Monday Morning Coffee- April 16

Auuuugggghhhhh!!!  Yawn, stretch, scratch, repeat.  Roll on out of bed, shuffle to the kitchen.  It's time to make some coffee.

Coffee is made, so let's have a cup.

This last week felt a little disjointed.  My car blew a brake line when I was fishing with Steve Martinez the previous weekend, so I had it in the shop on Tuesday.  Not wanting to work on Saturday I worked long hours the rest of the week to make up for it.

one fish from Tuesday

I did get to fish Tuesday evening with my friend Morgan.  She's a local reporter and a good angler and it was nice to have her along, especially since she was driving.  We fished one of my favorite rivers, and I did my best to get her into fish.  As I said, Morgan is a really good angler who grew up fly fishing, so she didn't need any coaching from me, and I just put her on the best spots I knew of and fished the marginal water around her.  I mention this because I did manage to catch a couple of fish.  She didn't.  I've been accused by others (you know who you are Mortenson) of cherry picking the water.  I must defend my honor.

Morgan mends her line

She did manage to hook up on a really hot double-digit fish that took off on a scorching run downstream.  It was the last hole, right at dusk.  Morgan only had her indicator rod with her, and I had made her use my chucking rod because I know where the fish lie in this run.  My crappy running line got wrapped around her arm as the fish made it's way downstream and that was end of story.  It was nice to have someone run the camera for my fish but I was really hoping to get some good shots of her with one.  Next time Mo'.

big mean buck from Sunday

Alex Cerveniak with one of the day's fish

I didn't fish again until Sunday with Alex Cerveniak.  We headed out at 6:30 and got started early and fished all day.  I landed 5 steelhead out of 8 hook ups, better than my average catch ratio.  I peeled 3 bucks and a hen off of the back edge of some gravel.  They all kept running down to the hole Alex was fishing and you would think he would get tired of having to stop fishing and wait for me to land my fish, but honestly we both enjoyed photographing these fish and got some great shots, and it's not my fault he also insisted on indie fishing.  On our way back out I spotted a small pod of fish and got another five pound buck there.  Then I worked a pocket in some fast water that always holds fish.  Sure enough, my line came tight and the water erupted but just as things were getting frantic my line came flying back to me.  When I checked my tippet it was badly frayed, probably from the last fish running me through the rocks.  Oh well, it was some fantastic fishing.  With all of the local runs winding down rapidly I have a feeling this is the end of my steelhead fishing until November.

  Well I was negligent, or overworked, you choose, and didn't get the next interview done last week.  I'll do my best to get my interview of fiberglass rod builder Shane Gray done this week.  I have two others besides- bamboo rod builder Lou Burhart, and Au Sable river guide Kelly Neuman.  Kelly has put up a half dozen streamers and a really nice fly box to give away, so be sure and look for that one.

Monday Morning Coffee Reader Loyalty Giveaway.
Speaking of giveaways,  it is time for me to reward my loyal Monday Morning Coffee readers.  The trout opener is coming up in two weeks here in Michigan and I want to help you get ready. The good folks at Rio have sent me 4 Power Flex tapered leaders in 5X and 6X and some hats and visors from Fishpond.  Enter your name and email address in the form below and I'll draw four winners tomorrow after 5 PM.  The short entry window is to reward my loyal MMC readers. I know you're out there.  If your name is Sanders and you never read this before Friday- sorry dude, I'll send you an FR sticker as soon as I get around to making them.





Okay, it's time to go to work- let's get after it.