Fishin' With Joe

Baseball and summer memories

2009-05-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-07T04:46:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks. Hope you've had a chance to listen to the latest podcast. We featured the music of Ray Wylie Hubbard, and it's been swimming in my head head all week. Great stuff. The episode was a hoot to record, lots of good yuks. Let us know what you think.

Fishing has been solid. I hit the Rush on Saturday with good friend Chris Wedholm. We spent a few hours on the stream with the highlight being a 22 inch sucker caught by yours truly. Hey, it was a nice fight. I also lost a big brown that might have been 16 plus. That's the thing about the Rush, there's always the chance for really big fish.

A special shout-out to all the volunteers on the Rush cleaning up the river. Great job, folks! It was great to see you out there. The river looks fabulous. Folks, as you make your way along your favorite river, be sure to carry a creel or a bag with you to collect trash. Rivers tend to collect refuse after the early season run-off. Let's help in keeping our rivers clean.

The catch and release season is closed this week to "rest up" the water for the opener this weekend. I tend to skip the opener, prefering to stay away from the crowds, but if you're out be sure to have some blue wings and hendricksons with you. If nothing else, a size 14 or 16 Adams will suffice. The fish are gettng more active, so look to the riffles if there's activity on the water. For those of you whose eyesight is getting weaker, look for the swallows darting around the riffles. It's a sure sign a hatch is on.

Fish camp is still on for May 8th. If interested in attending, drop us a note.
Thanks again to all the listeners out there. Drop us a line when you get a chance.

joe

2009-04-21T05:14:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks. It's been a rather hectic around here as of late with school and coaching, but I've managed to get down to the river, no matter how tired I feel. Some things are too important to dismiss with excuses like grocery shopping or laundry. I walked down to the Kinni the other night after a day of steady rain and had a delightful hour and a half of fishing. I had the river and a light blue wing hatch all to myself. Not sure how many I caught, but the fishing was steady. Caught most on a blue wing dropper, and I took a number of fish on the swing, which is a sure sign fish are getting active. As the temps warm, the fish spread out and get more aggressive. If things are slow, try switching to a soft hackle under a beadhead, and be sure to let your flies go through the entire run before lifting for another cast. I've found success the last few years using pink sow bugs in April and May. I suspect they look like Hendricksons to the fish. Give it a try.

Chris returned this weekend from a few days at a music fest in Austin, Texas. As always, he picked up some great music and is looking forward to sharing it on FWJ. We hope to get into the studio mid-week, so we'll have an episode ready for your enjoyment soon. Stay tuned.

We haven't had much feedback lately, so please take a moment to share some thoughts with us. We'd like to think you're out there fishing and way too busy to send us a note, but we'd love to hear from you when you get the chance.

This coming week we'll be making preparations for Fish Camp. It promises to be a big year. If you'd like to join, please send us a note. We want to be sure to have enough pheasant and wild turkey chili. Again, the date is May, 8. If you come, we might make you buy a long sleeve t-shirt. We still have quite a few left, and we'd like to order our next product, the FWJ killer fish hat.

That's it for now, keep those stream reports coming. Hope to see you along the banks somewhere soon.

Joe

Getting Green

2009-04-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks. I figure we're one good soaking rain away from greening everything up around here. I must say I'm looking forward to a new landscape. The rivers are running clear and low and could use a little boost as well.

Fishing has been good as of late, and I'm betting it's going to get even better. Chris and I were on the lower Kinni the other night for an hour or two and both of us did well, Chris especially. We got into one run where I watched him hook up with fish on every other cast. Fish were keying on a march brown soft hackle, but they were willing to take any smaller beadhead as long as the drift was decent. Fun stuff. I'm starting to see some caddis action later in the evening, and while it isn't enough to get the fish worked up, I suspect that will change soon. Still haven't seen the first Hendrickson, but when I do, or when I get a report of the lovely salmon colored fly coming off, I'll be sure to let you know. It may be my favorite hatch of the year.

On a different note, good buddy John Eret reports steelhead fishing on the Brule was excellent this past Friday. He hooked into several nice fish, but as usual with John, he didn't land any. (He's into long distant releases.) I'm hoping to get up there in two weeks to try my hand at it. Steelheading is a different game altogether, but it's easy to get hooked after you land one of these beatiful fish. I mean, look at John. He hasn't landed a fish in years but still goes back to the river enthusiastically.

Chris leaves today for a music fest outside of Austin, Texas, so we won't be in the studio until the weekend at the soonest, which is fine with me. I've got two essays in progress, but with all my writing, it never goes as smoothly as I want it to. On a good day, I might get half a page written that doesn't suck. One might think the writing would get easier with age, but sadly, that's not the way it works. I've been crafting essays, on and off, for over ten years, and I think by this summer I will have enough for a collection worthy of a book. We'll see.

Chris has been in the studio working on his newest album, and from what I've heard so far it sounds terrific. Hopefully, I can can talk him into doing some more of his new music on the show.

Fish camp is on for May 8th, and Chris and I are excited about this year's event. I'm planning pheasant and wild turkey chili, and we'll have a keg of Rush River beer to wash everything down. Looks like we'll have a great turn-out, so if you're interested in joing us, be sure to let us know. We'll give you directions if you need them.

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to listen to our show and offer feedback. We really appreciate it. And thanks Sue for blogging in. Always good to hear from you. Be well folks. Hope to see you streamside soon.

joe

Young Fly Fishers Need Vises

2009-04-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Evan Griggs who is a junior at Southwest High School in Minneapolis. Evan is the leader of the school's fly fishing club. I learned about the club while attending the recent Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo. At the Expo I spoke to a young lady who was covering a booth for the club. While we talked, she was tying flies.

Some of you may have heard on a previous episode that Roger Olson gave us a donation of fly tying materials. When Joe and I visited Roger, he gave us the contents of several large plastic storage tubs full of fur, feathers, chenille, thread, tinsel, etc. You may also recall some references in previous episodes to bucktails as Roger's collection of tying stuff included hundreds of bucktails in all colors. Roger's hope was that these materials would be used to get kids involved in fly tying. His only request was that some day we send him a fly tied by a young person.

At the time, we weren't sure how we were going to put Roger's materials to use but when I was at the Expo the light bulb went on. I asked the young fly tier if she could use some tying materials and she said I should talk to Evan and gave me his card. Last night I met with Evan and his Mom and handed off Roger's collection. As we talked, I learned that Evan is enthusiastic about fly fishing and about getting people involved in the fishing and conservation aspects of the sport. His club has been on a fishing outing to the Kinni, they will be attending the upcoming Rush River Cleanup on April 25th, and will assist with a stream electro shocking survey that will be conducted by the MN DNR on the Vermillion.

Evan and his Mom were very grateful to receive the materials and told me they could really use some more tying vises so that all members of the club could tie at the same time. If there is anyone out there that can help with a donation of an old vise or perhaps some tying tools, please let us know. I will be attending some of the club's future meetings and will see that donations will get to this group of young fly fishers.

Thanks

Ken

(The picture is actually my grandson at the tying bench)

2009-04-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks. Hope you had a chance to listen to the latest episode of FWJ, featuring the great music of Dave Moore. We spent some time talking about the latest trip out west, so if you'd like some inspiration, check out the photos. Ken, our guru, has posted them. Fishing partner John Eret will be sending some more as soon as he figures out how this funky digital stuff works.

Been busy coaching baseball, so I haven't been out on the water much. Reports are coming in about the BWO's coming off, so I'd suggest having some size 16's and 18's with you. Comparaduns work well, and I'd also suggest throwing an olive soft hackle behind the dry or a Shillingslaw emerger. (If I'm getting too technical, just let me know and I'll be a bit more specific next time.)

I plan on getting out this weekend, even though it is Easter. I do my worshiping at the stream. I've yet to find a church or cathedral that measures up in beauty.

Be well, folks. Hope to see you on the stream soon.

joe

Dogs and cats

2009-03-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

Brutal cold spring weather, blizzards across the the Dakotas, ice on the guides, dogs sleeping with cats ... Where is the order in the world???

All right, I needed to get that off my chest. Spring may be here on the calendar only, but we're still out there pounding away at the water - just not for hours on end. My friend Chris Wedholm and I were down on the lower Kinni this past Sunday freezing our hands off, but the fish were cooperative, as long as you knew where to look. Take my advice: Fish the slower pools behind the riffles. The trout are feeding, but their metabolisms are still slow. A little twitch on the nymph and dropper works, but don't expect aggressive strikes. As the weather warms, this will change, but for now the fish are stacked up.

Chris and I will be back in the studio in the next few days. Getting our schedules to mesh is a bit of a challenge these days. I'm a volunteer baseball coach at the high school here, and my nights have been taken up. (Hey, I'm more than a pretty face and fly fishing guru.) If you have some suggestions to the show, let us know. If you have any complaints, direct them to Chris. I'm sensitive. This next episode I'll be talking about my trip out west, so I won't say much here, other than the blizzard was interesting.

We've scheduled spring fish camp for May 8th, so if you'd like to join us be sure to let us know. We'll even offer directions. Any friends of the show are friends of ours, especially if they bring potato salad.

Keep us posted on your fishing outings. We'd like to pass the info along on the creel section of the show. Hope to see you streamside. Be well, friends.

joe

Sucky weather

2009-03-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the opener was a bomb, as far as the fishing was concerned. The rivers were raging like ... like that scene in the original Willy Wonka with the chocolate rivers, only add a raging torrent. ... Or better yet, the rivers were flowing like exploding kegs of root beer. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Thanks to all who attended the annual opener at the Silver's. It was, afetr all, about the ritual of getting out on the opener, no matter how much the weather conspired against us.

Special thanks go out tot Hal for being the "team" photographer, and for Ken and Terry for providing the pre-requisite sardonic humor. Despite the conditions, it was nice to see everyone, including Roy, who refused to be recorded for the upcoming FWJ episode. (Yes, folks, Roy does exist.)

Special thanks go out out long suffering spouse Lynn for providing the calorie laden bagels with egg, cheese, sausage and bacon. We'll think of you sweetly at our next colonoscopy.

Weather continues to be a pain in the ass. The rivers are not going to clear anytime soon, so it looks like a painful wait to wet a line.

Speaking of wetting a line, I was convinced not to go home Saturday without trying my luck, so Biff Bigsby and I tried the Eau Galle for half an hour, just to say we did. You're a good man, Biff. The bottom line is I'm convinced the melt-off is more detrimental in terms of lowering stream temps than it is for the run-off, but that's a commentary for another day.

Chris and I will be in the studio the next day or two, so check out our newest episode, coming your way soon. We'll be sure to post pictures from our opener, including yours truly playing with deer dung. (Hey, I was doing an experiment.)

I'm off to Montana and Wyoming this Saturday, so I'm looking forward to reporting on the trip. As always, it should be entertaining. Be well all, and keep listening to FWJ. We love ya!

joe

Opener

2009-03-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks. This Saturday marks the Wisconsin Catch and Release opener, and man are we excited. It's been a long winter. Every attempt to get to Iowa or the year round streams has been met with either a nasty cold spell or some unforseen event. As a result, I'm feeling mighty rusty. I've kept myself busy with the show and tying flies, but there's only so much substitution a fella can do. Time to wet a line.

Speaking of flies, I've been tying orange scuds and sow bugs for my upcoming week long trip to the Big Horn and streams further west. Can't have enough of these patterns for the western tailwaters. I'll be heading west with my buddy John and his son Tom. (See the photos of past trips in the photo gallery) I'll be joined for a day or two by my political advisor Chris Wedholm, a New Jersey transplant who will be my inspiration for a new essay. Also, I'm hoping Ken Hanson can join us. He'll be out in Bozeman visiting son Ted, daughter-in-law Vanessa and grandson Linden. If you're going to be apart from your family, you can do a lot worse than having to travel to Bozeman.

Hope everybody had an opportunity to listen to the last epsidode. Fun stuff with some great music. A few people have asked about our reference to 20 inch fish in the upper Kinni, and while it would be a rare fish, I know for a fact a few big ones are in that water. It's not the first place I'd go for trophy browns, but the fish are plentiful and healthy as can be. Lots of great water to fish in this region, so there's no sense crowding one another.

In other news, a local buddy reported finding some unusually large cat tracks along the lower Kinni recently. Makes one wonder. I'll be heading down there tomorrow to check out the tracks. I'll be sure to have my tuna fish aftershave on.

If anyone is interested in joining us this Saturday, please send us a note, either through our email or from a blog response. We'll be sure to give you directions. My wonderful, long suffering spouse Lynn has agreed to make 2 dozen egg, sausage and cheese bagels for the fellas, apprpropriately wrapped in tinfoil. If that doesn't inspire you, along with a thermos of French roast, I don't know what could.

We'll be taking the recorder down to the water for a stream report and will be back in the studio early next week to record a new episode. So stay tuned. Thanks to all of you who have supported FWJ. We can't tell you how much we appreciate it.

joe

Whitewater Report

2009-02-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks,

I had an opportunity to fish the Whitewater River in Southeastern Minnesota on Tuesday. This area has several miles of trout water open for a special catch and release winter season that lasts from January 1 through the end of March. The weather forecast called for temps in the mid 30s so I made the two hour drive and arrived at the North Branch at about 10:30 AM. As I strung up my rod next to the water, I noticed that the snow was already soft. I knew it would be plenty warm. No ice in the guides. The banks had thin ice on the edges but the water was running clean and clear. I fished a stretch of water between two bridges and never saw another person. We had a fresh snow from a few days before so mine were the only tracks along the river (except for deer tracks).

I fished for about three hours making my way upstream and caught and released seven browns and two rainbows ranging in size from 8" to 13". Most of them were on the larger size. Nice. As I approached the second bridge I found fresh people tracks along the big pool just below the bridge. From there it looked like the fisherman fished upstream. It was at that point I decided to hike the road back to my car.

After a sandwich and a cup of coffee, I drove down and fished the South Branch just outside of Elba, MN. It was early afternoon and the sun was high and bright. I couldn't find a fish anywhere. I've fished this water many times in the past and was suprised that I couldn't raise a fish in the 'usual' spots. As I waded upstream I came upon a large pool formed by a fallen tree. This pool was alive with trout. Not suckers but trout. There must have been 300 trout in that pool. I was just a few steps below them. I casted my nymph way upstream in an attempt to get a drift through this 'school' but the shadow of my flyline spooked the pool and the fish swirled around in circles until they finally setteled back into the deepest part in the pool. Another cast brought the same results. Now what. I can't leave this spot. I'd been hunting for a trout for about an hour since lunch. I had finally found what I was looking for.

I looked into my fly box and picked out a big fat leech pattern. One with natural turkey marabou and a big tungston conehead for weight. From past experience I knew that in this situation there's always going to be some fish that are following the crowd and still willing to hit a fly. I just needed something that would sink quickly down to their level before the fly drifted into the tree. I lobbed the fly (more like a rock) into the middle of the pool and started stripping. The dark cloud of fish went frantic but in the midst of confusion a fish hit my fly. Before I could get control it came unbuttoned. I let the pool settle down and tried again. Same result. On my third try I hooked up solid to a nice 13" brown. I released the fish back to the pool and reeled up my line. That was enough exercise for these fish for today. It was time for me to head back home.

I have a few photos of this trip posted on our photo album page so please take a look at them under the photos tab at http//fishingwithjoe.com. These pictures don't do justice to the beatiful views of the bluff lined water. When the weather cooperates, this is a great time of year to get out for a little fishing. Also, please check out Episode 28 "Opener Anticipation" which was just posted. As always, Chris and Joe did a nice job and I was there to add to the laugh track.

Ken

Times are a changin'

2009-02-12T04:31:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks. I think we've turned the corner on the nasty weather, but perhaps I'm only fooling myself. It is, after all, still mid-February. We fly fishermen are eternally optimistic when it comes to the weather. Sometimes I think it contradicts everything else about me these days, but what the hey.

Chris and I just put out a new episode, so please check it out when you get a chance. Chris plays two songs in the studio, and they are just fabulous. I can't tell you what a joy it is to sit in the fishin' shack at night, recording an episode and listening to Chris play.

Our apologies for forgetting to include the newest lab report, as we promised to do at the beginning of the episode. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the moment we forget where we're going. We'll include the lab reports next episode.

Also, there is a little echo in the Aldo Leopold reading. Not sure why, but we'll try to fix that next time. If anyone has some suggestions for further readings, please let me know. I was thinking of reading from Nate Jorgenson's fine recent novel The Mulligan again. If you haven't picked it up yet, check out our wonderful links page. You can find information on ordering the book there.

Thanks go out to our spiritual advisor, Ken Hanson, for keeping our web site up-to-date. There is so much great information on there, so take some time and surf the site.

Next episode we'll be following up on the bucktail tying contest. There's still time to enter the contest. Check out Roy's entries on the site. Don't be intimidated. There's always a special category for you!

Be sure to consider becoming a member of Fishing with Joe. We can sure use the support. Just click and join when you open up our web site.

Thanks again for listening. Be well, folks. Soon it will be time to wet a line!

Joe

2009-01-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Howdy, folks. We are currently in the throes of a deep freeze here in beautiful western Wisconsin. The high today will be 8 below, and it's so bright out it hurts the eyes to look out the window. I am reminded again why extremes are good for the soul. With the brutal cold comes the deep appreciation of a spring thaw; with the short daylight hours comes the deep satisfaction of a late summer evening standing in the water; with the dead battery on an old truck comes the joy of dashing out to the driveway barefoot for a beer run. Without sadness what is joy? Anyway, you get the picture. It's the stuff I can't help but think about at this time of year.

Also, in the same vein, I've been thinking of a summer fishing rendezvous somewhere out west. Not too early to be thinking about that sort of thing - jumping rainbows, full-bodied browns with hook jaws, a gently drifted gray wulf through a riffle, a gin and tonic around a campfire while the sun sets. Okay, I'm depressed again. At any rate, if any listeners are interested in meeting out west this summer, I have some ideas about an August get-together. Music, fishing, stories, the whole works. Let me know if you'd like to be a part of the first annual summer rendezvous. We can all dream, can't we?

Chris and I will be heading back to the studio in the next few days, so keep checking the website for updates. Chris has written some new songs, and I've finished another essay. We're hoping to feature some of that soon.

Also, be sure to check out the new, updated website. Ken Hanson has done a terrific job adding information. The Links page is truly fantastic. We've also added a membership icon to click if interested in contributing to our show. We understand times are tough, but any help would be deeply appreciated. We do, after all, have bills to pay. And remember, we contribute 10% to coldwater fisheries, so you can rest assured the money is well used.

As always, thanks for tuning in. We appreciate the comments, good, bad or otherwise. For those of you stuck in the chilly midwest, be sure to stay warm. For those in warmer climes, we hate you. Be well.

joe

Southern fishin'

2009-01-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks. Ken Hanson and I recently took a jaunt down to Arkansas and Missouri to get away from the cold weather for a day or two and to try our luck on some of the famous Ozark's water. As with all trips with Ken, it was a delight - good music, great conversation, lots of laughs. The good news was the weather was fabulous, highs in the upper 60's, lots of sunshine. The bad news was we spent an inordinate amount of time trying read the road signs in Arkansas and Missouri. Folks, trust me. If you go down to that beautiful region, get a DeLorme map. Both states do not believe in road signs.

As it turned out, the White was generating at four units (meaning it was running extremely high), and it was imposssible to wade fish at Bull Shoals, which was our objective. After a short deliberation, we passed on Bull Shoals and tried the tailwater at Norfolk. The water looked fine, but there were a lot of fishermen plying the waters. Ken and I started to put our gear on, but oddly enough, neither of us had good karma about the spot. So, we bailed on Arkansas and made a bee-line to the Current River, one on the nicest pieces of water in Missouri.

After a night of sleeping out along the river (I had to go to WalMart for a cheap sleeping bag), we fished the Current pretty hard the next day. The water was beautiful; there were a few other fishermen; it should have been great. But, I caught two trout and five chubs, and Ken caught one trout. As far as we could tell, no one was catching fish. In the end, Ken and I fished until dark and then drove twelve hours back to the Twin Cities. Were we disappointed? Not really. That's the nature of a road trip to new places. I don't think either of us regretted the trip, but we did laugh about our "fluid" plan. The next time we'll be sure to do a little more research, especially if we only have two days to fish.

We'll be sure to post our pictures, and we'll discuss it further on the next episode of FWJ. If anyone out there has a good story about a road trip gone awry, or about a road trip to that part of the country, we'd love to hear from you. Be well all, and remember: Always grease your nymph. It gives you something to do with your cold hands.

joe

Cold Camping Warm Wishes

2008-12-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-08T05:34:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-06T17:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-04-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-22T07:56:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-03-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-04T09:37:00.000-08:00

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

2008-03-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

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"

2008-02-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-22T09:49:00.000-08:00

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

Up and Running With Episodes 1 and 2

2007-12-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

We finished production of episode 2: Reflections From the Past Year on the Stream." The show features a review of some of our best days on the stream, Joe's trips to "Mantana", Music from Chris' CD "Souls and Spirits", a poem, and more. You can subscribe to Fishin' With Joe at itunes (podcasts section). You can also download each episode from the website. Just follow the link in post #1. Give us your feedback and give us a question or two to ponder for the next show. The topic of next week's show is lust!

Chris

Episode 1 - "Why I Fish"

2007-11-21T11:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "Fishing with Joe", a podcast produced in Studio C, otherwise known as the shed, on the banks of the lovely Kinnickinnic River in River Falls, Wisconsin. Our show features a lively discussion of fly fishing, poetry, music, stories, humor, and much more! Our episodes are available for download at www.geocities.com/silvermusic54022/podcast/index.html
Take a listen and let us know what you think!

Your hosts,
Chris Silver and Joe Paatalo