A Day on the Water

This is the latest fishing report on great Bass and Pike fly fishing top water in a Lake Erie adjacent backwater AND an argument for simple, small kayak fishing as the better way in tight shallow waters. This photo was taken in one of maybe 100 Cattail Labyrinths in this shallow 1.5 square mile marsh area.  This and similar weed edges is where the big bass and pike are.  It is the best place to be out of any wind is blowing, no tress anywhere here.  Is there a path out or to another "room" ahead to the left or...

I went to Michigan's off road Catch and Release lake known for lots of big Blue Gills, lots of bass and an occasional huge Bass.   It takes a half mile drag to get your kayak in.  The water was darkly colored and I couldn't see deep enough to find any bedding Bluegills.  I was prospecting along the edges of the Lilly pads and getting occasional bass to rush or eat a 2/0 White Dive Banger Popper fished in a steady cadence of medium pops followed bay a 10 second sit still 15 feet out from the kayak.  After landing three...

Busy Saturday afternoon after work.  I was 3rd in line to launch my Kayak, The two guys ahead of me had a total of 9 rods.  Should I expect to get out fished 9 to one or just 2 to 1?  I paddled hard only stopping to fish quickly to the edges of 2 spots before reaching the far dyke more than a mile to  the east.  Fishing shoreline cover that was difficult or near impossible to reach by kayak or on foot respectively, I hooked 3 good bass loosing 2 while pulling upward really hard but easily landing the...

I heard they were in but practically no cars in the lot.  Couple of guys in the downstream corner on our side of the river.  A couple of guys in a boat anchored across from me casting plugs.  After not getting anything for hours I knew plugs would be more likely to break through than the relatively subtle jigs I was drifting. A big fast fish took a plug, leaping and racing around the pool before breaking off.  A couple more hours laterI tied on a big Size #1 Opal Minnow Jig I had tied for Salmon this past fall. ...

Went to a great bass spot to try for bowfin.  Got Bass and at half dark got a slow follow from a good fish just below the surface.  His fins were slowly stirring the surface.  I paused the steady popping retrieve waiting for the hit.  It didn't come, a couple of strip taps made the diver head nod subtly, he ate it.  He fought hard, I saw him, long, smooth black head and back with Red? sides.  The most common Bowfin color pattern is black with steely grey sides which were reflecting the sunset here. He got off as fly...