Saturday, after driving for 3 hours in the snow/rain/sleet conditions I was ready for the heart pounding excitement of the raging bull, head shaking, lightning bolt charge of a hooked steelhead………………………… I got skunked!  At times like this, after 5 hours immersed in 40 something degree water surrounded by the swirling snows and gusting winds coming off Lake Superior its not hard to ask yourself questions like this. What the F— were you thinking? Or… Will my toes, legs, lower unit and fingers ever regain full function again?  But miraculously my brain does take over and relay the information that I am having a hell of alot of fun. In the end there were astounding highlights. Shortly after leaving my friend Dan at one of the Brules gigantic primary holes his day and mine would be made.  While making the sloppy and slippery trek back to the truck at the end of the day Dan informed me he had a fish story for me. Turned out he had hooked and landed the fish of a lifetime. A Brown trout tape measured at 33.5 inches took his Prince nymph and didn’t let go. When I asked to see the picture, I knew what the answer would be. Earlier in the day, the three of us who were on this outing had discussed the fact that all three had either dead batteries or had forgotten their cameras at the hotel. It was predicted at this time that something big would happen and there would be no documentation. There were two other anglers in the hole that assisted Dan in landing and taping the fish. These men were both veterans of the river with decades more experience than us and confirmed the catch and measurement with the gleeful smiles of having witnessed a true trophy. The fish became legend in the KroBar Tavern on Saturday night and a celebration with Tequila was only fitting.      

Sunday, we arrived late on the river after breaking the fun meter at the tavern the night before. The arrival time was before noon and after a good breakfast. Our waitress at the restaurant was incredibly bubbly and highly energetic which was hard to endure on top of the throbbing hangover from Saturday’s celebration. Her good natured demeanor was none the less appreciated and a good tip followed her good service. In 4 hours on the river I managed to redeem myself and once again was lucky enough to feel the frenzied fight of the fresh steelhead. They were there, even though they often leave you doubting their presence. They are always there during this time period. One must just believe. I hooked 3 and landed 1 and was off the water before the football border battle had finished. Once again I met friends on the river and off. I also made a few new friends which my parents taught me would be a better and more important skill to master than making new enemies. The pictures are from Robert Shidla and the one I took before my battery went dead. Thanks Robert.

Oh, by the way one of the anglers who saw Dan catch the big Brown, caught him again the next morning. They say it can happen(theory #177)!

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

Check out the new “Ask Andy” Page

JUST THE FACTS

The flow rates for this time period were actually lower than the previous outing since no discernible rain had fallen. The water was low and clear which was not a good sign according to theory 106. 

Time of Day

Fish were hooked and landed in a similar time period as the week before. The water temps were slightly colder than last week dropping from 51 degrees to 47 on average. The fish activity came when the air, and probably the water temps rose slightly. When the sun hit the water and there was insect activity was when the bite came. It was good to know this because your fishing focus was heightened knowing this may be your only shot for the day. First light, first bite folks we talked to had very little luck and we were glad since we did not pull our sorry asses out of bed that early.

Fly Selection

We all run the standard 2 fly rigs using a strike indicator as a buoyant object to enable us to float the flies just over the bottom or over the top of rocks and snag monsters which are prevalent in the Brule and will eat flies like popcorn at a movie theater. There was no magic fly that worked for all of us! There was no data collected on hookups on lead fly vs. trail fly. There was no size of fly that worked better than others. All of us fish variations of Stone-flies from size 6 to 14. Prince Nymphs, PM Stones, X-leggs, Golden Stones, and wet flies of earth tone colors. Some use eggs with great success. We all, at times fish crazy colored stuff just to see if it works. I think the most important factor is knowing the water intimately and presenting the fly at the right depth at the right time.My statistician has sent me these numbers and charts for the time period.    

Landed/Hooked by Day and Person     

    Hooked by Location and Day   

Total of 26 Steelhead hooked and 13 landed

Steelhead smaller than 20″ are not counted in this data  

Additionally 1 Brown (>20”) hooked and landed  

To Those That Fish The Brule For Steelhead

I consider this some of the most difficult, challenging and most rewarding fishing on the planet. All of us experience fish-less days. Although this is tough on an angler mentally, all it takes is one hook-up to feel the power of the fish to make you understand the reward of perseverance. Continue to make the effort, the reward will come.

One More Note 

Bob caught a Muskie every day he fished! We consider him our Male Muskie Model. I know this picture was not the biggest one he caught last week but it was the best because I got to share it with him. From dead silence,,,,,,,,,, there was a grunt,,,,,,,,,a rocking of the boat,,,,,,,,,,and then the thrashing splashes. When I turned around all there was was smile from ear to ear on his face. That was worth it all.

 The cabin, crafted of both full scribe log and post and beam is a work of art. The sauna is located off to the side and serves as a end of day relaxation destination for tired bodies, bones and beverages. The biffy is attached and has a unique electric peat moss burning toilet that renders waste to ash. The fact that there is no running water in the complex makes the experience that much better. We know we will have to find this essential item in order to survive the weekend and we have become experts in finding clean, fresh water (the grocery store in town has large jugs of spring water).  The top floor is living accommodations and the lower level is the kitchen. We are fortunate to meet there each year.      

 The cast of characters is as follows:

Bob is the owner and keeper of the cabin. He is the true muskie hunter in the group with a love for exploration. Bob loves the drives along the fire roads to new locations almost as much as the hooking, landing and outsmarting of his pal the muskie. He is an avid trout and smallmouth fly angler and has little time or need for the steelhead. His nimble wit often takes the group by surprise and can lead to the uncontrolled laughter we so much enjoy. Bob is an educator of our children and a talented craftsman. 

Jim is the main organizer of this outing. He provides all of his friends with healthy food to eat for the weekend and will not accept payment. He does the cooking, makes the lunches and is the keeper of time. Without these tasks being done the group would have no clear direction and shuffling would prevalent. Jim is a relentless fly angler and along with Bob and myself went to college at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls and began fly fishing on the Kinni. Jim mainly fishes trout, smallmouth, and steelhead on the fly and will occasionally fish for muskie if steelheading sucks. His focus is is unmatched on the water which is essential to being a successful steelheader, he will not relent until he has accomplished his goal. He is wise in the setting of his goals and almost always achieves them. Jim is one of three(3) engineers/statisticians in the group and highly regarded in his field.  Jim has kept logs and stats of almost all of his fly fishing experiences. He is the true keeper of all of our stories, without this information many of the memories would be lost.

Doug is one of the most talented fly anglers I know. In a short time he has taught himself to become a fish catching machine. He is a deep thinker, a quick learner, and an accurate problem solver. The dry fly is his passion and he will fish for anything at anytime. Doug has explored more water in this country than most could cover in a lifetime. He is humble and refuses to provoke anyone in the group. When it comes to fishing decisions Doug can often be heard saying “I don’t care, I’ll do what you all do”. Doug owns his own business and is from what I understand responsible for mentoring Jim and Dan in the ways of statistical Quality control.

Dan is Jim’s older Brother and the newest to fly fishing in the group. He is also an engineer and a manager. Dan has learned quickly with the fly rod. He learns by listening, watching and asking questions and then doing which are all the keys to quick success in this sport. Dan complains about nothing and interjects in discussions with scalpel like precision causing all of us to think about what we just said.

 I am the prankster in the group. I’m the guy with the bad hair and the funny hats that make them laugh. I am the provoker of thought, barraging my friends with questions and ideas that come from the other side of the brain. I am also the seeker of information about why we are who we are, solely to help me better understand people. I will fish for anything  and usually spend 2 days steelheading and one day muskie fishing with Bob regardless. My friends will add anything that I’ve left out on the comments portion if they see fit.

In conclusion, we all love to fish. The group dynamics is complicated and enjoyable. There is always enough banter, beer and bullshit to keep everyone honest. We will continue to solve the problems of the world at an accelerated pace in comparison to those in power, and strive to catch both of these elusive beauties from the underwater world.

I have learned after a few of you have emailed me that it was a tough weekend on the Brule. I am awaiting pictures and stats from the weekend for tomorrows report. I will write the report regardless and add the photos later if necessary.

Flurry is defined as; A sudden commotion accompanied by excitement and/or confusion. This single word would define last weeks trip to the Brule river on the south shore of Lake Superior in Northern Wisconsin.    

 First, I must talk about the Brule. The Brule river is a treasure rich with legend and lore. Situated in a place where presidents and pristine pine forests took up residence is testament to its unique character and unchallenged beauty. Since settlement, it has been viewed as a resource worth protecting and has been closely monitored by generations who have been fortunate enough to live and recreate within its watershed. The trout that reside within its banks and those who make their spawning runs from Lake Superior each spring and fall have a reputation for being some of the strongest fighting fish anywhere in the world. They endure the harshest of conditions and are known to challenge any angler who questions their story by engaging them in battle. Each year the Brule river provides a new beginning for me. A chance to not only extend my trout season, but to once again wade the waters amongst old friends and old timers who are the keepers of the stories of the Brule. A chance to experience the calming of spirit provided by the woods and the water. A chance to learn about who I am and a little more about the explosive inhabitants who live within this waterway. And a chance, only a chance, to hold one of these magnificent giants before sending it back to complete its journey.

THEORY

  By my account I still consider myself a rookie at Steelheading on the Brule even after 10 years of exploring this magnificent watershed. Rain fell each day which has been known to increase the chances of actually hooking one of these creatures. Theory 106 states that “rain is the trigger that sends the fish who are staging at the mouth of the river on their journey upstream, thus increasing the number of fish in the system.”  Currently there are 176 theories and counting on Steelhead behavior in the Brule. I consider all of them to be correct and incorrect at the same time. There are theories on water temps, weather, fish location, swimming velocity, leaf drop, forage base, spawn development, wind speed, angler beverage count, moon phase, fly patterns…………You get the idea. I enjoy listening to all the anglers telling me there theories because they are based on those anglers experiences and likely have some validity. In reality, I think fishing success is most certainly based on a combination of these theories. I tend to make mental note of each theory and then rely on my instincts as an avid trout angler for success.

Last week I fished the Brule for Steelhead on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with my good friend Kurtis and his mobile home from Des Moines, Iowa. The motor home is a fabulous accommodation for these trips. Anticipation was high regarding theory 106 but the catching was non-existent through the morning and early afternoon. Focus is key when fishing on the Brule. Loss of concentration for even one cast is can mean the difference between a great day and a skunk. This is Theory 12 and it should be minded at all times when fishing the Brule. Then it happened. The flurry began. While on the other side of one of the many famously named holes, Kurtis hooked and landed a beautiful 25″ Brown trout. It was not the Steelhead he had hoped for but a fine fish none the less. I quickly reeled up and together over the next 30 minutes we took turns hooking and fighting fish. The prize was a 27″ Steelhead landed on a monumental dual effort. Stupidly, I let the fish take me into fast current.  Without Kurtis banging the fish on the head numerous times before actually getting him in the net we would have never landed the fish. I think the head trauma made the fish want to be in the net rather than outside of it (just kidding Kurtis).  Each day afterwords was a mirror image of the day before. A flurry of activity in the same spot at the same time of day otherwise not a bite. This behavior coincides with theory 67. ” Pay attention to time and place, fish eat at the similar times each day “. We got this one right.

The Flurry

Hooking a large Brown or Steelhead sends the intensity meter through the roof. The reel screaming, pulsating runs of these tremendous fish is what stories are made of. The fact that you have no idea how big the fish is for the first few minutes of the fight adds total confusion to the battle. The unpredictable actions of leaping and zooming by these fish in the smallish water of the Brule leads to a commotion that will make your head spin. The combination of excitement and confusion is stimuli so addicting one will take the risk…………knowing the chance is small…………… to feel the reward………..If only for a moment.

Here are some pic’s

 This year the Cup was held on a Sunday. With overcast skies and rain on the horizon we once again met on the Kinni at a special spot from our past. On the river we all went our separate ways hoping for the fish that would allow us to be the keeper of the little cup that represents the importance of people and place. In the end I would be the lucky one. Gifted by the river, a beautiful 14″ Brown Trout in full spawning dress fell for the little lightning bug at the end of my line. An 11″ Brookie was the bonus for my day on a river so full of life.  

The cup represents a trout fishing tradition on the Kinni. A Journey through time that commemorates the many stories and close friendships of those who vie for it. If you ask the participants, they will tell you not much has changed on the Kinni over the past 20 something, almost 30 years. The trout are still beautiful, the beer is still cold and the surroundings are still breathtaking. Until we meet again……………………