Fishing Report July 17- July 27- 2007

Wow! it's getting way too warm out there.
The Grand is fishing well. The early am hours and the evening are the times to be on the water. Water temps continue to climb close to my cut-off point. Monday at 5:30 pm it was 72 at the Trestle!! Had good success with Caddis, Cranes and Cahills after the sun was off the water.
The Rocky Saugeen has hit 70, Still fish rising in the evening to Iso spinners,I will no longer angle the river with the temps that high. It's never worth the possibility of killing a Brook trout
Right?
The Saugeen has been good for smallmouth. The Rain we received last week, the River had come up and gone off colour. I was very fortunate to have a day out with the staff of Canadian Fly Fisher magazine. Although fishing was slow, due to the conditions ,we had a great day on the water.
Derek and his buddy Paul cashed in on a drift I had donated to the Co-operators for the Children's Make a wish foundation. They are great anglers,good casters and after a short tune-up with presenting flies,they were on the money!! We had a good day and a lot of fun.
Dan from Montana had an introduction to smallmouth, he's never fished for bass with a fly rod. Why would he when he's got a fantastic fishery in his backyard. This guy was awesome,he could place a fly on a dime!! Again, with practicing presentations to smallies he got some good fish.
Dan, if you read this thanks again, I had a great time on the River with you and enjoyed the conversation and all the info on your beautiful River.
In the Lower stretches of the Saugeen the Hex's are just starting, won't be long before the Hatch is hard and heavy...anyone not yet experiencing this, has got to get out for an evening of dry fly action to these hard fighting brutes.

On a side note, the T.U. work day we had on the west branch on the Rocky was a huge success
I was so into slogging wood out of the river that I forgot to take pictures of our day. The New fly-Fisher attended the work day with cameras in hand,so you may have a chance to see what we did on the show. Please,If you ever get the chance to do some in water work with the Trout unlimited people ,get out and spend a few hours to help enhance our cold water fisheries, I'll bet you feel as good as I do.
Have a look at my Photo's page for shot's taken over the last few trips.
I'm currently booking Steelhead trips, so if your thinking of heading out this fall,
Drop me an email soon as I'm booking into November. If we have a fall like last year
you'll want to get out in the drift boat for a day of Steelheading!!
Tight lines
Ken

Fishing Report June 25- July 17 2007

Bass, Bass,Bass and Muskie!!

Mr. Cooper shows us how it's done!! He cast the 10 wt all day and it payed off!!

We've been busy with warm water species, smallmouth fishing has been excellent to say the least. I've seen some truly huge bass on the Saugeen.

Had a long day on the Saugeen Monday with two guy's from London, Ruben and his new fly fishing friend Dave. Dave started off slow, but quickly picked up casting the fly gear.In no time he was hooking smallies with the 6 weight. Clousers and crayfish with a couple of fish taken on Ruben's flies! Never met a smallmouth that didn't want a crayfish. Dave found that out when he cast to a large boulder, his fly was met by a 18 inch bass as the fly dropped!

Thanks again Guy's.

The Upper Saugeen has reached it's summer flows, and temps. It's become almost impossible to find a brook trout or brown in the system.

The Rocky has warmed up, still below the 65 degree mark.The evening fishing has been fair to good on small BWO spinners and cahill spinners. The Happy Trout Chapter of T.U. has a work day Wed the 18th of July, I'll post some shots from the day.

The Grand River, what can I say. If you know what sections to be on,you can get some great fishing in. Be prepared to fish late...and spend some time on the banks watching.. I did with Don and Rob well worth putting in the time, Don missed a big fish and Rob hooked this 21 inch fishing on a Iso spinner

Had a chance to head to the Conestoga, water levels look good. I didn't have time to fish,but looks like the water to be on is up-stream of county Rd 12.

We need Rain, the small brook trout creeks have come to a stand still, no flow and algae getting a good foot hold makes fishing not an option.

The Sydenham below the Falls has great tree cover so, it's still fishing well, not great. You still have to work for a fish,but it's so nice and cool in the bush. Nymphing has been the a good producer, caddis and small pheasant tails are what have been best on 6X tippets.

Maitland, if you know the deeper pools you'll get sore from fighting smallmouth.

It shouldn't be more than a few weeks before Chinooks start moving in to a well know River

We will however, need a good couple of days of rain to start that small and early run of fish.

All in all thing are still good, if you want to make the most of your trip out,give me a call and I'll be sure to make your day worth hiring us.

Tight lines

Ken

Fishing Report Weeks of June 5 - 25, 2007

First, I need to get this off my chest.
Three times I have been guiding on the Grand River, a single person, a double and a 3 person corporate deal. I took these people to the Upper River during the week thinking that it would have less pressure, and it did.
All three times I had another person or person's come into the pool I was fishing and without asking or saying anything to me or the clients (other than anyone fish this side?) start fishing directly across from me! Not only that, but no one was fishing up or down stream from us!The sad part is, one of the guy's was a guide, from a local fly shop with a student!! Not the way I would teach etiquette to a new fly fisher. This breads the same behaviour. Completely unacceptable!!
Lets take everybody into account while fishing, if you see someone fishing a pool, move to another spot..simple solution.

Fishing is still good on the Grand, watch for large fish rising. The rise forms have been deceiving as of late. I've hit a couple of fair spinner falls, with few fish on the bugs. Have a mix of spinners Iso's and Foxes have been the ticket for us.

The Saugeen river is now out of the question for any trout, in the head waters the temp are above 75 degrees!! Good Bass and Muskie temps, and this fish are willing and ready.
I've had a few drift boat guides on the Saugeen and managed Muskie and good numbers of bass.
The deer flies are out in full force, so if you are booking or out on your own be ready for some heavy slapping of skin!!
The rocky has been keeping cool and the hatches are great, still an evening fish with Iso's Cahills and olives bring the fish out of hiding. I love that River, it's tight fishing, but well worth the effort.
I plan to fish the Notty soon for smallmouth , this river always fills the bill for good numbers and sizes of smallies and occasional pike.

I've been busy in my area and have not been able to get to the Conestoga or some of the other rivers for a good report.
Be sure to check out "The First Cast" website as they have been able to get on those Rivers with more frequency.

If you have yet to get in the Drift boat, booking dates are filling fast with the smallmouth opener, call soon to book your trip.
Tight lines
please give people space out on the rivers,lets all try to enjoy the sport.
Cheers
Ken

Fishing Report Weeks of May 20-June 5, 2007

As of writing this report the Saugeen water shed has received plenty of rain. The Upper River is no longer fishable. Too Bad, I found this pod of Brookies before the River level climbed to un-fishable. I counted 28 fish from 8"-14" all just hanging around in this pool.

Rain is a good thing, as this will bring water levels and temp back to appropriate levels for this time of year. The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority reports precipitation levels down 40% from a normal year!! It's too bad the water is up, as the Green Drakes had just started on the Upper Saugeen. The Drakes always brings out the bigger Brookies.The Browns will find their way out of the under-cuts to eat these big meaty flies.

The temperature in the Saugeen and Rocky Saugeen was 5-9 degrees above normal.

The Grand River has had some amazing hatches and spinner falls, with fish still needing to key in on them. I've had clients out for evening fishes, and have had very heavy spinner falls. After waiting in prime areas till dark nothing but small fish had been rising. Caddis was the ticket with the two guy's I had out, We fished below the second line, good old "Caddis Kate" made her presence known to one of the angler I was with. She quickly made short work of that Caddis emerger and wrapped it around a rock.. and so it goes...

I have had a chance to fish once since the last report on the

Grand and managed one fish on Hendrickson spinners.

Muskie season is now open, Did a drift on the Saugeen with a good friend , he managed a nice 38" fish, ten minutes into the drift..and that was it. Looks to be a great year for Smallmouth as we had seen some huge fish close to the banks as we cast to prime areas with the big gear for Muskies.

The Conestoga is picking up, Take Caddis and find a riffle,that's all it seems to take on that river.

I"ve heard(not had a chance to fish it) that the Credit Is fishing good, Now that everybody is on the Grand River, It may not have the best hatches right now but lots of river to fish and less people.

With this current cold front your guess is as good as mine as to what is in store for us.

The Grand has not changed the flow rates still around 3.5 and should be clear,it will all depend on in-flow.

Feel free to add a comment if you have been out and had some good luck.

Cheers,and Tight lines !!

Ken

FISHING REPORT WEEKS OF MAY,06-20,2007

WOW!!

What a Crazy couple of weeks!!

I've been spending my spare minutes concentrating on my local streams,so lets start with The Saugeen systems.

The Hendrickson spinners have been so thick, Val and I spent a few hours casting #16 Hendickson spinners to Brookies, very selective Brookies. These are not big fish but can you pass up on a beautiful natural Brook Trout from an area like the photo?

The Grand River Tailwater has had the best Hendrickson Hatch I've seen in years!

Too bad the fish can't recognize these bugs as food, We've seen blanket hatches with few or no fish rising. With these warmer temperatures the fish will start keying in on spinners.

Watch for an evening with some cloud cover to keep the spinners from the trees.

I had a couple of hours after a course and managed to stick a 21" Brown on a reversed spinner

Nice fish,and met a truly nice gentleman in the Can Robert area. Blair is a great guy and fishes the Grand often,he shares his time with his wife who loves the areas B&B's. We stayed late waiting for the spinners to fall, Blair had a couple of shots a big fish in an area that he has never fished. Blair made a great cast, the fish came to his spinner, Blair was a little slow on the hook set stuck the fish for a second...and that was it, we both figured the fish to be over 20" the first big fish Blair has had a shot at with a dry fly..next time Blair ..we'll get him!

The Conastoge River has been good to fly fishers, spend some time in pools below riffles. Caddis seem to be the ticket.

The Credit Fished well early,but is now winding down. Some good fishing can be had to the dedicated fly fisher with a good nymphing style.

I'm looking forward to some great days on the Saugeen targeting Muskie and Big Smallmouth,

I'm booking guides for these amazing hard fighting fish. Call to reserve your day soon.

519-820-8506.

Remeber to keep the fight times short, the longer you fight a fish the higher the lactic acid build up, the lower the survival rate. Be sure to revive the fish well, let the fish decide when it's time to swim away. If the fins have a reddish colour to them and the fish is not staying up-right hold the tail gently, keeping the fish in the current and slowly move the fish back and forth in the current. Doing this will slowly allow the acid build up to disapate,allowing the fish to move freely on it's own.

Cheers

Ken

Fishing Report Week Of 28-05th

Fishing on the Grand River tail water has been tough, with the clear water and cool temps the Browns have been fairly difficult to come to a fly. Nymphs and big rabbit strip streamers seem to be getting most of the fish. Isopod and Hendrickson nymphs are getting Browns in the Upper river, fish deep and slow covering the water well,did I say Patience in the rule?
Steelheading opening week was also a low catch scenario. Water levels are very low in the Maitland,with the Saugeen dropping fast and the Lower Grand almost at summer levels and Clear as gin. The water levels are good in the Notty,with drop back steelhead starting to leave the system. Watch the water temps,with the sun as intense as it is these fish will find the way back to the colder water of the lake quickly. Morning temps in the Steelhead Rivers has been
54-56, by noon the are climbing to 60-65. A low pressure system and some rain is desperately needed as our spring run winds down.
The Brook and Brown trout fishing in the Markdale area has been good, Stone fly and Hendrickson's have been coming off in moderate numbers. Doing some walking is the rule, finding fish in the deeper pools and runs in this clear water is fairly easy. Presenting flies up-stream is a must staying low and quite will get some respectable Trout.
Tight lines
Ken