The smallmouths are safe

Our trip to MN and Wisconsin for smallmouth bass fly-fishing did not yield much success. We caught and released a few on the Upper Mississippi, but I got skunked the first day. On the second day, I caught a few, then decided to give spin fishing a try for an hour, and caught half a dozen up to 17 inches. The guides and service they provided was first rate.

Then we fished out of Hayward Wisconsin for two days. Again, the fishing was slow, but we floated two beautiful wild rivers, the Chippewa and the Namekagon (sp?). Had a few muskies follow our flies, but no strikes. Saw a six-foot sturgeon in the water. The guide service was great.

Mille Laks Lake they can keep. Hired a guide who caught all the fish--never had a guide fish with paying customers before. Of course a guide should be able to out fish the clients, on his home waters anyway. He doesn't have to prove it. Real lousy service. We tipped accordingly. The three of us did not catch or even get a bite from a smallmouth. Instead of going out on the lake again, we're watching the Oregon-OSU game tomorrow.

All in all, it's been a good trip. Good fellowship, and beautiful scenery in Wisconsin. We head home on Sunday.

Jim

Nice trip. Maybe the guide catching all the fish had read your post here or elsewhere and figured with your political lean you would like him to do all the work for you? Did he offer to let you pose with the fish?

Have fished with many guides, never had one that fished with the clients. I have even offered guides my rod for a few minutes while I was taking a break and they refused.

Good to hear you had a good time, come back anytime and try again. We Wisconsin folks are generally pretty friendly and accommodating to strangers.

Sounds like a great time James.. I never get to see sturgeon bet that looked awesome. Time out on the water with your buds is always priceless

I'm glad you had a good trip despite not hammering the fish. I pulled this lil feller out of the Mississippi just up from Monticello while trying to get a catfish for dinner.

I just got a new fly rod, if I can figure out the smallies on it I'll give you the inside scoop should you ever decide to come back

I was on the Mississippi just above the dam at St. Cloud last Saturday. Only caught 3 smallies. Best was 18-1/2". I was looking for you James, but didn't see anyone who I would have guessed to be in your age group.

Lol Lol Probably bought all the fishing gear from Midway, they jumped right into the fishing gear market...

Your experience with the guide is unfortunate James, it's not the fault of the lake you got a poor guide. Mile Lacs is a premiere smallie factory and you should go out again tomorrow. Don't ever quit. Watch football or fish?

Well, the smallmouths don't seem to be biting, so we'll watch football.

The lake was very rough with all the wind. The guide said, for what it's worth, that the smallmouths are still deep because of the hot summer.

The only other time I had a guide fishing with me was when he took me fishing for free.

Jim

Where you trying to fly fish on Mile Lacs as well? Hustle, find a new guide and dig out the spinning gear. Tomorrow is a new day.

Looks like winds of 7to12 tomorrow according to Accuweather. Rowboat weather

the heat did a number on the fishing this summer kind of all over Wisconsin

first the river was near record low water then it flooded

there was so much debris in the channel last Saturday in pool 10 we called it when it got dark , there were 3 logs across the channel floating down at sundown with more coming

We were using spinning gear. Only Ed tried fly fishing the lake, when we were in six feet of water, and he soon gave it up because of the wind.

Jim

When, knowing nothing, I first decided to begin Musky fishing, about 50 years ago, I hired a well known Wisconsin guide by the name of Tony Rizzo. He asked me if I wanted him to fish. I said yes because I figured that I could learn more from watching him than I could with him just watching me. I hired him to expand my knowledge and if I didn't learn how to catch fish it would be because I was not observant enough or too proud to ask questions. I had the same mind set when hiring other fishing or hunting guides. I learned an awful lot that and subsequent days and Tony became a great long time friend. He died recently and I truly miss fishing with him.

We wound up dunking minnows, which I learned to do in Ontario years ago. Not much science or art to it.

At least when I'm fly fishing, if the fish aren't biting I can practice on throwing tighter loops.

Jim

They were hitting good where we were Jim.

Hopefully an Oregon win tomorrow will complete the misery for you! LOL

Maybe next time you should try NY’s St Lawrence River, arguably the best smallmouth fishery in the world.