Oh Ginger Snap

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The wonderful world of ginger. Let’s stop and ponder all the things that the beloved root ginger improves upon. The list starts…Ginger snaps, pickled ginger, ginger bread people, ginger bread cities, ginger ale, deep fried ginger, ginger beer, ginger candy, ginger masala, ginger butter, and fishing.

Before the Roman Empire was around people have been using ginger to improve their health as a folk medicine or our food as a spice. Salmo trutta are also very fond of this flowering plants delicious root. Yes for millions of years ginger has been improving the health and tempting the taste buds of our fishy friends. So what is all this ginger jabber for. Well it just so happens to be the flavor of this month’s pattern.

For the month of March the winner is Tom Lynch’s The Mini Disorder

Tied by: Yours truly

Full of ginger flavor!!

Blue Bird Skies

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What a beautiful start to spring. Most of the snow is gone. Access sites along the river are becoming accessible. No more ice on the eyelets. Done are the freezing fingers. Happy to be finished with frozen anchor ropes. The river banks are becoming busy between the mink, martin, and the occasional otter. The song birds sing longer as the days grow. Spring hopefully is here for good.

Steelhead are starting to spawn and trout are taking notice. Mostly winter fish are hitting the gravels with some spring fish starting to feed in the deeper holds behind those parties. In the face of the paultry water conditions egging for browns or tossing streamers is working right now. The river is about to get very busy with fish and anglers. My advice…just relax and enjoy the river.

Pere Marquette Watershed

Water level: very low

Water temp: 41

Water clarity: gin clear

Just a Cub.

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In like a lion and out like a lamb is the old saying for March. Well are lion is a cub this year. The weather is definitely a catch 22, the warm temps are pleasent but we are not going to get in snow melt to boost our water levels. Hope for April showers cause we will need them this spring.

The river is not producing many opportunities to catch at the moment. Which is good it deserves a rest before the herd of steelhead and steelhead anglers that will soon be on the way. There are some winter steelhead starting to hit gravel in the larger spawning areas and a few spring fish starting to make their way up the river. The trout are keying in on the few eggs starting to trickle down the river and building their spring appetites as streamers start to get attention. Generally the bite is still feels like the fish are in winter mode.

Let’s hope for some rain over the next few week. Regardless of the weather as the end of March approaches spring steel will start their migration and trout will awake from their winter slumber. It will be fun, fish will be caught but some rain would make the whole party just….better.

Don’t forget your fishing pole!!

Pere Marquette Watershed

Water levels: very low

Water temps: 38

Water clarity: very clear