Post-Flood Fishing For Finicky Fish

A third visit in three years to the monstrous Kentucky Lake proved to be a challenge for the seasoned angling professionals of the Stammen clan. Just a week earlier the lake was an incredible 9 feet above normal level due to the torrential rainstorms that hit the area. Some fish enjoy the tumult but our target, crappie, do not. At all. We tempted the snobby slabs for days with every trick and trinket we could muster. To no avail. Despite the silent protests of our steadfast leader, Cap'n Dan, we switched gears and tried for other game. Nearly a dozen different species graced our lines (even a mackerel?) but it was the mighty bluegill and the illusive shellcracker that ultimately filled our baskets. They weren't crappie but they were fun. It wasn't until the evening before our departure that we started to entice a crappie or two. I'm pretty sure they were literally jumping in the boat while we were driving back north. But that's ok. It will just make us want to go back even more. We are a stubborn bunch.

The Newest Nimrod

Fishing with small children can be quite the trial for the most earnest of Nimrods. It can also be incredibly satisfying (a fantastic article sent to me recently). Fellow Nimrod Tobin, his son Lincoln, a container of freshly unearthed worms and I took a short drive to the local watering hole last night after work for some hard-earned angling after a long week. After traversing the gauntlet of poison ivy we found a nice quiet spot to test the skills of our nightcrawlers. Soon after convincing Lincoln that fish do not, in fact, eat rocks and small boulders we started to see a little action on our corks. In no time at all we were pulling in slabs and taking survey of the many species taken by our trickery: largemouth bass, white perch, black crappie, pumpkinseed and bluegill (no trout). It was great fun and Lincoln's screams of excitement were the best part. He even caught two fish of his own. Not on rocks, though, of course.

Family Fishing Trip

Hit up a big lake in Kentucky for our yearly male vacation to a selected body of water for a little fishing and a lot of beer/bourbon drinking. Lots of fun and huge crappie. I'm already looking forward to next year.

(the contents of the last photo greatly contributed to a fantastic mid-morning breakfast)

A Winter Crossing

This past Sunday we finally gathered for an outing on the ice. I've been working on this for a while and I'm sure it helped that Mother Nature promised a day of fine weather. Patrick, Matt and first time nimrod Bird loaded up the family truckster and headed up to Rock Pond for a (late) morning of fishing. There was immediate action while the workers were digging holes and the maimed nimrod seized the opportunity to reap the benefits of his horrid back gash by snatching the triggered tip-ups and landing two bass. The rest of the day proved slow with high-points involving watching Bird chase a wayward bucket lid to the far end of the pond and Patrick making his own pond uncomfortably near Matt's person. After getting off the ice a hot meal awaited us at the homestead. It was a fun day and I'm looking forward to doing it again very soon.

Belgrade, Maine | July 4th

Newbie Nimrod, Brent Johnson, and I ventured to Belgrade, ME for the 4th of July weekend (near Augusta) and had a great time on Messalonskee Lake. While the fish lacked size generally, they were abundant. 

We lost count on the smallmouth bass and yellow perch, and each took in a nice-sized chain pickerel. Weather was mostly beautiful with a chop on the water only during the high-noon hot hours of the day.

Sightings included a nesting pair of bald eagles, snorting deer, families of loons, and Swedish meatballs.

Brent's been going to this lake-side cabin since he was 5 years old. It's a great place and worth looking into  a rental for next summer or a design retreat in the fall.