping, or make enough noise to be a nusance!).
Poppers in the early mornings near the shorelines are DEADLY for bass and sometimes sunfish and tilapia. Streamers (woolly buggers in grey, white, yellow are very good) dropped near the shorelines most of the day are good for large sunfish and tilapia (look for bedding tilapia...drop the fly carefully into the bed...tilapia are invasive species in FL. I refuse this tactic for bedding bass.)
On the Gulf coast, a couple hour drive to Clearwater (such as the Skyway Pier--a goliath grouper schooled me here, the beaches on gulf or bay, or Ft Desoto Park) or any of the beach spots provide access to
many species such as spanish mackerel, pompano, speckled trout, redfish, snappers, ladyfish, and maybe tarpon. Rent a kayak or powerboat and you can extend your range over the grassbeds in Tampa Bay or off the beaches. Fly rodders using an 8wgt rod and intermediate or floating line can catch many species. While many flies (including poppers and Clousers) work well, a favorite trick of mine on the grass is to
put a saltwater wooly worm or size 4 eyed streamer (w/jig-style hook) a foot below a 1" indicator float. Stripping the fly line will pop the float, and fish will attack any fly following it, especially over a good grass bed.
Around the gulf piers, small jigging spoons work well for a variety of species, and baits around the pier pillings (very small circle hook, squid or shrimp) will catch pinfish (spottail and generic), sheepsheads, snappers, and grouper. At night squid chunks or baitfish work for bonnethead sharks and snappers (watch seasons, release the sharks).
Fish and explore!
- Many shorebirds prowl Florida ponds like this small green heron
- In the same water, large redears also prowl for the same small minnows and frogs, like this fine fish...
- ...or this one
- Bluegill (pictured) and tilapia also swim in these small waters (and the larger lakes).
- I guess you could pitch a fly for those bothersome largemouth bass too LOL
- This pattern was deadly in the ponds
- Cocoa Beach from Jetty Park Pier (Port Canaveral FL), big waves and jellyfishes (and sea turtles).
- One of many baitfish species around the Jetty Park pier: the atlantic bumper
- Spanish Mackeral are around on the Atlantic if you try hard
- Croakers on small hooks fished deep are around in abundance.
- Sharks may intercept the croaker baits, release them carefully.
- The new Veterans Pier in Titusville FL has twin piers usable by anglers and shrimpers (and manatees and dolphins swim past the piers often).
- Pigfish are one of many species near the pillings of the pier (along with pinfish, grey snappers, specs, ladyfsh, and jacks)
- Mangroves and backwaters make up much of the Merritt Island complex
- Fiddler crabs (the males have the big claw) duke it out for spots to get dinner near those mangroves
- Many species use Haulover Canal, like humans, manatees, dolpins, fish, and this moon jelly
- The Fort Desoto Gulf Pier is beautiful and very fishy
- Herring hover thickly around the pilings of the Gulf Pier, as seen here...
- ...and here.
- What's stealing that bait? Pinfishes like these...
- ...and these...
- ...and these...
- ...and these.
- Blue runners can intercept a jig intended for a spanish mack.
- Near the Gulf Pier you can rent a kayak or canoe and fish the grass and mangroves
- Fly fishers can catch many species over the grass using a popper or as here, a speckled trout on an indicator and wooly worm.
- Sometimes the skyway piers are worth the cost (it is steep for a pier).
- Leatherjackets and many other species eat jigs on the Skyway
Newport Beach CA Balboa Pier 25 May 2011
Piers are great spots for quick hit opportunities to bend a pole, talk to friendly fellow anglers, and clear the mind. Balboa Pier in Newport Beach CA is a great place to use light gear to catch mackerel on small jigs after a quick bite of dinner at Ruby's on the same pier.
A twin 1/8th oz jig rig and thin line are keys to many mackerel.
Sandy Slough near Winfield MO,and private ponds in MO 21 May 2011
Home again, and the slough is still a decent spot as are any pond with blugill and redears. Wooly worm flies do the work for the sunfish, streamers and jigs for herring, and the bait pitchers can get carp and catfish.
Provo River UT and Rockport Lake UT - 15-19 May 2011
Had to trip to Salt lake City for a business trip, but there is lots of fun fishing within an easy drive, high water or not.
The Provo River is loaded with browns, and in the high water, offerings need to be worked within a foot of rocks and undercut banks. A roll cast on a 5wgt line with 2lb tippet and either mysis (fry) or dark woolley booger pattern will get smashed. In the high country resevoirs, a fly rod is still
a deadly weapon, using chennelle bugs and minnow flies under an indicator, flipped in corners near dams and points for rainbows.
Kaskaskia River below Lake Carlyle IL Sandy Slough near Winfield MO - 07,14 May 2011
Very high water still dominates river fishing in the midwest, white bass are still a major target on any minnow shaped fly or lure. Bowfins are on the prowl in the high water as well (the psychadelic green fins make them
look like tropical beasts) and the sucker family is spawning in smaller tribuatries. Carp are also post-spawn and feeding in the shallows. Sunfish are setting up to spawn and are feeding strongly on wooly worms and streamers in small ponds and lakes.
Kaskaskia River below Lake Carlyle IL, Sandy Slough Winfield MO - 03-30 April 2011
Another wild rolercoaster of weather with tonadoes, but the white bass and other species are now very active. Largemouth are pre-spawn, walleye and sauger have spawned in the flood waters,
and carp are everywhere.In the backwaters, herring, sauger, and white bass are on the edges, black and grass carp bumping bushes and weeds.
Flywise, small minnow patterns in wild colors for off-color waters (hot pink, flo. red, chartruese, flo yellow) and black wooly worms for those carp.
Busch Wildlife Area (Weldon Springs MO), Baldwin Lake (IL), Kaskaskia River below Lake Carlyle (IL) - 12 Mar to 02 Apr 2011
Spring is a crazy rollercoaster in the midwest, and the past several weekends have seen it all. Nice days with highs in the 50s, with some rain,
thundersnows wtih subfreezing temps, and clear blue windy days in the high 60's and 70's. Anglers need to take head to the weather, and use conditions to catch fish!
Crappie and Black Basses are staging for pre-spawn, white bass are doing the same, and on good days every fish is hungry. Powerplant lakes are peaking now, and will drop out as the waters warm everywhere,
Walleye and Sauger are about to be peak (look for a day with good air pressure though). For you Floridians, look for spanish and cobia, and the first Kings of the year (and a few Sheepies and blues too).
Time to get out the gear and Fish!
Weldon Springs Busch Wildlife Area Lake 28 and Baldwin Lake IL - 18 and 25 Feb 2011
The last of the winter program trout are being pulled from the St. Louis Region lakes, but the same lakes now also feature early season
Crappie and bluegill. A peacock feather nymph or prince nymph in #14-#18 will catch all three fish species.
Powerplant lakes are still very good, and at Bladwin Lake a #6 Black Stonefly was and will be deadly for channel catfish 1-3 lbs, and sunfish to 8" long.
Bass will also bite on a minnow imitator fished just off the rocks.
Meramec Springs Park St. James MO - 12 Feb 2011
The lakes at home are frozen, but spring water in the rivers to the south make for great fishing, especially during Catch and Release/fly season.
Gone are the crowds of people, but fish come up from the river to enjoy warmer water, from rainbow and brown trout, to smallmouth and largemouth bass, rock bass, longear sunfish, white and northern hognosed suckers.
The Smallies love to bash zonkers and streamers, while the trout take dry midges (#18 cream and olive colors), wiggletail nymphs, chennelle bugs (magenta), and stoneflies (#10...make it move!). The sunfish and suckers hit all the previous flies if presented well.
First day of March, and the stocked fish and crowds return.
Baldwin Lake Baldwin IL - 05 Feb 2011
Snow? What snow. We cruised through an early morning snowshower, to find lake effect snow around Baldwin lake. That said, this powerplant lake is dynamite, snow or not.
The warm water along the dam held many species, mostly Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Green sunfish, Orangespotted Sunfish, and of course channel catfish.
Spinning rod wise, any bait, or a jig (AA swimbait 4" or 1" tube jig under bobber) works for all the above species. Since I like to use only the long fly rod here, for me
the trusty chennile bug (red) and black stonefly (#8) worked very well, and the stone especially well for catfish from 10" to 3lbs.
Lake Taneycomo, Branson and Forsythe MO - 28-30 Jan 2011
When is the best time to visit Branson MO to fish? When all the tourists are gone!
January to March is the off season, when hotels are very cheap, traffic is non-existant, and rainbows are everywhere. The water is likewise near empty (minus a few boat tournaments),
and you can wade largely crowd-free. Rainbows are biting, from 20"+ models to the far more common 10"-18" size. In addition to the classic below-the-dam wading from the Hatchery down to KOA, shoreline parks with creek mouths or bays are also prime.
Key flies this time were sculpin patterns such as eyed zonkers in cream, brown, white, gray; Floating/un-weighted zonkers in cream, white; Chenelle bugs (flame red); scud/sowbug patterns; midges (#20 olive body, blue/grey hackle); and olive wooley boogers. Afternoons this trip were prime,
as the dam was releasing only minimal water (Table Rock and Bull Shoals are VERY low).
Alton IL (MS River, Waterfowl area) - 15 Jan 2011
With very frozen water in many places, it was a good weekend to take a drive to the Mississippi River to look at eagles. Many locks and dams
along the Mississippi River from the Quad Cities to the Chain of Rocks become a feeding station for migrating eagles (Bald and Golden), and many riverside
communities rely on the steady stream of bird watchers all winter to add to the local economy. In our case, a
short drive to the same spots we fish in warmer months yields plenty of pictures of the feathered raptors (note of advice...cameras don't like to be cold, so keep them warm inside the car as long as possible, bring a good
tripod, and a long zoom lens for pictures. Hold still or the birds will fly away). If you have the time hit many areas, as bird counts vary by day,and each locale opens resturants, taverns, and displays friendly to the birder. Alton also features an Eagle trolley
to bring people around to look at the raptors from a nice warm bus.
Look for areas where the ice surronds open water too. In addition to eagles you may also see Trumpeter Swans, Herons, ducks of many species, hawks, and falcons. Bring easy to
use binoculars for the younger set too.
Busch Wildlife Area, West Alton MO and Alton IL (MS River), Meramec River near St James MO, and creeks near Bourbon MO - 03-31 Dec 2010
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year (or whatever holidays work for you).December in the midwest is a time of fast weather changes, this december being no
exception, as it saw highs to 70 F, and lows near 10 F, with rain, snow, ice, and tornados. Anglers must adapt to catch fish, but they can be caught. If the water is open in trout
holding areas, they will bite on small nymphs below a small indicator (chenelle bug, microjig, prince, glowball). In areas near powerplants on the big rivers,
warm water species will seek refuge and also bite, such as silver and bighead carp, and if you are lucky walleye, catfish, and sauger.
Given the cooler water, the carp fight a bit slow, so 4lb tippet is enough to land 20lb fish if you are careful, a yellow chenelle bug (#8) under an indicator fished very slow
and carefully will get very softly bit. Pre- and post- storms saw very good bites with trout until the pressure changed.
Busch Wildlife Area Weldon Spring MO and Sandy Slough Winfield MO - 20 Nov to 28 Nov 2010
Rainbows are now acclimating to the Winter Stocking Program lakes, and the catch and release lake rainbows have gotten a bit wiser, but catchable on a wide variety
of nymphs and flies (#12-#16, chenelle bug, caddis pupae, prince, and bead-head peacock). For a break I also travels to Winfield to chase the last of the white bass,
doing both trout and whites in the same day. Thw White bass will be in and out all winter, especially below the dams on the big rivers, joining the sauger and walleye.
Baitwise, they will take a minnow, but on the fly--my fav--a bead headed white wooley booger worked fine if fish very slow.
Lake Taneycomo Branson MO - 12 to 14 Nov 2010
Interesting shifting dam releases and fronts make fishing interesting, though far from impossible. Below the dam zonkers, scuds, sowbug, glowball, and cracklebacks all worked with varying degrees, the zonker being the hottest fly. Much further down the lake,
at Empire Park in Forsythe, rainbow and sunfish competed to grab chenelle bug flies below indicators during daylight, and bead headed olive wooly boogers at sunset and later.
Winfield MO, Branson MO, Weldon Springs MO, and Oyster Point CA - Oct-07 Nov 2010
OK, so I have been fishing more than posting...guilty as charged :0) Lets do a quick fall round up: White Bass and Sauger and Drum have moved into the cooler waters
of slough outlets and feeder river mouths that feed the Mississippi River. Chennelle bugs and fathead minnow flies in white work for those on the fly rod, as do curly tail jigs for the spinning crowd.
ZIpping out west to Oyster Point in San Francisco CA just before the crabbing season (and MAN are there lots of bait-steeling crabs in South SF Bay CA!!), pitch out a squid gob at night, and if the crabs stay away, a leopard, dogfish, or smoothound shark will grab it.
(for those who are out west coast and fish piers, Ken Jone's book and website: www.pierfishing.com are a must! Tell him I sent you.)
Zip back to the midwest, drive south to Branson for the Brown Run (where the low pressure system of the century shutdown the bite, though they are biting now on zonkers, sculpin flies, cracklebacks, midges, and of course, scuds...check out my book and go see Chuck at Anglers and Archery up the hill from the dam for the fly of the day).
Zip back to the Saint Louis Region for the winter stocking program trout, and catch either at 12" stocker, or a 5lb stocker on a #6 olive wooly bugger, #10 stone flyon the fly or jig and bobber for the spinning rods.
Whew!
Mississippi River in IL accross from Hannibal MO 18 Sep 2010
Saverton access is closed till March 2011, so tried this spot (John Day Access) before heading back to Missouri, and ended up fishing it for a while.
Used the fly first, and had hits from small herrings, but the carp noses on the surface were too deep to reach with the fly. Pulled out the salt water gear I still had in the back of the truck,
(Large Penn spinning reels, 50lb spectra) tied on a 3/4" (3/4 oz) white/yellow slab spoon a foot below a 2" bobber (attracts asian carp, prevents foul hooking too), and cast out to the surface fish.
The black and common carp scattered (fyi this is a very good common carp spot too), but after I let the rig settle I slowly bounced it back, and the bigheads punced on it.
Big, bigheads at that, pushing 20-50lbs. They made strong 'salmon-esk' runs, taking drag and punishing the shoulders and biceps, but I did land two nice fish (lost 10 others who snapped the spectra or pulled free of the
hooks). The fish landed where both hooked just inside the upper jaw (yes, bighead will chase and eat a small lure, see Carlyle report below). Remeber long cast to near the center, slow, bouncing retrieve, and hold on tight.
If I get my kayak in here, they will all be 8wgt flyrod fodder!
Winfield MO Sandy Slough (off MS River) 11 Sep 2010
Interstingly high water lead to good carp and drum fishing, though slow for the rest. The classic worms and doughbaits work, fly rod fishing was off due to muddy water.
Carlyle IL Kaskakia River (below Dam) 04-06 Sep 2010
Back to below the Lake Carlyle Dam, though this time the water was lower and only the white bass, crappie, and others (OK, it is never bad with a fly)
wanted poppers and mysis shrimp flies.
Newport Beach and Belmont Shores (Balboa Pier, Belmont Shores Veterans Pier) CA 30 Aug - 02 Sep 2010
Back to SoCal for night pier fishing again. Remember two jigs are deadly for croakers of various species (inc. Queenfish), Mackeral, and Halibut. Add squid for many more species.
One of these times I am bringing the flyrod and a clouser!
Carlyle IL Kaskakia River (Dam to Swinging Bridge) 13-14 and 21-22 Aug 2010
An overcast cool day or rising water can make the fish go insane in the Kaskaskia beow the Lake Carlyle Dam.
Given such conditions, a white popper or white wooly bugger on the fly will get chomped by many, many species. Pull out the 8wgt and
8lb tippet and a bead head 'booger and swing it below the dam to spin the drag against agressive bghead and silver carp. The poppers will get hit by crappie, sunfish, white bass, and goldeyes.
FOr the spinning rod set, a simple 1/8oz jig and soft plastic white tail will catch the same fishes. Make sure your drag is up to snuff!
WInfield MO Sandy Slough 06 Aug 2010
Nothing but carp is not a curse, and sometime you have to put down the fly rod (especially in chocholate milk colored water in 90F days), and grab the dough bait to get anyfish at all in the slough. A doughbait of oatmeal, strawberry jello, peanut butter, and corn meal works for us quite well.
Saint Petersburgh (Beach) FL 02-05 AUg 2010 (Skyway Pier and Ft. Desoto Gulf Pier)
A work travel means fishing in many locales, in this case from California and the Pacific to Tampa/St. Pete and the Gulf. Tries the Skyway, which did have a few
Spanish Mackerel, Jacks of various types (on the speed jigs), and snappers (on baits--shrimp, squid, cut baitfish). Fort Desoto's Gulf Pier (make sure you buy that FL license FYI)
also had a few spanish macs, but had many bait(Threadfin Herring-fresh or live) eating fishes in the evenings (when not storming) such as Speckled (Spotted) Seatrout, Silver Perch (a croaker, on squid), Ladyfish, and Bonnethead Sharks (all released FYI).
Newport Beach and Belmont Shores (Balboa Pier, Belmont Shores Veterans Pier) CA 26-28 July 2010
Mackeral were the order of the day on Balboa, both Green Jack and Pacific Mackeral, on 1/8oz white jigs (a 2 jig rig) tipped with white gulps.
Take the same rig to Belmont Shores Pier just past the surf and short halibut (release sized) are plentiful.
WInfield MO (Sandy Slough,MS River LD25) 11-17 July 2010
High water in July is a rarity in the midwest, but one should take advantage of it when possible. Black Carp and buffalo patrol the shallows, bumping flooded plants for worms and beetles. Look for a moving plant stalk, sneak over to it, and drop a black wooly worm to the base to get bit.
Lots of baby silver carp also cover the surface, feel free to cast net them for bait (the new tentaive world record blue cat--130lbs from 20 miles south on the MO river ate a fillet of carp). They will also hit a very small fly (#20) if dropped in front of the school and kept just under the surface. The bigger silvers will
eat larger flies, same tactic, and fight like salmon. Near the channels where current is strong, young of the year minnows that get swept from cover (many species including silversides and Mississippi silvery minnows) take refuge in the rocks. A white/yellow wooly booger (w/clouser eyes or bead head)
will catch many white bass, largemouth bass, small mouth bass, drum, and catfish. The live bait version also works. Enjoy, and congrats to the lucky STL anglers on the new world record blue cat!
Newport Beach Balboa Pier CA and Lake Taneycomo Branson MO 30 June- 06 July 2010
Back out west to California for a night, and more mackerel! These were bigger fish, so the order was a double 1/16th oz jig with white 2" gulp tails, for many good fighting pacific (chub) mackerel.
Leapt back to the midwest for the Independance Day holidays down at Branson on cold lake Taneycomo.
Very few browns this time (most in the lower 2/3rds of the lake likely around trees, though many fatter then normal rainbows below the dam. The generators in Table Rock Dam were running at 2 to 4 generators almost constantly,
alternating between possible wading water below the dam, to 'only with a boat or from shore'. Via boat downstream, or via North Point/Beach Park, Empire Park, and Copper Creek Access, many schools of rainbows were easy picking on any marabou (ala clouser eyed fat head or marabou clouser, or marabou jig)
or chennelle microjig (black head 1/80th oz, flame red body on rainy days, flo yellow on sunny days) , under an indicator on 2lb tippet. Many midge fish in the morning (#18 olive bodied) and Zonker/sculpin pattern fish all day below the dams. With the water rising, a #14 crackleback and #8 olive wolly bugger, also worked.
Scuds and glowballs are also decent choices anytime.
Islamorada FL (Florida Keys) 17-21 June 2010
JUne is a warmer month then May, but still has some fishes to be caught and --in our case-- released ( most are fighters not eaters anyhow). The Mahi's were beyond the range of the rental boat for the most part (30miles > 10 miles), though once
the southeast wind picked up, a few small mahi's came to the reef edge. Mostly off the reef edge (150 feet+ or -) pink or blue/pink small jet heads at 8kts could pull in the numerous schools of little tuny
(8lbs+) running out from the reef. A quick rod with a jig (speed or lead-head) or fly (Chartruse, Blue, white fast sinking fathead or clouser) could convert some of the fish that followed the trolled fish. Most action was down-reef from Alligator light.
Inside the reef Ceros and Jack Crevalle provided a bent rod, mostly in 50feet to 20 feet over live reef. The underwater camera spotted a very large school of jacks (100+ fish), of which we caught a released a few. The Ceros were less plentiful then on the winter trips (no suprise),
but would take a live ballyhoo, jig, sinking fly, or Zara SuperSpook (spectacular surface strikes).
Once the water got too rough past the reef, a troll on the edges of Hawk channel with the same jets pulled in barracuda, as did a drift with live ballyhoo under a float.
In the bridge channels there were very few tarpon (a few babies near the docks), but bonnethead sharks (all released) were plentiful on the tide changes (squid, cut mullet on a circle hook on bottom = prime baits),
and a few large 'cudas added to the action (ballyhoo, though try chuggers too). Lots of lane snappers also occupied the bridge channels, though most small.
Location - Date
TEXT GOES HERE.
All Images and material (C) Bryce L Meyer, all rights reserved.
