Scott Ferguson Posted July 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2020 4 minutes ago, ericg said: I am requesting to be changed to the aug 11- aug 15 slot if still available Sure you can. I'll make the change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wright Posted August 2, 2020 Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 As a first time Road Tripper, and first time on the Menominee, I have a few noobie questions: What time is check in/ check out? How are meals handled? Any fly/lure recommendations? What are the safe USGS gauge levels? I will be bringing my kayak, any advice there 🙂 Thank you in advance, looking forward to this. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted August 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Jim Wright said: As a first time Road Tripper, and first time on the Menominee, I have a few noobie questions: What time is check in/ check out? How are meals handled? Any fly/lure recommendations? What are the safe USGS gauge levels? I will be bringing my kayak, any advice there 🙂 Thank you in advance, looking forward to this. Jim Because you are arriving on Tuesday, you can get there anytime you like. And, because you leave on Saturday, you can leave anytime you like as well. For meals, you just coordinate with the others who will be there with you. I’m not sure how restaurants are operating during these times. There are supermarkets 15 minutes away in Marinette with anything you might want. As for flies, I’m sure someone will post who knows. As a non fly guy, everything you use on any other river will work. Whopper Ploppers have done well in the past as well as Ned Rigs, Senkos, spinnerbaits, jig and plastics, in line spinners, most smallie baits will do fine. The water levels were over flood stage recently but have been falling steadily. And if the trend continues, should be good by the time you arrive. Here is the nearest gauge, upstream of the cabin. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/uv?site_no=04067500 There is a good launch a few miles upstream of the cabin where you can float in 3 to 6 hours back to the cabin, and another a few miles downstream. The launches require a $5 (?) fee. Several other places to launch on both sides of the river. You’ll find some maps showing their locations on the counter by the back door of the cabin. Address of the cabin is W 2437 Twin Pines Lane, Porterfield, Wi. The sign at the road says Tinkers Dam. Some other things to know. Cell phone service is nearly nonexistent at the cabin. There is a phone in the cabin with free long distance if you want to call home. The phone number of the cabin is; 715-732-2623 if someone needs to call you. There is WiFi and satellite TV. The schedule posted at the beginning of this thread is up to date as to who is coming and when. Any other questions post here or call me and I’ll try to help. 630-209-9452. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wright Posted August 2, 2020 Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 29 minutes ago, Scott Ferguson said: Because you are arriving on Tuesday, you can get there anytime you like. And, because you leave on Saturday, you can leave anytime you like as well. For meals, you just coordinate with the others who will be there with you. I’m not sure how restaurants are operating during these times. There are supermarkets 15 minutes away in Marinette with anything you might want. As for flies, I’m sure someone will post who knows. As a non fly guy, everything you use on any other river will work. Whopper Ploppers have done well in the past as well as Ned Rigs, Senkos, spinnerbaits, jig and plastics, in line spinners, most smallie baits will do fine. The water levels were over flood stage recently but have been falling steadily. And if the trend continues, should be good by the time you arrive. Here is the nearest gauge, upstream of the cabin. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/uv?site_no=04067500 There is a good launch a few miles upstream of the cabin where you can float in 3 to 6 hours back to the cabin, and another a few miles downstream. The launches require a $5 (?) fee. Several other places to launch on both sides of the river. You’ll find some maps showing their locations on the counter by the back door of the cabin. Address of the cabin is W 2437 Twin Pines Lane, Porterfield, Wi. The sign at the road says Tinkers Dam. Some other things to know. Cell phone service is nearly nonexistent at the cabin. There is a phone in the cabin with free long distance if you want to call home. The phone number of the cabin is; 715-732-2623 if someone needs to call you. There is WiFi and satellite TV. The schedule posted at the beginning of this thread is up to date as to who is coming and when. Any other questions post here or call me and I’ll try to help. 630-209-9452. Thanks a million! great info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted August 2, 2020 Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 Good info Scott, when can the very first group check in? This will be my 3rd consecutive year. 2 years ago the gauges were at 1500-1600CSF. Wading and kayaking was very easy at that level. Last year it was 2400-2600 CFS. That was a little tougher for wading but good for kayaking. At 1500 I consider the river to be pretty low, 2500 seemed about normal, but now it is at 4400CFS. I remember 3 years ago fishing was very tough for anyone without a boat in the high water. Hopefully the water continues to drop by the time we get there. When the water was low, I did best fishing the middle 1/3 of the river. We might have to work the banks if the level is in the 4000CFS range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted August 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2020 According to the VRBO website, check in time on Saturday is 3:00 pm. Checkout on the last Saturday is 10:30 am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Hi Jim, I will be there same days as you and will also be kayaking. We can all help each other with kayak shuttles. There are public access points every few miles perfect for kayaks. 5$ per day for a tag that goes in car and is good for all the wisconsin public access points all day. EricG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wright Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 3 hours ago, ericg said: Hi Jim, I will be there same days as you and will also be kayaking. We can all help each other with kayak shuttles. There are public access points every few miles perfect for kayaks. 5$ per day for a tag that goes in car and is good for all the wisconsin public access points all day. EricG Absolutely! Give me a shout. 773-297-3542 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Good point on the $5 park fee. I'll be saving my $5 bills this week as you need exact change for the fee boxes. 8155407775 is my number if anyone in the first group needs to coordinate shuttles, talk fishing strategies, or meal planning prior to the trip. As a kayaker/wade fisherman, I do have some concerns about the water levels to start this trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted August 8, 2020 Report Share Posted August 8, 2020 Water level still high but improving, about at the level we had when i went on the trip a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted August 8, 2020 Report Share Posted August 8, 2020 On 8/2/2020 at 9:30 AM, Jim Wright said: As a first time Road Tripper, and first time on the Menominee, I have a few noobie questions: What time is check in/ check out? How are meals handled? Any fly/lure recommendations? What are the safe USGS gauge levels? I will be bringing my kayak, any advice there 🙂 Thank you in advance, looking forward to this. Jim Jim, I had good luck with the Foxy and the CF Muddlers in white yellow and tan. Alan did well with the BadHairDay and Fuzzy Grub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wright Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 20 hours ago, Tom L said: Jim, I had good luck with the Foxy and the CF Muddlers in white yellow and tan. Alan did well with the BadHairDay and Fuzzy Grub. good stuff as always, Tom. Many Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Whopper Plopper and other top water toys rule. Not pulling in numbers but catching good quality fish. 17 and 19 inch on a morning downstream float. Sir Paul plucked a 20+ with the Whopper. Levels not too bad, wind is biggest challenge. Loving the Menominee!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Ferguson Posted August 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 9 minutes ago, Terry Dodge said: Whopper Plopper and other top water toys rule. Not pulling in numbers but catching good quality fish. 17 and 19 inch on a morning downstream float. Sir Paul plucked a 20+ with the Whopper. Levels not too bad, wind is biggest challenge. Loving the Menominee!!! Terry, you must’ve taken Sarah’s place? Glad to see you got to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 1 hour ago, Scott Ferguson said: Terry, you must’ve taken Sarah’s place? Glad to see you got to go! Yes. Some things ended up changing for me and Paul called and asked on Thursday and I was in. Happy to be here. Who needs rear windows on their car any way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 That's unfortunate about the rear window. Fishing has been tough but we care catching some nice ones. Most of the bigger fish are coming on topwaters. The water is higher than I'm used to and we have been fighting the wind. My best fish have been (3) 18" ers and I got a 20.5". Of coarse Tom Loo show up and starts catching a bunch of bass and a really nice walleye. This place is pretty special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Blah, blah, blah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Wright Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 Nice fish Paul. Please, don’t catch em all! 😆 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericg Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 Thanks for posting guys! At least now i dont have to feel so discouraged about heading up there in such high water though i know I wont get the size or numbers these guys are getting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted August 11, 2020 Report Share Posted August 11, 2020 The water was at the highest I'd seen. Fished for 2 days on Sunday and Monday - Sun full day and Mon AM with John L and solo on Mon PM. The first day had 20+ smallies + a bonus 21.5" walleye and the second day had 30+ fish. As for size while, it was typical of the Memominee, mostly in the 14-17" range, a few in the 18 , 19 range and a few in the 10 - 13. This is my best trip (out of 4) in terms of number. Every time I thought I had her figured out, she showed me something new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 any more reports? Tom you caught those with a flyrod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted August 13, 2020 Report Share Posted August 13, 2020 3 hours ago, Mark K said: any more reports? Tom you caught those with a flyrod? Mark, all fish were caught with the fly rod. The Foxy and CF Muddler were my go-to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark K Posted August 14, 2020 Report Share Posted August 14, 2020 7 hours ago, Tom L said: Mark, all fish were caught with the fly rod. The Foxy and CF Muddler were my go-to. with a regular floating line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted August 15, 2020 Report Share Posted August 15, 2020 Second group is putting a wrap on our four day stay, weather has been phenomenal but smallmouth bite has been a little more finicky than normal , still catching a lot of great fish, hate to see our trip end but back to reality soon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted August 15, 2020 Report Share Posted August 15, 2020 On 8/13/2020 at 7:15 PM, Mark K said: with a regular floating line? Yes Mark, with a floating line and a 9' leader. With the high water, I found a lot of fish around the shallow flats and mid stream humps (1'-3') - in front of the flats/humps where the river bed going from deep to shallow, behind the flats/humps where the bottom going from shallow to deep, outside drop-offs of the flats, and pockets inside the flats. You need a fly that rides close to the surface so your fly doesn't hang-ups on the bottom all the time. The CF Muddler, if fished by itself would swim only 1"-6" under the surface, worked great in this situation and had caught a lot of fish on this trip. In the slow sections of the river, I found fish closed to the banks. Due to high water, a lot of shrubs and bushes along the banks were flooded and the fish were hiding in there. Place a top-water fly close to the bank would take fish. Also, I continued to fish the CF Muddler in these sections and watched for a ring where the fly landed. And do not ignore those log piles along the banks. The Foxy which were very productive on the previous three trips didn't worked as well on this trip. 90% of my fish came on the CF Muddler, fished the way I described above. Hope these info would help some of the folks out. Bravo to the second group. Hope to see more good reports from the third and the fourth group. I missed the place already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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