April Freshwater Fly of the Month: Blue Winged Olive

April Freshwater Fly of the Month

Blue Winged Olive

Any good angler knows that it is important to know the tendencies and seasons of the flies in the area they fish in.  But the blue wing olive mayflies are a unique fly, because you will find them at almost every month of the year, wherever you are.  The blue wing olive mayfly looks like a tiny, greenish gray sailboat on the water to the human eye, but to the trout - that sailboat looking fly with wings that are light gray to black looks like lunch! The olives typically hatch and then swim to the surface.  After swimming to the surface, they split their nymphal shells and emerge as winged insects.  The blue wing olives are prime trout food from fall through spring. This gives anglers a distinct advantage over other anglers, as the flies are a sure shot at rising fish at almost any time of the day (particularly effective during the warmest part of the day).

The key to success is to wade as closely as possible to the rising fish, and then target individual fish (as opposed to shooting into a group of the risers).  By watching the individual fish, you can see what stage of the hatch the fish is keying on and where in the current he is feeding.  Be patient! With careful observation, you can pick out the largest fish in the pool and then specifically target it.  Try to position yourself slightly upstream and across so that you can make a fly first downstream presentation to the trout.  

The Blue Wing Olive Spinner Secret (from Hunting and Fishing Suite 101)

Within 24 hours, the spinners mate and fly to the river's surface to lay eggs and die. On many days, the spinners land on the water's surface at the same time the immature nymphs hatch into duns. Anglers see the upright wings of the duns - and tie on a dry fly with an upright wing.  Most anglers miss the secret part of the blue wing olive hatch. The adult blue wing olives that survive the trout fly off to streamside brush and molt into the sexually mature insect, which is called a spinner. Spinners have bright, clear wings and big eyes.  Few anglers see the spinners - with clear, almost invisible wings - sprawled flat on the surface at the same time.  But the trout - especially the bigger, warier fish - see them just fine, and they lock onto the safer, easier prey.Tie on a spinner - such as a Hackle Spinner - and watch tough trout get much easier!


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March Saltwater Lure of the Month: Mirrolure Catch 2000

March Saltwater Lure of the Month

Mirrolure Catch 2000

The MirrOlure was invented by Harold LeMaster while he was still attending high school during the depth of the Great Depression.  While out walking one afternoon, LeMaster stumbled upon his future in the form of a fallen walnut tree.  Selecting a suitable portion of the tree, LeMaster carved the first version of his MirrOlure using broken glass and scraps of sandpaper.  He brought forth one lure and then dozens more, all carved by hand from the same walnut tree.  As the good word spread about his creation demand for the MirrOlure increased.  LeMaster soon partnered with a close relative to form the L & S Bait Company.  Today, the L& S is still responsible for painstakingly manufacturing this fantastic fish-taker.

Without question, the MirrOlure enclosed was the result of a burst of inspiration from a creative mind, and its handcrafted production was a labor of love.  Much of the hands on attention to the original prototype lives on today.  The L & S Bait Company puts the MirrOlure through no fewer than twenty-seven individual checkpoints in order to assure the highest level of quality possible.  Now primarily known as a productive saltwater lure, a significant segment of the MirrOlure’s market due to the lure’s durability and versatility, many freshwater anglers have rediscovered the MirrOlure.  The MirrOlure is yet another example of a true classic lure still hard at work for today’s anglers in all types of fishing conditions.

When tying on your MirrOlure always use loop knots to tie the plugs to eliminate line twist. For best results when stalking speckled trout and redfish you should choose a rod that's a little on the stiff side, such as a 6’ 6” fast tip inshore or a 7-foot medium action rod for surf fishing. A “side to side” or “walk the dog” technique is also best.

Featured Lure: The MirrOlure

Designer: Harold LeMaster

Manufacturer: L & S Bait Company

March Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rapala Husky Jerk

March Freshwater Lure of the Month

Rapala Husky Jerk 08 Silver

Lauri Rapala of Finland created the Original Minnow in 1936.  It’s the venerable inspiration behind this month’s selection.  Rapala, a fisherman by trade, invented the Original Minnow out of the necessity to increase his daily catch.  Hoping to double his effectiveness, the idea was to design a lure he could troll behind his rowboat while at the same time towing his nets below.  Always while fishing, Rapala closely studied the action of the actual baitfish that larger fish were feeding on.  He found that the baitfish attacked were those sick or dying, and they all had a fish-attracting wobble.  When off the water, Rapala designed his lure using tree bark and bits of foil that closely mimicked the enticing movement of the wounded baitfish he so often observed. Lauri’s lure caught fish.  Word spread locally and demand quickly grew for Rapala’s Original Minnow.  Worldwide demand would soon follow.

The wildly popular Husky Jerk enclosed is a direct descendant of Lauri Rapala’s classic Original Minnow.  The Husky Jerk boasts many of the same characteristics that made its predecessor a worldwide sensation (in fact, wild fans of the Husky Jerk actually brought it back from premature retirement just a few years ago). The two lures share Rapala’s trademark minnow shape and wounded-minnow wobble.  In addition, Rapala added a few new elements to the lure that are destined to make it, too, a classic.  The Husky Jerk’s most notable feature is the fact that it is delicately balanced to suspend in the water perfectly.  As a result, it can be retrieved at any speed and with any technique and still retain its enticing action. Rapala added a rattle chamber to mimic the sound of frenzied baitfish.  The weight of the Husky Jerk also makes this one of the best casting lures in its class.  Premium quality hooks and fittings are included to ensure a long and trouble-free life.  And, of course, the Husky Jerk is hand-tuned just like Lauri Rapala’s 1936 prototype. 

Technique:

The Husky Jerk was designed to dive deep, and has built-in suspending characteristic.  Use both to maximize your success.  The minnow will also produce spectacular strikes when cast out and left to rest on the surface quietly for several minutes.  Give the lure a twitch or two, letting it rest again for up to a minute.  The Husky Jerk can also be trolled, the method practiced by its inventor, with great success.

March Walleye Lure of the Month: Storm Thunderstick

March Walleye Lure of the Month

Storm Thunderstick

The abundantly versatile ThunderStick was introduced to the angling community in the 1980’s by the Storm Manufacturing Company.  It’s just one lure in a comprehensive line of premium lures sold by the world famous luremaker.  Back in 1965, Storm’s charter product was the innovative, if not unusual, ThinFin.  By the late 1990’s, Storm had established seven popular product families: ThinFin, Hot’N Tot, Wart, Chug Bug, Mac, Pygmy, and, of course, ThunderStick.  Many, if not all, of Storm’s products have been “renovated” as a result of the company being acquired by Normark, makers of the legendary Rapala minnow.  Although much of the Storm product line has been updated, we’ve seen many of the new products and can report that we’re excited about fishing them all.

Storm offered the original ThunderStick dressed out in a dizzying 65 different color combinations, and, incredibly, the company continued to introduce new colors regularly.  In the highly automated world of lure making, it’s worth pointing out that each of Storm’s baits were hand painted and clear coated to ensure the highest quality finish.  Storm’s roots are in freshwater fishing, but the company did make a saltwater ThunderStick (enclosed) specifically designed to withstand the unique punishment saltwater deals out day after day.  Although replaced by a freshly updated ThunderStick, the original still lives up to its reputation as an all-around fish taker, and, according to rumor, it’s becoming rather collectible.

Created: Late 1980’s

Manufacturer: Storm Lures (now owned by Rapala)

Technique:

Storm suggests trolling or retrieving the ThunderStick at a steady speed.  A property that makes the ThunderStick so desirable is its ability to be retrieved at very high speeds without taking anything away from its wounded minnow action.  Experiment with different speeds as a practice.

If you notice that the lure does not track properly, tuning might be necessary.  To correct this, firmly grasp the ThunderStick and bend the connecting loop in the opposite direction the lure is swimming.  Needle-nose pliers work great in this situation.  Remember, a little force goes a long way here.

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