Fly Fishing on the Yaak

I don’t fly fish. It’s a beautiful sport, but I’ve never felt coordinated enough to cast only the weight of the fishing line and land a tiny, feathered fly on top of the water. Fly fishing is cool to watch, but I would probably hook nothing but my own head.

Days to Catch

Darn, another snag! River fishing can be frustrating with stumps, downed trees and debris along the banks. I lived on the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana, and my friends and I spent many evenings under the tall poplars fishing. We used night crawlers and bobbers to try to keep off the bottom, and reeled in fast past the underwater obstacles.

On one cast, I reeled in nothing but line and I could see my bobber just under the surface, stuck on a stump about fifteen feet out. I tied yet another hook, and went back to coaxing. A couple of hours later, my bobber started moving upstream against the current. It went up and down, lazily following the bank. We laughed when we realized a hungry fish had made a meal of my stranded night crawler.

The bobber would tease us, swimming just offshore, upstream and down, disappearing only to show up again the next day. Later that week, it finally came close to shore. Randy waded out in chest deep water, grabbed the bobber and pulled in a bullhead catfish. 

 

Potawatomi Fishing Derby a Great Success

The 14th annual Potawatomi Fishing Derby exceeded all attendance records.  Many families enjoyed the excellent weather during this Saturday’s event around the big pond. My husband, daughter and three of my grandchildren entered the derby, while I worked the tent and drove around on the gater, selling a record number of hot dogs, chips and pop to hungry participants.  Prizes were awarded by age group for the following categories:  bass, rough, pan fish and catfish.

Potawatomi Wildlife Park Annual Fishing Derby

Potawatomi Wildlife Park of Tippecanoe, Indiana is hosting their 14th annual fishing derby Saturday, September 9, 2006 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.  The public is invited to this fun family event.  Prizes are awarded for the largest fish in a variety of categories.  No license is required.  There is a small registration fee, $5 for adults, $3 ages 10-16, under 10 are free.  Food and drink are available.  The event will be held rain or shine.   Visit Potawatomi Website for more information or call the park at (574) 498-6550.  All proceeds benefit the wildlife park. 

The nature preserve consists of 300+ acres of ponds and marshland next to the Tippecanoe River and limits fishing on the property to this one event each year.  The park is located about three miles south of Bourbon, IN on State Road 331, east side of the road.  See you there!

Potawatomi Wildlife Park, 16988 State Road 331, Tippecanoe IN  46570

Fishing for the Sexes

It is difficult to fish with my husband.  For years I did not understand how he could take a perfectly enjoyable experience and turn it to crap.  In his effort to share his expertise, I would feel inferior, unhappy and angry.  Fellow fisherwomen, do you ever feel that way? 

I love to fish.  I love being on or near the water.  I love the sounds of nature and the smell of the woods.  I love butterflies and dragonflies, snakes and birds.  I fish for the emotional experience.  How do I feel about the day?  Is it location peaceful?  Was that a woodpecker in the distance?  How does the sun feel against my skin?  Is the water clear enough that I can see the fish take the bait?  Can I wade in the sandy bottom and feel it give with the current and disappear between my toes?

My husband fishes to win.  His is a battle with nature.  He strives for excellence, and doesn’t accept defeat lightly.  His approach is task oriented – a systematic search for location, lure, distance, speed, conditions.

The lily pads are blooming, and there is a heron on the bank.  I’m happy.

My husband caught the most fish. He wins.

She Should Have Been My Bass!

 

It was a beautiful spring day in the middle of a hardwood forest in northern
Indiana.  My husband was flipping a Bill Dance frog into the lily pads covering the shaded corner of a small pond.  The water was 60-70 feet across and reflected perfectly the tall trees, blue sky, interrupted occasionally by bait fish hitting the surface.