The Fly Fishing Season in a Nut Shell - In Afton Angler Country
January
January is a time to reflect on past seasons, enjoy a respite from the demands of the busy season of guiding and most importantly to prepare for the coming season. I love to travel to teach and speak! Fly tying, rod building, leader making, scouting, writing, editing my image database, corresponding with fishing friends … the list goes on and on for this angler in the "off" season. Hey, book me to come down your way and liven things up with a slide show and talk, or maybe a lie-n-tie session….
Of course I have been known to take advantage of a January thaw and will hit the water whenever conditions permit.
February
February is much the same as January. I look forward to the Chicago Great Waters Expo and any other chance to get out and about. By now I better have a pile of new flies ready … spring is just around the corner!The third weekend of the month will most likely find me and my wife, Jen, holding court with our friends down in Seeley, Wisconsin during the American Birkiebinder ski event. Jen and I can be found on Saturday night bartending at the Sawmill Saloon during all of the Hoopla!
Lots of stuff to do to get fully prepared for the upcoming season….
March
March means the early catch-and-release trout season is upon us. The first Saturday in March through the last weekend in April allow Wisconsin anglers to practice catch-and-release barbless-only fishing on most designated trout streams. This is a great time to hunt for the trophy fish in most systems. The larger specimens heat-up before the majority of the population and can be taken, if you know where to look and how to approach elm.
The Afton Angler chases trout from the upper driftless area (Pierce and St. Croix Counties) all the way up the Indianhead to the south shore of Gitchee Gummee.
Also, the lower Brule and other south shore tributaries of Lake Superior open up for the spring steelhead season starting the end of March. This popular and exciting time is a big draw for anglers all over the globe and Chasin Steel is what’s happening until early May.
April
April sees the first significant and predictable insect activity. It’s the start of hatch time! Inland stream trout season continues to unfold and the south shore steelhead run reaches a crescendo about mid-month.Some seasons will also find the Afton Angler chasing ice -- out fishing on lakes for panfish and northern pike late in the month. Open Water … Yeaha!
May
May is truly the angler’s season in northwestern Wisconsin. The first Saturday in May ushers in the general inland fishing opener and everything comes into season for the most part. So much to do! Great insect hatches begin in earnest in the trout streams. Lake and ponds offer a bounty of species to pursue and a savvy angler can catch a hot drop back steelhead or two.I’ll also begin putting the Clacka Craft driftboat through it’s first paces later in the month. Think warmwater species – pike, muskie and smallmouth bass, oh my! Nothing better than float tripping in the heart of the Northwoods sportsfans.
June
June marks the point in the season when the peak of activity on the trout streams takes place. The big mayfly hatches are upon us – brown drakes and Hex time. The stream trout fishery begins to decline during daytime and night fishing begins to be the order of the day.
At the same time, the warmwater fisheries really start to flourish. Spawning is complete for all species in the early part of the month and the summer peak begins to build. Long periods of daylight in the northcountry allow ample time to explore and we can pull off epic float fishing trips.
July
July is the beginning of tourist season in Northern Wisconsin. The Afton Angler begins to explore lesser-known and hard to get to waters. This time of the season the focus is on smallmouth bass, pike and muskie fisheries. We have the greatest concentration of warmwater float fishing water on the planet in Afton Angler country and there is more out there than a chap like me can get to in a lifetime of exploring!Late July also ushers in the return of the lakerun (brown trout, coho salmon and steelhead) migration season – big, chrome fish begin to push into south shore streams and savvy anglers get out at dusk and dawn with hopes tied to their stout leaders. Nothing like getting a summertime chromer!
August
August in far northwestern Wisconsin is peak tourist season. Lots of souls in the northwoods, sportsfans. Warmwater fisheries continue to be the focus as well as any other off-the-beaten-path experiences.The Afton Angler spends August working the big river systems for smallmouth bass, pike and muskie as well as looking for new and interesting options. More and more lakerun trout and salmon continue to push into the waters flowing off the south shore. Shots at chrome improve.
Lately I have been exploring the Apostle Islands and Upper Michigan -- paradise as far as I am concerned.
September
Back-to-school time and once again we have free reign of the northwoods, sportsfans. September ushers in the fall period – shorter daylight period triggers many changes in the waters and woods.
September is a time of transition and a time of bounty. Savvy anglers look for opportunities at every turn. So much to do and so little time. Stream trout become active during daylight hours once again as water temperatures decrease. Think terrestrial time as ants, crickets and grasshoppers offer up the main bounty. Some epic surface fishing daze can be anticipated at this point in every season.
Lakerun chrome can be at it’s best.
Muskie begin to take center stage and will just knock your socks off on the fly!
Oh what a wonderful time to be alive in Afton Angler country. The end of September ushers in the close of the inland trout season in Wisconsin. Time to get in those last precious turns on special water until the next season. Maybe one last shot on the springcreeks down in the driftless. Sigh.
October
October is the peak of everything fishy in my world. It all happens now – big steelhead and browns, pike and the mighty muskie, and hunting season too.I am out dawn to dusk as often as my schedule allows. Every day and every weather system ushers in a change in the activity level. This is true trophy time. Come prepared for the first really harsh weather.
Game On!
November
November is touch-and-go for fishing – some seasons we can go right up to Thanksgiving and others we are ice fishing by the first week in northwestern Wisconsin.The south shore tribs remain open until the 15th and steelheading can be really superb.
Muskie remain active in the big rivers, and as long as we can launch our boat (or break ice to do so), we will be on these beasts. Bring warm clothes!
Time to fill the freezer with some venison and a few birds too….
December
Another season comes to an end -- full circle. Time to heal up the hands and the shoulder joints -- a guide’s life is a full one but a physically tough one. If winter holds off, we can do some boat and trailer repair.For sure December will be about stacking firewood near the back door, maybe getting another deer for the freezer and fly tying bench…
Time to rest and reflect. I look forward to spending time inside with family and friends….
Then it all starts over again!