Blizzard in August

Spent most of yesterday at the CIG training in Toledo, this time at Side Cut Metropark. Neat place, and one I might have to visit again with flyrod in hand. Saw carp rolling around all over the place in the Maumee River and some of the old canal channels. I understand it gets a nice runs of walleye and white bass earlier in the year, though I also understand that when those runs occur, the place resembles Tippy Dam in September. Maybe I'll stick with carp. The demo presentation that I'm giving next week will actually be about carp. I couldn't decide what subject to choose, but when I crossed the bridge over a canal channel on the way into the meeting room and saw those black footballs cruising just below the surface of the murky, greenish water, I got inspired.

When I got home last night, I quickly mowed my backyard, then drove to the upper Huron for a little fishing. The hex hatch was more productive tonight, and I landed four smallmouth during that. The ephorons (in common parlance, "white flies") came on as soon as the hex disappeared, and I caught five or six more smallies on them, plus a couple of rock bass for variety. The hatch was huge; I felt like I was fishing in a snowstorm.


(not me, but this is pretty much the way it looked.)

As I was leaving, the feeding became very heavy, but my tippet was gone, it was getting late, and I had another early morning ahead of me. My wife would doubt this, but there really are times when fishing is not my top priority. Besides, I think I'll have a few more chances at the eporhrons this summer.

I'd go to the Huron again tonight, but I'm actually leaving for a few days up north. I'm going to meet my dad in Manistee for some warmwater fishing this Tues.-Thurs., but I'm going up early to harrass the trout on the Pere Marquette a bit. Going to try some late night mouse fishing, and hopefully catch some trico hatches in the morning. Maybe explore the Pine river while I'm in the area too, as I've heard a few good things about it lately. Plus, I've never tried it.

These father-and-son fishing trips always give me some anxiety. I love the old man, but it feels like we don't have a heck of a lot to talk about any more, aside from fishing. Wouldn't miss it, though, since there's no telling how much longer we'll be able to do this. His 79th birthday is this October.

Here's hoping for the best.