Flingin' Flies and Tellin' Lies

Memorial Day Weekend was the first real chance I got to get out on some water since the little man was born. Not that I am complaining, but it was refreshing to get out for a little bit again. The legendary Ethan Shetler made the trek north to join me for some pike fly flingin'. Ethan arrived Friday evening and we enjoyed a quiet evening of fly talk and baby snuggles. The next morning was going to be just Ethan and I before Rachel's family arrived.

We headed out to Indian as we probably do too many times, and charged out to the middle of the lake.

We arrived at our rocky point and Ethan stood at the bow ready for war. It took Ethan all of five cast and he came tight with flyrod held to the sky. Not a slimer, but a stout waldo T-boned his homemade fly.

This was a fantastic way to get started on a fly fishing adventure! We tried to find a few more on the first point but were unable to come tight on anything. Because of the wind and flyrods, we headed for the opposite side of one of the islands. We did a few slow drifts and I was able to find myself slimer on the fly!

The fishing was not hot and heavy, but we were out to just have a fun and throw flies.

We continued to pick off a few fish here and there, but the weather turned so fast, the water temp was higher than I anticipated it being for this time of year. The pike for the most part had already slipped deeper but there were still waldos and a few pike to be had.

As the morning turned to afternoon and the fish were few and far between, we headed back home for a bite, a nap, and to see how Rachel and Luca were doing.

Once the others arrived, we made our game plan and figured out who wanted to get back out on the water. The evening fish was Ryan Daxton, Ethan and myself putzing around the lake. For whatever reason, we could not buy a fish. Pitching flies, and even giving in to crankbaits and swimbaits, we left that lake completely skunked. It was a bit frustrating, and Daxton as not exactly being cooperative, but I can't blame him when even dynamite wasn't going to do us any good.


The next morning was going to be a dudes morning but it ended up being just Ethan and I chasing pike and enjoying the adventure. Ethan struck a rocket shortly after starting our first drift.

I caught a few on swimbaits but Ethan was the purest and could not put the fly rod down.

Despite our best efforts, that pretty much summed up what we were able to produce all morning. This lake is frustrating on so many levels. It is truly boom or bust out there.

After returning for the house the wind had started to really pick up and our afternoon out was looking sketchy already. It was discussed that we would likely not be able to take as many people out as we would like as the wind was going to swell the water quite well. The kids bailed on the idea, and Ryan, Ethan and I headed to a different lake and hoped for the best with the wind. We busted wavRes to the far side of the lake and did a few drifts. We seemed to be riding the same trend; we could not buy a fish. Ethan was still chucking a fly despite the wind, Ryan and I were pitching everything we had in the boat and still couldn't boat a fish. At the magic rock point, Ryan finally stuck a good fish. One flash by the boat showed a dandy walleye. A 28 incher, one of the largest one we have caught up here:

Ryan was able to catch a pike on this same point, but the wind was not allowing our anchor to hold. We did a decent drift that finally produced some fish and we decided to do it once more, but with three guys in the boat, the wind was rocking pretty good. We finally decided to call it when a swell about came over the boat and tried its best to throw Ryan off the front. As we rode the waves back to shore I realized how crazy this wind was. The closer we got to shore, the higher and more violent the waves got. We were able to get the boat to the dock without busting anything but the bow of the boat was moving 6 feet up and down with each swell. With the three guys we got the boat on the trailer without busting anything, an absolute miracle. It was at that moment I was grateful the kids did not join on this outing. It would have ended in hysterics.

We spent the rest of our time bumming around and hanging out at the house enjoying each other's company but the weather was not cooperative for more fishing. Time is mostly dedicated to junior these days but it was great to get out on the water again.


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