Carp….get you some

Haven’t been doing much steelheads fishing lately. However I do know that Trail creek as well as salt creek and little cal, have been fishing a bit better as of late. A few fish to be had here and there. The Dowagiac, in between the torrential January blowouts, would fish well on the drop, only for a day or two then the river would rise again after more rain. This left small windows of opportunity for decent water conditions. Either way, February looks to be another mild month and hopefully we can maintain some decently steady conditions. I will have some open dates this month.

On the flip side, winter carp go hard. They are greasy awesomness. With a smell that will soak into your waders and become permanent, winter carp are ravenous. I was able to get out on a few occasions and fish the hot water discharges on the lake front, as I do most years. Its been awhile since I’ve been out there. The first change I noticed was that the beach I normally walked into and fished was completely under water. Rising lake michigan water levels are crazy right now. I did notice more fish off the discharge flow and schooling closer to the beach, which is great. My normal fly selection out there has not changed. I’ll use small to large crayfish patterns from a size 4 to a size 12. Ive found more success using buck-tailed patterns tied in a dirty orange, olive, browns, and yellows. I also use rabbit strips for my crayfish and gobie patterns, which are also some go to’s. There are plenty of fish to be had most days. The few times I’ve been out we’ve had success. Can’t wait till spring, should be plenty of fantastic carping opportunities ahead.