Jigging Fix

Our first trout trip of the year was a far cry from what we had hoped for. The ice was just over three-inches thick, perhaps that's why we were the only ones on the lake that day; or maybe it was the 30 MPH gusts. The wind was so fierce it had us confined to the portable shelter and eventually snapped a pole supporting one its hubs. The fishing sucked too. When our honey hole didn't produce, we packed up the shelter and moved base camp a few hundred yards away for good measure. A few trout did cooperate and it was awesome watching them spiral up towards the hole through the crystal clear ice. We'll try again soon under better conditions and hopefully our results follow suit. 

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson



First Ice Pike

Another ice fishing season is underway. Hordes of hardwater enthusiasts are taking advantage of the early start and spudding their way onto frozen lakes and ponds in search of hungry fish. The first part of ice season is arguably the most productive so now is the time to use those sick days you've been banking up. It's no secret that fish tend to be more active and aggressive when lakes first lock up with ice, and pike are no exception. That's good to know because pike fishing can be painfully slow; any edge you can give yourself is a plus. 

Friends and I capitalized on the early-ice conditions by logging two consecutive 12-hour shifts in prime pike habitat. The action lived up to the hype with five respectable specimen caught and released and just as many missed opportunities. The best part about the two-day bender was that it was a team effort--each angler landed a quality fish and everyone pitched in around the hole. It was a great way to start what we hope is a long and prosperous hardwater season. Good luck and be safe out there!

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson

Photo credit: Aaron Swanson

Wood Is Good

Winter is a great time of year for saltwater anglers to catch up on things they put off during the long fishing season. I use my off season from the salt to make leaders, tie flies, rig eels, and swap out rusty hooks. Some crafty anglers use this time of year to create wooden fishing lures that drive both fish and fishermen crazy. A friend and local plug builder has taken this hobby and turned it into a full-time business. Lordship Lure Co. is quickly becoming a household name in surfcasting circles along the Northeast. Lordship is based in and named after a small waterfront neighborhood in Stratford, Connecticut. Each one of Ron's wooden plugs is handmade using the highest quality components. He has a full line of fish-catchers from eel skin Atom 40's to small needlefish to a fantastic top-water spook. Below is a look inside the Lordship Lure headquarters.



Local surf legend John Posh ties each and every siwash bucktail.



Transition Trout

In late fall every year there is a few-week span between putting my saltwater gear away and drilling holes through the ice. One of my favorite ways to fill this void is by casting for trout and walleye along the Saugatuck Reservoir in southwestern Connecticut. This is the first year in many that I dropped the ball and didn't get my seasonal reservoir pass. Instead I have been keeping busy fly fishing on the Farmington River. Aaron and I spent a good part of our Saturday there nymphing and throwing streamers. It wasn't lock and load, yet we manged to put a handful trout in the net using small nymph patterns. A few of the brown trout had all the signs of stream-born specimen, which is always nice to see. I am enjoying my time on the river, but it won't be long before Old Man Winter has a firm grip on New England and ice season starts in earnest. 






Late Season Stripes

I recently had the pleasure of fishing with Captain Chris Elser, a big bass specialist with over 40 years experience in the western Sound. We launched right at the start of the outgoing tide during a morning window between rain storms. There was zero wind; perfect conditions for the fly rod. Not far from the launch we spotted birds working a patch of water where schoolie stripers were crashing on small baitfish. The fish finder was lit up for the next hour. White flatwings fooled several stripers under two-feet in length and one of keeper size was lost right at the boat. We tried culling out some bigger fish with large soft plastic baits and top-water plugs, but nobody was home. I had a bite taken out of a 14-inch pink Hogy so there's at least one bluefish still hanging around. It was a fun few hours to say the least and it felt great connecting with bass on the fly again. It's not quite over out there yet and don't rule out a late push of migratory stripers gorging on sea herring before ice season kicks in.