2010 pt 1.

spring is always a great time for any roughfishermen. sitting through winter brings back the feeling of being a small kid on christmas eve. sitting up all night excited waiting for gifts the next morning. only in my case the gifts are slimy and scaly. this being my first actual post im just gonna cover a few basics and talk about some of my favorite spots and species that i encountered in 2010 i expect my next few posts to just be adding on to this one.


golden redhorse: Golden Redhorse are avery common redhorse, possibly the most common in our area. While often found in reasonably fast water, goldens also frequent still pools and slow-moving sections of water. Goldens are somewhat intolerant of poluution, so heavily silted or overfertile water will not hold goldens. Goldens feed mainly on aquatic insects and crustaceans.

 Golden Redhorse are usually fished with live bait on the bottom, either with a stationary presentation or one that moves slowly with the current. Circle hooks in size 4-8 may be used. Goldens respond well to flies imitating mayfly and stonefly nymphs, as well as scud patterns and caddis pupae. Golden redhorse may be found in a variety of habitats, from trout streams to barge channels.

ive caught many in previous years but never hammered them like i did this year. i caught several trophy sized goldens and even got a few on my fly rod. these fish are incredible fighters, id consider it alot like a battle with a smallmouth bass. they make hard runs and will come soaring out of the water.

bowfin:The bowfin is a terrifyingly efficient predator equipped with an incredibly strong, muscular body and razor sharp teeth. Ancient fishes that have survived for millions of years, bowfin can breathe air. Bowfin are elongate, mottled fishes with a long dorsal fin and a rounded tail. Two tubelike barbels project from the nostrils. Male bowfin sport a round spot, called an occellus, at the base of the tail. During the spawn, the fins and lower bodies of male bowfin turn bright lime-green. Beneath their lips, the mouth of a bowfin is jam-packed full of sharp, jagged teeth. this year i was pleased to catch my very first bowfin.

what a beautiful fish that was.


common carp:The carp is the top gamefish in the world - more people rate the Carp as their most sought-after fish than any other. The Carp also exceeds all other fish in pounds eaten per year. The reasons that the Carp is the most popular fish to catch in the world are many. First and foremost, they are big, tough fish. Carp do not jump, nor are they blindingly fast. However, they are stronger, pound for pound, than any other fish, and will doggedly fight you to their last ounce of strength. In addition, Carp are found almost everywhere. Here, in the United States, most of our lakes and rivers have been stupidly polluted to the point where our prized native fishes cannot survive. The hardy carp hardly notices this, and thrives in waters where our native fishes cannot live, providing us with one of the greatest sportfishing opportunities that has ever existed.

river redhorse: oh boy. i dont even know how to start. i absolutely love everything about these fish, they are fairly uncommon in most areas around here but i am familier with a few spots on the st croix river where there are good numbers. i got my first river redhorse ever while sight fishing smallmouth bass with my fly rod on a rocky point. i saw the fish feeding in the shallows and drifted a fly over to it and to my suprise it savagely attacked it. putting up an insane fight.