Solo Outing

Fun little float on Sunday afternoon. Perfect day for it - 80 degrees and sunny. No humidity. All systems GO!

As I was going solo, this presented the perfect opportunity to run the kicker motor. I've only done one outing with that and while it went OK, I wouldn't describe it as outstanding. But no one drowned and I didn't lose any key gear.

I've got a nice stretch of the Huron River near home that's good for the float down-motor up strategy. Looks like some decent spots, plus the water's pretty big so flow levels aren't an issue. There are launches at both ends that I can get my Clacka into, so it's a good option. I chose to launch at the upper spot so I could float downstream and motor back.

This proved to be a mistake. The launch point is a prime spot for canoes and one of the major livery services. Holy crowd scene. And canoe renters seem to be among the dumbest animals on the face of the planet. Within five minutes of hitting the launch, I've been reminded of that fact at least three times. No, I did not move that kayak to put it in your path to the water. I moved it so I could clear my truck and trailer off the ramp. Doing so will afford you access to the water. Dumbass. And the launch here is a bit sketchy. For some reason, the canoe folks put in a sort of dock/launch that's fairly difficult to put a trailer and driftboat onto. But I manage, and soon I'm off.

My view from the rower's seat - very nice!

My plan is to row between likely looking spots and then fish off anchor. Having covered this stretch before, I figure on a nice 3-4 hour outing. Perfect.

But then there's the wind. 10-15mph, coming straight upriver. On a stretch with minimal gradient and therefore current. Surprisingly little impact on my casting, but it sure slows my rowing!

I've got both my Scott Radian 907/4 and Scott A4 904/4 with the former rigged with Rio Outbound Short for streamers and the latter with Scientific Anglers Titan Taper for topwater. Did I mention how much I love owning a drift boat? Walking in, I'd have never been able to run two rigs like this. In the boat - no problemo!

My trusty river ride

First couple of spots don't yield anything on topwater, so I throw the streamer a bit. No deal. But after a while I switch back to the always productive Boogle Bug on the floating line. Not long after, I stick two rock bass in quick succession. OK - I'm on the board!!!!  Early in my fishing evolution, UP fishing guide Brad Petzke taught me the progression on a trout run - dry fly, then nymph, and then if that's not working dredge that streamer through there. If you run through first with a streamer, you run little chance of getting anything with subsequent techniques. Solid advice and my guiding mantra for this day.

And it works. After drifting the Boogle with no success, I run Mike Schultz's S4 Sculpin pattern through. MONEY! Stuck a rather angry mid-teens smallmouth. This one's bulldoggin' for the bottom, but eventually gives it up. Definitely a nice fight from a mid-sized fish.

By now, it's getting a little later, so I decide to continue on my float. I want to run the full stretch to look at terrain and get some time on the tiller on the way back up. Damn pretty day. And I made an interesting discovery. While the river has plenty of canoes and kayaks, this year there are a ton of Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs). And SUPs bring out the Bikini Hatch like you wouldn't believe. Oh, the stuff you see on the river.

At the bottom, drop the Nissan 3.5Hp kicker in. Fires right up and away I go to the top. I'm really happy with this little motor. Easy starting, quiet, and very straightforward operation. Plus at only 41 pounds, it's easy to handle. Buzz back up to the top, grab the truck and load up the trailer. Five minute ride home. Not a bad day way to pass an afternoon.

Opening Day!

I've grown to love Opening Day of Detroit Tigers baseball in the past few years - probably Detroit's best party! Now I've got another opener to embrace; the smallmouth bass season in Michigan! The last Saturday in April will now be one for the calendar.

With a drift boat, a lot of potential water opens up for me. Weeks ago buddy Andrew and I hatched a plan to fish the opener, and his friend Brad joined us. Andrew's rowed for me before and Brand was game to give it a shot. All the work I put into the boat last year really paid off with minimal prep required to roll out to the Huron River. Hitch up the trailer, tie down the boat and GO!

Mike Schultz' S4 Sculpin fly pattern has become a proven performer for early season smallies (and trout all year), so I'd tied up a half dozen just for this trip in a few color combinations. This was one of the flies I made a real effort to master this off-season, and I think mine look pretty nice.

Our only real challenge of the day was access. We had to drag the boat about 50 yards across grass to a launch point. Drift boats are heavy. And they don't slide all that well! With a little huffing and puffing, we managed to splash down. A quick truck shuttle and we're ready to rock.

The upper portion of the float consisted mostly of me trying to remember how to row while Andrew and Brad worked on their rusty casting skills. Brad stuck one pretty early, but it popped off about as fast as it struck.

A bit later Andrew gets a hard hit. At first we're all thinking it's a dink - even the angler connected to the fish. But as it gets closer, we quickly realize this is a solid fish. Some quick net work and we're on the board with a nice fish that taped out at a shade over 16"! And with that, Andrew proves my S4's are getting  it done.

Now it's my turn to fish while Andrew rows. It takes a little while, casting into some nasty wind, but eventually my fly gets mugged. This is one of the things I've come to love about streamer fishing - especially for smallmouth - is the visual component. Seeing the chase, the strike, and the fight unfold is SO cool! And smallmouth hit flies like a truck; with little or no hesitation. Mine turns out to be about 14". Respectable, but nothing that scores me bragging rights.

This is my first day casting the Scott Radian 907/4. It's hard to judge a rod when you haven't thrown an overhead cast in 6 months and the winds blowing upriver at 15mph. But early impressions were very good. It's got good speed, and is incredibly light (especially with a Ross Evolution LT 4 reel mounted). It's not the rocket ship that the S4s's I've cast are, but it's plenty fast. And it's definitely got better rod feel. Since this is one of my main rods for April - September, I'm very happy with it. A more detailed review will be coming when I've got some more time in with it.

All in all, a might fine day on the water with excellent company! What a great way to welcome in the smallmouth bass season.

-Sean-

It's Row Time!

Well, OK, not quite yet. But the bottom should be re-glassed by the end of the month. I'm making arrangements to get the raft and it's trailer back downstate and listed for sale. I've just decided that for a recreational fisherman with a day job and a ton of other competing hobbies, owning two boats is pretty ridiculous.



This would be the "before" picture...

For those new to the blog, it's a 2009 Clackacraft 16LP. It's got some fishing mojo, as it's last owner was Mike Schultz of Schultz Outfitters (and a bunch of other places before that). If you can fly fish for it in the Midwest, it's been caught from this boat. Mike's a good friend and I'm proud to be the next owner of his boat.

The new boat came with some great advice from guides and drift-boat owning buddies. Some highlights include:

• "Dude - now you'll never fish. But your Dad will love this!"
• Buy some good oars - later. Learn to row on the beaters first. But after that a good set of sticks will make your life SO much easier.
• A drift boat is like a sheet of plywood. It'll never plane and a higher horsepower motor will only cost you a bunch more, burn more gas, and be heavier to lift on and off. 3-4hp will do you just fine.
• If you can't row, you can't go. I'm even applying this one to Dad. The wife might get a free pass. I suppose the dog will, too.
• Point at danger and backrow.

All seems solid. I've got lots to learn. But I'm already plotting floats to take and places I'll explore. Thus opens a new chapter as a fisherman. I can't wait.

-Sean-

Little Stick, Big Fun

When I originally purchased my Scott A3 8'6" 4-weight, my intent was to use it for smaller water and fish on the trout streams of Northern Michigan. Catching a 6" brookie on a 6-weight seems just ridiculous. I figured this would make an evening on the South Branch of the AuSable so much fun.

Little did I know that this rod would be the basis for a rig that's become my go-to local set-up. This all started with an evening throwing poppers to a bluegill bed off the front of my buddy's pontoon boat. Since my 7-weight A3 was all I had with me, that's what I did it with. Let's just call it overkill.

At that point, I decided that perhaps my little 4-weight was more versatile than I'd considered. With this in mind, I acquired a Ross Evolution 2 reel and spooled it up with backing and a Rio Coldwater Clouser line. It's actually the rig shown in the photo at the top of the blog (and yes, that looks like the upper Manistee river and no I wouldn't normally run that line on that river).

This Spring, with gas prices still steep and free time at a premium, I made myself a goal of getting out more regularly to fish for smallmouth bass. A little poking around on the Huron river found me a nice little spot that nearly always yields some fish.

Sure, there are plenty of dinks -- bluegill, sunfish, rock bass, and smallies. But every once in a while I stick a good smallie and that makes my day! A 12" smallmouth on a 4-weight puts some nice bend in the rod. My biggest to-date went about 14" and I've also gotten a softball-sized sunfish! The best part is that it's literally a few minutes from my home. Got an hour to kill on a week night? Go fishing! If you don't have a little rig like this, build one up and have some fun!

-Sean-

Schwingin'

Mad props to Mike Schultz for introducing me to swinging flies for smallmouth bass! I love swinging with a two-handed rod and this really extends my season. I find spey casting really relaxing and it's a pleasant way to enjoy time on the river when they're not biting. I've now had a chance to get out a few times - even hooked my first carp on the fly!

So for you gear geeks, here's the final rig:

• TFO Deer Creek 11' 6-wt. switch rod
• Ross Evolution LT 4 reel
• Scientific Anglers Skagit Extreme Intermediate head (400 gr.)
• Scientific Anglers Shooting Line (floating with dragon tail)
• Rio Freshwater VersiLeader (3.6 ips sink rate)

The 400 grain Skagit head may be a little heavy for a 6 weight, but it casts like a ROCKET! Point and shoot! Only problem is that it goes where you cast it; so get it right. I've got Skagit cheaters on order. As with my other Skagit-lined rods that little bit extra helps me not blow my anchor point as often.

For now, I've been swinging with a sink tip. But with the increased flexibility of a running line/head system, I'll also be adding a Scandi head. My plan is to use this to skate dries as the season progresses.

Too much fun! If you've never swung for smallies, give it a try! Lots of fun.

-Sean-