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Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - Magazine - Index

3Most anglers don’t associate Indiana with good trout
fishing, let alone good winter trout fishing. But thanks
to the hard work and foresight of the Central Indiana
Trout Unlimited chapter, the tailwater of the Brookville
Reservoir has been developed into a prime fishery for both
rainbow and brown trout. The tailwater is more formally
known as the East Fork Whitewater River, should you
be looking for it on a map, and lies just over an hour
southeast of Indianapolis.
Because of its relatively consistent flows, the river
fishes well throughout the year. This past summer, anglers
were commonly hooking 18- to 20-inch fish, which is
testament to the diligent stream-management practices
here. And good news for winter anglers: The former
closed season for Indiana’s inland trout streams has been
changed to a “catch-and-release only” season from January
1 through April 14.
For more information on the Brookville tailwater, or to
book a good guide for the river, log on to www.flymasters.
com. The friendly folks at FlyMasters of Indianapolis
know this burgeoning fishery well, and can be contacted
at 317-570-9811. —by Crispin Battles
4The fishing for sea-run brown trout on Cape Cod is
tougher than it was in the 1980s, but still productive, although
none of the “faithful” even consider the number of
hours spent per fish. The fish are wary, but “The Creek” is
still stocked with browns and provides a source for migration
through the coastal saltwater to other rivers.
It is best to pick a lowlight day with the tide dropping,
and I limit my trips to days of 40 degrees or better. These
fish are often in mixed company with holdover striped
bass. In winter, after the bulk of the big schooling predators
have left, the trout assume the more active role at
the top of the food chain. If some structure is available,
the fish will use it, even in deep water. Fly patterns that
produce are those designed to imitate sandeels, silversides
or mummychogs. Shrimp patterns and small crab imitations
are also good choices. For more information contact
The Natick Outdoor Store at (508) 653-9400, or log on
to www.natickoutdoor.com —by Bob Rifchin
5It’s steelhead time on Michigan’s famed Muskegon
River, and the place to stay is Gray Drake Lodge, right
on the river. Owned and operated by Matt Supinski and
his wife, Lori, Gray Drake Lodge affords comfortable,
B&B-style accommodations along with Lori’s gourmetquality
meals.
If I could fish only one steelhead river the rest of my
life, it would be the Muskegon. Fishing with Matt one
morning several years ago, he and I landed and released
nearly 30 steelhead before lunch, and hooked and lost
at least that many more. Matt knows this river like the
back of his hand, and designs and ties the flies you’ll fish.
If your “chuck ‘n duck” skills are weak (or non existant),
don’t sweat it—Matt will have you up to snuff in an
hour or less. For more information, contact Gray Drake
Lodge at (231) 652-2868; E-mail: MSupin2583@aol.
com; Web: www.graydrake.com —by Bill Battles
74
INDIANA • E. Fork Whitewater River
MASSACHUSETTS • Scorton Creek
MICHIGAN • Muskegon River
6Whoever named Minnesota’s Whitewater River must
have been dreaming. Rather than the torrential cataracts,
swirling plunge pools, and deadly falls the name implies,
the Whitewater is just a trio of lovely streams that tumble
down from the prairie into a cottonwood valley flanked
by hills with picturesque limestone cliffs.
Thanks to the efforts of the State of Minnesota, the
Izaak Walton League, and conservation-minded anglers
from the Hiawatha and Win Cres Chapters of TU,
the Whitewater now offers over 50 miles of first-class,
small-river fishing flowing through a 27,000-acre wildlife
management area. Most recently, the hard-working
TUers built a series of cribs and plunge pools in the
Middle Branch that makes life for the Whitewater’s
browns, rainbows and brook trout much more pleasant.
For more information on this year-round fishery, or to
book a guided trip on the Whitewater, just log on to
www.bentleysoutfitters.com, or contact the folks at
Bentley’s Outfitters at (952) 828-9554. —by Bill Battles
MINNESOTA • Whitewater River
7Anytime is a good time to fish Montana’s Paradise
Valley spring creeks, but I’m particularly fond of winter.
Anglers are few and far between, and the fish are more
laid back as a result of reduced fishing pressure.
Of the three Paradise Valley spring creeks—Nelson’s,
Armstrong’s and DePuy’s—my favorite is the latter.
DePuy’s is one of the world’s finest small stream fisheries,
but it’s not really a separate creek—it’s the lower
portion of Armstrong’s after it leaves the O’Hair Ranch.
Midge hatches are frequent, especially on sunny days,
but fishing sculpins and nymphs produce better numbers
in winter.
Winter rates ($40 per rod) are now in effect on
DePuy’s, saving you $60 compared to summer rates—almost
enough for a lift ticket at Big Sky! For more information,
contact Yellowstone Angler, located just up the
road in Livingston (Web: www.yellowstoneangler.com;
Tel.: 406-222-7130). —by Crispin Battles
MONTANA • DePuy’s Spring Creek
8Captain Troy Creasy is a master guide on upstate
New York’s Salmon River. This incredible, restored
fishery is perhaps history’s finest example of fish management.
Giant salmonids return to spawn each fall and
winter in prodigious numbers. Pacific king and coho
salmon are available early in the season, as are native
Atlantic salmon, lake trout, rainbows, and brown trout.
Steelhead start arriving in November and are present
until spring. The size of these fish—most of which top
20 pounds—and the sheer numbers are a challenge to
the fly fisherman. Some of my largest trout and salmon
have been taken here.
A float trip with Captain Creasy, costing just $340/
day for two anglers, nearly insures success, and allows
access to remote sections of the river. Multiple hookups
are the norm, and this is one of the best values
and most exciting trips anywhere in the Great Lakes
fishery. For more information on fishing the Salmon,
contact Captain Troy Creasy at (315) 298-2410; E-mail:
troy@lakeontariooutdoors.com —by Tom Boyd
NEW YORK • Salmon River
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