Wisconsin River Float with Abe Downs

[sammyh]

Last Thursday I took the musky float trip with Abe Downs from Blackwater Fly Fishing that I won at the Blowout raffle. We fished the Wisconsin River in Stevens Point area. Conditions were not ideal as the river was still up with strong current, high flows and it was pretty windy. I am new to fly fishing so my casting skills in the wind were inconsistent (pretty much sucked). I did manage to catch a couple smallies and I had one musky on. I got it up to the boat once but it was too hot to get to the right position it to land it. I worked it back a second time and it dove and turned and came unbuttoned.

 

I recommend this trip. With reasonable fly casting skills, I think I would have had a couple more muskies and several more bass as the fly would have been in the ideal zone probably about 300% more than it was. Having a musky on the fly rod is a freaking gas! I'm going to see if I can save up enough coin to make it back up later in the year maybe for a Merrill float with Blackwater. Abe did a really good job with his new drift boat in some challenging conditions. He is a good guy and a supporter of the ISA. I suspect however, that he may be a Packers fan, but I can overlook that at least while fishing.

 

I did accomplish few goals on the trip. I caught a smallmouth. I saw a musky. I hooked a musky. I learned how to shoot fly line. I did not come close to sticking myself or my guide. One added bonus is that my right arm is going to look like Popeye's after inefficiently flinging those musky flies all day.

[Ryan Kral]

Good trip! I had to have a cortizone shot after my last musky weekend! Ryan

[John Gillio]

Sounds like you enjoyed yourself. Nice post.

[mikea]

I'll take smallies as bi catch any day, nice report.