25# Sandusky bay carp...slime city

White Bass like Chartreuse and white...

Nice Sandusky Bay white bass....

Spent some time yesterday fishing spots on Sandusky Bay that i haven't fished in about 5 years. The plan was to try for some smallies but to no avail, the water was a little off color from northeast winds the past week and made fly rodding for smallmouth challenging to say the least. We ended up saving the day with a couple of giant carp, white bass, and largemouth. It was nice to be out on some old familiar water.

On the home front lake run smallies on the eastern tribs have been keeping fly rods bent pretty consistently, with some anglers reporting 25 big smallies a day. Hot patterns have been Tod's wiggle minnow, crawfish, and Clousers crippled minnow.


Warmwater Shop Day with Jerry Darkes Saturday May 29th, 10-3.

Jerry Darkes will be holding a warmwater seminar @ Chagrin River Outfitters covering fly fishing opportunities here in Northeastern Ohio during the summer months. Species covered will be smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, Pike, white bass, and carp. Jerry will go over rod and reel setups, flylines, fly patterns and times to fish. There will also be fly tyers spinning up some of there favorite patterns for Ohio's lake run smallies, largemouth and carp. Also for those of you looking to gear up for your summer fishing there will be some great deals (up to 50% off) on clothing, fly lines, fly reels, and more so stop and down for a great seminar and great deals.

Dan and Pete

If you are kicking yourself for not taking advantage of the free reel offer with the purchase of an Orvis Helios, Hydros, trout bum or tls fly rod @ Chagrin River Outfitters the offer has been extended thru May 31st, get em' while there hot.

No we are not still putting up pics of steelhead, just very big rainbows.

Sulphur time in PA, aka. trout candy

Small stream PA trout fishing.

Wild PA brown that was enjoying sulphur duns on the Little Juniata.

For you PA trout fishers, or those who are considering it the next few weeks should provide ample opportunities for exceptional fishing. Sulphurs, March Browns, Crane flies, Gray Fox, Green Drakes, Brown Drakes, and Blue winged Olives will all be making an appearance on our favorite waters. Remember when fishing this time of year it is important to know what kind of bugs are active and having the patterns to match them is the key to angling success or failure. Anglers can also improve there catch rate dramatically by fishing matching nymph patterns when the duns are not on the water.

Lake run smallmouth bass and carp have been keeping anglers busy on the local rivers when they have been fishable. Recent rains have had the rivers high and off color but things should settle down here this week and weekend providing good fishing. The Grand and Conneaut have been producing the best numbers and size of lake run fish and i would look for that trend to continue over the next few weeks. Remember when targeting these fish they do not typically move as far upstream as steelhead and they hold in a little different water type. Look for back eddies, slower current seems, boulders, and log jams to hold the most smallmouth. Hot flies have been clouser minnows, crippled minnow, crawfish, black buggers, and wiggle minnows.

Tight Lines Dan and Pete....

Typical size Lake run smallie we have been finding on the Grand and Conneaut.

Redington Gaspirilla casting shirts only $40.00

The best value in wading boots is the chota rocky river $94.95 with studs.

Simms rivershed wading boot in stock $179.95

Chagrin River Outfitters is now carrying Hardy flyweight and featherweight fly reels. Classic trout reels at a great price.

Sage vantage rods from 3-9wts in stock starting at $225.00

Winston wt trout rods 3-5 wts, the perfect dry fly rod.

Redington Classic trout rods start at $160.00 and cast like a $500.00 dollar rod. With a lifetime warranty this is truly the best intro rod on the market.

Sage z-axis 4-5 wt trout rods are in stock at the shop.

If you ever wanted to get out and try for lake run small mouth bass in our local rivers now is the time. Right now the lower sections of the Grand and Conneaut are fishing pretty well. Elk creek in PA is always a good bet for big lake run smallies as well. The Chagrin and Rocky rivers have been producing some lake run smallies as well and have also provided some great sight fishing opportunities for carp. Basically this time of year in our local tribs anything is possible when you have a line in the water, there are still a few steelhead running around, big smallies, walleye, sheepshead, carp, gar, pike, muskie, white bass, and who knows what else are all in our rivers this time of year and all willing to eat a fly.

On the trout front things are going strong in PA. For all you sulphur fanatics they are starting to see a few in PA all ready and the March browns, and green caddis are going strong. Water conditions in most Pennsylvania rivers and streams have been very good this spring providing consistently good fishing. Right now water temps are around 55 in most places which is right around the magic mark for heavily feeding trout.