Angling Publications - Index

Angling Publications - may2008 - Index

Regional Editors
Bob Rifchin — Northeast
rmrifchin@comcast.net
King Montgomery — Mid-Atlantic
ffawriter@aol.com
Carl Warmouth — Southeast
cawarmo@callawaygardens.com
Robert Tomes — Upper Mid -America
rstomes@msn.com
Greg Berlocher — Lower Mid-America
bigredfish@aol.com
Paul B. Downing — Rocky Mountain
pbdfishreports@aol.com
Terry Sheely — Pacific
tsheely@reachone.com
sight-fishing situation where you can lead the fish
and watch them eat. The St. Joseph, White River,
and Sugar Creek are just a few of the Indiana rivers
worth checking out this spring and summer. Many
lakes and farm ponds throughout the Hoosier
State also offer great shallow water fly fishing for
bass, panfish and carp. The best fly choices include
bunny-strip streamers, leeches, Deceivers, Clousers,
and Dahlberg Divers. When the carp are present,
try smaller nymphs and buggers fished slowly in
front of their noses. For all your fly fishing needs,
stop by and see Chad Miller at Wildcat Creek
Outfitters in Zionsville (317-733-3014; www.
wildcatcreekoutfitters.com).
IOWA
With plenty of snow melt and rainfall this spring,
Iowa’s trout streams will provide good fishing all
season. Some of the best can be found on streams
like Bloody Run, Spring Branch Creek and French
Creek. Small P.T. nymphs, scuds, and midge patterns
fished on a light tippet are a good choice when
nothing is rising. Streamers and leech patterns are
good options for fish holding deep or against undercut
banks. When the hatch is on you can expect
BWOs, sulphurs, and green-bodied caddis. Stop by
or call 2 nd Ave Bait House & Fly Shop in Des
Moines (515-282-4217; www.iowaflyfishing.com)
for current fishing reports.
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KANSAS
If you haven’t added carp to your species list,
the gang at Backwoods (316-267-0359) in
Wichita suggests checking out Marion and
Cheney Reservoirs. Look for catfish feeders
stationed in the backs of coves. Large packs of
carp, sometimes 100 strong, cruise the immediate
area and are suckers (pun intended) for floating
woolly worms. Tan seems to be the carp’s favorite
color. Most fish average 5 to 7 pounds, but a few
brutes exceeding 20 pounds have been caught, so
an 8-weight rod isn’t too much stick. When the
feeders go off, the fish become active, allowing
you to sight cast to specific fish.
KENTUCKY
May on the Cumberland can be a phenominal dryfly
experience with blizzard black caddis in mostly
size 16, but also keep a store of size-18 and -14 dry
flies like elk hair caddis, LaFontaine sparkle pupae,
Goddard caddis and tent-winged caddis on hand.
For sub-surface caddis imitations, try beadhead
hare’s ears, princes and La Fontaine deep sparkle
pupae in sizes 12 to 18. There will be a plethora
of stonefly species ranging from size-14 golden
stones up to size-4 Pterarcys californicus, better
known as giant salmonflies. Dredging with nymph
imitations like yuk bugs, Kauffman’s stoneflies and
black woolly buggers will score on the big browns.
Water flows can be excessive during spring floods,
but to the contrary low flows could be the rule
during dry weather in the region.
LOUISIANA
“The wind is finally letting up and marsh water
is on the verge of clearing up,” reports Uptown
Angler (504-529-3597) in New Orleans. Many
mornings are calm with the wind picking up in the
afternoon. Clear water is at a premium, and you will
need to invest in some running time to find it. Look
for sea grass beds; the grass acts like a giant filter and
helps clear the water. Since the water is still a bit
turbid, it is best to cast flies that either push a lot
of water or have some flash. Spun deer hair poppers
and spoon flies are both productive.
MAINE
Spring comes a little later in Maine, and as the ice
goes out, smelt are spawning in small streams, which
attract salmon and trout to the area. This is true
through the entire spawning cycle, and in bright
daylight these larger predators are usually deep,
feeding on the bottom where streamers attract their
attention fished deep. In the early morning and late
afternoon, however, the fish may move nearer the
surface, and floating patterns drifted with only an
occasional twitch can be deadly. The strikes vary
from sips to explosions, so you never know what to
expect. And these techniques works well even when
the smelt are long gone. For more information, contact
the Pine Tree Store in Grand Lake Stream
(207-796-5027; pinetreestore@earthlink.net).
MARYLAND
The upper Potomac River, where it forms Maryland’s
borders with West Virginia and Virginia, is fishing
well for smallmouth and various sunfish. The best
way to cover these stretches is in a comfortable raft
floating downstream over productive water with
Mark Kovach Fishing Services in Silver Spring
(301-588-8742; www.mkfs.com). Mark, who has
guided the Potomac for over 25 years, and his guides
are tops in finding numbers and good size fish. In far
Western Maryland, Harold Harsh at Spring Creek
Outfitters in Garrett County (301-387-6587;
www.springcreekoutfitter.com), can put you onto
fish on any of four classic trout and smallmouth
bass rivers. The Casselman, Youghiogheny, Savage,
and North Fork of the Potomac River are classic
freestoners with national reputations.
MASSACHUSETTS
This time of year everything is in full swing. The
stripers and worm hatches are imminent, the ponds
are producing, and the rivers are lots of fun every
evening. I like to start the month at old haunts on
the Squannacook where black quill hatches and
spinner falls give a full day’s fun, and by month’s
end I’m casting to stripers on mud flats on Cape
Cod where the day’s heat at low tide gives rise to
worms in evening. In Boston, stripers are following
herring into the Charles River, where a little time
in a kayak between the Royal Sonesta Hotel in
Cambridge and Watertown Square, especially in
low light, will produce lots of fish. Contact Blue
Northern Trading Company (978-772-6779;
www.bluenorthern.com) for current reports.
MICHIGAN
After one of the longest winters in recent memory
the snow has finally melted and things are starting
to look up for Michigan’s fly fishers. As of
this writing, word is the Hendrickson’s are finally
hatching on the famed AuSable River. Given this
good news, as temperatures warm into June and
July, experienced anglers know the sulphurs, gray
drakes, brown drakes, and Hexagenia can’t be
far behind. Although each river seems to peak
at different times, Orvis Great Lakes Manager
and guide, Phil Cusey, suggests checking out the
Muskegon, Pere Marquette, and Manistee Rivers
for some of the best dry-fly fishing of the season.
As for flies that match the hatch, the shop also
offers numerous custom patterns by local tiers
including Dennis Potter, Paul Younggren, and
George Mossel. Stop by or call Orvis Great
Lakes in Grand Rapids at (616) 975-3800.
MINNESOTA
As of this writing, Bentley’s Outfitters in Bloomington
is going out of business. All too common in this
day and age, this news should serve as a reminder
to support your local fly shop whenever possible.
Thank you Gordon and Andy for your many years
of service to the Midwest fly-fishing community. As
for fishing, late spring offers some of the best trout