Cold Camping Warm Wishes

Howdy, folks. Last night Chris and I recorded our latest episode with studio guest Jon Loo. Chris and Jon did a song together, live in the studio, and I enthusiastically hummed along. Oh, to have talent ...

Things here in Wisconsin remain chilly, but Chris, Ken and I are considering a run down to the Ozarks for a day or two of winter fishing. I've fished the region in the past, and it's spectacualarly beatiful this time of year. If all goes well, maybe I'll land a big brown to brag about.

Last episode dealt with winter camping, and Chris said, given enough peer pressure from the listeners, he'd consider jumping into the Kinni on our overnight adventure. (We're waiting for a low of zero.) It's nice to know that peer pressure doesn't end with high school. Let Chris know you'd like to see it. I promise some good photos of the event.

If you have some winter camping stories you'd like to share. or anything else related to FWJ, please don't hesitate to contact us. From the gang here at FWJ, we'd like to wish everyone the best this holiday season. Be well, and remember, spring eventually does come around.

joe

New winter blues

Howdy folks. Hope you had a chance to listen the latest podcast. We sure had fun putting it together. Be sure to keep your comments coming in. We love hearing fom people.

Woke up this morning to -15 weather with a wind chill near -40. I had to put the trash out and damn near froze my face off. After that, the truck wouldn't start, so I had to spend ten minutes getting it jumped. Misery, just misery. And it looks like there won't be a break in the weather for awhile. Gets one thinking about writing new material, tying some flies, experimenting with a new chili recipe, shooting oneself in the temple.

I'm going to try my best to stay positive and work on FWJ stuff as well as my new book, but I'll be watching for a break in the weather to get outside. I guess this is also a good time to think about new trips and the upcoming season. Chris and I were thinking maybe this summer we should have a Green River rendevous out west. It would be in late July or early August, and we could invite all listeners to come out for a week and share in some of the finest dry fly fishing the west has to offer. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, please let us know. I'm thinking of bringing it up on the next episode.

Well, that's it for now. Stay warm out there if you're in the midwest. If you're reading this from a much more sane environment, well, good for you. Tell us what the weather and fishing is like right now in your region.

JOE

Winter Is Here

Winter has certainly set in here in the midwest. It was 0 degrees in the Twin Cities this morning. That doesn't mean that we've forgotten about fishing. I had some pals (Joe, Roy and Ben) over for fly tying last night and you'd never know it was winter. There was so much fish talk going on that we hardly tied any flies. We're all waiting for the temps to climb back to the 30s so we can do a little winter fishing. As Joe has mentioned, Iowa is always an option with their trout season being open year round. Also, we have the special MN winter season coming up Jan 1. I know as soon as a warm spell hits, I'll be out there.

Roy and I, along with our wives, attended the annual banquet for the Kiap-TU-Wish chapter of Trout Unlimited last week. The chapter always does a great job with their banquets providing good food, interesting programs and plenty of great auction items to bid on. If you are interested in getting involved with Trout Unlimited, please check the links page on http://fishingwithjoe.com/ for more information.

I had the opportunity to join Chris and Joe in the studio last week. What a great time we had. Check out episode 23 "Reel Singing". We had a discussion on fly reels, music by Kane's River, and a very special holiday tune performed live from The Fish Shack. Plus a great bratwurst recipe from Chris' Kitchen. The reel sound effect really got me going. Fish on!

Happy Holidays and see you soon out there on the water.

Ken

Graphite Paradise

Hey folks. We just finished episode 21 featuring a discussion on fly rod choices. Joe says 9 ft., I say 8 ft. ans so on. As it turns out, a good gear discussion can be the next best thing to being on the stream. The Wisconsin season has closed, so Joe an I are talking about a trip to Iowa soon. Northern Iowa rivers are beautiful during the late fall and winter seasons. The last time I was there, I caught a decent sized brown on my first cast using a midge.

21 also features music by the North Carolina band The Bisquit Burners. Their arrangements are fresh and can this young group pick! There is a link to their site on our links page, or you can google them.

Fishwing with Joe will celebrate its one-year anniversary by offering the annual road trip music feature. Please send us your favorite road tunes of 2008 at chrissilverband@gmail.com .

Talk soon,

Chris

Trout Fishing Calendars

Hoping that you've all enjoyed (or maybe you're still enjoying) a great season. Find a comfy spot, turn on your ipod or computer, and check out the latest episodes. Joe and I have shared our thoughts on adjusting your calendar to match the different fishing seasons-a great concept, especially if life is stressing you out. Our fall catch is smoked, the leaves are starting to fall, the music just keeps getting better. Life is good!

Upcoming episodes will include a special gear show, our 2nd annual road trip music special, and a special anniversary episode that will feature some special guests.

Tune in, drop us a line and let us know what's inspiring you.

Yours,

Chris

Tricos and Kayaks

Hey Folks,

It’s been quite some time since the last post. As many of you know, my life has been a bit complex this summer, but we are back in the saddle so to speak. The last few episodes have explored several interesting topics including fishing from watercraft, mid-summer fishing, the Trico hatch, wild parsnips, great music and more.

Of special interest is Joe’s fantasy of the perfect fishing vehicle. What is your idea of a perfect fishing car? What would it look like on the inside? Outside? Go ahead folks—pimp your trout mobile!!! Let us know your thoughts by clicking on comments at the bottom of this entry.

Check out these episodes at http://www.fishingwithjoe.com/ and subscribe to our podcast at itunes (search for “fishing with joe”).

Chris

post fishcamp spawn

Howdy folks. Chris and I are are still recovering from fish camp. As usual, it was a blast. It was fun to see some people we haven't connected with in awhile. We've had some thoughts about a fall fish camp, so if you're in the area, let us know if you'd be interested in coming. Usually a few brats, a six pack, and a good story makes you a friend for life.

Many thanks to all of you who have written in, commenting on the show. We appreciate your feedback, and we look forward each day to see who is checking in. Tell us what you'd like to hear more of; give us some ideas for an episode; or just give us a good razzing.

In case you haven't heard it, episode 12, "Neoprene" is available. Hope you enjoy it. Chris and I will be back in the studio soon to talk about fishcamp and the upcoming summer fishing.

As far as fishing is concerned, hatches seem to be a bit delayed this year, probably due to the late spring. If you've noticed, the trees were almost three weeks late. Perhaps the hatches are following suit. At any rate, I've seen a crane fly hatch, a few sulphurs, and a fairly consistent caddis hatch. For caddis, try the elk hair with green body, size 18. Chris did well on this the other day. I'd suggest a soft hackle dropper, such as a March Brown. Roy ties a mean one, and I'll try to get the recipe on the site. I also did well the other evening with a 14 hares ear (no bead head) with the aforementioned dropper. Not exactly revolutionary, but what the heck.

That's it for now. Don't be shy. I know a few of you read this stuff.

Chris and Joe

caddy up

Howdy folks. Time to report on the streams and other issues related to Fishin' with Joe.

The Kinni and Rush are fishing great these days. The caddis have arrived, which is always a good thing. I've been seeing them in the evening, and while they haven't been thick, the fish are definitely on to them. Remember to vary your caddis presentations. I often fish them across and down, with a slight skip evry now and then. Caddis oviposit, meaning the females dive down into the water to lay eggs. This triggers agressive strikes, so fish your flies with an emerger. I generally use a soft hackle like a march brown below my dry pattern. If nothing is happening on the surface, try the old bead head hare's ear with a soft hackle dropper. It's always a sure bet.

Neil and roy were down on the Kinni yesterday and reported decent fishing. Neil caught fish on the swing with a pinkish soft hackle. I believe it imitated a Hendrickson, which are stil around, but Neil wasn't so sure. He said he took nearly everything on the swing. Roy had success with a march brown, which tells you the fish are keying on emergers.

Fish camp is coming up, a week from this Friday. If you are interested in coming, please send Chris or me an e-mail so we'll be sure to have enough food. It should be a helluva party. We're planning on getting a keg from the Rush River Brewery, so if nothing else, come for the suds. We'll plan on opening up the studio if anyone wants to skewer the hosts of Fishing with Joe. Bring your washboards!

Chris and I plan on going into the studio this Thursday to record our new episode. If you'd like to get something on the air, please let us know. Ken and Neil are already in the script.

That's all for now. Remember folks, always grease your nymph!

joe

A sweet hour or two

Howdy folks. Just wanted to pass on the latest stream news and wax philosophical. yesterday I walked down to the lower Kinni and found the river running clear. It took less than 24 hours to return to normal after the last rain event. Naturally, I was excited to do a little fishing, so late in the afternoon I geared up for a bit of fishing, hoping I might catch the Hendrickson hatch. Unfortunately, it cooled down and clouded over. The Hendricksons were nowhere to be seen, but the blue wings made their usual appearence.

At first I did not see any activity on the water, but when I stopped to switch flies, I noticed the swallows diving near the riffles. Upon closer inspection, I saw the blue wings, not thick, but definitely present. The fish weren't rising, so I put on a beadhead P.T. with a march brown soft hackle, (one of Roy's, I think) and I immediately started hauling in trout. At one point it was on every other cast. Because I am such a swell guy, I called Chris from the stream, (Yes, Jeff, I know it's a crime) and within minutes he was fishing with the same set up, catching just as many fish as I. It was a great way to end the weekend, and it reminded me the importance of being observant. Just because I didn't see fish rising didn't mean they weren't feeding toward the surface. Sometimes, in the riffles especially, you can miss this.

On another note, I went for a drive with my brother Jim on Saturday, pointing out some of my favorite spots on the Rush. He is fairly new to fly fishing, and it was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, just driving and marking spots on the map. The Rush was blown out on Saturday from the rain, but I did see a few people throwing streamers, or perhaps worm patterns. Lost Creek, on the other hand, was fairly clear, and while I did not stop to fish it, I was reminded of what a pretty little stream it is, worthy of consideration when the Rush is filled with people or you just want to catch a few brookies to admire their color.

The Wisconsin catch and release season has now officially ended, and the stream will not be open to fishing until this coming Saturday. I'm not sure why this odd little rule exists, but I suspect it has something to do with a compromise between fly fisherman and bait fisherman. I may be wrong, so if someone knows why this is, please set me straight.

Hope everyone has had a chance to listen to episode 11. The music is fabulous, so if you want to skip the talking parts, go ahead. I understand completely.

We're still looking for feedback, so don't be afraid to write in or blog. Andy and Neil, if you're out there, we will be featuring your comments in the next episode. And Nate, you're about due for an email.

That's all folks. Be well.

Joe

murky waters?

Howdy folks, hope you had a chance to check out episode 11. The music is outstanding. We've asked listeners to drop a blog or an email on any of the following: Fishing hats, What's in your vest, Best excuses to go fishing, Road tunes, or just a friendly stream report. Check out Ken's response to fishing hats (still trying to envision the cammo thing) and his success with the # 20WD40 pattern on the kinni. I've had good luck with this pattern as well during midge hatches. I've tied them in red, but I'm not sure what Ken is using. Perhaps he can share a recipe.

Checked out the Kinni this morning and she seemed a bit off color in the early morning light due to the recent rain. I'll look again later today. If anyone would like a report, send an email to joepaatalo@gmail.com.

If the rivers hold, I'll be on the Rush this weekend. There are a few spots I haven't visited in awhile. I think I'll put my hiking boots on and do a little walking. The Rush can get a bit crowded in those well known spots on the weekends, so I suggest trying the lower Rush below Highway 10. Not as many fish down there, but they can be awfully big. I've had my best success down there in the spring. This year I plan to do some late night fishing down there with streamers, preferably on a clear night with a full moon. If someone is interested in trying it, let me know. Perhaps we can coordinate an outing.

That's all for now.

joe

Dry fly time

Howdy folks. Been awhile since I've blogged. I'm currently coaching baseball at the high school here, so it's cut into my fishing and writing time. I'll have to work on that. It's all about priorities, eh.

For those interested in the stream conditions, the Kinni and Rush are runniing great and the dry fly action has started. Chris and I saw hendricksons the other day on the kinni and got pretty excited. This is one of our favorite hatches of the year. If you get out, you can try a standard 16 or 14 Adams, and that should work. I tie a pink sow bug soft hackle as a dropper and take just as many fish on that. Make sure to have your blue wing patterns as well. They've been coming off on the Kinni and Rush, especially on overcast or rainy days. no surprises there. I would also suggest the midge patterns for early mornings. I'm becoming fond of a cluster pattern for midge. If interested in what that means, please drop a note.

Good friends Roy and Ken were out the other day and had some success. I'll contact them and they can blog on what did and didn't work on the lower Kinni.

In other news, we recorded episode 10 last week, so if you haven't given it a listen, please do so. As always, we had fun. We teased Roy pretty good, but he's a good sport. We plan to record the next episode in the next day or two. We're always looking for suggestions, so please keep them coming. In particular, we'd like some pictures of fishing hats we can post. Or, we'd settle for good fishing hat story.

Also, if you have music or story suggestions, we'd love to hear about that as well.

Hope all is well out there and you've managed to get out on the stream. be well.

joe

run-off blues

Yes, it's that time of year again when the best laid plans go astray. As the temps start rising, the run-off can destroy your fishing. Yesterday, Roy bolted out of work and hustled down to the lower Kinni in hopes of recreating his opener magic - you know, the "two dozen" fish in one run. Anyway, the river was almost chocolate brown by the time he got there. Bummer, Roy.

Folks, if you're heading out in the next week or so, be sure to check on conditions. If you don't know anyone out here, you can always shoot me an email at joseph.paatalo@rfsd.k12.wi.us I'll be happy to give you a report. Unfortunately, I'll be gone for the next week, so you'll have to use another source.

In general, I've found that run-off after a storm takes about 36 hours to clear. The Rush and Kinni behave similarly. With snow melt, things get unpredictable. Until the snow disappears, the danger of dark, muddy water is always there. The other issue to be aware of is the "valley" factor. In some of those darker valleys, the snow hangs on longer due to lack of sun. So, things might seem great, but the river is still messed up. It only takes one valley to screw up everything downstream. When the snow is gone, you can be sure the upper Kinnin will be good.

That's it for now. Godd fishin' everyone!

Howdy, folks. Hope you enjoyed episode 9. Chris and I had a lot of fun with it. As mentioned in the episode, we're looking for stories or photos regarding fishing hats. We'd love to hear from you. Also, we still welcome items for "What do you put in your Vest?"

Ken recently submitted a nice piece on road music, which we will feature soon. So if you have suggestions for road music, or just music suggestions for the show, we'd welcome that as well.

This Friday, the 14th, I will be heading out to Montana for a week of, you guessed it, fishing. I look forward to reporting back to everyone. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures to make people envious.

Keep sending fishing updates if you have any. We'd like to start posting reports.

Thanks for listening, and remember, ALWAYS GREASE YOUR NYMPH.

joe

Yes, the spring season started Saturday with a bang, literally! Later in the day, as we were heading up the trail to the fish shack, some yahoos decided to start firing their guns in the air above our heads in reaction to what they perceived to be trespassing. I don't think the land owner was actually present. From what I could see, it was a group of young men, probably relatives. These idiots are obviously in need of a hobby. Maybe they should take up fishing given their proximity to the stream. This incident does bring up the importance of annually communicating with land owners. We asked for permission to walk along that land a fews years back, but we'll need to check in again. Something to keep in mind if you are walking across private land.

Depsite getting shot at, we did have a great morning of fishing. Walking along the cedars, pines and limestone bluffs was a renewing experience to say the least. When I met up with Ken and Joe about a mile downriver, they had already been catching dozens of browns. I had no such luck, but enjoyed the hang.

Chris

Good tunes and the opener

I've been listening to Jeffrey Foucalt this week and have been blown away. If you haven't given this guy some time, please do. We featured him on episode 7, and he's worth the effort to find his stuff.

The opener, as always, was a lot of fun. It doesn't matter whether we catch fish or not because we're all about ritual, but this one was quite productive. The crew on the Kinni this year included Ken Hansen, Ben Brasser, Jim Paatalo, Neil Nelson, Roy Erickson, Chris Silver and yours truly. We caught a fair number of fish, especially when the water warmed up a bit and the sun hit the water full on. Roy laid claim to most fish, having hit the pot of gold in a sunny run. He took over 20 fish, and that my friends, is impressive.

I planned on fishing today, Sunday, with brother Jim, but was waylaid with school work. The weather was quite a bit nicer than yesterday, so I'm interested in how people did on the Rush. Please let us know.

On another note, I finished the first draft of my long suffering novel today. My goodness, I never thought I'd make it. I'm in a mood to party. Unfortunately, it's Sunday and I'm mentally exhausted. I'm afraid to read what I wrote today in fear it all sucks. But hey, I actually did it. It's amazing how fast eight years goes.

Some of you are still having issues accessing the site. That should be resolved soon.

Let us know how your opener was.

jope

Technical hiccups

Howdy folks. We apologize to those of you who are trying to access our episodes. Apparently, our server isn't big enough to handle the millions of hits. Chris will correct this sometime on the 28th of Feb. and we should be good to go.

Episode 8 is up, so be sure to check it out. We sure had some good yuks putting it together.

I want to take this moment to wish everyone a happy opener. Make a point this year to be kind to your fellow anglers. Give them space, offer up a fly now and then, and remember the rivers are better off because of the fishermen. And yes, that includes the spin junkies. After all, we love our unenlightened brethren, too.

Finally, be sure to give Trout Unlimited your attention. It is one of the great cold water organizations in North America, responsible for creating and supporting stewards of the river.

As always, thanks for listening and commenting.

joe

Random thoughts

In episode 7 I made the unfortunate mistake of saying John Gierach wrote Trout Madness. Of course we all know Robert Traver wrote said book. Gierach wrote Trout Bum. Both are fine books, with some of the most memorable lines written about fly rodding in the last 50 years. Traver and Gierach both deserve a special place on your bookshelf.

Poet, fly-fisher and local resident Sue West sent us a nice posting about what Nick Adams had in his fly vest. For those of you who have not read Big Two-Hearted River parts 1 and 2, I strongly suggest you do. In my humble opinion, it is one of the most important American stories written about the redemptive power of fishing and moving water. It's a story about fly fishing only ostensibly. It's really about so much more. Perhaps I will wax esoteric about it on the next episode.

Please keep the comments coming in. We look forward to reading them. Remember, we're looking for what you keep in your vest. We're also slowly collecting great road trip songs. I was thinking perhaps of burning a disc of road trip tunes - some designed for late night driving, some for getting in the mood. Anyway, always looking for suggestions.

And hey, it's only a few days to the opener. Maybe we'll see you out there.

joe

Beat the "Shack Nasties"

The winter is dragging on in Western Wisconsin. We've been able to beat the blues down a bit with the production of Episodes 7 and 8. Joe and I offer a new segment entitled: "What Do You Carry in Your Vest?" Send us an email explaining what you carry and why. You wont believe what some people have in their vests.

I recommend that you subscribe to our podcast via itunes and listen to the episodes while on the road. If that doesn't work for you, you can go to our site, http://www.fishingwithjoe.com/ and directly download the episodes or just listen. We guarantee FWJ as a way of getting through the winter.

The winter opener in Western Wiscsonsin starts on March 1, so needless to say it's time to clean the fly lines and stock up on tipet, leaders, and nymph patterns. Who knows, we might even by able to catch a few on the surface with a good midge pattern. Be careful to avoid putting flys in your mouth while you attach your leader (listen to Joe's "Pass the Mustad" essay in episode 8.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Chris

Moving Along!

Joe and I have now finished episodes 3-6. We are having a blast in the fish shack discussing topics from fish lust to road trips. Our latest episode features an interview with Ken Hansen, a local fly fishing guru. He talks about how he became interested in the sport that has changed most of us forever. Joe reads from the mailbag and we have a few laughs. Check out our new website at http://www.fishingwithjoe.com/ and download the episodes directly or visit I-Tunes and search for Fishing with Joe.

Pictured to the left is the Ray Charles pattern that Joe talks about in Episode 5. It's a sure bet on the French Creek in Northern Iowa. How do these patterns get there names? somthing to ponder for sure.

Talk soon,

Chris