Cochran's Cartoons

Category: Fishing

  • Annual Winter Outing: Heart Of America Fly Fishers

    The HOAFF winter outing at Bennett Spring State Park is one of our most popular events each year. Always the first weekend in December, the weather is usually pleasant but this year Mother Nature out-did herself and smiled on us with 60-degree afternoons.

    A picnic lunch near the spring on Saturday, followed by more fishing till 4 PM, then barbeque at Ollie’s at 6:30.  Throw in a trout or two and you’ve got yourself a super weekend.

    If you’ve never taken advantage of the winter catch & release weekends at Bennett Spring you’re missing out on some of the best trout fishing of the year. The winter season runs from the 2nd Friday in November to the 2nd Monday in February.  All three zones are open to catch & release fly-fishing from 8 AM to 4 PM Friday through Monday. No daily tags are required but you must have a valid MO fishing license.

    Thanks to Webmaster & Event Coordinator Bill Brant for these excellent photos.

    Now put on your waders, get out there, and start pounding the water to a froth.

  • New Mexico’s San Juan River

    If you’re a trout fisherman who enjoys catching big fish on tiny flies you should treat yourself to a few days on New Mexico’s famous San Juan tailwater below Navajo Lake. And when you go you won’t find a better base camp than Soaring Eagle Lodge. After a hard day of casting tiny flies on gossamer tippets you can sit outside your riverside unit and enjoy your favorite beverage, watch rising trout and sporadic flyovers by ducks, geese, ospreys, and the occasional eagle while working up a hearty appetite for the sumptuous evening meal. A big breakfast next morning will send you on your way to a guided float or wading trip, or if you prefer you can wade and fish on your own.

    Raleigh Eggers and I recently spent five days at Soaring Eagle. Like any fishing venue, success can vary if you measure it by numbers and size of fish. But a “bad” day on the San Juan can be better than a good day on other streams. While crowded at times, some afternoons we had areas of the river virtually all to ourselves. Floating two days with guides Jeremiah Spradley and Curtis Bailey we managed to catch and release some good fish.

    Breakfast and dinner at Soaring Eagle never varies. It’s always excellent, prepared and served by a courteous, competent staff.  Check it out at http://www.soaringeaglelodge.net.

    Photos don’t lie (OK. I’ve got long arms). But a big trout is a big trout, and catching them on #24 emergers and 6X tippet definitely ups the sphincter factor.

  • Heart Of America Fly Fishers

    Thanks to fellow Heart Of America Fly Fishers member Terry Robbins for providing this excellent photo of a Bennett Spring trout in its natural habitat. And with a borrowed camera yet! Actually its real natural habitat is a concrete holding tank, but it’s a nice photo.  You can check out Terry’s blog and web site at http://www.robbinsroost.com .

    Speaking of the Heart Of America Fly Fishers, anyone interested in the sport, whether you’re a beginner or a grizzled old timer with salty sweat stains on your shirt, everyone is welcome. We meet the 3rd Monday of each month (except December), 7:00 PM at Community of Christ Church, 79th & Mission Rd. Prairie Village, KS.

    Check us out at http://www.hoaff.com

    Bennett Spring Trout

  • Soaring Eagle Lodge

    You don’t ALWAYS have to use #24 emergers to catch big trout on New Mexico’s San Juan River. Larry Johnson of Soaring Eagle Lodge displays a 23” rainbow caught on a streamer. Sure, he’s holding it out close to the camera, but 23” is 23” no matter how long your arms are.

    Check out the Soaring Eagle Lodge website at http://www.soaringeaglelodge.net

    or give them a call at 505-632-3721. Good fishing, excellent food, riverside accomidations.

    Typical San Juan rainbow

  • Catfish on a fly rod

    You never know what you’ll catch on a fly rod when you think you’re bass fishing.

    This catfish hit a purple #2 Conehead Bunnybou at Kill Creek Lake. I haven’t read my “Catfish At A Distance” book so I don’t know what particular species of catfish it was. All I know is that it was over two feet long and didn’t seem too happy with the idea of being caught.

    I didn’t have a net so I lipped it. Right. You think I’m gonna stick my hand in a mouth like that? I unhooked it and turned it loose before it could hurt me.

    Big cat on a fly rod

  • Kill Creek Lake

    Whether you’re a bank fisherman or a boater, 28-acre Kill Creek Lake, between De Soto and Olathe, south of KS highway 10 is a beautiful place to fish. The park opened in 2001 and, assuming the lake was impounded and stocked at that time, it should contain some sizeable bass. I fish it often and have yet to catch any two pounds or larger, but the smaller bass are healthy, scrappy, and fun to catch on a fly rod.

    In addition to a healthy largemouth bass population Kill Creek Lake supposedly contains walleye, smallmouth bass, wipers, channel cat, crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish.

    The east portion of the lake contains standing timber and the rest has quite a bit of sub-surface cover. Look for it with your depth finder. Gasoline motors are not allowed but the lake is small enough to navigate safely with an electric motor.

    There are usually some families or couples bank fishing but I’ve seen few other boats on the water.

    I fished it yesterday from 5:30PM to 9PM and boated six bass. The fly of the day was a  #2 black sparkle grub.

    A Johnson County Parks & Recreation permit is required for anglers 16 to 64. Geezers like me fish for free.

    Big fly-little bass
    Sparkle grub

  • Fishing Knots Made Easy

    It’s too hot to fish, you’re tired of tying flies and you’ve re-read all your fishing books. Now’s the time to work on your knots. By next summer you may be able to tie an Albright knot without looking at the instructions.

    NetKnots.com is a good place to start. This site features easy-to-follow visual instructions for tying most fishing knots. But beware…if you get too good at it you may become a knotaholic, in which case you should join Knotaholics Anonymous. When the urge to tie knots becomes unbearable you can call a fellow member and he (or she) will come over and drink with you until the urge passes.

  • Another Huge Trout From Lake Taneycomo

    Fishing with friends Gerry Dwiggns and Tom Burckhardt, Phil Lilley, long-time owner of Lilley’s Landing resort and marina on Lake Taneycomo, recently caught and released a 29” rainbow. The huge trout hit a 3/32 oz. brown and orange jig near the old Fall Creek ramp.

    I’ve stayed at Phil’s place many times and highly recommend it. Give him a call at (417) 334-6380 and check out his website www.lilleyslanding.com .

    Taneycomo 29" rainbow trout

  • Olathe Cedar Lake

    In an attempt to beat the heat Don Francis and I fished Olathe Cedar Lake from 7:30 AM to 9 AM today. This is an old lake, right off I-35, that winds through the suburban countryside like a miniature Lake of the Ozarks. It’s rumored to have a healthy population of large crappie. We talked to a kid who claimed to have caught a sixteen incher the day before while fishing from the dam. Don caught one small crappie this morning. I managed to boat a 4” green sunfish on my 7-weight fly rod after a lengthy struggle.

     I wouldn’t consider this lake a fishing destination but I may return in the spring to see if I can tempt some of those alleged mammoth crappie.

    Stone cabin on south shore of Olathe Cedar Lake

     

  • The Hartell Conservation Area northeast of Plattsburg, MO

    Hartell Conservation Area

    My first time to this beautiful area. Several small  ponds. Two are managed for “trophy bass”, two others for “trophy bluegills” That doesn’t necessarily mean there are any “trophies” in them. It’s all C&R, which makes no sense to me on the bluegills . I’ve always been lead to believe you need to keep removing some fish for the others to grow big. Oh well, nice day to be outdoors.  I fished 5.10 acre “Picnic Lake”  2.5 hours in mid-day.  Didn’t catch any fish but had some strikes. Anyone who hasn’t fished this area should try it. Only 66 miles from my house in Prairie Village, KS.