Alaska in September

This was my third trip to Kodiak Island. Rod Pennington, Bill Taylor, Sean Schultz and I made our plans and took a ten-day holiday. Our plan was to fish for Coho (AKA Silver Salmon) at Saltery Lake Lodge with a deep sea trip thrown in. We left Springfield on Friday, September 16th and flew to Dallas in the morning, to Anchorage in the afternoon and landed on Kodiak Island at 11PM. We fished on the U-Rascal Saturday, the next morning with Capt Chris Fiala.

Here is a U-tube video of his boat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNYiGe8NOVQ.

This was my second trip with Chris. We fished the south side of the island across from a missile silo site near Ugak Island.

There were eleven of us on the boat with crew and another party from Edmonton.

We caught a few halibut, a limit of Rockfish and several lingcod.

The crew was Dave and Rebecca, a brother and sister from Seattle taking a break from college.

The weather was almost perfect with a light wind and some wave action. The afternoon saw clouds building over the Island. We fished until 6 PM, dropped the catch off at Island Seafoods for processing and returned to our hotel. Web site for Islandseafoods.com

On Sunday we met Doyle Hatfield in the lobby of the Best Western and shuttled to the water-port, Kingfisher Air to board a floatplane operated by Saltery Lodge.

Bill Franklin was our pilot, a co-operator of the operation at Saltery Lodge. The flight was worth the price of admission as we flew below the mountain peaks under the cloud cover through the American River valley pass to Ugak Bay and up the Saltery River.

We landed on Saltery Lake where the lodge is located which is in absolute wilderness.

Saltery Lake Lodge from Bread Loaf Mountain-Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

Sean and I arrived after 10 AM, unpacked our gear and broke out our fly rods. We had some time before lunch to fish. Sean and I walked the shore of the lake to test the waters and scout the waters for fish and water conditions. There was a light rain with the lake on the rise. We fished for an hour before taking a break for lunch.

Nathan and Sheila are the camp cooks and they do an excellent job with the meals.

At lunch we met the other guests: There were seventeen of us with groups from England, Edmonton, Pittsburg and retired Col. Taft.

We met our guide for the week his name was Lem.

A native of Singapore, after his tour in the army came to America to attend college and is now a physical therapist in Wisconsin. He has been in the United States for sixteen years. His family moved here a few years ago with his brother and parents living in Wisconsin.

After lunch, we decided to fish Lake Creek for Dolly Varden. Dollies are a char with similar color patterns to a brook trout. The Dollies will position themselves behind the spawning Sockeye Salmon to eat the eggs floating down stream. A set up with a bead will catch the aggressive char.

On our journey up stream I saw eagles perched on trees over the water with one willing to stay still for a picture.

We managed to catch sixty-two dollies in four hours and returned to the lodge at 5:30 PM. On out trip back to the lodge, we startled a pair of buffalo napping in the grass along the creek bank.

We had supper at 6:30 PM and became aquatinted with the other guests by introducing ourselves. After supper we saw a bear down the lake near the upper hole, which is the beginning of Saltery River. That evening after supper we walked to the mouth of Lake Creek to fish with little luck. Several Canadians came down and walked into the stream without waterproof boots, getting their feet wet to fish the current and found a few arctic char and Dolly Varden. We turned in at 9 PM.

Monday: it rained all night, the lake was on it's way up. There was a significant wind gust in the morning blowing to the west with a few white caps on the lake. The area we fished had some shelter from the wind. Our group had the first hole, also called the upper hole. Rod and Bill started at the upper hole and continued to fish down stream. Sean and I started at the mouth and fished our way into the lake finding silver salmon running along the lake's edge. We waded waist deep and threw to shore taking a number of salmon; several of these weighed over thirteen pounds. Rod reported seeing a bear at the lower hole. Sean and I released eighteen silvers before lunch. It continued to rain throughout the day with the lake coming up eight inches.

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

We stopped for lunch and it continued to rain through the day. Sean and I returned to the mouth of Saltery River and fished the lake repeating the same path from the morning. Again we found cooperative salmon with six Silver Salmon caught in the first hour after lunch.

It was a great day of fishing with Sean and I releasing thirty-four salmon and our group catching forty-three Silver Salmon and a few dollies on our second day of fishing. It does not get much better. The lake did rise a few more inches and a boat took us back to the lodge side to finish our day of fishing.

Tuesday: after breakfast we returned to the lake. The lake dropped six inches over the night and we found less salmon. The current moved to mid lake, away from the lakeshore and we found fishing more difficult. Sean did pick up a Silver Salmon the first ten minutes and he kept working the lakeshore. I found a few dollies using my spey rod and fished the cove.

Photo Sean Schultz Bread Loaf Mountain IPhone

Sean went around the point and waded to the base of Bread Loaf Mountain. He decided to climb Bread Loaf Mountain and made it 1/3 the way up before retreating back to the lake for lunch.

Photo Sean Schultz Bread Loaf Mountain IPhone

After lunch, Sean decided to stay back at the lodge; he was worn out from his climb. Rod, Bill and I spent the afternoon in the lower hole. The water was colored with a good flow.

There were plenty of fresh Silvers moving up from the salt, since many of the fish we caught had sea lice attached to the fish and were bright chrome colored. We caught sixteen Silvers and twenty-six Dolly Varden and fished until 6:30 PM.

Wednesday: the day started with an overcast sky with periods of rain. Lem took us down river in a suburban to the Slough hole. The trail was wet and full of water. A dozen buffalo blocked our path and delayed us. They had no fear of the vehicle and did not step out of the way. We took the opportunity to take a few photos from our seats.

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

After a five-minute encounter, we drove another 100 yards to park the vehicle. The buffalo stayed away and laid down in the trees nearby. We took our rods and checked a few holes with a few dollies caught, no salmon seen.

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

Thirty minutes later we had a bear encounter, he walked around us for twenty minutes as we took pictures and video. The bear was not comfortable with out presences.

Here is a link to bear video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-i4U0vIzZY

After the bear moved up stream and out of view, we returned to the suburban and Lem took us up stream to Jim's Hole. Again we spread out and found a few dollies in the area. Two Canadians from the lodge came from up stream, getting separated from their group by a bear on the river. The bear was defensive, shook his head and pounded the gravel bar with his front legs, letting them know to move on and get out of his fishing waters. They retreated around the bear and made a wide path through the brush. It was almost noon and seven of us packed into the suburban and returned to the lodge. On our way back another suburban with Geoff behind the wheel was looking for the Canadians. All of us returned safe with plenty of bear tales.

After lunch, Sean decided to fish Lake Creek. The rain had stopped with the sun breaking through the clouds. A rainbow was seen to the north with Sean standing under it as he fished.

I let Sean know where to find us, as he wanted to stayed at Lake Creek. I returned to the upper hole, where four spinner fishermen stood throwing their hardware. I walked past them and into the lake, not looking back. In a short time, I found a Silver Salmon on the opposite bank. The lake was still a little high with cloudy water; I could see my boots a foot under. A light wind scuffed the surface of the lake. I continued to wade the shoreline waist deep in lake water working my way to the cove. Later, Bill came from the lodge and Joe ferried him across with a boat. Bill worked out his line and on his first cast hooked a Silver Salmon.

See YouTube video of Bill fighting a Silver Salmon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyMUYjKkkuQ

Bill continued to find cooperative Cohoes missing the set of the hook but getting them to jump and making all kinds of commotion. I found four more Silver Salmon that afternoon.

Sean joined us after 5 PM. Bill left with Lem in the boat, Sean and I stayed until 6 PM with Sean picking up another Silver Salmon in the sand. On our way back to the opposite shore we saw a bear swimming across the river at the upper hole and lost sight of him. Toby, a member of the English group came back to look for a pair of sunglasses he lost and he saw the bear. We waited for the bear but it must have made its way to the brush.

Rod fished the lower hole with only a few people around and did well landing four Silver Salmon and losing that many. He witnessed an interesting event. A fellow with an expensive Sage rod fished just below Rod. This fellow hooked and was trying to land a Silver Salmon without assistance. He took his rod and tried to lift the ten pound fish out of the water and onto a steep gravel bank only to shatter the rod. The fish slid down the bank. The fellow threw down his rod grabbed the salmon only to get the hook in his thumb and to top it off, the silver salmon bit his finger... That is a bad day.

Rod may contact Sage to let them in on the story, since the fellow has little respect for a good rod. We finished the day with eleven silvers two sockeye and forty-six dollies.

Thursday: We described this day of fishing as a Rock day on Rough Creek. Rough Creek is on the west side of Bread Loaf Mountain. Since the water flow had been high, no one had fished it, therefore very little fishing pressure on this small stream. It was not accessible in the lower reaches due to the high water in Saltery River.

Lem packed a few sandwiches and water and we took the boat across the lake to the southeast corner of the mountain and hiked in waders forty minutes along the southern base of the mountain to the other water shed. The creek was gin clear, the banks had exposed rock, gravel and washed out trees. Rough Creek is a free stone creek with snow from the mountains giving it a good flow, with a significant rain will rise quickly and washout. You would not want to be in the creek with rising water.

Lem instructed us to fish the pools and eddies and with Polaroid sunglasses looking into the pools. When a cast was made up stream, watching your fly, you would see the salmon take your fly. It was something to see a silver salmon flash the pool; a bright flash indicating to set the hook. It was great, unbelievable fishing in an absolute wilderness setting. We fished twelve pools in five hours and released thirty-seven silver salmon. It did rain most of the afternoon, but it did not diminish our enthusiasm for the fishing. It was a memorable experience. We fished until 3:30 PM and returned to the boat.

It was a difficult walk going through bogs, steep terrain and tall grass. It took us a little longer on the return hike, as we over shot our target and had to blaze a trail at the base of the mountain back to the boat. Lem said it was the scenic route with no extra charge. The waders were wet on the inside due to excessive heat and sweat. It was worth the discomfort.

It was almost 5 PM and we decided to finish the day in the lake. Lem took Rod and Bill in the boat to the other side and they fished the lower hole. Sean and I walked the waters edge back to familiar waters in the lake. We each caught another silver and Rod landed two more at the lower hole. We returned to the lodge at 6:30 PM.

Friday: this was our last day to fish, the sun broke through with only a few clouds overhead, and a rainbow was seen near Bread Loaf Mountain on our walk to the river.

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

We walked to the lower hole only to find it full of fishermen; Rod left before us and found a spot. Bill fished the stretch between the upper and lower holes. I took the high bank of the upper hole only to see a bear walking the opposite bank. I was able to get some video of the bear walking the bank with little concern for the fishermen on to opposite bank. After the bear left, I slid down the bank and slipped into the water and found three Silver Salmon midstream. Several ATVs drove in and several fishermen from our lodge decided to leave. I went across to the other bank and waded back to the lake to find Sean. The lake returned to normal levels but too shallow for salmon in the sand. We worked our way to the cove and found better conditions mid-lake and hooked a few more Silver Salmon. The opposite shore was populated with the Brits, lined up throwing spinners and Spey lines finding a few fish. Bill Franklin came in by ATV with his son and grandson to check the roads and do some fishing. They were in the boat encroaching the Brits throwing their lines across the Spey lines. Charlie, one of the Brits gave the boat a verbal thrashing. It was quite entertaining.

Photo Sean Schultz IPhone

We stopped for lunch at noon. We found out Bill went into water over his waders and returned to the lodge to dry out. Rod was fishing the lower hole and caught a few Cohoes only to have the Germans from the other lodge throwing spinners over his line with a fish on the reel; Rod had a few choice words for the fisherman. It seems to go with the territory when the fish are in significant numbers.

After lunch we decided to get out of the sunshine and return to Lake Creek to fish for dollies. We started at 2 PM and made our way up stream. Sean was the first one in the creek and made his way quickly upstream to some favorite spots. He had a pair of bald eagles fly over his head and was marveled. At 4:30 PM, we decided to return to our favorite, mid lake above the upper hole for a last cast, last fish for our week trip. Sean and I went to the lake and Rod made a beeline to the lower hole. Rod caught a Silver Salmon on his third cast, he decided one more and caught two more before calling it a last cast. I found a Silver Salmon in the mid lake and stopped at 5:30 PM satisfied with my last cast. Sean stepped into my spot and at 6 PM was getting concerned because we would stop fishing at 6:15 PM for a prime rib dinner and we did not want to be late. At 6:10 PM. Sean hooked his salmon for his last cast, last fish for the trip.

As we waded across the lake we saw a small bear moving near the upper hole and was running in circles. Later, we found out Lem was fishing that hole and saw the bear. He was not concerned with the little bear until another bear showed up, much larger and scared the little bear. The little bear almost ran over Lem in his desire to get out of sight and out of the way of the bigger bear…All in good fun. We caught thirteen silvers, forty dollies and a sockeye salmon.

On Saturday, we had two more encounters with bears. A bear on the front lawn was scratching himself on a dead pine tree. The bear was walking the lakeshore when the plane came in. The bear took off running and nearly ran over a member of the Pittsburg group. He took a picture of it running at him but it was all a blur. Good fun.

We saw another bear on the opposite shore near bread Loaf Mountain as we left. We heard the news that a plane went down Friday night. An Otter had crashed near the airport killing the pilot, with the two passengers surviving. Small plane crashes are common events in Alaska, but one should know 10% of Alaskans have a pilot license and flying is a common mode of transportation in this state.

If you tallied our numbers you know we caught 123 silver salmon and 173 dollies. We were more than satisfied with this trip and hope you enjoyed reading the blog

July: Eleven Point River

7/26/2011-7/27/2011: Eleven Point River… Jim and I drove to Greer and rented a canoe from Richard’s Canoe Rental for an over night trip on the Eleven Point River. The water was up at least four inches as a result of the epic rain in May and the river continues to flow high due to the charged springs. In past years the MDC will annually stock this stretch of water the first of July, even though it is a Blue Ribbon stream. The ability of the trout to naturally reproduce is not sufficient to keep the number of trout in line for satisfactory fishing according to the MDC.The water down stream near

Turner Mill is stocked once a month. We took our time fishing the islands hooking some nice rainbow trout, again on a clouser fly dangling in the holes. As we fished our way down stream we saw many changes as a result of the high water and fast currents with familiar campsites gone due to gravel bars lost to the river. There were some outstanding fishing in some of the runs with six to a dozen trout were caught and released. We camped above Little Hurricane creek. It was very hot out of the water with temperatures in the high nineties.

One of the most memorable sights was a spicebush covered with butterflies.

Video clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uEBpybfHoE

We could not wade in some of the areas due to the fast flow. It was great getting back to this river, which I consider the best in Missouri.

June: Familar rivers

6/3/2011 – 6/5/2011 Discover Nature for Women. Kevin Smith, Warren Wilkerson and I spent a three-day weekend at Windermere resort on the Lake of the Ozarks. We returned to teach fly tying. We taught four sessions with each session lasting four hours. There was a spark of interest with a few participates joining us on the water to experiencef ly-fishing for crappie at the docks. We had a great weekend

6/11/2011 – 6/12/2011: FFFcertified caster school, Cotter AR, Fulton Lodge

I attended a work shop hosted by Bill Gammel and Chuck Easterling which was held at Fulton's Lodge. Our guest instructor was Lasse Karlsson of Denmark. Lasse is an amazing caster and has tremendous insights into casting. If you follow Sexyloops or keep a sharp eye on Youtube casting videos you know of Lasse. Lasse serves on the BOG and has administered CI and MCI exams in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many countries in Europe. You cannot be around Lasse without learning a great deal. He provided insight to casting in Europe. It was a great weekend with new friendships.

6/28/2011 – 6/29/2011: North Fork… Jim Scheve and I set up camp at Petite’s Canoe rental along the North Fork of the White River near Dora. After getting the tents set up, we contacted Craig to shuttle up stream to Kelly Ford. We spent the entire day fishing a five-mile trek back to Blair Bridge. Jim and I caught a few trout but the hook ups were far and few. The next day we broke camp and packed the gear in the truck and started our day from Blair Bridge and fished past Patrick Bridge and finished the day at James Bridge. The fishing was better below Patrick Bridge with more people on the water floating. I did the best with a clouser fly by throwing it down and across and letting it swing and dangle down stream.

May: Epic Rains, high streams

5/4/2011: Jim Scheve and I had made plans to fish for white bass when we set dates our first of the year. All of the local streams were high and nearly impossible to fish.We decided to fish Roaring River. We drove to Eagle Rock and checked out the lower stretches of Roaring River before and the waters below the park before starting the day in the water. The biggest lesson, was large trout took a large fly in the deep hole by dangling it with the rod underwater.

April: White Bass, white bass and walleye

It is a pleasure when plans are made to fish and it all comes together without a hitch. Jim Scheve and I spent one day on the North Fork of the White River. Sean came down from St. Louis and fished with me for three days. My fifth day of fishing Rod Pennington spent the afternoon into night fishing the Pot Hole. The weather was near perfect, the lake and stream levels are predictable, the fish were plentiful and of quality size. April is the best month of the year to fish.


April 6: Jim Scheve and I left Springfield at 6 AM and took a drive down Hwy 60 going east. Our destination was the North Fork of the White River. We drove over Blair Bridge at 8 AM and stopped in to see Craig at Pettit’s canoe rental. The river was clear. It was low for this time of the year, the stream level was 2.85 ft and the flow at 600 cfs; it made for comfortable wading. The day was sunny with a strong wind blowing upstream most of the day. We landed 26 rainbow trout, with Jim catching a male over sixteen inches and had a break off.


On this day, no other people were seen on the river. It was a delight getting out, passing the day with the sounds of the river, wind passing through trees and birds calling out to each other. We finished the day at 6:30 PM and had the setting sun in view on our way back to Springfield. It was a good day.

April 7: Sean and I made a quick run to the Little Sac River to get a feel for the stream and to figure out where the white bass may be located. We had only a short time and had to leave the river by 3 PM since the MTFA club had a MSU class that evening. Stockton Lake level was 868.8 ft with the Little Sac River level at 3.1 ft, flowing at 180 cfs; It is very low for this time of the year. Sean caught and released two dozen white bass in a short time and we took three walleye home that afternoon. We left the river at 3 PM and made it to class on time. It would have been a great evening of fishing.

April 8: The next day Sean and I returned to the Little Sac River. There were very few people fishing, much less than expected, putting very little pressure on the fish with one canoe passing through and a boat leaving as we arrived at 1:30 PM. We found white bass in a short time and continued to pickup fish past the power line hole. I did fall into the stream, slipping on a muddy bank going into the stream and went in head first, not my first baptism and probably not my last. We figured 75 white bass released and two walleye released due to us leaving after 6 PM. It was a good day of catching fish. The Little Sac white bass spawn was in progress. The weekend was probably excellent fishing with all the fish moving into the stream from the lake.

April 9: Sean and I were invited to a fish fry by Norm Collison and his family at Kissee Mill park on Beaver Creek. We heard about all the fish on James River from Norm’s brothers. Every one caught limits of large white bass with a large number of boats and fishermen at Galena the night before. We ate lunch and bid farewell at 1:30 PM and looked at fishermen’s nose and slough hollow, fish were seen with fishermen tethered to full stingers of white bass. Beaver Creek was low and clear. The day was breezy, full sun and air temperature in the mid-eighties. I was sure evening would bring on a many fishermen and provide combat fishing if we stayed. We moved on and fished Bull Shoals Lake in an area above Swan Creek. In a short time we had people all around us with no hook ups. We decided to look at the Pot Hole. The fishing conditions were less than favorable; bright sun, no generation from the powerhouse and low water, the lake level was at 652 feet. The one and only advantage was a strong breeze from the west blowing over the dam chopping the water surface. Sean and I walked out to the gravel bar and threw across and caught nine walleye that afternoon, three of them save for the icebox.
I hooked a 24-inch carp that was released after a picture, a large-mouth bass was released.


Sean picked up a rainbow trout and several white bass. Dave Cook and Darrell from the Kansas City MTFA came over before sunset and fished with us. They came down from KC to fish the weekend for White Bass and night fish Taneycomo for trout. They were very satisfied with the number of trout caught at Taneycomo Friday night and again Saturday morning. Dave caught a few fish with Darrell having a time fighting and releasing a large drum. One never knows what can be found at the end of a line in the Pothole.

We caught several white bass over sixteen inches with the largest measuring 19-inches. We took a limit of white bass that were filleted and saved for the club fish fry in June. It was an unexpected good day to catch walleye and large white bass. We left the water at 9:30 PM


April 10: This is my fifth and final day for the long weekend of fishing. I picked up Rod at 1:30 PM. We decided to return to the Pothole and fish it into dark. The sky was overcast with threats of severe weather after 10 PM. This day had fewer people on the banks of the pothole with a few boats drifting close us as we fished. We found white bass and walleye in the same area as the day before. Rod landed a 19.5-inch walleye before sunset; this was his first walleye on a fly.

We picked up white bass throughout the evening and into dark. The horn blew at 6 PM and the water can up six inches. We marked the shore to monitor the lake level and continued to fish, finding a few white bass in the pocket water behind the gravel bar. It was a good night of fishing and a great five days of fishing. Warm water fishing can be quite productive, catching many different species of fish. I am very fond of walleye and learning more each time I fish for them.

wb we lm c t
- - - - 11 NF
14 3 1 - - LS
75 2 - - - LS
15 9 1 1 1 BS
19 2 - - - BS
123 16 2 1 12
30 7

April 14: There was time to fish before the MSU class. The closest water for white bass is the little Sac River. I packed the kayak and left Springfield before 11 AM. I paddled my way up stream to familiar and productive waters from recent trips. There were a few small male fish and I took a limit within a few hours. There was time to walk the stream banks and found a few moral mushrooms; sautéed mushrooms with fish. It does not get any better.

I left a little later than planned and had fish to clean. Back in Springfield, finished filleting the fish and made it to MSU on time. I did not have time to change clothes or clean up, the smell of fish was not over powering (for me) but a few comments were made of my presents.

April 19: Rod Pennington and I planned to fish the Little Sac. We watched the weather throughout the day. There were storms lining up in Kansas and Oklahoma with some severe weather forecasted to pass through the Ozarks in the afternoon. We decided to wait until evening and fish the Pothole instead. Rod, his son (Keith) and I left after 6 PM and slipped behind a 40,000 ft thunderhead making its way east along the Arkansas – Missouri border the pavement was wet and the backside of the storm was in view after sun set. There were tornado warnings given for Arkansas on our drive to Forsyth and later a warning for Tecumseh Mo. Our evening was calm with a few distant rumblings of thunder. The lake level was up a few feet when we arrived, there were 15-20 fishermen lining the banks and considerable signs of fish in the water. We fished the north side and caught a few white bass. It was not the number of fish we hoped for but it was a good night of fishing. We stayed until 9 PM and left to clean our fish.

4/28/2011: The MSU class went to Mountain spring near Highlandville for an evening of catching trout. The MSU class is an ongoing activity of the MTFA Springfield club. We have taught a PED 135 class for the past six years. It was suggested by past students that we teach landing big fish. Larry made the arrangements for us to meet at the pay-to-fish facility. The trout were large and gullible with many of the students hooking, landing trophy trout and getting a picture before releasing them back to the water.  It proved to be a success evening for the students.

4/30/2011: MSU class traveled to Roaring River state park. There was a significant rain a few days before the outing with the water up a foot and dirty. Earlier in the week there was some flooding in the camp areas with some areas still closed. Fishing was difficult due to high and dirty water. Both of the students fishing with me did find a few trout. A dry fly worked in shallow water and a wooly bugger worked in deep pools. It was a success day of fishing with catching somewhat challenging.

March: Bull Shoals, Beaver Creek, Swan Creek and more...

The Whistle Bridge in Slough Hollow water gauge 3.0 ft

March 8, 2011: There are days when fishing is tough; you’re not able to find a fish to catch and the keys to the truck are locked inside with a spare on its way from Springfield. This is a making of a fishing adventure.

Earlier that day, I called Ty Ingram to get a fishing report and decided to try Beaver Creek. It was late in the afternoon. I drove to fisherman’s nose access; a tree fell across the road and I had to drive around it in slippery mud. My heart raced a little with the spinning of the tires to get back on the gravel lane. All happened without getting stuck with the truck. Beaver Creek was at (3.1 ft) with a high water event (7.0 ft) six days before. More than likely the walleye eye moved up stream. I checked out the whistle bridge in Slough Hollow and decided to fish around the bend and into the broken water below the rocks.

As I was getting into waders, watching the water for movement, hoping to see a fish; I shut the doors to the truck and then realized the keys were in the ignition. The spare key was with Ann in Springfield. Lucky for me, the phone was in my pocket. I called her for help. Ann answered the phone and I explained my dilemma. Ann was not happy, she went on line with the computer to look for Pop-a-lock or any one in the Kissee Mill area to solve the problem. She did not find a service, and concluded an unplanned trip to Beaver Creek was coming. Deep in thought, and going out the door. Ann locked her keys in the house. The spare key was given to Julie a friend who occasionally watches our cats when we are away. Ann called Julie and she came to our house to let Ann in to get her keys. Ann figured this was God’s way to humble her to her thoughts and my situation.

Julie asked to join Ann, so they stopped in Branson for dinner and rescued me at 8:30 PM. I fished from the bend at fishermen’s nose to the water across the whistle bridge. I did not hook up and see any fish. Again, it would probably be wise to kayak this area to get an idea to the structure and look for fish in the holes.

After, I sharing Ann’s keys and unlocking the truck. Julie and Ann returned to Springfield. I stopped at Shadow Rock Park in Forsyth to survey Swan Creek. There were fish moving with a fish near my feet as I began to cast a line. I did see walleye moving behind me while fishing the gravel at the mouth of the creek. The lighting is almost too much, with the sodium and mercury streetlights burning bright in the area. I was able to see walleye porpoise out of the water. Bull Shoals was up from my last trip; the lake level was 649.4 ft.

I fished until 10:30 PM. My next trip will be Sunday afternoon into the night.

The Whistle Bridge with low water 2,5 ft 3/13/11

March 13, 2011: Made my third trip to Bull Shoals. There was some rain on the drive from Springfield. The lake level was 650 ft; up a little from the last trip with some passing water through the powerhouse: a good current was flowing in the pothole. I did not see any fish moving the surface. A bald eagle did pass over going down stream and 15 minutes later returning passing over the dam on he way back to Lake Taneycomo. I did not catch a fish out of the pothole but a saw a few fishermen catch pan fish. The generation stop an hour later, and it seemed everyone jumped in their vehicles and left. I followed a short time later and drove to Beaver Creek.

The phone gave an alert for a severe thunderstorm warning for Lawrence County. The sky was overcast with a little rain. Beaver Creek was at 2.5 ft, down from last Tuesday (3.2 ft) and clear. One could see most of the bottom of the creek at the whistle bridge. I walked up the creek where I know a safe crossing and fished the other side. I walked the bank for about a mile. After sunset, the air cooled with a cold front moving in a few flashes of lightning was seen.

My first White bass of 2011

There were at least twenty fishermen below the maiden hole. I managed to catch six white bass will all but one small. They were caught in a span of an hour. I fished until 8:30 PM before retracing my steps back to the truck, which was parked at the Whistle Bridge. There was lightning in the area and I made a few phone called to get a computer up to possible cells in the area. After, getting an all clear, I drove to Swan Creek to finish the night of fishing. Last trip, I saw a few walleye moving in the shallow water. On the night I saw nothing. There was a boat half way to the dam from Swan Creek with extremely bight lights, I am curious to know if that was the MDC doing their annual survey and capture of ripe walleye for the hatchery?

I fished until 10 PM and called it a night, will return on Friday.

Twenty fishermen set up below maiden Hole

Note: Beaver Creek came up 3 ft 3/14/11 to 5.5 ft. It is on the fall as of this morning 3/15/11 10 AM.

March 18, 2011: I made a trip back to the Pot Hole. With an early run of white bass, I assumed the James River and Beaver Creek would be saturated with boats and bank fishermen. The Pot Hole had a few fishermen with a minimum generation flowing through the powerhouse. The lake was at 650 ft. The day was overcast, temperatures in the mid-fifties and a strong north wind that calmed after sunset. The moon was not visible but you could see some light coming through the cloud cover.

The three tree hole at 650 ft 3/18/11

I packed the kayak on the truck with intentions to search the water near Silver Creek. Most of the gravel is under water, a hazard for powerboats and waders if the water comes up too fast. I hooked three walleye with the largest measuring 23-inches. The other was 18.5 inches and a returned fish 17.5 inches.

Hope to get back next Friday.

Powersite Dam at 650 ft, no generation... Paul would say move on

March 25, 2011: Again I packed the kayak and returned to Bull Shoals. There was no water coming through the powerhouse in the afternoon with the lake level at 650 ft. The area below the dam did not look fishy. There were a two boats running in the skinny water. I decided to try the old boat dock area. Paul always made a point to give this area a try in the springtime. I unloaded the kayak and made it ready for a trip up the lake. After covering this water with a buck-tail streamer for an hour, watching six boats moving about without any action and observing some action on the surface. I decided it was time to move up the lake and fish below Silver Creek. There were fewer boats in this area with several groups of people moving in and out from the water near Silver creek. I fished until 9 PM before packing up and cleaning a few fish. I managed a pair of walleye and a few white bass. The largest walleye was a spawned out female taped at 27-inched.

This walleye measured 27-inches, a spawned out female

March 31, 2011: Sometimes you have to make changes to fit in several activities. Early spring fish is best in the evening, the water being the warmest, failing light provides cover for fish, allowing them to move and feed. With the day off I wanted to fish the evening, but had committed time to the MSU class from 6-10 PM. So, I decided to fish sunrise. I woke at 3 AM after working several hours before, made a pot of coffee and on the rode before 4 AM. The kayak was set into the water and I made a trip to the spot were fishing had been good. The Pot Hole was up (about 2 feet) with a level of 652 ft. I found the spot and started to work the water. The horn from the powerhouse sounded at 6 AM, with moving water a short time later. It was all coming together for a good morning of fishing. A little later, a flashlight was seen coming down the trail from above and it came down the trail to where I was fishing. I turned on my light to let my presence be known and this individual continued to move my way. He stepped over my kayak, passed behind me and sat a bucket within rods length. It was still dark. I made a comment to the new arrival that I was fly-fishing and I feared for his safety, since he was sitting in the path of my back cast. He moved a short distance. He proceeded to fish for the next couple of hours, watched me cast and wanted to talk about fishing. I am not a social fisherman and usually like to move and cover water. In the dark one is confined to how far one can see. So, I had only a limited area to fish. Needless to say, I did not hook up, with the higher water maybe the fish moved, too many lines in the water, who knows. Later that morning when I returned to the truck to pack up and leave I saw activity on the surface from gizzard shad and wonder if the walleye and whites have enough water for cover and were feeding on these bait fish. Next time maybe, with the next trip Wednesday to the North Fork and then four days chasing white bass.

February: The end of Winter Catch and Release

Feb 7, 2011: Bennett Spring State Park had a little more snow than Springfield (more than a foot). The Red-tail hawk made his rounds. No eagles, turkeys or deer; they must be hunkering down. The wind was blowing up stream, which is a challenge. Some mayflies were coming off, but the size of the hatch has diminished in numbers. I saw the typical BWO and some different mayflies, same size but different colors. Some light colored midges almost #16 seen on the surface

The first hour near the dam was good and caught a few along the edges working my way up stream. After 2 PM, hooking a trout was tough. It was a good day of 15-20 trout.

The wind was raw and I had to keep the hands covered in mittens most of the afternoon. No other fishermen in sight, I did see a fisherman walking towards his car after the horn blew, he was below the dam.

Not many tracks of fishermen in the snow above the dam, I did see Rod tracks from his trip on Sunday. He had a very good day on the water.

One more trip, plan to fish one day next weekend.

Feb 13,2011: It is not often that one can witness such a seasonal change. That is what happened this weekend with the ground covered with a foot of snow and ice from recent snowstorms, followed by cold arctic high pressure that left most of the Midwest in subfreezing temperatures for past ten days.

This past weekend, the temperatures climbed into the sixties. The snow covered hills and pastures in the morning had all but disappeared with the spring like day full of sun, warm breezes and people flocking to the park for the final days of catch and release trout fishing at Bennett Spring State Park.

Rod and I arrived the park at 11 AM, and had a difficult time figuring out where to fish due to the number of fishermen. We finally slipped in the area above the dam and were able to work up stream. The bright sun on the water made it difficult to see trout and the shadows from the birds flying over, fly line on the surface and fishermen rambling about put the trout on alert.
The MDC left the aquatic plants in the stream and did not cut them until after the catch and release season. The plants were the places for the hatching activity through out the winter.

Needless to say, Rod managed seventeen trout and I released fifteen. For me I considered these numbers good with sun and moving fishermen.

This will be my last trip to Bennett to fish for a while. March 1 will start soon with more fishermen and the sense of serenity fishing the winter catch and release season will vanish.
My next trip will be the Pot Hole waiting for the walleye.

Feb 28, 2011: My first trip to the Pot Hole since last April, it is amazing how much it has changed. The lake level was 648 ft in the tail-waters below power-site dam and no current. Last year, I fished it out of a Kayak and noted a level around 660 ft. A difference of 12 ft. The holes I fished are now a gravel bars and dry with the lake, Bull Shoals low and clear. I did not start to fish until sun set and waded some distance. There was no shad activity or fishing breaking water. I found the bottom several times losing flies to the sharp rocks on the bottom. I eventually tied on a 12 lb leader to prevent quick break-offs and abused the fly hitting the rocks. Needless to say, no takes, spent the evening watching lightning moving in from the west. I have some ideas where the fish may lie, need to take a kayak trip to cover more water during the day to figure out a few things and note new structure in the water.