First day out.. first trout in
Saturday was a discouraging day for fishing. I set out to check the conditions on several streams in the Sheboygan area. It has been a while since I've fished locally. The DNR had stopped stocking streams with trout after 2003, and what remained were quickly removed by the local baitchuckers. But the DNR must have been reminded that we trout fishermen are paying extra every year for our trout stamps, and maybe the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was feeling guilty. For whatever reason, they're back to stocking streams in the eastern side of the state. Reports from the WI DNR website show stocking of rainbows being done in many Lake Michigan tributaries, and other inland streams. Let me be the first to say thanks!
So I decided to see what the fishing is like, and get acquainted with a few of the listed waters. I talked to a few fishermen on various Sheboygan County streams, but the waters are unusually high and dark and no one had seen a fish all day. We've had rain for at least 4 days in the past week. The rain is melting all the snow that we got over the previous two weeks, and turning trickling streams into full blown rivers. The fish are in survival mode right now. Hopefully things will calm down in a week or two. As I was doing some streamside reconnaissance, a nasty storm blew in, replete with lightning and hail. I don't need to go fishing that bad.
Sunday was a bit different, however. I ventured farther inland and did a drive-by on a few very well known streams that have benefited from stream improvements. Other than the high water, the weather conditions were beautiful for fishing. An overcast sky and air temperature of about 50 degrees. I parked the fishmobile at a bridge, right behind an SUV, and thought I'd see how the owner of the Explorer was fairing. He was busy pulling in a nice little 10 inch rainbow as I walked up... it was the first trout I've actually seen this year. I talked with the fisherman (unfortunately, I didn't get his name) as he slipped the silvery fish back into the murky water. He was from Green Bay. The fisherman, that is. Not the trout. It was his first time fishing the area and was surprised to catch a rainbow instead of a brown trout. The DNR stocking, I explained.
On his insistence (ok, he didn't have to twist my arm), I geared up and took over his spot. The water was dark, cold and fast. I tied a prince nymph on my 4wt Thomas & Thomas rod and went to work. Ten minutes, two tree branches, six underwater snags, and 38 casts later my line went tight. A quick tug set the hook into either a trout or another log. But in this case the log tugged back. A trout!
It wasn't a long struggle filled with many near escapes. Instead, the fish came to hand very easily. But it was gorgeous. A fat 14-incher. Honest. He waited very patiently for me to remove the fly, and then swam off to warn his buddies.
And warn them, he did. Another hour produced absolutely nothing. But it was a very good day. Hell, I'm batting a thousand. Or should I say, fishing.
So I decided to see what the fishing is like, and get acquainted with a few of the listed waters. I talked to a few fishermen on various Sheboygan County streams, but the waters are unusually high and dark and no one had seen a fish all day. We've had rain for at least 4 days in the past week. The rain is melting all the snow that we got over the previous two weeks, and turning trickling streams into full blown rivers. The fish are in survival mode right now. Hopefully things will calm down in a week or two. As I was doing some streamside reconnaissance, a nasty storm blew in, replete with lightning and hail. I don't need to go fishing that bad.
Sunday was a bit different, however. I ventured farther inland and did a drive-by on a few very well known streams that have benefited from stream improvements. Other than the high water, the weather conditions were beautiful for fishing. An overcast sky and air temperature of about 50 degrees. I parked the fishmobile at a bridge, right behind an SUV, and thought I'd see how the owner of the Explorer was fairing. He was busy pulling in a nice little 10 inch rainbow as I walked up... it was the first trout I've actually seen this year. I talked with the fisherman (unfortunately, I didn't get his name) as he slipped the silvery fish back into the murky water. He was from Green Bay. The fisherman, that is. Not the trout. It was his first time fishing the area and was surprised to catch a rainbow instead of a brown trout. The DNR stocking, I explained.
On his insistence (ok, he didn't have to twist my arm), I geared up and took over his spot. The water was dark, cold and fast. I tied a prince nymph on my 4wt Thomas & Thomas rod and went to work. Ten minutes, two tree branches, six underwater snags, and 38 casts later my line went tight. A quick tug set the hook into either a trout or another log. But in this case the log tugged back. A trout!
It wasn't a long struggle filled with many near escapes. Instead, the fish came to hand very easily. But it was gorgeous. A fat 14-incher. Honest. He waited very patiently for me to remove the fly, and then swam off to warn his buddies.
And warn them, he did. Another hour produced absolutely nothing. But it was a very good day. Hell, I'm batting a thousand. Or should I say, fishing.
posted by JoeFriday at 6:53 PM
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