Hunting Forum

Oh

By the way... Nice fish

CA, my Grandfather was an avid fly fisherman. Do you ever hit the streams for Trout?

CA, though the longer rods are easier to learn to cast with, you'll find that the shorter rod will work better on the smaller streams/creeks too.

The next time you guys are coming North on I-35 you'll cross the Big, and Little Otter Creek just South of the Black Bear Casino. My Grandfather used to fish the Otter a little East of there after the two merge. You also may be familiar with the Otter from your Jay Cooke hunts. Grandpa used to fish the Otter between Carlton, and I-35.

It's only a couple of miles as the crow fly's, but it covers much more footage as the creek meanders. Grandpa had it broken down to three sections. It's a bit of a run for you, but if your interested let me know and I'll do some leg work for you to see if I can remember Grandpa's runs. I've not been on them since the mid to late 70's.

At this point in life I wish I had learned the art of fly fishing from Grandpa. It's just not the way life worked out

Grandpa tied his own fly's, and tapered leaders. In the mid 70's he taught me how to tie the leaders. I tied many of them for him.

He used to run three types of fly's. A dry, which floated, a wet fly that hovered about six inches below the surface, and I can't remember the name of the third, but it was designed to imitate a larvae, and bounced along the bottom of the creek. Each one was meant to imitate the various stages of the bugs development. And each type of fly used a different type of tapered leader.

He was also a master at understanding the weather/seasonal conditions, and knowing which type of fly to use under varying conditions.

I didn't realize it in my youth, but thinking back about it I realize that my Grandfather truly was an artist when it came to catching trout with a fly rod.

I've driven past/over those streams many times, never knew they were there.  I will have to keep an eye out for them next time.  So I take it there is trout in them?  I really don't know much about the art of fly fishing either, but am learning as I go.  You just taught me that there are different leaders for various types of flies.    I knew they imitiated the stages in a bug's life.  In fact that's how I caught the fish in the picture, by "matching the hatch" to what the sunnies and crappies were hitting on naturally.  Although I have to admit the first crappie was more accident although I had a good idea they were where I was casting, but I just didn't see them hitting anything on the surface.  The sunnies were coming up and hitting mayflies that were sitting on the surface.  So I found a fly in my garage sale assortment that looked like a mayfly, and caught some fish.  If I do get more serious about trout, I do have a couple of friends at church that would be more than willing to get me out.  Sounds like fishing your grandpa's runs would be kind of fun, too.  I will keep that in mind.

I thought about our tree lined creeks too, when I was contemplating that short rod.  Seemed like a lot less hassle for here.  I can see where out West a longer rod would work well.

CA, it's amazing to think of what we miss when we're driving, you'll be surprised when you notice that there's a green sign at both creeks.

It's also amazing to think about what we miss as children. You're reminding me of just how blessed I was too have had my Grandfather in my youth. Thanks, and please keep us up to date on your fly fishing progress

Suprised and embarrased.    Never have noticed those signs.  Now I'll likely never miss them. 

CA, we make several trips to Moose Lake every year, and I rarely notice them myself, there's a lot to pay attention too at 70mph.

I'm thinking that unless you were the passenger, it may actually be better that you didn't notice them. That would indicate that your dealing with the task at hand.

Heading up to Voyageurs N.P. in the morning. I will report on the trip next week.