Fishing Report Weeks of Aug 1 - Aug 20 2007

I know I know...update the Blog!!!!
This has been one of the best Months I've had! Thank you to all that have booked a wade or drift boat trip!
The cooler nights are a welcome relief, to all species in this part of Ontario. The Upper Saugeen has very little water, can't imagine how the Brookies are surviving in this drought.
The Rocky Saugeen, with it's heavy tree cover, has been at better temps but I will not fish the River until the water cools. Val and I often make a trip down the road to let Sulfur cool down and do some fishing on her own...(mostly for frogs). We have seen Trico's, Olives and Mahogany dunns, with some trout feeding very close to dark.

The Grand's trico hatch has started, but be ready to be on the river in the dark. We fished it today (Aug 20) with dunns and emergers in the early hours, then to spinners after 9:00 am.
Some good fish rising, but nothing huge. It's challenging fishing at best and a lot of fun.

The Notty is still very low, running at 70 degrees, we really need some rain! The cooler nights might start bringing in more fish. Lets hope for larger Salmon this year!

I'll be out for the next 3 days, I'll post a report early next week.
I'm Drifting for smallmouth and muskie and am sure we'll have a good week.

Tired of fishing low water for picky trout??
Why not give me a call and try some hard fighting smallies.
Tight lines
Ken

Fishing Report July 27- Aug 1 2007

A quick up-date.

The Saugeen is fishing great!! John booked a full day on the Saugeen to try these hard fighting fish,and after a slow start he was into some great fish!!

John has asked I no longer call him my "Poster Child" so I'll just call him the best student I've ever had. Completely focused and determined to get the most out of his time angling. I truly enjoy his company and willingness to learn. It's a pleasure to have John in my boat.

Thanks again John,see you in the fall!!



It's time for Hex's on the Saugeen. If you have yet to experience this hatch on the Saugeen now is the time!!

The lower sections are getting good emergence and spinner falls,with smallies keying into these good sized meaty flies. This is an evening thing,but well worth booking a drift boat trip for dry fly action.
I have not been On any Trout waters.With this heat, I'm sure temps are beyond what I will subject clients and fish to. The Trout Creeks in my area are very low and warm,not worth wetting a line. The Rocky Saugeen is beyond fishing temps. It's all bass, bass,bass, not a bad trade off!!!

I have limited dates open,call today to book your trip!!

Tight lines

Ken

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