Fish Stories from 2010

This year's adventures allowed me to fish in a dozen different states, best I can recall, fishing for everything from Niagara River steelhead to farm pond bream. I don't think I'll add any more states before day's end on Friday, but you never know!

My most northerly trek this year was to beautiful Lake Vermilion in northern Minnesota. I never made it as far south as I often do, with my most southerly 2010 fishing trips having been about halfway down the map in Alabama and Mississippi.

Two of my boys actually caught the individual fish that stand out the most in my mind - Nathaniel's giant rainbow from a small special-regs stream in Arkansas and his 60-pound blue catfish from Alabama and Asher's pond bass that had a snake in its throat!

As far as my own fish go, my favorite from 2010 wasn't necessarily a trophy. It was just a nice quality walleye that slammed a Lindy X-Change Jig at Devils Lake in North Dakota, after "last cast" had already been called - a perfect cap to a great afternoon of fish catching. Oh, but what about that beautiful brown trout that took my Road Runner Original Marabou from beside Nantahala River bluff while Nathaniel and I were helping field test some new baits with TJ Stallings? Tough call.

Favorite day on the water is even tougher, but that one would have to go to a float on Arkansas' spectacular Buffalo River, sharing a canoe with Nathaniel and the river with three other good friends, Alan Clemons, Lawrence Taylor and Glenn Wheeler. The scenery was spectacular and the fellowship fabulous, and the smallies rampaged our YUM Dingers all afternoon.

Another fun and really interesting afternoon was the one I spent with Tommy Biffle, when he first picked up the rig that he would later win a Bassmaster event with and caught fish on first four casts he made with the rig. The head, hand made for Biffle by a friend at the time, would later be introduced by Gene Larew as the "Biffle Hardhead." He had it matched with a Biffle Bug.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to make my living "writing fish stories," for the places I get to see and for the friends I get to share time on the water with as part of my work. I wonder what 2011 will bring!

Luke 2: 1-20

(Artwork by Sarah Samsel; picture is made from pressed plant material.)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Ceasar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cerenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them; and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the sayings which was told them concerning this child.
And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, and it was told unto them.
Luke 2: 1-20

S-L-O-W

Given a bit of time on a Saturday afternoon, Nathaniel and I decided to head for the pond for a couple of hours. It was late in the day, though, and cloudy, and the water was quite cold from a few recent nights in the teens. I really didn't know if we'd catch anything, but I figured slow had to be the way to go.

I started with a finesse worm on a Buckeye Lures Spot Remover, which is designed for shaky-head fishing, and worked the little worm slowly across the bottom with jiggles and distinct pauses. Nathaniel started with a small bright-colored BOOYAH spinnerbait. No fish in the first 1/2 hour or so, although Nathaniel had one spinnerbait strike.

I traded my worm for a green pumpkin YUM Craw Papi in the smallest size and stuck with the same jighead, and that turned out to be the winning combination. None of my fish were large, but I caught three on that combo, and Nathaniel lost one boatside after he switched to a shaky-head matched with a Gene Larew Baby HooDaddy. All the bites came when the lures were moving very slowly, right on the bottom, or were sitting motionless, and I never felt my first two fish hit. The only clue about the first one was the line cutting through the water slightly faster than I was reeling. On the second one, I actually saw a couple of flashes right where I knew my lure was, so I set the hook, and sure enough the fish had my lure.

We considered three catches and one "almost" a great success and had fun seeing how the fish's behavior lined up with conditions. They actually did what they "were supposed to" yesterday.

Straight From the Guide's Mouth

Want a direct fishing report about the crappie bite on the Tennessee River, the steelhead run on Michigan's Big Manistee or maybe the ice conditions in Colorado?

Clicking on Lindy's Audio Fishing Reports page is like making direct calls to guides all over the country to learn about water conditions, recent weather, what the fish are biting (if the fish are biting!)....

The reports page is updated three times a week, always by voice and directly from guides and other pro staffers. Each report is 2 to 3 minutes long and loaded with details about stuff like the depths, colors, presentations that are working best. Most individual report pages also include links to the guides' web pages, where more details about local fisheries often can be found.

The Fishing Reports page is definitely one to bookmark and check out on a regular basis!

Simple Fishing Enjoyment

"What tide stage is best for fishing," tourists often would ask as I fished from Big Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach as a boy.

"I don't know," I'd answer honestly, then explaining that I normally fished all day - or all night - and that when fish bit, I would catch them.

I thought little about tides, seasons, moon phases, air pressure, wind direction or other such factors when I was growing up. I fished as often my parents and my schedule would allow and used the limited tackle I owned to try to make the fish bite. If it worked, I caught fish. If it didn't, I didn't. Either way I was fishing - and I was happy.

Through later high school and college years, when I'd fish Big Pier 60 at night, my approach was as simple as it gets. I'd carry a spinning rod rigged with a set of pink Love's Lures (tandem rigged paddle-tailed grubs that were very popular in the Tampa Bay area and hugely effective for trout) and one spare packet of Love's Lures in my shirt pocket. That was it. No tackle box, no stringer, no food cooler... I'd spend all night fishing, working the pier lights with my Love's Lures, moving from one light to the next in search of active trout.

As often as not, I'd catch fish all night long. Sometimes they didn't bite well, though, or I wouldn't even see fish in the lights. Maybe it was the wrong time of year, the wind was blowing the wrong direction or moon phase was wrong. I'm glad I didn't know better and didn't stay home on those nights!

I wonder if Bonnie's Bait and Tackle still sells Love's Lures?