"Ode to Endless Winter"

Fresh snow, deep snow

Wet snow, powder snow

Dirty snow, yellow snow

But never "no" snow

Snow blowers and snow plows

Snow shovels and snow piles

Slippery roads, salt, grit

Blowing snow and snow drift

Short day and long night

Lead to lack of sunlight

Vitamin D deprived

How do we survive?

Outrageous heating bills

Force supplement thrills

Use wood stove beater

Or kerosene heater

Wear a hat we are told
Or risk nasty head cold
Nasal drip, drip, drip
Lead to a doctor's trip

Artic Express forebode

Layered clothes overload

Thinsulate, polar fleece

Toe warmers for our feet

Nothing to do but ice fish

So safe thickness we wish

Hoping for solid clear blue

But crusty white often will do

Oh winter be gone

Open water we long

Desiring more on our line

Than these tiny perch we malign

Darl Black

February 2011

OZ 2

Early in November I spent several days in the Missouri Ozarks. This past week found me a little further south in the Arkansas Ozarks for more fishing adventures in the Land of Oz.

I was taking part in Arkansas State of Fishing sponsored by Frabill, Northland Fishing Tackle, MarCum Technologies, Arkansas Tourism, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, and area resorts.  Over 20 outdoor writers participated in this extended photo shoot, staying two to three days to experience the variety of fishing adventures.  Even though it was a massive undertaking with complicated scheduling, Arkansas hospitality was clearly demonstrated by area resort owners and staff who made everyone feel right at home.

My base of operation was Gaston's Resort, from which I had the opportunity to fish the White River for trout, Norfork Lake for bass and Bull Shoals for crappie.

On day one I joined forces with Eric Naig and local trout guide Curtis Redburn to discover why the White River is recognized as a world class trout fishery.  Small rainbows came on almost every cast with a live red worm.  But it took my bold change up to a pink suspending jerkbait to draw strikes from big browns in the river.

On day two I explored the coves of Norfork Lake with bass angler Larry Olson.  Larry guided me to the lake's triple bass trophy: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass.  All bass were caught on a Northland Jungle Bug with a crawdad trailer.

My final day in the Land of Oz, I fished Bull Shoals with Curt Niedermire and guide Frank Saksa as we probed brushpiles in 25 feet of water for big black crappies.  We scored crappies up to 2 pounds by following Frank's detailed instructions on counting down a 1/16-ounce jig to the top of the brush.

If you would like to arrange a magical visit to this land of enchantment, check out the following websites: http://www.visitmyarkansas.com/ and http://www.ozarkmountainregion.com/.

Land of OZ

The lighted sign at the end of the road read "Alhonna Resort and Marina."  Although I was disoriented in the inky darkness, at least I knew we were not in Kansas.

This was my first visit to Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri.  I didn't know what to expect, except that surprises were in store.

Under the tutelage of my local guide, I learned that in the fall most of the bays and cuts on lake of the Ozarks are filled to the brim with crappies - both white and black.  The brushpiles planted for crappies also attract largemouth bass and hybrid stripers.  Turns out all these species love Bobby Garland Crappie Jigs.  However, the majority of largemouths were caught by fishing buzzbaits and Jewel Jigs tipped with Gene Larew Craws around the thousands of docks that covered every foot of this lake's shoreline.

To escape the docks, several of us took a little trip via Hobie Kayak down the mysterious Niangua River.  I quickly discovered the clear waters of this creek were filled with baitfish, smallmouth bass, trout and green sunfish - plus some largemouth and spotted bass.  But our "easy paddle" turned into an epic river runner's tale as one member of our group upset on a downed tree blocking the stream.

As we paddled hard to completed our trip before darkness covered the land, a horde of flying monkeys followed in the trees...turned out to be several squirrels chasing one another.

In all, ten different fish species were caught by our entourage over three days.  Although other anglers used a variety of lures and rods, I stuck with one outfit and one lure to catch fish in both the lake and river.  I worked my magic with a Lew's Light action spinning outfit (yes, Lew's is back) and a Bobby Garland 3-inch Slab Slay'r Double Silver Rainbow on a 1/16-ounce jighead.  When I lost the last of the Rainbow sparkle baits on the third day, my confidence also hit a snag.  It was time to click the heels of my angling shoes and return home for more fishing adventures.  

To plan your own adventure to the Land of OZ, go to http://www.visitmo.com/.

   

Halloween Trick or Treat

Following a rather lack-luster October on one of our favorite big fish lakes, the water temperature on Conneaut finally dropped below 55 degrees.  So with prime temperature range reached at last, Marilyn and I weren't ready to throw in the towel.  October 30th found us back on the lake...along with sustained 25 mph winds gusting even higher at times.  The strong south wind made boat control very difficult if not impossible on most areas of the lake.  After 1-1/2 hours without a strike, it looked like we were getting the "trick" part of Halloween played on us.

Positioning the boat for a blow-by pass on a deep weed edge where we often caught nice bass, I reminded Marilyn that her next few casts may result in a strike so choose her lure wisely.  She picked up a rod with a new Sebile Snagless Flat Shad lipless crankbait.  On her third cast, I heard her mutter something about missing a strike but the fish came back at the lure again.  I turned to see the G.Loomis cranking rod doubled in half on what appeared to be a very impressive fish.

When I saw the fish boil on the surface, my legs began shaking as I scrambled for the net.  Marilyn kept shouting "Get it into the net."  My inner voice kept repeating "Don't screw up the net job."

Following several tense moments, I finally scooped the bass.  The fat largemouth measured 1/4 inch shy of 22 inches.  We estimated the weight to be easily 6 pounds, making it the biggest largemouth that Marilyn had ever caught.  A Halloween treat far better than any candy!

Big, Bad St. Clair Browns

I had not fished Lake St. Clair (just north of Detroit) since my first trip there in the early 1990s.  Back then we caught 2 to 2.5 pound smallmouth, which the local experts at the time told me was fairly typical of the fishery.  I had no pressing desire to return to St. Clair when I could catch larger smallmouth closer to home.

But pro angler and smallmouth guide Joe Balog had been telling me that the St. Clair of today is not the one of old.  Zebra mussels have improved the water clarity allowing bass to forage more effectively and gobies have added to the prey options.  "In the case of these two exotics, we like the influence on the smallmouth population in St. Clair," says Joe. 

So last week I took Joe up on an invitation to fish with him, ranger Boat rep Pat Kleppert, and St. Clair smallmouth expert Scott Dobson.  Our catch results blew me away!  Big, Bad, Brown Bass!

Scott showed us how he had just won a St. Clair tournament with a record-setting smallmouth catch.  First, he visually locates areas of open sand amid the weed & moss-covered flats in 5 to 10 feet of water.  He pitches a 1/2-ounce blade bait to the "sand spot" and gently pumps it once or twice, then lets it settle.  Smallmouth would pick it off the bottom.  Brand blades used included Vibe, Poor Boys and Silver Buddy.

Soaking tubes on the sand spots also produced.  On the second day of the trip, Joe blew us away with a 7-pound smallmouth taken on a tube. 

Today a fishing trip to St. Clair is certainly worth the six hour drive from Northwest Pennsylvania - or just about from anywhere.  But typical angler-type lodging is absent at this lake.  Although plenty of big pleasure boat marinas line the U.S. side, there are no fishing camps, campgrounds or small fishing-friendly motels on the lake.  We stayed at the ConCorde Inn (586-493-7200) in Clinton Township, an excellent facility only 20 minutes from the Metro Beach Ramp.  Plan a trip for next October - you won't be disappointed!

Those Other Brownies

When Delaware River smallmouth guide Blaine Mengel mentioned he was catching 20-inch-plus "brownies" on jerkbaits during the late summer on the northern section of the Delaware, being a hardcore bronzeback angler I figured he was referring to smallmouth bass. 

But arriving in Hancock, NY, at the appointed time last week, I found myself in the middle of trout-fishing country.  We were fishing the special regulation area on the West Branch of the Delaware were brown trout find the coldwater discharge of the upstream water supply reservoir very much to their liking.  But instead of fly fishing for these meat-eaters, Blaine uses jerkbaits. 

After trying without success to finesse a brown into taking a small, baitfish pattern jerkbait, Blaine realized the high and dingy water demanded a bolder jerkbait.  He pulled out a Sour Grape XCalibur Xs4.  Over the next couple hours, Blaine landed seven brown trout between 16" and 25" on that dirty-water color.

However, trophy toothy browns are a slippery lot that don't like to pose for pictures.  "You can't lip these fish like smallmouth," said Blaine as another one shot out of his hands and back into the river.

Where Stone Cats Rule

I launched my Labor Day weekend early with a trip to the North Branch of the Susquehanna where I fished for smallmouth bass with Chris Gorsuch.  The North Branch was at low flow with a water temperature of 80 degrees.  I was surprised at the dingy water color and lack of free floating weed strands - "Normal for the North Branch," notes Chris.

For seven hours on day one we fished lures exclusively, landing 50 bass on assorted baits.  Chris lead the way with crankbaits.  However, I surprised him with several fish on Yum Dancin' Eel - a soft swim tail cranker.  "Looks like a swimming stone cat," notes Chris.

At the next current seam below an island, I tied on a Gene Larew Biffle-O Jr. (A 5.5" tube body with a unique long tapering tail.)  I promptly out fished Chris who was using one of his custom-color tube jigs.  "Acts like a swimming stone cat," notes Chris.

On day two, we fished live stone cats that Chris and friends had caught the night before.  Every drop of a stone cat into the fast-current water produced a pick-up within 60 seconds.  We quickly lost count of bass landed.  Not only our numbers soared but stone cats produced more bass over 16" than artificial lures the day before.

On the North Branch, stone cats rule!