Baseball and summer memories

Howdy folks, hope this blog finds you in a summer state of mind. Chris and I have been busy trying to put the wraps on the end of the school year. It's always a hectic time, and the days can get a bit long. I'm coming to the end of my baseball coaching season, so it will be nice to have a little more time to get on the stream in the evenings.



Speaking of baseball, I've come out of retirement and am playing for the River Falls Fighting Fish, the local semi pro team. It has been a blast so far. I'm the oldest guy on the team and sometimes in the morning after a game I'm wondering about my sanity. I've discovered a few muscles I've forgotten about. Guess it's part of my arrested development, but playing with the boys takes me back to some wonderful summer days running around the basepaths, smelling the concession stand grill, and hearing the perfect sound of a wooden bat connecting with a fastball. It's almost as good as a fat brown sipping your blue wing. Ah, summer. So sweet, so fleeting. Enjoy your days, folks. Appreciate a summer evening on the porch sipping a cold one while listening to a ballgame on the radio. Appreciate sitting along the river bank just watching the river move. Sometimes being a participant involves nothing more than a keen eye for the moment. Or, if you're like me, a half bottle of Ibuprofen.



Chris and I will be back in the studio this weekend, so look for a new episode soon. We have much to talk about. As you firm up your summer plans, we'd love to hear about what YOU are doing this summer. Tell us about your road trip plans; tell us about your favorite baseball memories; tell us about your morning jaunt to the river to fish for carp on a fly. We'd like to dedicate an episode to summer plans and memories. Don't be shy. Please contribute an anecdote or two to FWJ.



That's all for now folks. Hope to see you on the stream soon.



joe

Rush Report

Hi Folks,

The following is an email I sent to a few fishing friends and thought I'd also post it here. This fish picture was from the Kinni the other day. I forgot my camera yesterday which is why fishing was so good.

Ken

Terry and I fished the Rush near El Paso this afternoon/evening.We fished the area where Joe once sang to me as we were waking up in our sleeping bags next to the river. A storm blew through right after we started fishing but the rain didn't last too long. I think the rain may have gotten the bigger fish active. We both caught some very nice fish.

Nymphing was good and specifically the size 20 WD40 was the ticket for me. I have a renewed faith in this fly this season. So easy to tie too. I only have one left in my fly box and managed to get it back from every rock and snag I hooked tonight. I landed two 18" browns (had another one the same size break off while using a serendipity), a couple 14" browns, and one beautiful brookie that was 12". The brookie looked like it lived in the bottom of this deep pool as the colors were very deep and dark. We named this spot Republican Pool. We thoroughly worked every part of this pool but could only hook them on the 'right' side.

Not too much hatch activity tonight. We did see lots of craneflies on the water but not too many rising fish. Other than that, a few caddis were bouncing around. Last year around this time we ran into the crane/caddis combo hatch and couldn't hook a thing despite having rising fish all around us. I suspect they were keyed on cranes and we didn't have the right fly to imitate them.

We also met Arby Linder from the Eau Galle Rush River Sportsman's Club. Nice guy. They have done so much for keeping public access on the Rush!

Tonight it wasn't about quantity but quality. Sometimes the Rush can be good to you in that way and that's why there are always lots of people fishing over there.

Post fish camp/rolling along

Howdy folks. Last Friday's fish camp was a rollicking good time - good music, good food, good friends. Couldn't ask for anything more. We hardly noticed the rain. Thanks to all who attended. It was nice seeing old friends and making some new ones. We'll try to post some pictures on the site soon. I took pictures with what I thought was Chris' camera, but it turned out to be someone else's. Oops. If you are that person, perhaps you can email Chris or me with those photos. You can delte the one with Jeff Rissman's naked ass.

Fishing reports have been positive in this region. Although no one has reported a Hendrickson sighting yet, the blue wings, caddis and crane flies have been coming off. Remember, this is getting to be dry fly time, so hit the stream prepared. Ken was out on the Rush last night and reported nice success, including two big browns. Most of his luck came on a wd 40, which says the midge activity has been hot.

Chris and I were in the studio last night, so look for a new episode soon. As always, we had a good time; Chris selected some terrific music. Give a listen and let us know what you think. We love hearing from you.

Hope to see you stream-side soon.

joe

Fish camp and caddis

Howdy folks. We're on the eve of fish camp, the annual merry get-together. This year's event promises to be memorable. I've got the fixings for wild pheasant and and wild turkey chili. Thanks to Neil Nelson for providing additional game. Should be a treat. Chris recently had a tiki bar built for the Silver summer festivities, so we're looking forward to "breaking" it in. Chris is ordering a keg of Rush River brew to set the innaugeration off right. As far as music is concerned, you never know what to expect. Chris has some new songs, and Jeff Rissman, the sometime fly fisherman, will perform a few songs written for fish camp. Ken Hanson, our spiritual advisor, will perform Little Martha for us. I plan on breaking up the music will a new essay on the anatomy of road trip, which I just completed. Geez, could you ask for anything more? (Hope the weather holds.)

Ken and Chris report the fishing on the Kinni has been excellent. Caddis have been coming off at night, so be sure to swing a march brown behind your fly as a dropper. Still haven't seen the hendricksons, but I have blind faith they will be here this sping in all their glory. They come off as the caddis pick up and the sulphurs begin to show, so be prepared to table your nymphs for awhile.

Chris and I will be back in the studio soon to report on the event, so if you can't attend or live too far away, you can live vicariously through us. If we plan well enough, we'll try to do a little video taping and post it on FWJ.

Be well all. Hope to see you on the stream soon.

joe