Midwestern 'Misfits' Sell and Use Their Own Light-Cured Resin

   I attended the Badger Fly Fishers Spring Opener on Feb. 8, 2014.  I spent some time with tiers, including Brian J. Smolinski, in the tying room.  Brian, owner of Lund’s Fly Shop in River Falls, WI, answered questions about the techniques & materials he used to tie his big predator flies.

 

   I noticed that Brian was using a light-cured resin that was unfamiliar to me.  Having recently purchased ‘Bug Bond’, the 3^rd LCR that I now own, I was very interested in the LCR that Brian was using.  Misfit UV Bond Tack-Free Cement and Misfit UV Bond LED light are available for purchase either individually or as a kit.  The purchase prices are very reasonable and would also make an exceptionally good way to step into the light-cured resin market.

   There is one Misfit viscosity offered and if you are familiar with either the Loon or Bug Bond thick and thin LCR products, Misfit’s viscosity appears to sit between the thick and thin products.  The resin comes in a 15ml bottle with a brush applicator.  The light has 21 LEDs and uses 3-AA batteries.  My Loon light currently uses 1 bulb and this will allegedly focus the light and allow for a faster cure rate.  However, I wouldn’t mind a multi-LED light – if one LED bulb burned out I wouldn't be out of commission.

   The Misfit LCR products are available at Lund’s Fly Shop or by contacting them on-line or by phone at 715-425-2415.  Links for the page for the light-cured resin products & for Lund’s Fly Shop & Misfit Fly Co. websites are listed below.

http://www.lundsflyshop.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=misfit+uv&Submit=Search
http://www.lundsflyshop.com

http://www.misfitfly.com

Big Browns at Night on the Brule

   All sizes of trout, including the reclusive “Big Browns”, break the clear water surface when Hexagenia limbata are compelled to complete their midnight dance of life.  Bathed in beams of celestial moonlight, the bugs’ wings reflect a rhythm often accompanied by rippling, watery rings.  Feelings of awe and gratitude hold one entranced in this vision of reality –the beauty and the consequences of simply being alive. 

   In time, the need to partake in and feel part of this side of life pulls one’s attention back to the fly rod.

   A size 10 Hex comparadun is knotted to tippet in 70 lumens of headlamp light, followed by a return to moonlit darkness.  Standing silently & stripping out line, I listen to water, gauge wind direction & speed, and sense distances to fly-attractors-- brush and feeding fish.  During careful but relaxed casts, fly meets water to tempt trickery on a wise old Brown.  Excitement and hope carry forward with each cast.  Then setting to sound… hoping for the weight of magic, finned glory!  Just another imaginary trip to a place on my bucket list yet visited.

40th Anniversary HFFA Fly Fishing Show Held Feb 21-23 in Cedar Rapids, IA!!!!!

   The Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association 40th Annual Fly Fishing Show starts this evening!  This year's show is hosted by club members in the Cedar Rapids area and will be held at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center, 525 33rd Ave. SW.  Hours are 5-9 pm Friday, Feb 21, 2014 and then Saturday is 8-5 pm and Sunday is 8-1230 pm.  Only $5 entry on Friday and/or Sunday and $10 on Saturday.  Kids are admitted free.  

   The internationally known and much respected Bob Clouser is slated for 2 presentations on Saturday.  Other speakers include Terri and Roxanne Wilson, Midwestern warmwater authors and flytiers (Friday and Sunday), Scott Sanchez, a western guide and flytier (Saturday), Mat Wagner, owner and guide for the Driftless Angler Fly Shop, Viroqua, WI (Sunday), Luke Kavajecz, a Wisconsin-born guide, writer photographer (Friday) and Jeffery Skeate, a Decorah, IA resident and an author who will speak during the club member's Saturday banquet.

   Of course fly fishing-related vendors & guest flytiers will be present.  There will be many bucket raffles and auction items available for which to take your chances. The grand prize raffle includes a 6wt Sage XP, Abel Super 5 reel, and Orvis Clearwater fly line.  The drawing for the grand prize occurs on Sunday.  Typically bucket raffle drawings occur both Saturday and Sunday and this year's live auction will happen on Saturday.  Proceeds from the show benefit conservation and education efforts.

The Gift of a Day to Fly Fish in Winter, 2014

   Finally, finally only a couple inches of snowfall NOT accompanied by bitter cold or heavy winds!  No fishing in January was frustrating.  No February fishing was simply unacceptable!  Luckily, I found one off-road spot (not plowed in by snow) to park and car camp. I saw lots of turkeys and deer & a few eagles and hawks during my wintry NE Iowa driving in the Decorah region.

   It snowed fairly heavily on Saturday but Sunday was beautiful.  I fished a favorite stream - one I knew would offer the best open-water conditions.  Other than being careful around ice shelves, the conditions were great!  No mosquitoes, no brush to snag & no competition from other anglers -LOL!  Four trout landed on a ~sz 20 dry fly.  The trout started rising to bugs in the surface film after I'd given up fishing with a sz 18 dry, a wet fly, and then my go-to nymph pattern.  If I was an angler with quicker reflexes (not yet but better!), I would have had 8-9 trout for the day.  It was great to be wading again.  Landed fish included browns, a bow and a brookie... my first trifecta on this stream!  The fish looked like they had been eating well.  The stream bed displayed green plant growth - showcasing a promising recovery from last year's flooding.  ~Twitch (2/16/14)

The Only Flies Welcome at Java Java - Tie One On: Jan 18, 2014

   Unless the forecast for this Saturday, January 18, 2014, changes to NOT blustery and NO snow greater than 1/2 inch (more specifically around Decorah, IA) one will find this gal tying flies -in lieu of fishing in the Driftless- from 9-noon, at Java Java Cafe, 836 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA.  The coffee shop closes at noon.
   It should be understood by most fly anglers that it is perfectly acceptable to cancel tying due to fishing..
   I will check the forecast by tomorrow evening.  If the weather changes for the better I will update this post with a 'gone fishing' notice by 730PM. (1/17: See you at Java Java tomorrow!) However, I am rather confident that tying will ensue and I am so certain that I have contacted my favorite local folk musicians Joe and Howard to see if they'd like to join us.
   So, please come on out to a friendly little coffee shop and chat, learn about fly fishing and tying, and hopefully enjoy some great music!  

  Thanks! 

~Twitch

A Snowshoe & Campfire Finale for Fly Fishing 2013

   Without the fish, we likely would not have come.  However, the fishing wasn’t the main attraction on this particular trip.  The guys wanted to snowshoe into the valley and winter camp along the sweet little brookie stream tucked away in the Driftless Region.  I’d hoped we could trek in at night and enjoy the star-specked darkness of a moonless sky.  We made it all happen by altering our plans by one day to avoid the predicted rapid drop in temperature accompanied by freezing drizzle, snow and blustery wind.

   We towed our belongings in on our backs and on a sled on a starry, moonless night with the snow brightening our way.  The sled was also used to carry the firewood we cut for that night’s and the next morning’s campfire.  At the top of the ridge overlooking the little brookie stream, I paused and let the guys shoe ahead.  For a few moments I enjoyed the view of the valley coupled with the sound of the spring-fed stream.

 

   Dan and Jeff have an intimate knowledge of this little Iowa stream.  It is their favorite.  However, on a blue-sky, upper 30*F Saturday, the fish were inactive and all 3 of us were skunked.  However, we’d enjoyed each other’s company during an ideal winter’s night and day.  We’d laughed, shared meals, and drifted to sleep to the sounds of coyotes howling in the distance.

   Snowshoeing out of the valley was a bear – much of it is uphill and generally a workout, even without backpacks and a sled to pull.  But we all shared & appreciated the work and it was a mighty fine way to spend the last weekend of 2013.

Tying at Java Java Saturday, Dec 14, 2013

   Last-minute tying today at Java Java, 836 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA. We'll tie from around 830-noon.  I called Friday to ensure they'd be open on Saturday. Daron, the owner, reported they planned to be open.  Happily, the snow and wind have not been too bad.  Looking forward to a good day with friends, talking about fly fishing while drinking warm froo-froo coffee drinks!

First Fly Tying Sunday at Bruegger's Bagels, Davenport, IA

    As long as the weather doesn't tank (& I hear it might), on this Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, we're planning an experimental fly tying session from 2:30 until closing time at 6 pm or until folks decide to leave.  Java Java is not open on Sunday and not open past noon on Saturday, so I was hoping to find another tying spot in addition to our favorite coffee shop.

   All are welcome to come to Bruegger's Bagel Bakery, located at 1503 Kimberly Rd., Davenport, IA.  It is located across Locust St from Schnuck's grocery store, at the intersection of Locust St and Kimberly Rd.  You don't have to tie flies to join us.  If you are simply curious or have questions about fly fishing, come on out!

   The store manager gave permission for us to tie flies but I don't know if she really knew what I meant by this!  Of course, we are expected to buy some form of food or drink while there, so bring your thirst &/or an appetite.  The soup is quite good.

   If snow is blowing and drifting moderately or heavily, we will likely cancel & by 1 pm, I would plan to update this post to indicate that. Of course, one must assume I will have an internet connection to do so!
(*12/8/13: It's snowing but not blowing. Unless this dramatically changes, I think there will be at least 5-8 of us at Bruegger's)

Iowa's First Casting for Recovery Retreat for Women Who Have Had Breast Cancer

   Iowa’s first “Casting for Recovery” retreat was held on October 11-13, 2013.  Women with breast cancer & survivors attended seminars, counseling sessions, an entomology class, fly casting & knot tying classes, were treated to good food, and finally, enjoyed a few hours of fly fishing with a “river buddy”.  The retreat was held in Decorah, a small, scenic town in Northeast Iowa, and the attendees fished the clear, spring-fed water of Trout Run.

   Women, who must be Iowa residents, signed up to attend the no-cost retreat and 14 were randomly chosen to participate.  Volunteers included social workers, other health care workers, fly fishing instructors and fly anglers.  On the final day, the ladies were paired up with a River Buddy to stream fish for trout.  Afterward, the ladies and the volunteers were treated to a luncheon.

   For the retreat, the women were provided with everything they needed to fish, including a fly rod, waders, vest, tippet materials and flies.  I’ve been told that at least a couple of the women have since purchased their own fly rods & plan to continue fly fishing.  Of course those who caught fish were thrilled to do so and others also said they enjoyed the peace of listening to and being on the water.

   For more information about Casting for Recovery in Iowa or in another state, including how to sign up, how to volunteer or where to send donations, see the link below. 
http://castingforrecovery.org

144 steps Lead to Fun at Bueter's Michigan Salmon Camp

   Salmon Camp, a fly fishing only camp, has been luring anglers to Michigan for years during 1 or 2 consecutive, long weekends from late September into early October.  Anglers fish the Pere Marquette River, & primarily target king (AKA Chinook, tyee, Pacific) salmon.  John and Rhonda Bueter are hosts of Salmon Camp and proprietors of Cloud 9 Resort, located in Baldwin, MI.  The actual camp, located at 3200 S. James Rd, is about 1 mile from the resort with most anglers electing to camp on the grounds and some renting cabins back at the resort. 

   This post was written to help the angler plan for and know what to expect at Salmon Camp.  It is a blast!  John’s mantra is, “This is too much fun to keep to ourselves!” To get a better idea of the social aspect of Bueter’s camp, please see my post from fall, 2012.         

The People

  Friendly folks from all walks of life attend Salmon Camp.  Generally anglers, & some spouses and older children attend.  Seasoned fly fishers and first-time anglers are welcome at camp.  4-footed friends must remain at home.

On Land

   The camp itself is home to the 24-hour campfire – the place of tales, toasts, and occasional late night/early morning antics. Mostly tents and a few campers dot the property.  In the large trailer where most food prep occurs, ladies have access to the bathroom with a shower.  Men have access to a shower house.  Running along an exterior wall of the shower house, there is a communal spot to hang waders.  There are port-a-potties on site. 

   Generally, 2 meals are provided:  a large, Friday evening supper and a big Saturday breakfast, both supplied by Rhonda and her crew.  Coffee and leftovers are the norm as well.  The option to purchase a large supper for Saturday is frequently offered.  Under the large, covered outdoor area, hosts welcome anglers, tales are told, meals are enjoyed, flies are tied and John provides lessons in knot tying and leader set-up.  John also coaches those new to salmon fishing and/or fly fishing on how to set the hook and fight a salmon.  He explains yearly why the bulk of Salmon Campers head to the Pere Marquette River at night instead of in the day to fish.

   Late afternoon or early evening, plans are made for the night’s fishing.  Carpools are the norm since parking is limited at the fishing accesses in the Huron-Manistee National Forest and those parking in a non-designated area risk a fine.  There is a use fee for parking.  One should always inquire about transportation, but John, his helpers, or those who return annually to Salmon Camp help ensure that “newbies” have a ride to the river & are prepared for the first trip to the water.

  People come and go throughout the days and nights at Salmon Camp.  All Bueter-led fishing trips are made at night, with folks usually leaving camp between 9 and 10 pm.  Most return to camp between 1 and 230 am.  Some venture out in smaller groups in the day or early evening, and a few leave late at night to return at dawn. The river is especially pretty in the fall & I recommend one visit to it in the daytime.

   There are at least 3 fishing stores, including Baldwin Bait and Tackle (BBT), all on highway M-37 in Baldwin, where fly fishing supplies & fishing licenses can be purchased.  To buy a license, one must also buy the $1 DNR Sportcard. The latter does not expire and can be a 1-time purchase if the angler presents it each time a license is bought. If you are purchasing a 1 or 3 day license, tell the merchant what time you want the license to go into effect to ensure you can fish as much as possible.  For a very good meal, the folks at BBT were spot-on to recommend “Barski’s”, also located on M-37, close to Salmon Camp,

At the Water

   As anglers walk the river trail, sudden, loud splashes made by salmon emanate from the river & through the darkness.  Tucked inside the periphery of the bobbing light of headlamps, angler excitement builds and the desire to enter the dark water & do battle with the scaled adversaries grows. 

   Salmon Camp fishing officially takes place at night on the “flies only”, catch and release section of the Pere Marquette River.  Access is at “Claybanks” & here, what goes down must come up!  There are 144 wooden steps (and the historic salmon slide) that lead down to the water.  Anglers then hike along both public and private land and respect for the shore and water is enforced by John.  Nets may also be used to haul out a smattering of trash left by others who, evidently, still need a mama.  An LED lamp per group is generally left hanging from a tree to mark where tackle, rod tubes & backpacks are left on the bank.  Most anglers string up their rods at the riverbank.

 

The Fish

  Target the males and try not to disturb egg-laden females or their redds.  During this year’s final Salmon Camp, I heard that a 32# king salmon was landed.  Coho salmon, steelhead, brown and rainbow trout can also be present in this section of the fishery.  Anglers wade into the water and target a particular area based on fish action.  While most of the water is only knee to mid-thigh in depth, there are deep holes & the river bottom varies from sand, to gravel or rocks.  It’s easy to take an unexpected bath when fishing & wading at night.   A headlamp is needed, but the amount of its use will vary depending upon the weather conditions and moon phase.  Classically, I use my headlamp for hiking & wading, to help get the initial amount of line out on the water, to change flies, & also to fight & land fish. 

   I purposely cast a bit short to the hole where the fish are located and then strip out 2-3”

of line after each cast until I feel contact with the head (hopefully) of a salmon.  I feel this method allows the best opportunity to get a fair vs. foul hook-up.  If I feel I’m on target but need to get the fly just a little lower in the water column where I surmise the mouth of the fish is located, I make a small step upriver & cast out the same amount of line.  Powerful runs & acrobatics are common with a hooked salmon.  In a side arm direction, setting the hook a few times is recommended.  Depending upon the angler’s experience level, a 2^nd person may be required to land the salmon either with or without a net.  Even when landed salmon are displaying the unappealing signs of being spawned out, anglers ensure salmon are adequately revived prior to releasing them. 

Rod & Tackle

   It’s best to tackle large salmon with a 9 or 10 wt fly rod.  Many use floating line.  If so,

sink tip leader & a fluorocarbon tippet are recommended. Others might simply tie up a tapered fluorocarbon leader to their 40-50# butt section.  The tippet ranges from 12-20# test, depending on the year’s salmon run and how lucky one is feeling.  I run intermediate fly line to a 40# mono butt section to a leader made simply of a 5 foot length of 20# fluorocarbon. When fighting these large fish, John recommends use of an unimproved clinch knot to secure tippet to fly.  If a break-off does occur, this likely keeps it at the hook eye, not farther up the leader or at the fly line.  Apparently, many anglers don’t use weighted flies or add weight to the leader, but most of the flies I tie for Salmon Camp are wrapped with non-lead wire to add weight.  I occasionally add weight to the leader, particularly when fast current is entering a deeper hole. 

   A popular fly choice is the “Crystal Bullet”, made with glow-in-the-dark flash.  Flies can be purchased in town and an angler or two typically sell flies at Salmon Camp.  Ensure the hook is very sharp otherwise you will lose fish.  A net is commonly used, but not required, to land a salmon.  I have gotten away with forceps, but a good pair of pliers is recommended to remove flies from salmon.  Furthermore, the flies you remove may not be just your own!  These fish, whether fair or foul hooked, tend to cause a lot of break-offs.  Bring extra tippet & leader materials.

Supplies

   Bring a headlamp (70 lumens minimum) with extra batteries to the river.  Lamps that include a red setting help preserve night vision.  At least one person in each group should have an LED lantern for the shore.  This keeps backpacks, rod cases, etc., from getting lost and helps anglers find their way back to the shore.  Chest waders are a necessity.  A hat is recommended for obvious reasons but in case of rain, a brimmed hat will help keep the headlamp dry.  A wading staff and clear glasses could increase one’s safety.  Also recommended: wader patch kit, water, snacks, gloves, clothing layers &, perhaps, a change of clothing.  For this reason, many carry backpacks during the trek to/from the water.  Because anglers carpool, it’s not convenient to return to camp for dry clothing, etc. 

    

More Questions?

   John can give more detailed answers to questions, including the net and hook size limitations, current cost, directions to Salmon Camp (a gps may not accurately direct one to the camp), or what one with specific physical challenges can expect with getting to and fishing the water.  At least 1 month prior to camp, John sends out an email providing general information & the basic requirements for Salmon Camp.  Salmon Camp email can be directed to the link email address below.

cloud9baldwin@sbcglobal.net

Tie One On at Davenport's Java Java on a Blustery Saturday

   We will be tying flies again this Saturday, November 23, 2013, at Java Java, located at 836 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA.  Tying will start at 9:00 am and last until noon.  Musicians are also being invited but their plans are currently unknown.  All are welcome!!!! 

No Slip Loop Knot AKA Rapala Knot Video by Pat Ehlers

  I always think of Pat Ehlers fondly and with respect.  When I attended my first fly fishing expo I was hoping to purchase 1-2 fly rods & Pat offered to let me try out a rod or two for a couple of weeks. He and his son, Jared, have always been helpful during phone calls and emails, or during a visit to the Milwaukee, WI., fly fishing store, The Fly Fishers.  I bought my Simms boots from Pat.  No matter how small the question or how small the dollar amount on the product, Pat has always quickly gotten back in touch with me.  Both father and son have also contributed to previous blog posts.

   Pat made a how-to video of the tying of the Rapala Knot & he explained the knot's benefits.  Please click the link to the video below.  I've been considering a different connection from bite guard to musky fly so I may just give this loop knot a try.  If anyone else wants to post comments about the knot, please use the comment section below.  At this time I only moderate comments as means of lessening spam.  So far, there are no 'prove you are not a computer' typing of hard to read letters prior to sending a comment, here.  Just type a comment and send.

http://echoflyfishing.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/favorite-fishing-knot-with-pat-ehlers/

**10/29/13:  Jeff, musky brother and striper angler, added a comment to this post about the tarpon loop & the benefits of using the loop with thicker fluoro.  'In the Riffle' has a good video on how to tie this loop knot & I've included a link to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7JItLoaB9c 

Something Unforgettable on the Musky Trail Lurked, Waiting for Us ~ The WI-MN Diaries (Part 7, Sept. 12-13, 2013)

   The first thing I heard was “Davis!!”  In Wisconsin, place of musky and monikers, I knew something was up.  BB usually calls me ‘Twitch’, an apt title for a jumpy gal.  My first image was of his tall, lean figure & in his hands a flexing fly rod -bent toward the midsection by something unseen at the end of a taut line.  

   

  
    He yelled, “I’ve got one and it’s a big one!”  On cue, the musky jumped from the water and both man and esox were framed by a backdrop of frothy, Chippewa River current.  He played that big gal, drawing her toward calmer water near the bank, but then she made a final run & I watched the angler take off after her, running along a skinny, steeply-pitched path of riverbank.  In a calm bed of water, slightly short of breath, the man hunkered over the musky & asked if I was ready.  I was.  He hoisted up that fish, saying it was the biggest musky (including girth) he’d ever caught.  

   I took two pictures of my friend and his toothy victory.  Squirming free of his hands, the musky hit the water & BB’s de-barbed fly, the single-hooked, articulated ‘Bohen 747’, landed 2 feet away.  His girl was gone.  BB was trembling.

   

   Overlooking the river, we shared a rock and a couple of celebratory Leinie’s in their throwback 1940’s gold cans.  He shared his happiness –no, euphoria- with me.  He relived the fight, talking about the jumps of the black-backed musky & how she jetted the sinking line from the water.  He estimated her length at 50 inches & told me she’d felt like 40 pounds in his hands.  He asked if I remembered what he’d said when we first approached that section of the river:  “Be ready, right here one of us could land the biggest musky you will ever see…”   

 I’ve known Hayward, Wisconsin’s Brad Bohen, AKA ‘BB’ or the ‘Afton Angler’, since Chicago’s Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo in 2009.  On the final day I laid down cash for what became my favorite overall rod, my first 10wt.  I also met a lot of anglers, many who remain acquaintances and some who became friends.  Brad Bohen, head guide of the then virgin Musky Country Outfitters, was the first person to speak at length with me.  He also coached me on the casting floor.  On Columbus Day of that year, I hired him.  After a brutally quiet-water day, nearest to dark when colors shifted to shades of grey, I very happily held my first esox in my hands.  Brad took pictures & I beamed.  It was a pike not a musky, but on a day when one fished from morning until dark & sensed that all species of fish had ceased to exist, the flush of victory was felt.  Brad had said if I landed a fish I could keep the fly.  BB’s Angry Minnow was mine!

    

   We’ve hit the water a couple more times as guide/client and have plied the waters with other musky friends as well.  However, I’ve spent more time watching the world record holder of the 51.25” musky on a fly manning the oars for others than casting a fly rod.  So, I was very happy with BB’s recent invitation to his Musky Lab and a couple days of Northwoods-style fly fishing. 

   

   On September 12, 2013, he treated Dynamite Dan, his lifelong friend, and me to a beautiful 15 mile Flambeau River float.  We had a musky follow and 3 smallies to our credit on an otherwise quiet, first day of a cold front.  Scouting the water, Brad primarily stuck with the oars. 

   

   Brad (BB) works hard to feed the angler’s hunger for musky.  But lately I not only wanted to continue to hit the musky trail with Brad the guide, I wanted water-time with BB the friend.  And on September 13, it happened.  Guide/client or teacher/student roles were largely dropped and we shared one of life’s simple pleasures… we just went fishing.

  

   Now, if that sounds all folksy and sweet, I can set you straight.  For some reason, fishing and hunting are frequently described as separate things.  I can set you straight on that as well.  On September 13, Brad didn’t man the oars.  BB went hunting.  With a fly rod.  For Musky.

   It was great to go fishing, dropping any roles except the one called ‘friends’.  We both hooked and landed musky.  But in the end, there was more.  I was there when this friend (remember, he is already a musky record-holder), landed his fish of a lifetime, what he labeled his ‘Hemingway’.  I watched how he fought that fish, focused and reeling in much of his excitement until she was his.  Then, there were the pictures.  Proof.  Finally, there was his unabashed happiness, shared with me on a beautiful day while sitting together on a rock overlooking Musky Country; the celebration following a successful hunt. 

   

   He told me was retiring his fly.  It was going to be a one fish fly.  And later he handed me that fly, his Bohen 747.  He’d given me the Angry Minnow after I landed my first esox and then, for reasons unspoken, the Bohen 747 became mine after he landed his Hemingway. 

   

   He landed his fish of a lifetime but we both had a blue-ribbon day.  I think the quality of an angler’s life might best be judged by the fishing friends that one keeps and what, as friends, we experience together.

   
   Life is very good.   

(For Brad's 1st-person account of the exciting hook-up with his toothy, black-backed opponent, click on the link:  http://www.drakemag.com/message-boards/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8817&start=2010 )

   

A Tale of Sunscreen, Vitamin D, and Fly Fishing

   Last year a friend bought me a bottle of SPF50 sunscreen.  I'd been spending some time on the water in my pontoon, happily fishing and finning away.  I'd been using a weaker sunscreen and had also trialed a stick sunscreen with comical results.  I believe I had truly sexy legs one year in my life & that was certainly not last year.   My summer of 2012 two-toned legs with white on the back & red with white stripes on the front, may have led to stares, but giggles soon followed along with the bottle of SF50.

   This year, I've been lathering on the sunscreen.  If a particular part of my flesh would get a bit of sun, it got the treatment.  And I repeated the applications throughout the day.  A wonderful friend of mine recently got a spot of malignant melanoma removed from her back.  That knowledge only reinforced the need for sunscreen, especially for those of us who were not blessed with genetics belonging to any darker-skinned ancestor.

   Then yesterday I got a phone call.  The medical assistant told me my blood showed I was low in vitamin D.  Is that why I felt like a walking zombie for the last 5 days?  So I'm following the doctor's advice and taking a supplement.  However, I just have to wonder what that blood value would've been had I not been protecting my skin from the sun with SPF50?!  

   So, fellow anglers and sunburners, continue to wear your sunscreen, your hats, sunglasses and UV-protected shirts.  But under most circumstances, it is recommended to give your skin 15 minutes/day, 3-7 times/week (more if you are darker-skinned) of unclothed & SPF-free sun exposure to let your body make its own vitamin D.  And before you go exposing all those sensitive parts to the sun, speak with your doctor and remember that simply leaving your arms exposed to the sun usually generates enough vitamin D.  Good old 'D' keeps your bones and teeth healthy, your skin happy, and keeps you from feeling like a dull-headed putz.  And after all, who wants to feel like a dull-headed putz when you're out stalking your favorite fish?

   I'm having a privacy fence built in my backyard later this month & then I'll be able to ditch the supplements. Why?  Soon, come any season, I will be able to stand in my backyard -buck-naked- for 15 minutes each day, & turn myself into a vitamin D-generating machine!  Watch out, musky!!!

Smallie Tangles with Fluffy Butt on Upper Iowa River Float

   The red-eyed, black Fluffy Butt splatted on the water in a break between the trees.  A split-second later & at least 3’ away, a largish, olive-colored fish leapt into the air.  Oh baby!

  

   I finned furiously to maintain my pontoon’s position in the brisk current of the Upper Iowa River.  Gaining in excitement, I soon cast my fly into the tree branches located above the fish’s lair.  Feeling the urgency that I’m certain other anglers would understand, I attempted to tease that fly from the wood.  Failing to delicately gain its release, I pinched fly line in my fingers & let tension steadily build on leader and fly by allowing the pontoon to drift downriver.  Then, at one point, the fly line simply relaxed.  Looking down & lifting the rod tip, I didn’t see the expected limp, dangling leader.  My Fluffy Butt emerged from the river, still connected solidly to its tippet.

  

   The pontoon had drifted downriver from the bank with the overhanging trees.  With the old iron bridge of my take-out spot already in view & the hot July sun again meeting my skin, I decided to finish out the float.  But in the next second, I sensed my regret if I should give up so quickly on landing what was no slouch of a fish.  The river, which meanders through Decorah, IA, before making its way to the Mississippi River, had suffered through 2 drought years followed by multiple floods in 2013.  The water remained higher than usual and turbid.  After 6 hours of fishing, I’d landed one 7” smallie & missed 2 strikes.  Others had admitted to taking no fish, aside from one guy who kept saying he’d “cheated” and put on a worm, telling me he then landed a small fish.  At least the reports of the river’s beautiful scenery were true.    

  

   So, I rowed my pontoon upriver & continued past the fish’s lair at least another 25’ to ensure there was time to prepare fly rod and line for casting.  Once again, I furiously waggled my finned feet to hold the toon’s position.  The casts advertised my excitement, but I avoided casting into any more trees.  I talked to the fly, I talked to myself, and I talked to the fish.  Please, oh please.

  

   And on my 5^th or 6^th drift, someone or something listened…   That fish took my Fluffy Butt, made the shortest of runs & vaulted from the water!  I yelled, “Whooop!!”, among other things.  Ecstatic, I could not believe my good fortune.  That powerful smallie and I fought through its runs, dives, & aerial acrobatics for about 4 minutes.  The fish needed to expend a bit of energy prior to any attempt for me to lip it from on my toon & I was determined not to break it off. 

  

 

  “If I land this fish will you take a picture?” I asked the man in the kayak.  Just about the time I hooked into the smallie, I’d glimpsed the couple floating down the river in their kayaks.  The man had evidently taken more interest in the fishy antics and remained closer to the action.  With the smallie lipped, we jockeyed our watercraft to maintain close contact and I handed him the camera.  Feeling happy and filled with life, I held that 16.5” smallmouth, complete with red-eyed, black Fluffy Butt adorning its lip.  The next moment I thanked the couple, & retrieved my camera & fly.  After ensuring the fish was doing well, I released it.  In a flash the smallie returned to its turbid waterworld.  Thanks, oh thanks.

IF You Go

   The Upper Iowa River flows through MN and IA in its upper stretch & angling in this region requires fishing licenses from both states.  In Iowa, the river is deemed ‘navigable’ so the public may float its waters.  However the river is also classified ‘non-meandered’, meaning the owner(s) of the land adjacent to the water also own the stream bed.  If this is a private owner, the riverbed is also private property.  While the public can legally float the river, there are limited circumstances in which the public can legally step foot on privately-owned riverbed (likely such as wading through or around obstacles of water navigation).  Please visit the internet or a DNR office in the region for more details. 

  

   The water varies from skinny to wide as it flows downriver through Northeast Iowa.  The river’s popular rocky bluffs, shores and river bed are interspersed with a wooded, dirt, sand &/or farm landscape.  Easily navigable rapids are replaced by a more placid current flow.  Four dams are present along the river’s length & must be portaged.  Skinny water can mean shallow water where a canoe will need to be dragged.  Bigger water may increase the need for a PFD, but one per person is required on all watercraft in Iowa.  This link is recommended to learn current, average & historic water flows and depths for particular waterways:  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt

  

   Smallmouth bass are more prevalent in the river’s upper, rocky, often shallow habitat but both smallies and walleye are found throughout the river.  Walleye, as 2” fingerlings, are also stocked in the river and both walleye and sauger travel upward from the Mississippi River.  Pike are also sprinkled throughout the Upper Iowa River.  Trout can be found near coldwater tributaries and springs.

  

   It is reported that the greatest recreational traffic is often found near Kendalville to Bluffton and on to Decorah due to the combination of beautiful scenery coupled with fewer river sections requiring the possibility of dragging watercraft through shallow water.  Of course more recreational traffic can affect fishing.

  

   Multiple campgrounds are located on the Upper Iowa River and an easy put-in or takeout spot is an excellent benefit to staying at one of the campgrounds.  Luckily, I    found a quiet, uncrowded campground.  I wasn’t thrilled with the $2 fee to shower or the $20 shuttle service (to take me on a 10-minute drive back to my vehicle), but it was convenient.  I drove by two crowded campgrounds located across the river from one another.  On a Friday at nightfall, I heard blaring country music and the ka-booms M-80s.  The tightly-packed metal campers reminded me of sardines in a can.  The campgrounds might be a fun place to party.  Those who were awake as I floated between the campgrounds on Saturday morning waved & were friendly as was, literally, everyone else floating the river that day.  Again, I recommend an internet search for reviews on campgrounds (or local outfitters for watercraft or shuttle rentals), to ensure your needs for the type of trip you want are met.  Of course, Iowa also offers many Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) if you don’t mind primitive camping.

  

   DNR employees, campground operators, river outfitters & fishing guides are also potential sources of great information to make a successful fishing and float trip.  DNR offices, including hatcheries and rearing stations, are some of the businesses which offer canoe float maps of Iowa rivers.  The maps are an excellent resource for planning a successful float trip.  I’ve read positive reviews about the book “Paddling Iowa”, by Nate Hoogeveen, & will soon own a copy of the 2012 revised edition. (7/2013)