Summer is full on here in the Great Lakes. I’m spending a lot of time chasing largemouth bass with deer hair bugs, and enjoying the warmth.
I just bought a new Redington Predator Fly Rod from the Caddis Fly. Originally launched Fall 2011, it’s a fast action, short, 4-piece rod with some serious saltwater durability features. It’s also cheap. Caddis has them on sale for under $200. I did a review of the Redington piece on my Ohio Nature Blog. It’s short (7’10”) and there are some tradeoffs associated with that, but generally I think it’s a great purchase.
I’m also spending a lot of time doing Urban Fishing along the Cleveland Harbor. Capt Nate is keeping his boat literally in the heart of downtown Cleveland this year, and it’s been interesting to say the least. This place is in a process of recovery/renewal, and while some of the industrial views are visually jarring, the fish don’t care.
The other cool activity is white bass. Most locals don’t spend a lot of time talking about these guys — they’re small, easy to find, easy to catch. But I think they’re great. They are a native species, there are tons of them, and they act like tiny stripers. You find the birds, you find the blitzing whiteys. They’re happy to take topwater flies, and if you get bored with catching fish on EVERY CAST, put on a sinking line and try to find out if there are any lazy predators hanging out below the school. Nate catches some very big walleye like that.
The kids are spending a lot of time on the local creeks, messing with bugs and other critters. And I’ve started writing a naturalist column for a local publication. You can find the first installment here if you’re interested.
Keep them hooks sharp, and if you wind up in sunny Cleveland this summer, shoot me a note!
-MS
