It’s too Early for Snow!

It’s always bad when the weatherman calls for a west wind in October but instead you get blown from the north.  Well, that’s what happened starting late yesterday afternoon and it followed through into the evening.  I slept in the Ruby Van last night at Howie’s in Iron River and woke up to 3” of … Read more

One Last Dry Fly Fest to End the Trip

A special thanks goes out to Jason and Jo Randall for looking after us so wonderfully this week on the trout waters of Wisconsin.  Its was an absolute blast that ended with a morning session on the small stream that literally meanders through their property.  Of course, not until after some delicious hot coffee and … Read more

Wisco Streams Delight

The girls weren’t trout fishing with Jason Randall and I this morning.  It was raining hard and the house was too cozy.  We still had our warmth – not 70°s again, but it was 60°.  For Jay and I this weather had us expecting great hatches to start the day.   But good hatches were … Read more

Break Out the 4-Weights!

For most avid trout anglers, Wisconsin isn’t on the radar.  And rightfully so. Unless you tackle Lake Michigan or Lake Superior feeder streams, the trout are small.  Very small in fact.  Most of the fish I catch in inland trout waters are 7-13”.   But these days when it comes to trout fishing I’m looking … Read more

Brisk Days and Muskies on the Fly

Northern Wisconsin fishing mornings are getting a bit crisp but with the new scenery and fish enthusiasm you hardly feel it.  I’m not wading in shorts any more as of today, but still, once the sun is high you can fish without a jacket.  And while the leaves are still bright they aren’t quite like … Read more

Superb Pike Fishing in a Muskie Tournament

Hours for the final day of the 44th Annual Hayward Chapter Muskies Inc Tournament were short compared to Friday and Saturday.  Today we started and hour earlier, 7 AM, but had to be finished by noon in order to be on time to attend the awards ceremony and lunch.  Of course, the Hayward Chapter had … Read more

A Muskie too Short

Tom Smedley and I arrived at the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) boat ramp around 7:20 AM in order to be casting in the 44th Annual Hayward Muskie Tournament by the 8 o’clock starting time.  But we wouldn’t have made it.  There were numerous boats already in line to launch.  Enough we’d have been waiting 45 … Read more

The Annual Fall Hayward Muskie Tournament

I’ve been on a roll in 2022 as far as competing in fly fishing tournaments.  The World Championships in Italy could not have been better and 2nd Place at the Jackson Hole One Fly was certainly acceptable.  So why not challenge myself to enter another?   There isn’t a reason.  Especially when the competitions I’ve … Read more

First Frost First Musky of the Year

I felt it in my bones.  There was a serious chill in the air.  I loaded the car for fishing in my bare feet like I have every fishing morning since May.  But there was frost on the ground.  Out came the first socks in months and my duck boots.  Then I started the car … Read more

Fall has Arrived

I left the house late this morning compared to most this year’s Wisconsin fishing days.  It was 6:55 AM when I hopped in the car.  But fall is here.  Its not light till 7.  A cool rain fell as I waited in the Kwik Trip parking lot.   Today I floated with Josh Hulbert and … Read more

We’ll Gladly Settle for Pike

The forecast has been a little off these three days fishing Lake Superior.  Being surprised is kind of fun most of the time.  But today called for a few light showers and instead it was a deluge of rain affiliated with some serious thunder and lightning.   We left the Washburn boat launch under light … Read more

Another Milestone Smallie

Mike Neuman, Howie and I fished our butts of yesterday along the south shore of Lake Superior and ended the day with a skunk.  Today we had to avoid that.  We stuck with Lake Superior, but went to a place all three of us know well, Chequamegon Bay.  It was a cool damp morning.  We … Read more