Diversity's the best part about fly fishing

By Mike Jackson

Daily Herald Outdoors Writer

Everything started off just fine. It was one of those bone-chilling winter days that would normally keep me in the house, unless I was going ice fishing.

I drove in to the city because I wanted to see what there was to inspect at a particular fly fishing shop.

The guy behind the counter asked if I needed any help and I told him I just wanted to browse. I have more than enough fly tying supplies, save for a few special hooks, so maybe if I find a couple packages I'll buy them.

While I was perusing one wall, another person walked up and started a conversation:

“Aren't you the guy who writes that outdoor column in the Daily Herald”?

Yep, I answered.

“I like your stuff but you're not a real fly fisherman,” he continued.

I thought, “Here we go — I better tighten up the seat belt and then batten the hatches.”

“You fish a lot of warmwater species with a fly rod, but you have very few articles on trout,” he added. “A trout caught on a fly is the ultimate.”

So instead of shopping for hooks, I explained to this chap that from what feedback and information I was able to gather, a large chunk of my readership fishes local and area waters. I have received correspondence from others who travel some distance to find big trout, but again, a lot of readers chase after panfish, walleye and bass.

And since this person brought up the topic I asked him if he ever went fly fishing for big carp in Lake Michigan.

“You have to be kidding me, right?” he replied.

I then told him that some of biggest names in the fly fishing world had great times when they waded some sand flats just outside Door County, Wis., and caught huge carp. This guy wouldn't have any of that, and he walked away.

I love heading to South Elgin and points further south to hunt for the big smallmouth bass. I'll do the same on the DuPage River as well, but I'll also bring along a light spinning rod in case my tennis elbow acts up.

If the bite is on, I can usually catch a dozen or so smallies ranging in size from 12 to 16 inches. And when I can do it on a fly rod with one of my homemade bug or leech imitators that I created at my fly tying table, the day is then complete for me.

My friend Pete makes the trip to the Green River in Utah for some very big trout. Paul Melchior enjoys his trout fishing in Waushara County, Wis. The list goes on, and me, the mixed bag angler, is the kind of a guy who would be happy catching scrappy bluegills and even suckers on the fly rod because it's fun.

Of course I have been to some exotic places to “hunt” for big trout, but one can't always escape to fantasy land.

When I started using a fly rod to catch 50-inch pike in the far northern reaches of Manitoba, I truly enjoyed every second of the give-and-take battle. When I got tired from all the action I suggested to my guide that we move over to another area so I could catch Arctic grayling. This ultra-strong member of the salmon family will outfight big browns and rainbows any day of the week. The thrill of those battles lingers in my memory.

Trout Unlimited is a wonderful organization with members that do more than just fish. They are constantly working in areas having trout waters to improve stream habitat. I know a number of members who would jump at the opportunity to go after smallmouth with a fly rod if they had the extra time.

Yes, I truly enjoy the call of the wilderness north country, with trout rising to slurp bugs and even mice that managed to wind up in a stream. But I want to do all of it, warm and cold water locations and species, before my clock runs out.

Ÿ Contact Mike Jackson at angler88@comcast.net, and catch his radio show 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC 1240-AM.