Dudes...it's cold out.

Driving home last night from the river was pretty interesting experience, but being on the river might have been even more so.  I met up with another local guide, and we headed out to check out the rivers and see what kind of leeway we'd have for trips and/or fishing this weekend. 

Upon arriving at the stream the first thing that stood out was the amount of shelf ice that had formed over the past couple days.  So we got to work removing it from anywhere we thought we might be able to find a fish or two.  Breaking up the ice wasn't too bad, but moving it was.  It was impossible to tell by just looking at it, but each section that was iced over was also pretty much clogged with slush from the bottom of the ice to the riverbed.  Ice removal just became a much more arduous task.

After a couple hours of work in a few choice spots we were able to fish, and the fishing wasn't half bad when you factored in the conditions that were there.

You're going to be cold, you're going to have to work really hard, and you might go home empty handed no matter what you do.  I'm sure you've heard us or someone else say it before - fishing this time of year comes down to "how bad do you want it."  

Well, I want it. Time to put my waders on.  See you out there...

Dudes In The News

Boy, it's nasty out there. Only the true diehards are out and about today (you can expect a report from Brett tomorrow!). Slush and ice are slowly but surely stealing our rivers from us. I knew this day would come, so here's a link to a piece I wrote in better times that was posted on the new Orvis News blog yesterday. While you're over there poke around on the other O-news blogs, if you haven't already. Lots of great writing and pictures related to all things sporting.

Enjoy and fish while you still can!

There's always tomorrow...

If you're any type of fisherman that travels anywhere to fish you've heard it before.  You should have been hear yesterday.  It's too hot, or maybe too cold.  The rivers are too high or too low.  The fish were on fire yesterday, today they're just not hungry.

If you've been out over the past few days in our area, you've seen quite the change in conditions from last week to this one.  With the way the slush was today on the stream it doesn't quite make sense to tell you that "you shoulda been here yesterday."  With that said, I'll give you a better way to think through this cold weather - there's always tomorrow, next week, or April.

This past weekend was one I won't forget, though.  Snow was flying, but old man winter hadn't been able to slush the streams and end out fishing quite yet.  On Friday a couple guys from the Orvis mothership had made their way down from Vermont for their second annual trip down for steelhead.  Although I'm not sure two years is enough documentation to establish a pattern it sure seems that whenever they show up, the cold weather does too.

Regardless, the chance to catch some steelhead in of the roughest fishing conditions in the northeast are a tempting combination for the product development team - but lets be honest...they just want to catch some big fish just like the rest of us.

Christine with her first ever on day 1.

Winter hen. 

Doug with one of his.

Day two out there was interesting.  All morning we were getting hit hard with lake effect snow that just wouldn't go away.  However, we had a hunch that some winter water near a good access point would be loaded with fish.  As we walked down there we passed a couple of groups of guys - they hooked one, fouled one, and one group hadn't done anything.

As we walked down in to the first good hole on this stretch we weren't really sure what we'd find.  Sure enough, the wayyyy inside drift was the money one (and probably the one these other guys hadn't tried) and we started to pick up a bunch of fish.  

One of the things that I love about winter is you have to be very precise if you want to hook up with anything - if you drift is a couple inches off, you might as well go home.  Luckily for the group on this day we were pretty much spot on.  After a couple hours we'd had plenty of fish to the net, a couple doubles, and even a triple header.  Here are some of the better shots from the day...

I call this one "hen in winter."

 Jimmi Jackhammer and Tim with one of the doubles.  That'll keep them warm.

Fast Jimi with a pretty girl. 

The catch of the day.

Christine with another day-maker.

We were slaying the skippers.

Every once in a while we'd catch something bigger.

Brrrrrrr.

Chasing one down with the net.  In all seriousness some of the fish pulled pretty hard despite the freezing temperatures and equally cold water.  A couple even went airborne - a couple others tried to, but didn't quite make it.

As we were walking out the water had cleared enough so that you could start to make out structure on the bottom.  You probably can't see it in this picture, but there's a nice little shelf at the base of that waterfall.

So I made a couple drifts.  And thankfully John Miller, insect lover and photographer extraordinaire, was there to capture what happened next.  

A great weekend of fishing always leaves me with one hope - that a great week will follow it up.  Of course that wasn't meant to be this time - it's been snowing like a mother ever since.

Snow is still falling, rivers are slushing, but the fish are there.  And there's always tomorrow.  The high is supposed to be 24 degrees...I guess I'll wear an extra layer.

Dudewater Goes Mobile

Well, my hard drive may be dead, but don't think that's going to keep me from staying on top of the blog scene; Got one of them fancy computer-phones last week. World, lookout - Fast Jimi is making the jump to lightspeed

Figured bagging my first pair of ducks was a perfect opportunity for a mobile blog. Froze our asses of but I've got 4 duck breasts in the fridge that I can't wait to cook up.

Friday Fish Porn: Lake Effect Edition

It seems like every year around this time we finally get a dose of winter.  This year, as many of us have felt over the past couple days, is proving to be no exception.  Even though the dreary pattern of lake effect snow is starting to kick in,  we anglers have reason to hope, smile, and be merry.

The first week of December usually marks the start of consistent snowfall along the southern shore of Lake Erie.  However, this week isn't all bad if you're an steelheader - it also brings with it some of the biggest fish of the year, and less guys are out there trying to catch them.  

With that said, I'll be out every day I can looking for something like these guys...

Sometimes it's actually warm enough that you don't need a jacket.

And other times it's not.

When it starts to snow...

My mind automatically brings me back to the summer.  I see blue skies, open fields, and the beautiful expanses of _______.  It's hot and dry - but the water is always cool.

There are big trout there.  Some are smart, and others, like this one, aren't.

Sometimes I walk, other times I row.  But you can be damn sure that I won't be wearing waders anywhere, and layering up is the last thing on my mind.

I think of special rivers - where special fish live.  

Hoppers are everywhere - the fish know it, and take advantage of every opportunity to eat one.  Even when it's made of foam.

And then I look at the calendar.  It's December, and I kick myself for dreaming of June, July, August, and September in a place that's a few thousand miles away while some of the best fishing of the year is about to happen close to home.  

Lots of people are busy thinking that it's too cold, too snowy, and they cringe at the thought of layering up.  December brings out a different kind of fisherman - it's not just the guys who like it that are trying their luck now.   It's the ones that love it and really want to be there.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you guys that December fishing is always great - the water is cold, and the weather is usually colder.  Sometimes the fishing is great, but other times it's not.  But there's something about fishing in a blizzard, or after a fresh snow that gets me really excited, and there's no better feeling walking down the path to the river, and realizing that your set of footprints is the only one that's been down that way on this particular day.

But in December on the southern shore of Lake Erie there's no better place to be than on the banks of one of our streams, fishing that high, green water.  And the only other people around are the ones that came with you.

Good luck staying warm.

Dudewaters Fail-Proof Plan for a Successful Day Off

When things don't go as planned, it pays to have options.

Plan A:
Plan B:

Plan C:

The hunting was lousy and the rivers blew out, so we fell back to the vises. If I'm not mistaken in two hours of tying we came up with 11 different ways to tie a white wooley bugger. I queued up some Black Keys on the ipod and, as he often does, John came up with the quote of the day...

"I just like to listen to music that makes me want to drink whiskey."

Amen brother.