Friday I made what I thought was my last cast in Wisconsin of the year and caught a musky. I reeled it in and said “Nice way to end 2024”. Next cast will be in Brazil. But, it was gorgeous today and when Granny suggested a drive north to Bayfield I said sure and packed … Read more
2024 will go down as one of my best local water fishing seasons since I was a youngster in Jackson Hole. Two years ago everything here in Wisconsin was new. I got my butt handed to me most outings but love new water and the challenges that come with. Last year the results improved greatly … Read more
40 years ago today I lived on the shores of Lake Superior. I was a sophomore at Northland College in Ashland, WI. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I had a very light load of classes so that I could fish. But I can assure you I would not have thought about getting in a boat on … Read more
Bob and I each whacked one of those 27” northern pike the other day. Most foraging anglers avoid pike because of the Y bones but if you no how to fillet around them, pike are delicious. Last nights meal reminded me and Granny that we need to collect one a week rather than one a … Read more
Once upon a time, October was considered the last fly fishing month of the season. And to tell you the truth, the places I’ve spent most of my life, New England as a kid, Wisconsin during college and in the Yellowstone/Jackson Hole region back in the 80’s and 90’s, it was. November was too cold … Read more
Granny and I woke up on the banks of one of our beautiful Wisconsin rivers. It was so warm we sat outside and drank our coffee. Before you knew it, I was wadered up. I walked and fished about a mile of this gorgeous section of river starting in a t-shirt but ending three hours … Read more
One could not create a finer day for the end of October in the north of Wisconsin. Today’s high temperature was a balmy 74° and for the first time in weeks, the wind hardly blew. The day was so spectacular it appeared too nice for musky fishing but one would be crazy not to try. … Read more
We celebrated Howie’s epic musky last night. And rightfully so. A 46” fish of any kind from a river is a creature that is rare in this day and age. Today however was a different day and in order to complete my goal of getting both Mike Neuman and Howie into their first ever muskies … Read more
I made a goal last night as I bedded down, guide my two buddies (regulars on the blog), Mike Neuman and Matt “Howie” Norton, to their first muskellunge on the fly. Not an easy task being Neuman is new to chucking the big fly rods and Howie is jinxed with the elusive freshwater giants. To … Read more
Granny joined Bob and I on a long float today. In October Granny choses her fishing days based on air temperature rather than the likely fishing results. While not quite the record-breaking warm we had yesterday, the thermometers did push up into the 70°s and the muskies did not cooperate. There’s something special however … Read more
I’m continuing to hit the northern Wisconsin water hard this October and today I was right back out there with Bob. There’s a serious heatwave going on. While I didn’t think to get a pic during the heat of the day, this gives you an idea. I took this photo at 4 PM and it … Read more
I skimmed through my blogs of past October 18th birthdays. It’s a fact, I always go fishing and today was no different. After the big float yesterday Granny and I visited a couple backwoods Wisconsin bars then parked the Ruby Van in a nice spot for dinner and a good night’s sleep. When we got … Read more