Currents

I will no longer be posting to the 'Notes From the Black' blog. Instead, I've joined (or more like rejoined) forces with John at Currents:

Long-term viewers may recall that we started blogging together during the summer of 2009, when we posted the results of a competition to see who could catch the most warmwater species on the flyrod.

My past posts have already been moved over to his blog.  See you over there!

More Black River Gar

 Very low water conditions on the Black River make it easier to reach the channel-dwelling gar, which are larger than the gar I typically find in the backwaters. This fish took a fly made of four strands of nylon rope and a bunch of red, green, blue and silver flashabou tied on a metal ring.

High Water Trout

 Fishing the high and chocolaty water doesn't make for the best fishing. But patience can pay off. This trout appears to have recently eaten a small football of sorts.

And if the fishing is no good... Of course you can always relax and have a brew.

Black River Gar

I caught my fist gar of 2012 over the weekend. It was rolling along the bank in a backwater when I saw it, cast to it, and got it to follow my rope fly about half way back to my boat. I saw a number of other fish rising in the backwater but could not induce a strike. Out in the current, there were some very large fish rolling, they would not take my fly. I've not had much luck taking fish from the main channel of the black river, although that seems to be where the very large fish hang out. I have not caught a gar fishing blind. Every fish I've caught has been one that I've seen rolling around. These fish can breathe oxygen from the air, unlike most other fish (another exception are bowfin). They could be rising for air, chasing bait fish, or I've even heard that they rise to shake parasites. Whatever the reason, when I spot em, 50% of the time I catch them some of time.

April Float Trip

Here are the highlights from the float trip that John and I took last weekend. He captured some of the action on his little Panasonic and I filmed with my Kodak Playsport.  I did the clipping and mixing. I think this is the best camera work yet. I'm learning some things about stillness. Yet, this isn't professional grade stuff. For now, I just want to push these little cameras as far as they will go. -And try not to overproduce these short clips.

Music by Andrew Bird "Tenuousness"

fringe of the driftless

John posted some photos on his blog of a recent float trip we took.

Quote of the trip from John-
"If fishing tiny dry flies on small and well-manicured streams for 10 inch trout is the 'heart of the driftless' then I want to be on the fringes of the driftless: a big unkempt waterway casting nasty streamers in search of large trout"

Photos from John Jensen

Caddis are popping

It was too windy to truely experience the goodness of the caddis hatch. Yet, fish were rising. Get out there and get yourself some Grannom love!