Spring came very early, the snow melted in March, lakes opened up a good 3 weeks early and everything was well on it’s way to an unprecedented early start - then reality struck.

Mother nature has a way of putting us in our place time and again, and this year is no exception.  She teased us with June in April, now we’re “paying the piper” as we dig out from 5 inches of wet sloppy snow and near record cold temperatures.  Talk about putting the skids on a great start to the fishing season, lake water temps have dropped a good 10 degrees, and river temps are down about 15 degrees.  Virtually all fish feeding activity has been put on hold due to the fast water temp decrease.

Fear not intrepid angler, our weather prognosticators tell us this is very short lived and we’ll be back into the upper 50’s and low 60’s in a few days, they say perhaps even 70 degrees by next weekend - we’ll see.  

None-the-less, we have gotten some much needed moisture, (even if we would have rather had it in liquid form), and that will go straight into the ground where we need it most.

Fishing was great until Wednesday when the current snow storm began to blow in, it’s been all downhill since then, but I think by mid week we’ll begin to see a turnaround and by next weekend this current mess will be just another memory.  

This cold front will probably kill the rememants of the Hendrickson hatch and may even end the fantastic Mothers Day Caddis hatch we were in the midst of.  Our next good hatches may not show up for a week or so, but there will be plenty of nymphs in the water, and stream water levels will be a little higher.

Lake water temps will return rather quickly - it’s amazing what a little solar power can do!  By next weekend the fish will be right back in the shallows feeding on the abundant food supply.  

By mid week as the water temps begin to rise, Perch, Pike and Walleyes will be the first to get more active - since these fish prefer cooler water temps, Bluegills and Bass will come in as the water gets warmer.  All the fish are going to be very hungry!

Musky Season opens next weekend in Michigan, I expect there will be plenty of  them active by then.

Later next week when the warmer temperatures return, you can bet the Mosquitos and Black Flies will come out in force as well!

This minor setback in the fishing season will soon be in the past, by next weekend the fishing will return to normal seasonal conditions.

Bill Sherer’s We Tie It Fly Shop

5570 County Rd. M

P.O. Box 516

Boulder Jct., WI 54512-0516

715-385-0171

www.wetieit.com

wetieit@wetieit.com