An avid listener to NPR while I’m at work, and occasionally on the way to my favorite tributary, I had a chuckle this morning when I saw Melissa Block, one of NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’ hosts wearing waders and holding a fly rod while interviewing Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, an avid fly fisherman. Continue reading
As forecast, we got hit with some sustained rain showers last night, and rivers and streams in the south-eastern Wisconsin area are on the rise as a result. The rivers have taken a hit, and are still rising, but not as much as I had feared. Rivers may return to fishable levels by Sunday (depending on when flows turn around). Continue reading
I’m not a drinking man, but I do appreciate a good commercial. That kind of man is exactly the type of fisherman that all Great Lakes Anglers strive to be. Enjoy :
A recent find of mine while flowing through the river of the internet. The Northern Angler, a blog, similar to this one, only from Northern Lower Michigan. Reports on the Manistee and Betsie (which sports a run of naturally reproducing salmon, which I learned only after reading this blog). Continue reading
40 pound brown trout, and 50 pound rainbow trout may be recent news, but the size of those fish pale in comparison to this old record Lake Trout, from 1961. It was taken using a gill net in 1961 and weighed 102 pounds. Continue reading
This movie has been out for a while, something like 2 million copies have been sold. Take a look at the trailer, some great footage to be sure.
Hustle and Fish “Fishporn Teaser” from Rollcast Productions on Vimeo.
The Milwaukee is slowly returning to fishable levels this week after the torrent of rain that fell on the area last week. Keep in mind that with the last of the King Salmon entering the river recently that this sustained high rate of flow will help to bring the winter run Steelhead and the fall run Brown Trout into the system. Continue reading
October is upon us, and things are looking up. Rain that will start later today and extend until the weekend should push a heavy load of King Salmon, Steelhead, a few Coho Salmon, and maybe some Brown Trout up into the Milwaukee River, the Kinnickinnic River, the Menominee River, the Root River, the Pike River, and Oak Creek. Continue reading
Photographs from a couple of weeks ago on the Milwaukee River. I took my boss and his son Salmon fishing on the Milwaukee on a beautiful fall day in Wisconsin.
From the WDNR’s website.
These can take early season Steelhead, fished by adding weight and swinging through the very bottom of a fast bend in the river or when Steelhead are bedding. I know a fellow who landed a Brown Trout on the Root river that topped the scales at 30 pounds. Impressive.
I arrived at grant park last Friday after 3 hours of driving and scouting other locations.
As you can see Oak Creek had just jumped some 400% and the mouth was gushing (we got there on the night of October 2nd). A friend (Mike) and I had high hopes as we strung up our casting rods. While I busied myself tying on a duo-lock snap my friend took his first cast. On his second he suddenly swung his rod high. Fish on. Continue reading
The trout fishing season is over, but it is easy to see why this river is so good for trout year round. I’d recommend grabbing the fly rod (or spinning reel) and heading out for the barbless catch and release season that happens before stocking. It is, in my opinion, the best time of the year to hit the willow river. Continue reading
From Tamanawis, a Scottish Fly Fishing Blog. The season’s end photo essay.
“In autumn, who needs words?”
Lovely stuff!
A number of posts on lake link lately seem to indicate a number of lake trout in the Milwaukee River system, this is rare, but happens. Some speculate that they follow the salmon up when the rivers run cold to feed on all the fresh salmon spawn. I agree, but imagine that when fish are on the move, fish of all species get mixed in, particularly salmonids. Continue reading
To sum it up quickly, it was a day I won’t soon forget chasing king salmon with Mike. The day started early, we gathered all our research from this week, reports, flow data, hunches and river experience and decided we would focus on the tributaries with the smallest water sheds, as they will have dropped fastest from the rain. Continue reading
A photograph I shot after waking up in the morning after a night of good fishing under a full moon.
I can’t wait until next memorial day.
From the Northern Angler, a trustworthy tributary report from Northern Lower Michigan.
Betsie River : Salmon are in all stages of the river, fresher salmon can be found in the lower stretches, and there are some Steelhead starting to make their run. Egg flies are working best for both species. Continue reading
At this point in time, if you were one lucky angler, you could spend a day on the Milwaukee river and catch all of the following: Continue reading
Recent increases in algae in Lake Erie worry scientists (and locals…)
I flew over the lake yesterday afternoon and could tell there were subtle shifts in color, although it was a bit hazy, easier to see from space : as you can see below. Continue reading
A reminder to all who love to pursue trout on the thousands of beautiful miles of trout streams in Wisconsin. The trout season closed yesterday, September 30th. Early catch and release barbless season will re-open on the first Saturday in May. Early season trout fishing is, in my opinion, some of the best trout fishing you will experience in Wisconsin. The trout are eager, the bugs are non existent, and the spring sun on your back for the first time can certainly make you forget those winter blues. Continue reading
I found a great article in an old WDNR Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine from April 1997.
Have a read:
Most steelheaders use fly rods to pursue rainbows in medium or fast water. Load the fly reel with 100 yards of fly line backing (20-30 pound test dacron line) then 100-200 yards of six- to 10-pound monofilament line. Fly line is rarely used because you are typically casting only 10 to 20 feet of line upstream and drifting through runs and rapids. Rainbows prefer to lie in current breaks near fast water. Continue reading
Some great deals here at Albright Fly Fishing.
There are $250 reels on sale for $85, Rods for under $60. I might just own a new GP 7/8 weight before the weekend is over, I could use a better steelhead combination. Go have a look.
This week and next will sport rivers bulging with running King Salmon. The colors are beautiful on the Milwaukee River and the Salmon run is in full swing.
The Chicago Trout Bum can now (like the great lakes angler) be found on twitter : if I haven’t persuaded you to check his great blog out, let this be the post that does it.
David’s blog can be found : HEREFollow him on Twitter : HERE Continue reading
With the decision from the International Olympic Committee only hours away, I can’t help but wonder if by tomorrow afternoon, fishermen along the lake front of Chicago my see numbered days.
I’m hoping that Chicago does get the bid, as it will mean Chicago will likely clean up Northerly Island and may even make quality improvements along the lake shore as a whole. I would be surprised, however, if at least some fishing access is lost along the shoreline.
A Photograph from Point Betsie taken a couple of months ago, photographs like this on the computer help make the long winter a little bit shorter. Continue reading
Barry and Cathy Beck, photographers specializing in photographing the art of fly fishing certainly have a good job. There website can be found here along with hundreds of images of places that will make you want to be there. Continue reading
Rapala’s original floater minnow sits on top of the pile. Take a look at the top 10 in this article, found at the Berkshire Eagle.
I’ve taken a good number of salmon, trout, bass, walleye, northern pike… etc. on balsa rapala hard body lure, weather they be jointed, jerk baits, or the original floater.
Something to enjoy on a cold night when we’re all stuck indoors.
J-Plug trolling with a spinning rod, it doesn’t get much better.
Milwaukee River : high numbers of King Salmon are now in the river, they can be found in deeper holes and gravel beds all the way up to the falls at Kletzsch park. Classic salmon and Steelhead flies are taking the most fish. A few beautiful silver Steelhead are in the river as well. A stray Lake Trout was caught recently as well. Continue reading
The Milwaukee River and Root River remain high from saturating rains. We have had rain almost 2/3 days this month and there are no signs of the weather letting up. In fact severe thunder storms are expected this evening. Continue reading
An old room mate and long time friend of mine, Howie, photographed this trout. This was one of his first (but not last I’m sure) trout on his fly rod. Howie spent the summer in Colorado working for the forest service. I hope to meet with him soon to drift flies through long sweeps in the Milwaukee River, waiting for a Steelhead to explode from the water with one of Howie’s flies in it’s lip. Continue reading
A small camera attached to an albatross captured this photograph recently of a group of albatrosses following a killer whale in order to forage for food.
I’m heading up to the Milwaukee River tomorrow and have been tying flies for a friend and I to use for King Salmon and Steelhead. A Great Lakes favorite, the Egg Sucking Leech, or ESL is among the flies I tied today. Continue reading
Using Crank Baits, a friend and myself landed 2 Steelhead and 6 King Salmon this weekend. More information and reports to come soon.
Great Lakes Angler throwing his favorite lure with his favorite casting rod.
Kenosha Harbor : Kings are being caught nearly every night and morning on crank baits and glow spoons.
Pike River : the Pike River has a considerable amount of fish in it, but high pressure on the fish have made them tricky to successfully hook. Continue reading
Every 4 year old king salmon in Lake Michigan was nice enough to dress up as a zombie for Halloween.
They are biting the dust one by one, every day there are less than there were the day before. A legion of Coho, Brown Trout, and Steelhead rises from the rapids to take their place. I welcome their arrival. Continue reading
Compliments of friend of the blog David, who writes the Chicago Trout Bum.
Enjoy the photographs of some great Wisconsin Driftless Area trout.
Here’s a video of Salmon moving up some rapids on the Milwaukee river, the Great Lakes Angler’s home turf.
The Milwaukee River, Oak Creek, Pike River, and Root River are all sporting high flows as of this moment, and if you are banking on visibility and low flows don’t be surprised when you find an extra few feet of water in your favorite hole. Continue reading
Here is a graphic I recently found which shows what parts of your fillet need to be removed for safest consumption.
When keeping trout, salmon, or any other game fish from the great lakes it is important that you check the state’s consumption advisories for each fish. A 30″ brown trout and a 24″ rainbow trout may have radically different consumption frequency advisories. Continue reading
