December Slough Big Trout

Hey Roy here are the pictures I owe ya. 

During the crappy weather last week this nice trout was caught. It is 17" and was caught at the Slough of course just north of the Bait Shop Hole. I tried and tried to revive it and I had to keep it since it would just float off.  Anyway I would have normally released it. I did have it for dinner.

How I cook em.

I use garlic butter and lemon in the cavity, lightly wipe it down with some oil. Wrap in aluminum foil, several times. Warm up the grill (I use propane) place on the rack close the lid, Cook for 10 minutes a side or longer if a thick trout. 

With fork in hand, enjoy. My two cents, small trout taste better!

The last pic is Charles Engles with a bent rod!!

Patrick Humphress

Blizzard Christmas Eve

The fly fishers I talked to all said they would come to the  creek on Christmas Eve, regardless of the wind and weather.  I was determined to take pictures showing how they did it.  But you know, "Only the Bold fish in the snow and the rain and the wind and the cold" (http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html

It was amazing enough that my wife let me go.  But she stayed up late sewing gifts, and I got up early to go fishing.

For five hours I had the place all to myself.  I started at the noth end and finished in the south end.  I spent a lot of time wading in the creek.  My legs and feet did not get cold, nor my body or hands.  However, the wind was hard on my fingers, and my toes froze.  In case you did not notice, the wind chill was around zero during this time, and the snow came down in big flakes.  The wind was very strong.  Of course there are plenty of places on the creek that are protected, even from a northern wind.

Vic's Lake had cars parked here and there, but I did not see any lines in the water.  I did stand on the north shore, wade out a ways, and loft my fly line out into the lake a few times.  The wind just makes it hard to keep you fingers alive.

The biggest problem I had was when I tangled.  The tangle just got worse and worse.  I finally went into the store and cut it all loose and put on a new tippet.  I was lucky it happened when it did, because she closed at 11 am (after cleaning up the mess I dragged in on my snow packed felt-soled boots.  Those did serve me well as I clambered over the dams and up and down the banks without ever slipping on the snow or ice.

If you have not fished in the wind and snow and ice and cold, there will be plenty of cold windy day in the last 10 days of December.  It should be very nice for the Flatland Fly Fishers annual "Single Fly Tournament" on New Years Day: high 36°, Real Feel 35° (no wind).  Of course, with so many cold days before that, there will be ice.
http://www.flatlandflyfishers.org/

Single Fly Tournament - Jan. 1st - Slough Creek, Sedgwick County Park.  Breakfast 8:30 - 10:00am  Tournament  10:00am - 2:00pm

Winter Program - Feb. 6, 2010 - Speaker Ed Engle

Beaver

The beaver in the Big Slough Creek have big ambitions.  Can you imagine how long it would take, and what a spash it would make when this tree is finally felled!  The fishers don't really like how the beavers leave such a tangled mess for  their lines and lures to get lost in the water.

When the Flatland Fly Fishers cleaned up this spot, they found lots of line and lures for their trouble.  Then they stayed and caught many fish.

The water is the lowest I have seen this season.  Therefore, every hole looks different than before.  Also, someone brought heavy equipment and tore out part of a dam, changing the channel.  It is the dam where I stepped into a 7 foot deep hole, then wrote a song about it http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html
"Only the Bold Fish in the Cold"
This song has attracted hits from all over the US and Europe.  People are searching for waders and wading in the mud.

Then they got their kids and came back.  Their kids are very great fishers, too.  Kids start fly fishing early, and learn well.




Each person who comes to the creek not only carries out all their trash, they clean up after the beavers!

The fish were biting today with the overcast, foggy day on wooly buggers.  By far, most of the catches are also releases.  Some fishers keep a few during the year.  Some keep NONE all year.



The lake fishers do best with minnows fished deep.  Vic's Lake has been productive this season.

Big storm coming tonight, a Christmas Eve BLIZZARD.  Come on down to the creek.  There will be plenty of fishers in the wind and the ice tomorrow.

Trout treats

Trout are biting in the Big Slough Creek.  Every gets something.  Some catch dozens in a few hours. Those are the really good fishers who tie their own ply or jig patterns.

Some of these guys come here several times every week.  Most return their catch.  Many take home some during a season.  Some take all they can get every time.

They are still stocking lunkers.  The song I wrote for the big catfish still applies today.  See http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html and look for "Down in the Deep of the Big Slough Creek".  This song makes reference to wading in the mud.  That is certainly the case today, as the temperature was in the high 30s.

P.S.  It feels very cold out here, and not every pattern works.  You have to change up if your fly is not getting strikes.  The fish are in there!

Cold Water

It is cold this week, but everyone is still fishing.  Keep your line in the water!  I walked across the ice in the foreground of this photo on the right to get to the open water you see in the distance at the Big Slough Creek.  In the photo on the left you can see the open water is lined with ice.  You can drift along the edge of the ice looking for fish. The fly fishers are out in force, but so are the bait fishers.  The fly fishers are especially upset when the bait fishers (illegal) encroach on a hole they are working and crowd them out.  "I guess they have rights too".  No they don't. It is illegal to bait fish or use treble hook spinners in the Big Slough Creek.
P.S.  There are a lot of fish in the stream.  You can see them in some places.  You can see them line up with the current when you are quiet.  You can see them scatter when you cast into the school instead of drifting down into it.  They also scatter when you make noise by wading in the water the wrong way.

December Fishing

The fly fishers are getting more enthused every day as the cold and storms arrive.  I have been fishing quite a bit since Thanksgiving, but not as much as some.  I keep forgetting my camera or my battery or something.  No pictures yet, and today is a doctor visit day.  We are down to one car, and it is getting harder to compete for the use of the car to go fishing.

The December Fly Fishers meeting was well attended and there was a lot of food and fellowship.  The next event is the "One Fly" Contest on New Year's Day.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have been fishing most days, but have not been posting or even taking pictures.  It has been beautiful fishing weather.

Big sale

Coleman is having a 3 day factory sale with a very large and varied inventory on 37th street.  Go west of Hydraulic until you see the signs on the north. Drive to the back of the lot.  Here are some examples of their inventory:
http://www.coleman.com/coleman/home.asp

The KDOTE mascots are assuming their role as greeters for everyone as usual.  It is a beautiful morning.  The third stocking went well yesterday, and fish are jumping all over the lake.  Trout and crappie are biting on jigs.  Sometimes the crappie are very small like this one.  Power bait and minnows and worms seem to be slow still.


Try dry flies.  They are jumping.  I saw one today that leaped 24 inches into the air.

Stocking Day

A beautiful warm fall day.  Many came to Wichita to fish for trout.  Not everyone caught today.  I fished one pool at the Slough with no results.  I moved up to the next one and caught on my first cast with my grandfather's rod that Neal Hall finished refurbishing yesterday.  All the rest of my casts must have been too awkward to fool the fish. I probably drove them into hiding.  Fly fishing takes practice!  There were fish jumping for a while, so I switched to a dry fly, but then they stopped jumping.  The trout they stock are fat and sassy.

I got busy writing a song for my son-in-law's birthday and did not write a new fishing song today!

http://www.cantos.org/fishing has a link to all kinds of fishing information, including:

U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department

Sun and Moon Data for One Day

The following information is provided for Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas (longitude W97.3, latitude N37.7):

Friday   
        20 November 2009      Central Standard Time          

                         SUN
        Begin civil twilight       6:47 a.m.                 
        Sunrise                    7:15 a.m.                 
        Sun transit               12:15 p.m.                 
        Sunset                     5:15 p.m.                 
        End civil twilight         5:43 p.m.                 

                         MOON
        Moonset                    7:32 p.m. on preceding day
        Moonrise                  10:46 a.m.                 
        Moon transit               3:36 p.m.                 
        Moonset                    8:30 p.m.                 
        Moonrise                  11:23 a.m. on following day

 

Phase of the Moon on 20 November:   waxing crescent with 15% of the Moon's visible disk illuminated.
New Moon on 16 November 2009 at 1:14 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Trout stocking is tomorrow

We expect the trout truck tomorrow.  In the meantime, fishers are lining the banks on this beautiful, warm fall day.  Most do not catch at KDOT East, but I saw a pair of fishers today who caught trout, crappie, and bluegill close to shore with jigs.

Only the Bold Fish in the Cold

New song by Roy E. Howard at http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html

Only the bold fish in the cold

and the rain, and the wind, and the snow.

Socks and sweaters and gloves and caps and

long handled underwear and wraps,

chest waders, coat, pants, belt, and the rest.

There's hardly room for your net, rod, or vest!

The rain comes down and the water comes up, and

The channels and the holes are shifting sand.

You can wade through the ice and the mud where you sink

but the water is deeper than you think.

Did  you know that after a rain

there are holes in the creek that are six feet deep?

Don't wade alone in the Big Slough Creek

You may never be seen again.

In the winter it is dark in the morning and

dark in the day and the afternoon

Don't stay late, for when the sun goes down

you could slip and fall and drown.

Classic Destiny

Last week I visited Neal Hall at Classic Destiny http://www.classicdestiny.com/
He is an engineer and artist who make fishing rods of every kind.  I went for repairs.  I got lessons and rod cases and line and other things I needed.  Here is the result:  I catch trout in Wichita with a fly rod.

Neal also raises Koi fish of all colors and sizes.  I was so impressed I wrote a tone poem to represent the colors and swirling motions.  Neal is a real Wichita treasure.  Be sure to visit his shop some day.

Here is the music:
http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html

The wind is biting

The wind is biting, and so are the trout.  Many people told me they like to fish in the cold because that is when the trout are biting.  However,  this afternoon at the creek, Rory and I were the only fishers.  Good thing for me he was there, as I fell in, as usual.  Fishing in the wind and rain and snow is not bad at all.  The waders and jacket are good protection.  I have not solved the problem of cold hands, though.

The fish are biting

Like most others, I went to KDOT East to catch trout.  Most would fish and leave.  Of course, I stay, and fish and try one thing after another until something works.

Even after I start catching bluegill or catfish, I keep a line in the water for trout.  I keep casting flies and spoons and spinners.

Tonight we are eating bluegill.  I usually bring home 2 -3 pounds (12 -18 fish).  They are easy to freeze until you have time to cook them.   When all else fails, fish close to shore near the brush and trees.  Keep moving around until you find the one spot where they are hitting.  Fish that exact spot over and over until you have what you need.

Fillets:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fried-Bluegill-Fillets
http://dinner-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/pan_fish_recipe
http://www.grouprecipes.com/26014/corn-bread-battered-pan-fish.html

Panfish recipe videos: http://www.ifood.tv/network/pan_fish/recipes

Farm Pond

It seems funny that the beautiful, sandy bottom "Big Slough Creek" has such a name, since slough...

1 a : a place of deep mud or mire b : also slew or slue \ˈslü\ (1) : swamp (2) : an inlet on a river; also : backwater(3) : a creek in a marsh or tide flat

2 : a state of moral degradation or spiritual dejection

Today I did fish a farm pond in Rose Hill.  It was indeed a place of deep mud or mire.  I learned quickly that you cannot wade in a pond that is built on a formation that has 12 feet of clay.  You may never be seen again.

The farmers assured me that bass and crappie and catfish have produced in abundance in their three ponds.  I am sure that they are all still there reproducing, because they were too busy to acknowledge me or my many varied offerings.

It sure was a wonderful place to be.

Shoulder to shoulder

The Big Slough Creek is not really a slough...

Etymology: Middle English sloughe, slo, from Old English slōh; akin to Middle High German slouche ditch

Date: before 12th century

1 a : a place of deep mud or mire b : also slew or slue \ˈslü\ (1) : swamp (2) : an inlet on a river; also : backwater(3) : a creek in a marsh or tide flat
2 : a state of moral degradation or spiritual dejection

...and it is not really big, but no wonder it is so popular.  Not only is the weather great, but the fishing is fun.  Today a fly fishermen out for trout got a very hard hit.  The fish ran out his entire fly line to the end of the backing.  He fought it for a long time and finally landed an 8.5 pound channel catfish!  This creek is full of surprises.  So, I wrote a new song: "Down in the Deep at the Big Slough Creek".  Listen at http://www.cantos.org/fishing/music.html

Fly fishers caught and released many trout today.  The Women's Fly Fishing Clinic conducted by the Flatland Fly Fisher's Club was well attended.  The clinicians were terrific, and the one on one coaching was well appreciated.

The U.S. has 18.2 million fly fishers, but only 2.9 million go out regularly.  Of the 60 million sports fishers in America, only 1.2% (725,000) are women fly fishing enthusiasts.

Down in the Deep

Down in the deep of the Big Slough Creek

Lines are sunk as the fishermen seek

Legends and demons and the secrets the keep

Catch one and you leap! Honors you will reap!

Lose it and you will weep!

1. Waters of the creek are connected to the lakes,

to the rivers and the streams throughout the state

Fish are attracted to the deep water pools

For the sands and and the dams are to them like jewels.

2. November seven of ttwo thousand and nine

A fisherman nearly lost all his line

He stripped out the line and all the backing, too:

That giant of a channel cat, down the creek he flew.

3. Stories are told of the crappie and the bass

Fishermen come far, no matter the cost of gas

When they hook a big one they begin to shout

Whether sunfish or a catfish or a golden rainbow trout.

4. Fly fishing waters are the most special kind

Trout stocked waters are a rare and precious find

Flatland Fly Fishers brought the dams and the sand

We thank them for the lunkers, let's all give them a hand.

International Wichita Fishing

Today I had a pleasant conversation at the Big Slough Creek with a man from New York City.  I have often talked to people who travel here to fish.  Even the locals have lived all over the world.  Yesterday I fished for 3 hours at KDOT East with an Air Force retiree who has lived in every continent, and all over the U.S.  I often talk to folks who have moved away then return to retire or work.

In three months my 8 fishing videos have been viewed in : Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Indonesia, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, Venezuela, and the U.S. -
Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Be sure to post a message on the blog so we know where you are from, where you have fished in Wichita, and anything that can help us all in our fishing.

Trout are biting

It was a beautiful day on the Big Slough Creek.  A warm, clear, fall day.  Fly fishers were catching all day.  Some were pulling in one after another.  Most were returned so they could be caught again.

Saturday should be just as nice.  The Flatland Fly Fishers Club Women's Fly Fishing Clinic http://www.flatlandflyfishers.org/womensclinic09.pdf
  is tonight and tomorrow.

I followed my advice of yesterday to visit the Ark River Anglers.  I made the mistake of taking my wife.  However, Song Bin was very happy, as my wife persuaded me to acquire a few items missing from my fly gear.  Song Bin was very, very happy that she came.  He says that the fishermen come for gear, but when their wives come, they end up with clothing and accesories as well.

I am told that the gear I have been using is the reason that when I leave a hole skunked, the next fisher catches half a dozen in short time.  Even the fish farm trout require appropriate presentation.

This batch came from the Crystal Lake Fishery in southwestern Missouri.  The aquaculture facility is fed by the constant flow of a clear Ozark Mountain spring which produces about 10 million gallons each day. http://www.crystallakefisheries.com/

They bring us the Emerson Strain Rainbow Trout as well as "Golden Rainbow Trout", a gold-orange rainbow trout specially bred as a novelty for angling sport.  Crystal Lake trout recipes:
http://www.crystallakefisheries.com/recipes.htm

Trout Stocking Day Report

KDOT East.  Today's 681 trout must bring the total in the lake to over 1,000, because not many have been harvested in the past 3 weeks.  These photos tell it all.  Today the trout were visible swimming near the shore, but still would not take PowerBait, salmon eggs, spinners, flies, or anything else.  This bullhead topped off at 1 1/4 pounds.  He chased a fast moving worm.

Vic's Lake. Today they stocked 1,173 trout.  In two weeks they will add an extra 200 for the ones lost on October 13.  Today most were drowning worms or soaking corn or going through every color of PowerBait.  Everyone was enjoying the warm weather and the pleasant breezes.  I did meet a man who was catching trout and crappie with minnows.  Check P & P Seed and Bait for minnows.

Big Slough Creek. Some were harvested today. However, many were just getting their exercise.  One gal was casting for bass and catching small ones.  Fishing continued until the last minute of the twilight.  For a link to twilight hours, see the home page.

The Flatland Fly Fishers meeting tonight was well attended.  The fly fishers have two more activities this week.  Check their website.

Ark River Anglers has new lines of fly fishing gear in.  Check it out.

The Trout have arrived!

At 8:30 am on Thursday, 5 November, the truck arrived with a load of 681 trout for KDOT East.  Next they went to Sedgwick County Park to stock Vic's with 1,173, and the Creek with 912.

Most are 10-12 inches (1/2 to 3/4 pounds). They also include larger fish, including 2, 3, and 4 pounders.

The October 13 stocking did not go well at Vic's.  The fisheries biologist says it was due to the stress of transportation, not the temperature of the lake.  Two hundred (of the 1,173) died that same day.  On November 19 they will bring an extra 200 for Vic's (1,373).

At KDOT East, they hook up a pipe to the truck, attach it to a pipe in the ground, and the fish are flushed down into the lake, emerging about 20 feet from the shore at the Northeast corner where you see the ramp.

It will be interesting as the season continues to see where they like to go in that 7 acre lake.  Fishers try to catch them by sinking bait to the bottom, including corn, PowerBait, worms, cheese, and salmon eggs.  They also use bobbers and minnows.  Spin casters try every trout lure they have.  Fly fishers cast dry flies, but mostly wet flies sunk deep.

Stocking Day

We have all been anxious for the 2nd trout stocking day in Wichita.  We believe it must be Thursday.  So, Wednesday morning I dreamed about it.  In the dream, a giant killer trout is eating all the newly stocked fish.  I catch the giant killer trout in my dream with a fly one of the Flatland Fly Fishers gave me from his home tied collection.  My interpretation is that I must have really been concerned by the cultural conflict between the catch and release sport fishers and those who fish for food.  So, I wrote a song and recorded it today and posted it at the bottom of the home page: http://www.cantos.org/fishing.

Wow, I really look sleepy in that video.  My dreams are about music. I wake up early and starting composing.  I don't get enought sleep.  Maybe I just need to fish more.

Don't forget, "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day (food fishers).  Teach a man to fish and you get rid of him for the whole weekend (sports fishers).

Keep your tip up, keep your line in the water.  Good luck, have a nice day.

Gather 'round boys, and I'll tell you a tale

of a the trout who thought he was a killer whale

I know it sounds strange, but I tell you no lies

I saw it all with my very own eyes.

He was mean

He was a cannibal

He ate and ate and grew and grew

'til I killed him.

It was trout stocking day and I went to the creek

I wanted to watch them, just to take a peek

Fishing fever got me so I borrowed a rig,

put on a number sixteen Olive Zebra Midge.

Nine foot rod

Number Six line

Four X tippet, a single action reel

Parachute cast.

On the first cast he hit like a brick

When I saw his size I almost got sick

I ran down the bank and tried to keep up

As he dove and swam and shook with each jump.

He saw me

He was mad

He made a leap, landed at my feet

So I grabbed him.

His mouth was full of lures and dead fish

All the trout he had caught I could only wish

No wonder the fishing 'til then had been slow

He had eaten every rainbow in the hole.

Now he's gone

So's my iPhone

So I built a fire and invited my friends

And we ate him.

Good Luck

Today at the Big Slough Creek, a few people caught a few trout, but most caught none.  Everyone said, good luck, have a nice day.  I thought, that is redundant.  We are fishing.  how could it get nicer?

Everyone is looking forward to the next stocking, which we hope is Thursday.

Twilight Fishing

The home page http://www.cantos.org/fishing has a link to the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department where you can enter the state city and get the times for sunset, sunrise, and twilight.  It gets chilly at sundown at this time of year, especially when windy like tonight.

I still get the same reports about slow fishing, at any time of day. Everyone is hoping that after the 2nd or 3rd stocking, the trout fishing will pick up.

KDOT East is attractive to fishers because the trees standing in the water  provide shelter for the bait that fish feed on.  Also there is plenty of room to cast between the trees.

I stayed home most of the day to compose a new fishing song.
You can hear it on the home page and the music page.

As I was walking to the lake one day

I passed my buddies along the way

They said, "good luck, have a nice day".

I said, hear me now, to what I say

Keep your tip up

keep your line in the water

good luck, have a nice day.

As I was walking to the creek one day

I passed some fly fishers along the way

They said, "hey, how's goin' today".

I said, I am fishin', not at work today.

Keep your tip up

keep your line in the water

good luck, have a nice day.

As I was walking to the river one day

I passed a man with a lunker in play

He said, fishin' is good, why don't you stay?

I said, your invitation sounds OK

He said, Keep your tip up

keep your line in the water

good luck, have a nice day.

As I was walking 'round the reservoir one day

I passed the catfishers out on the bay

They said, "sink it on down, and let it stay"

I said, cast into the shallows where the fish do lay.

Keep your tip up

keep your line in the water

good luck, have a nice day.

As I was walking to the lake one day

I passed my buddies along the way

They said, "good luck, have a nice day".

I said, hear me now, to what I say

Keep your tip up

keep your line in the water

good luck, have a nice day.