PUTZING AROUND OUTDOORS
By Jerry Kiesow
Editor’s note: To keep track of what he is doing and where, to see his photos and read some of his other writings, including his book, “Tales of The Peshtigo Putzer,” check out his website: www.jerrykiesowoc.com
Things haven’t been dull considering the weather
It is the middle of March. I have been tied to my laptop for days. It wasn’t too bad, because of the untimely weather, but I was getting “cabin bound.” Finally, on the 14th, the sun came out, the temperature rose to the lower 30’s, and the wind was reasonable. I needed to get outside.
I went upstairs and asked my wife if she wanted to do a little putzing with me. She said it would be nice but she had better things to do.
I said, “Ok,” and left.
I drove north and found a lot of water where it normally isn’t, birds that haven’t been around for several months, and some surprises when I looked at a few rivers.
My first objective was to buy new lines for our reels - not the fly reels, the other reels. (Yes, I do use other equipment when appropriate - occasionally.)
Now, my thinking may be incorrect about this, but, because I do not use my spinning and trolling tackle very often, the mono develops a strong, long lasting, memory. I have heard that braided line will not. I decided to give it a try. (I will report back to you next year - if I remember.)
I bought enough for five rigs (Boy! Talk about sticker shock. Wow!) Then I decided it was time to look at a few rivers and creeks in the area - putz around outdoors. And here is where I found more surprises.
First, I stopped at a small trout stream. It was a bit cloudy from the runoff, but very fishable. Unfortunately, not for me - today.
A small trout stream was very fishable.
Next, I drove about 10 miles to look at another small creek. Here the scene was totally different. There was runoff, but the creek was ice covered. The water was winding its way through the woods along what would normally be streamside.
Another small stream was only flowing through the woods. The stream itself was frozen over.
I was getting hungry, so I headed for the dominate river of the area. It was flowing strong. Some portions were still frozen over and there were large chunks of ice littering the banks where there was open water. Entering the water would be difficult for another week or three, but it would be fishable before the last stream I investigated.
I parked. As I ate, a pair of common goldeneyes were lunching too in the slack water - diving and popping up on a regular basis. I wondered what they might be feeding on. Were crawdads moving already? Were enough clams and mussels there to offer a meal? My guess was that the divers had found active nymphs and minnows. Maybe a combination of everything. I know goldeneyes have a diversified diet. Anyway, they were there when I arrived and there when I left, so it must have been a good spot “to do lunch.” (I enjoyed mine.)
As I watched the pair, a common merganser zipped by. And I mean zipped - in the strongest part of the river’s current. A few moments later it was paddling upstream, using a seam of less powerful water. When it came to another stretch of strong current, it rose and “ran” on top of the river. It didn’t fly, it ran. Maybe five minutes later, it zipped by again, this time with a friend.
The two did not drift down as far this time. Instead, they ducked out of the main current into an eddy. Just like experienced canoeists and kayakers do when they slalom through whitewater. Then they proceeded to swim/run upriver again for another trip. I could almost hear them laughing and see the corners of their bills turned up, they were having so much fun.
From there, I moved to Lake Michigan. Again I was surprised - the beach was almost clear of ice. A week ago, south of here, we walked on a snow and ice covered beach on the same lake.
When I got home my wife asked if she missed anything? “Not much,” I told her, “just spring arriving.”
Friday morning the phone rang and a friend asked if I would be interested in hauling a little sap. There was not a lot, but enough to make the trip worthwhile. I went.
Collecting sap with snow falling is not too bad.
We carried buckets as more snow fell. The weather, so far this year, has not been good for maple syrup production.
The next day, a member of our church stopped by and asked if I could identify an insect he had seen rising on a small creek where he was trout fishing. I guessed it was a midge. I scanned the critter and sent the photo to a friend who fishes #18 and #20 midges on a regular basis - he ties his own. He knows what he is doing.
Ever see a Snow midge? Now you have.
His reply was: “Some call it a snow midge! See them most years around now. 4 mm long black body transparent wings. It's antennas look more like a Trico but could be broken off! Orthocladiinae. Size 20 Zebra Midge emerger or Spent Trico surface.”
We simply call it a Snow midge.
Throughout the weekend I stripped the five reels of the old, kinked and messed up, memory filled mono and wound new braided line.
As I said, life hasn’t been dull. All you got to do is putz around.
Until next time, keep a good thought!
Jerry