4-17-05 - T-Bone Goat Boy workin' the water! (Copyright 2005 Dan Brom)

Fatmen in the mist. (Copyright 2005 Dan Brom)

Fat's tied into a looper! (Copyright 2005 Dan Brom)

Red Hat puts the "Bitch Slap" on a lopper! (Copyright 2005 Dan Brom)

4-17-05 - Looperpalooza - Day 3

Waters Fished: Sucker Creek, Bois Brule River
Fish Caught: 0/1 personally
Outing Date: 4-17-05
Weather: Foggy, burning off around noon.
Air Temp: 60's
Water Temp: Brule - 50F
Water Level: Brule- 180 CFS
Water Color: Dirty Brown
Fish Species: Steelhead
Pattern Fished: Egg Patterns
Pattern Color: Orange, Chartreuse, Black
Fishing Quality: Above expectations

After you read my account of the day, I highly suggest checking out Red Hat's report on the WWPD Online! As promised to those on the e-mail list, I was going to wait until Red Hat posted his report as he had more of the "details" regarding conditions and the early morning bite on the Sucker.

Which brings me to the fact that Renee and I SLEPT IN. Yup...it's a vacation, I had my fish, Renee had gotten up at like 4:00 AM yesterday...what the heck...sleep was GOOD. Meanwhile it turns out that we missed arguably the best fishing of the weekend. The crew had returned to Sucker Creek yet again.

FAT landed 5, everyone was hooking up and the pressure was a bit less than on the past 2 mornings. Of course, as you'll read in Red Hat's report, they had NO LUCK on the "secret fly"...go figure. I guess it just goes to show ya that things DO change. Everyone had a good morning.

Upon the return of our angling buddies, we packed up and checked out of the cabins. Everyone agreed that breakfast was required, so we headed into Duluth for some Perkins. I've never seen a place so busy and yet we got a table in minutes....wow. Even after brunch, we walked out to find Duluth STILL shrouded in fog.

On tap, we were all in agreement that we didn't need to stop fishing just yet (heck, Renee and I hadn't even hit the water) so with little debate, we were on our way around the western tip of Lake Superior, headed for Wisconsin's waters. It's been roughly a year and a half...time to revisit the famous Bois Brule River. Surprisingly close to Minnesota's North Shore, we were at Brule in under an hour.

It's still foggy over Duluth!	Wow, check out the fog on Lake Superior.	A quick look at a foggy Sunday morning in Duluth.

After getting licenses for those that needed them, we headed on north following our trusty leader, Mr. Red Hat, as he took us to a spot where the fishing had been good in the last week. I guess I should point out for those who have never fished the Brule that it's a LONG and relatively BIG river...information is crucial in helping make your trip successful.

On to the Brule!

After gearing up, we made the long hike down into the valley and there before us was the Brule. Red Hat, T-bone, Fat and Freda got in straight off the bat; Renee and I were in hip boots so deeper wading was not an option. We headed upstream in search of a spot to easily access the water and avoid going under....ideally with good steelhead structure in the vicinity as well.

After spooking a deer and walking a bit I found the spot we were looking for...a tiny shallow and sandy spot on the inside of a bend was just the ticket. Renee and I started casting. Most of the afternoon was uneventful...as has been my experience with the Brule.

Renee is working the bend...	...paying close attention to the tip of her line for the slightest hint of a strike.	Looks like Renee is having a blast!

Uneventful, that is, until my line went tight and started going downstream...wait that's a FISH! My drag was buzzing and my arms were tired within seconds. Miraculously the fish did NOT head into the faster water downstream, but instead turned and bulldogged me at the tailout of the bend pool. Renee was shooting pictures, I was simply trapped in the moment. I saw the tail all too briefly...it was STEEL and it was a GOOD ONE.

Oh man...this is big! (Copyright 2005 Renee)	Look at that rod bend under pressure! (Copyright 2005 Renee)	Yup, a wild Bois Brule Steelhead on the Bamboo! (Copyright 2005 Renee)

As I brought it close to shore my heart thumped and my mind raced at the insignificant yet fantastic feat I was about to complete - landing a wild Bois Brule Steelhead with a fine can rod. About the only thing that could have made it any more traditional was if I had a nymph on instead of an egg pattern. The moment was now iminent...and then the fish turned and fled from the scene, my flies shooting back towards my face. Q@#$%E$^Q#$% as any old-timer might say back in the day.

You just don't get that many opportunities on the Brule, so even though I had lost this fish, it was indeed a small victory. Fat and Freda made their way upstream to see what the commotion was about, and Red and and B showed up far downstream at the bend. News travels quickly...or rather I guess I shout a lot when I've got a good fish on!

FAT and Freda come on up to see what the commotion is about.	Renee gets into the wild steelhead action too!	Red Hat and T-bone work the gravely runs.

Things took a turn when Renee hooked into here own Brule River steelhead...a nice fish around 6 or 7...inches. Smolts were present in good numbers, and heck, it's a wild trout, so "technically" she was not skunked. All the same, even Renee admits that she was really looking for larger quarry that day!

Man I am simply WORN OUT! (Copyright 2005 Renee)

The evening wore on without much more to talk about...T-Bone and Neil both got into the smolts rather thick, and as you'll read they too found a larger playmate. We called it a day...we had to head back to home sometime. The drive up was rather quiet...punctuated by some snoring to say the least ;)

  MP