All posts by ElizabethC

Meetings, Meetings 2015

November HFF Meeting Recap

Guest Speaker Rex Waters of the INDNR chats with Tim Mather, Club president.
Guest Speaker Rex Waters of the INDNR

On Tuesday November 17th, we had our meeting at Bobby’s Colorado Steakhouse with guest speaker, Rex Watters. He spoke to us about many of the management strategies taking place at both Monroe Reservoir as well as the Stillwater Marsh Wetlands area he manages. He also mentioned a few ways we can help including volunteer days planting trees and helping manage and keep these areas that we use so often clean.

Rex informed us about the issue with the Asian Carp here in Bloomington. While most of us do not use live bait, there is still a concern about the spread of this invasive species due to their destructive quality and their ability to outcompete other fish in the region.  He also spoke to us about how we can prevent the spread of these Carp from entering Lake Monroe, informing us about the resemblance of Gizzard Shad to the Asian Carp. With both looking so similar in their growing stages, many are unable to differentiate these species and will accidentally spread these invasives into undesired areas such as Lake Monroe.

One project Indiana DNR is currently attempting to implement here in Monroe County is building disposals for the fishing line (leader, tippet) and bait. This will help decrease the chances of spread of invasive species as well as keep the environment and the critters in it happy!

Rex also spoke to use about the Bald Eagle population at Monroe Reservoir, and it seems they are thriving in the region with 17 nests currently being used as well as one of the oldest documented Eagles living right here in Monroe County.

Mike Donovan
Mike Donovan tying a Parmachene Belle Streamer

The fly tying demonstration part of the meeting was presented by Mike Donovan, tying a Parmachene Belle Streamer as promised in previous meetings. Mike always does a good job of explaining about the materials he uses and why they are important in reproducing classic flies.

Fish Report, General Information

Fishing Report

Hello all! Elizabeth here.

On September 27th, MikeB, TimM, and I went to Fairfax Beach State Recreational Area for a little fishing. We started in the area they seemed to know as the Beaver section, where the branches were piled under the water near a concrete section off the pathway and where the Bluegill seemed to be nesting. In this area, Tim started the day with a few catches including a Channel Catfish, a Crappie, Walleye, and a few Bluegill.

Elizabeth's 1st Wiper
Elizabeth’s 1st Wiper

Later in the evening around 6:30 PM, Mike B and I went to the farthest tip of the beach hoping for Wipers as the wind was picking up and the water seemed to have cooled slightly. I took my 8wt Wetfly rod with a medium clouser on it and caught 8 Wipers. This was substantial for me, not only catching 8, but also because it was my first time catching a Wiper on a flyrod. Mike also caught a small Walleye. All in all, Mike and I caught around a total of 15 Wipers that day and waited until after dark with a little less luck. Though the fish still seemed active after dark, so were the mosquitoes, so we left after being swarmed by them.

The moon and sky was beautiful that night, and we watched the moon go behind the clouds before the Eclipse.