Cold End to 2010

Well, another year gone. At least this one ended on a positive note, especially for those who love ice fishing. It's been at least 6 years since we were on the hard stuff before Christmas. This year, there was an added bonus of "new" water to fish. The formerly private Wingfoot Lake, a playground for employees of Goodyear Tire and Rubber, is now a state park.

I remember when I was a kid, heading out there to fish Wingfoot with my Dad. We would take my brother Don's canoe there, launching at Jindra's Landing, then paddling the lake, heading to the stump field looking for big bluegill. It was the first place I ever used a fly rod and the action was fast and furious. There were a bunch of hungry gills there back then and the same holds true today.

In my several trips there on the ice this Winter, it's been an education, that's for sure. In looking at the topo map provided by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, you an see a few deeper holes on the lake, but not too many. The deepest is 15 feet, not very deep for a lake its size, and from the myriad of spots I've fished on the lake, there is very little bottom structure or weeds to speak of. The fish basically roam the lake in schools, searching for forage. There's really nothing on the bottom to hold them anywhere specifically, save the large "tire reef" near teh main parking area, but the water there is pretty shallow.

I've had the most success using a heavy marmooska style jig tipped with maggots. The majority of the fish, crappies, have come suspended between 5 and 11 feet of water over 12-15 feet of water. I couldn't imagine ice fishing without the use of my Vexilar flasher unit, especially in the conditions presented at Wingfoot. It really is an education, seeing the bottom, teh lack of structure or weeds, where the fish come through while suspended, and how they react to the baits. It really teaches you a lot.

The best way I've found to trigger the fish is to vigorously jig the bait, stop, then start a slow lift. This will get the fishes attention, get him to commit, and also get him to bite. Also, since the water is incredibly clear, you need to use the lightest possible line, 1 or 2 pound test at the heaviest.

I have to say the addition of the new water does make the decision of where to fish that much harder, but it's a problem I'll deal with because the alternative of not ice fishing at all is just not acceptable to me. Call me crazy, call me whatever you want, but there is no better time to get out and fish than when the water freezes solid enough to walk on.

I'll be out on the water again this weekend for sure. The first four days of 2011 really stunk with the chest/sinus cold from Hell but it's on its way out and I will be too, soon enough.

See you on the water!

Carl "Big Daddy" Bachtel

My son the "trout bum"

It was bound to happen... Nick has officially become a trout bum. It started a couple years ago, when he began tying his own flies. He was then charmed by a few select fly fishing related outdoor shows, which led him to the computer. The Internet is chock full of resources for a young man to use... Reading up on techniques, tips... Watching videos on YouTube and fly fishing sites to learn even more. Some afternoon, long ago, "A River Runs Through It" was on cable, and that was it. After watching that movie about 47 times, he made the decision. Trout bum.

In our fishing exploits, we've shared many things. Big bass, crappie, perch, walleye, smallies... in rivers, lakes, Lake Erie. Even steelhead through the ice. Great experiences all. But this fly fishing thing has got him by the throat, I'm afraid. LOL. After one of our many seminars, the one I mention was about crappie fishing and was held at the now-closed "Portage County Outdoors" shop. After the seminar, the owners of the tackle business presented Nick with an Orvis Clearwater 5wt rod and reel combo as a thank you. They really ignited a fire in him for fly fishing and he's really taken it to heart. Thanks guys. I wish things could have worked out with your shop.

Nick started concentrating more and more on the fly rod, bringing it along on crappie trips, just so he could throw poppers for them and hungry bluegills. He was practicing his casting after school in the street in front of our house, and he was getting good at it. The whole time, still on the computer, checking blogs and websites, looking for new tips to try. We even took in some seminars on steelhead fishing with the guys at Chagrin River Outfitters. He still wants to hook into a steelhead, but both time and river flows have been against us. So, after doing some research, we decided to head the other way.

There's a quality brown trout fishery in central Ohio. The Clear Fork River in Mohican State Park is one of a few Ohio rivers that holds browns. We made our first trip there last week so Nick could catch his first brown  trout.  What a beautiful area, especially in the Fall. The waters were gin clear and Nick caught fish, just not trout. Creek chubs and a gnarly looking hognosed sucker were the only things that fell to his stone fly that day. 

So, that brings us to yesterday. After consulting with several folks "in the know" about fishing the Clear Fork on Ohio game Fishing, we made a return trip.

We fished a beautiful stretch of water near Bellville, Ohio. It wasn't long until Nick was getting fish. Chubs again. But we did notice some were coming up and hitting the surface. The water was so clear, we could see them and tell they were trout. It was just a matter of time before Nick would get one on. His first brown was small, only about 7 or 8 inches, but I know he was happy to catch it, and I know I was happy to be there to share the experience with him. Having a teenage son sometimes presents challenges, but the time we spend together on the water is, hopefully, building memories we'll both carry forever.

Many trout fell for Nick's #14 stone fly pattern, and he ended up with 18 for the day. The fish weren't big, but the memories we built together were huge, and that's really what it's all about. Nick is now and forever, officially a trout bum.

If you have any questions or comments, you can reach me through email at cbachtel@wkyc.com. Thanks for reading and I'll see you out there in the woods or on the water.

Fall is the BEST time of year

There is just something about this time of year that really gets my blood moving. I think it does the same with just about every other animal and plant out there too. When you step back and think of the enormity of change that's taking place right now, it sort of boggles the mind.

The changing weather patterns, especially the cool nights, trigger something in everything around us. The trees are starting to change color. Plants that were thriving in Summer are starting to die back. Deer are really moving, looking to feed on acorns, leftover corn, apples, preparing for the rut and a long, cold Winter. Birds are on the move, with migrants crossing Lake Erie on their way South. Songirds, shorebirds, ducks and geese, and even some species of hawks are all on the move.

You can go out and see all sorts of animals this time of year. Coyotes, fox, raccoon, squirrels, rabbits... Everything is feeding up for the cold season.

The fish in our lakes and rivers are very active too. The rains over the past week have the steelhead swimming up Lake Erie's tributaries, and they are looking to feed. An easy way to catch them is to head to the mouth of a river, such as the Grand River in Fairport Harbor, and cast spoons or spinners for them. Set the drag on your reel and be sure to have a long handled net! The yellow perch have been biting for weeks now and will actually get better over the next month or so. And of course, once the weather stabilizes, the walleye will be in close and ravenous. The night bite will be on.

Inland, the same things are happening. Crappies, both numbers and size, are feeding up, as are saugeye and walleye. My annual fall trip to Piedmont is right around the corner and I can't wait. Muskies, smallies, largemouth... They are all hitting.

The autumn season has so much to offer, whether you're a fisherman, a hunter, a birdwatcher, or hiker. One of the most difficult things this time of year is to narrow down your choices and pick something to do outside. For those of us who understand what's out there for us to experience, it's a great problem to have.

I'm Carl "Big Daddy" Bachtel and I'll see you out there...

For any outdoors related questions, you can contact Carl at cbachtel@wkyc.com.

Getting Ready

Today was a great day, sort of. Had a lot of errands to run, picking up some much needed items for steelhead fishing Sunday morning. Took in one of my son Sam's soccer games, then watched as my daughter got ready for Homecoming... Man, I sure am old.

Since I got the new camera, I've been taking a lot of pictures. Some of them outdoors-related, but a lot more of my kids. It's important we do that, because what I heard today from a fishing friend really hit home as to why.

I found out that after spending a day together, his grandson was tragically killed in an auto accident. It brought back memories and feelings of when my own daughter, Abby, was taken from us several years ago. There is nothing more tragic than the loss of a child.

I can't really get into any more than that, as the wounds, even as old as they are, haven't really healed. I don't think they ever will. All I can pass along to everyone is to spend time with your kids, grandkids, nephews, nieces... And I would suggest spending the time outside. The memories you build will last a lifetime, even if the other person you spent the time with isn't there.

I know it's sort of a sad subject, but it needs to be talked about. Even if all goes the way it should and you are lucky enough to live a full, productive life, when you do go, the times you spent in the woods or on the water with friends and loved ones will be cherished and remembered. We can all live forever in those memories.

My most sincere condolences to my friend Ron and his family. May God Bless you in this most difficult of times.

A New Start...

It has been one wild ride over the past year or so... My reports from the water have been few and far between. I can say, with confidence, that I am back and will try and keep up with weekly reports from the outdoor world.

The "real" job at WKYC in Cleveland has been going OK, even with seemingly unending changes. I've been given the opportunity to do some on air work, shooting, writing, editing, and voicing news stories. It's really fun to do, even with the added pressure. I sort of thrive on that though, so we'll see what the future holds.

I can now call myself a "former" owner of Ohio Game Fishing (http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/). It's still a great website with a ton of outdoor information, and I'm going to continue to post information there, trying to help others as hundreds of folks helped me over the last eight years. I still think it's the best outdoors information resource on the Internet and wish the new ownership all the success in the World.

Even though I have removed that hat, I still wear several others. As you can see from the picture above, the ProStaff position with Bass Pro is going well. Just last Saturday, I was in the Rossford,Ohio store, conducting seminars on Lake Erie nightbite walleye fishing. I really enjoy talking to folks about fishing and the outdoors, and more seminars will be scheduled. The next will hopefully be something on ice fishing. My favorite.

The Microspoons (http://www.microspoons.com/) Pro Staff position with Nick is as storng as ever too. It's Fall and the crappie are on fire, whacking those #4 microspoons... Chartruse is the ticket... Get them. They work! Thanks Keith and Jessica. You make a great product that catches fish and I recommend them to everyone I talk fishing with.

Inside the Great Outdoors radio is going well too. I like calling in and helping with fishing reports, but I REALLY like co-hosting. Like has been said, it's the fastest two hours in radio... So much information, so little time. Thanks Reno for the opportunities.

Finally, what lies ahead. The sky is the limit, actually. I have everything I need to lay the groundwork for an outdoors-related video production enterprise... Just going to take a little time. You have to walk before you can run and I sort of feel like I just stood up for the first time. The new camera I have is an amazing tool and I'm looking forward to using it to produce relevant outdoors education materials. There are so many out there who need educated about the outdoors and what it has to offer. Boggles the mind, actually.

Anyway, I've rambled long enough. The perch are on fire, the crappies are in a frenzy, and it rained for a day and a half so the steelhead are moving upstream... What a great time to be an outdoorsman.

More to come... MUCH MUCH more!

I'm Carl "Big Daddy" Bachtel and I'll see you "out there".