Shop hours are 9am – 5pm seven days a week!!!

It has been an exciting week and lots of hope for the upcoming week as well!  The famous hex hatch has started and is living up to expectations!  The evening floats have been spectacular with lighting bugs dancing around the banks and incredible star-gazing on clear nights.  The river is in great shape from top to bottom.  The hatches have thinned out in the upper sections, but attractors, terrestrials, twitch bugs and small mayfly patterns will draw fish up.  The middle and lower sections still have plenty of drakes and the lower sections you will see hex!  Some nights the hex have been too thick and some nights have been too thin.  However, that is the risk you accept when you play the hex game.

Charlie with a fine sipper

Late nights and post fishing thoughts can haunt an angler at this time of year.  I have heard and seen some epic hero shots and heard about & witnessed some heartbreaking losses.  The saving grace is we have more time to focus on our opportunities and finish the job!  The fish are getting wiser and fuller, but they cannot resist feeding on hexes.  I love this time of year and I am very thankful for all the bookings and business…thank you very much!!!  I am completely booked until after July 5…which will be attractors, hoppers and mousing!  We do have lodging availability at the Motel…give the shop a call to make reservations 231-745-3529.

Ray pulled this nice brown out of the wood
Too many or just enough???

Just a friendly reminder, please try not to use white lights (of any lights) when passing anglers or when being passed.  Be safe wading and floating after dark.  Traffic has been high and low, so please be mindful of where you cast if in eye sight of others.  When in doubt, ask before you cast.  This is supposed to be fun, not a competition.  Making memories, telling stories and laughing is the best result at the boat launch…not being upset for getting throttled by a big one or being bitter for whatever reason.  Let’s enjoy this great hatch and respect every angler.

Joe getting it done after dark

Streamer fishing has been productive at certain times over the last week.  Olive, yellow, tan and black were getting good looks and catching some nice browns.  Don’t be afraid to change things up if your not getting looks.  Bouncing attractors around during the day and switching to drakes or a stone before dark is a good game plan too.  Blind fishing a hex before dark can produce too…give it a try!  It’s a great time to be on the river!!!

The nights are getting longer and my days are getting shorter…I gotta go.  I have flies to tie, prep for my trip today and hang out with the family before work.  Some BIG fish are going to be caught this week and I hope a few of them find the bottom of my net…only time will tell, but regardless I will be smiling while daydreaming about what goes BUMP in the night!!!  Enjoy yourselves and good luck out there!!!!

Later,

John