John Eggers Trout Report

[Guest]

Golden Water , Hungry trout!

Is it possible to get tired of pulling in trout! Hard slamming, line stretching, Ariel combat, hook throwing action style trout! Trout from the size of your little finger, to those double digit size beauties!

Well, if you were out, throwing Silver Super Bow Spinners, or other such bait on the Root river in SE. Minnesota Wednesday, you would be able to answer that question.
It was just after 11:30 when I first stepped into the water. The sun was bright, sky clear, temps in the 70’s, reports of thunder storms coming in towards late afternoon. Our spring rains have come late, but hard enough to recently raise the river to a high muddy stage. It is now after that week long period, that the river is receding, the once muddy waters are settling and changing to an almost golden color. After a long period of time expending energy fighting fast moving, muddy water, the displaced trout are ravenously hungry. Every spring time flower is out now, the grass and nettles are not terribly high, no sign of mosquitoes yet, but some ticks. The water temperature pushed the mercury to the 56 degree mark, setting the stage for an action packed afternoon.

I started out casting a silver Super Bow spinner, a bait designed especially for these conditions, and true to form, the big silver spinner didn’t let me down.

During the third cast the spinner was mauled by an extremely energized Brown. The trout was beautifully colored, and measured out between ten and eleven inches. The fish had a hugh belly for it’s size, and I could feel that the trout was gorged with what felt like dime-sized rocklike objects. Almost every fish that I would catch this day, would have these objects in it’s stomach. From that point on the action was fast and furious, and except in a few low water stretches, I was getting a strike, or a fish on almost every cast.

I wanted a few for the grill, and had no trouble immediately getting three trout that fit in my personal slot range of 11-13 inches.

There were many more of the days catch that easily fit in that range, but three is enough for Sue and I, and trout keep so much better in the stream than in the freezer. Upon cleaning the selected trout, an examination of the stomach contents showed that the fore mentioned objects were small crayfish about an inch or so long.
I quit fishing at 4:30 in the afternoon, when the versidous in my shoulder, and the quilt of ignoring domestic and social obligations rose to a minor level of some importance.
I ended the five hour session catching and releasing a total of 80 trout, one of witch was a beautiful seventeen inch Brown that put up a fantastic fight by peeling drag and performing a series of tail-walking leaps before being landed. What with all the Spring scenery and beautifully marked trout, my digital camera almost got a better workout then my fish pole.
The stretch of the Root that I was fishing is no secret, in fact many folks reading this will know this area very well, and up until now the spring drought has left this part of the river ankle deep, mossy and absent of fish. The section of the Root river that I fished this Wednesday afternoon is in fact the part of the Root that flows through the town of Preston Minnesota. Don’t make a mad dash to run to Preston! Although there is more than likely still good fishing there, the point that I am making is this. Even only a few days after the annual Preston Trout Days, a heavily trafficked event, and in a spot that until recently has been devoid of everything except a few inches of clear water, that if a stretch of stream like this is producing trout of this quantity and quality, then imagine what your favorite spots in other places may be doing right now??
OH Yeah! That 17 inch Brown, before he swam away, He told me “that he loved those Super Bow spinners and that he will be looking for you” LOL.
Until next time:
Take a Child, take a friend, take a camera!

You can purchase the Super Bow and Big Bow spinners at bait and tackle stores like Anglers Nook in Lancaster WI., Bill’s Sport Shop in Chippewa Falls WI., Faribault Bait and Tackle in Faribault MN., Magnum Sports in Chatfield MN., Root River Outfitters in Lanesboro MN. In the White Water area go to the Elba Valley Express. Also available at Curt's Bait and Tackle in Preston MN. In Iowa go to Ozzies Outdoors in Decorah, or Funcrest Sports in Iowa City.
You can also see and purchase these fine spinners online at catch-n.com. you will catch fish!
And check out these other great shops 4 SEASONS SPORTS in Red Wing MN. and WATERVILLE SPORTS in Waterville MN. (I just got them stocked).

Spindoctor.
John A. Eggers

Poted by:
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[This message has been edited by Catch'n (edited 05-25-2004).]

[Guest]

Nice job on the Hot Bites Video you and Rich shot there, John!
Great report!
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[eyesontonka]

Great post catch'n

After looking at the nice weather in back ground thinking nite fishing needs to switch real fast to days..Great Great pics!

Been looking for ya on the lake!Not seen hide no hair of the boat since opener!

[Guest]

Saturday May 29, I was escorted Jim and his son Paul. Jim was the winner of the "call-in" for a Guide Of The Week FREE trip that was given away on Fish-N Line Radio 1080 AM/Stereo out of Northfield, earlier that month.

In spite of an early morning shower that lasted into the afternoon hours, we found the upper reaches of the Root river in Southeast MN. to be fairly clear and at perfect levels for spinners and trout.
I started the Father and Son team out with spinning tackle and Silver Super Bow spinners. Hiking about a mile or so into a cliff lined valley, we were sheltered from the sun by a fair amount of cloud cover and just enough drizzle to keep us clad in rain gear.
It was around 11:30 am when we stepped into the water. Jim was into a nice scrappy Brown, on his very first cast.

Paul was a little slow to get started, but after landing his first fish, he became a Trout catching machine!

We visited a couple of stretches of the river this day, by Caramona, and above Forestville State Park. Jim and Paul caught and released between 12 and 20 trout each, as well as taking home a selected limit of nice fat ones for the table. I called the trip to an end around 6:30 PM.

It should be noted that even though all the water we fished Saturday was marked on the Trout map, much of our fishing was done on private land. I had spent much of Thursday and Friday contacting the land owners in order to obtain permission to trespass their property.
I want to say Thank you to those folks gracious enough to let us fish these beautiful sections of stream.

While doing some sightseeing and scouting, I found the Root still too cloudy and flooded to qualify for good fishing, from Preston on down. It was a little high by Caramona, but good color and lots of trout. The water just got better as I went towards Forestville.

There was strong indications of two great hatches coming on, that should be peaking during the evening and morning hours. The most noticeable is a small white winged, slightly yellow bodied Mayfly like insect in sizes around #18 to #14, or about ½ to ¾ the length of a dime.
The other is another Mayfly type, but almost twice as large, having dark gray or brown wings, a long dark gray body, and white eyes. This insect would be in the #16 to #12 size range. Both of these insect species have two long tail hairs and long antennae. I have photos of these and will try to get them in here. Unfortunately I damaged the wings and tail hairs of the specimens while photographing. For a more accurate details of these insect names, go to our Fly Fishing forum, these folks are well knowledged in this area.

Checking with others around this area I found that:
IOWA- Brad of Ozzies Outdoors, in Decorah, reports that almost all rivers and streams in that area are heavily flooded, high and muddy, but better towards the North. The Mississippi is very good though.

SOUTHERN WISCONSIN- Brian of Anglers Nook in Lancaster, Reports Rivers and Streams in that area are a little high with good flow, but excellent in color for spinners. Brian says that the trout action is FANTASTIC, and is getting into some big ones. The Big Green River, and The Grant River are both in perfect condition.

WHITE WATER MN.- Keith of Elba Valley Express in Elba, Reports that close to another inch of rain was dumped on that area Wednesday night, leaving the river pretty cloudy, but a very recent stocking of good sized Rainbows, has it supplied with an abundant amount of trout. Large Silver spinners or Waxworms should work well. Also Beaver Creek is in excellent condition.

All and all, it looks like a great weekend for chasing trout, at least until heavy rains are scheduled to hit us again. But we wouldn’t have fish without water, so, I guess, let the rains come.

You can purchase the Super Bow and Big Bow spinners at bait and tackle stores like Anglers Nook in Lancaster WI., Bill’s Sport Shop in Chippewa Falls WI., Faribault Bait and Tackle in Faribault MN., Magnum Sports in Chatfield MN., Root River Outfitters in Lanesboro MN. In the White Water area go to the Elba Valley Express. Also available at Curt's Bait and Tackle in Preston MN. In Iowa go to Ozzies Outdoors in Decorah, or Funcrest Sports in Iowa City.
Also at Four SEASONS SPORTS in Red Wing MN. and WATERVILLE SPORTS in Waterville MN.

You can also see and purchase these fine spinners online at www.catch-n.com
...you will catch fish!

Until Next time, Good Luck!
Take rafts and rain coats.
Spindoctor

Posted by Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[This message has been edited by Catch'n (edited 06-01-2004).]