Category Archives: Fish Report

Fish Report, General Information, Meetings 2016

Indiana Fishing License Click, Click, Click, Print

Phew! I just got my fishing license today! I almost forgot, click, sign-in, click, pay, click, print. Ok now I am legal. It’s no big deal to get your fishing license in hand almost instantly. Gee the Internet sure is grand!

I remember in the old days, when I was kid, buying a fishing license was an annual event for those that needed them. Sometime after Christmas I would tag along with Grandad to the Western Auto store so he could get his fishing license. Grandad and the guy behind the counter, George, would talk about all the great fish they caught  last year.  As the fish stories continued and we were standing nearly knee deep in scales and fish guts out would come the old wooden King Edward Cigar box from under the counter. It contained all the Indiana hunting, fishing and trapping license booklets, an ink pen, and some money. George would fill out the license with Grandad’s details and tear it from the booklet.  This year the licenses were printed on green paper. I assumed they changed the color of the license paper each year to confuse us but surely they had a good reason for doing it. The good reasoning must have gotten lost on the internet somewhere. I guess I could have printed mine on colored paper but then everyone would be confused.

Indiana Trout Stamp

I would listen intently as Grandad would read aloud what was written on the license front and back to be sure it was all correct and then he would say, “Better add a trout stamp to the back here George, just in case.” George would then get an official trout stamp from the old cigar box and lick it, then stick it on the back of Grandad’s license, “That’ll be two dollars more, sign across the front of the stamp please” George would say. Grandad would sign the front of the license and the stamp on the back. Cash money was all that was accepted for licenses and Grandad handed George the correct amount in one dollar bills.  The cash went in the cigar box with the license booklets and ink pen and it was stored back under the counter. The annual ritual of getting fishing license was done for another year and George waved as we exited the store.

Ah the memories that come back as the annual ritual of buying fishing licenses is renewed again, somehow it’s just not as much fun as it once was. I miss Grandad, the Western Auto,  cigar boxes, and heck I even miss the cigar smell on Old George.

So now I am looking at my new Indiana Hunting and Fishing License and I am reading it out loud, ” 2016 Res Hunt, 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp, Senior Fish For-Life”. Wait a minute that can’t be, how did they know I was a Senior. Sure enough there it was printed on cheap white printer paper, Senior Fish For-Life. I gasped for air a little but then it dawned on me, I never have to buy Indiana Fishing License ever again. Great! No more click,click,click, print.  Sign and date it, and I fish for LIFE.  I continue to read the license and I realize, there’s no trout stamp, I printed it out and right there in black and white it says 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp but there’s no stamp. Where did the stamp go and if there is no stamp, why does it say stamp? I’m confused, did the stamp get lost in the internet too? As I place the folded piece of white paper in my wallet I think how sad this annual ritual has become, but at least I am legal now, for LIFE. Oh and isn’t the internet grand!

Don’t forget your 2016 Indiana Fishing License, the ones you have now expired yesterday. Go to the INDNR website to purchase yours today click, click, click, print and be sure to include the Trout/Salmon Stamp, just in case.

Fish Report: Fly Fishing around Lake Monroe is a little slow right now due to high water. Right now the Lake is about 6ft high, water temperatures are in the low to mid 50’s . Fish are active in small ponds and even the creeks now. Wipers are slow to show this year, no reports of any caught on flies yet. Crappies remain the best bet on Monroe for fly casting.

April HFF Meeting: The April Hff Meeting will be on April 19th at Bobby’s Colorado Steakhouse and will feature Kernal Kevin and the Annual HFF Auction of Stuff. Bring stuff, bring money, as Tim would say. Supper at 6PM and Meeting at 7PM.

Events, Fish Report, Meetings, Meetings 2016

Hospitality, Meetings and the Expo.

Talk about Hoosier Hospitality and we’re talking Bobby’s Colorado SteakHouse.  The Club holds it’s regular monthly meetings at their restaurant and the month of February was made special by Steve who cooked us up a fish fry for the evening meal. Thanks Steve it was great!

Jill Vance INDNR Naturalist
Jill Vance INDNR Naturalist

The speaker for the February meeting was Jill Vance, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Interpretive Naturalist for Lake Monroe. Jill informed us about past and present activities offered by her office around Lake Monroe . Activities range from Nature Hikes in the Winter to Youth Activities in the Summer. Some of her favorite projects involve wildflowers, youth activities, hikes and Lake Monroe Cleanups. Jill is a very good speaker and presents an interesting program about Lake Monroe and the year round activities that are available from her Office and the INDNR. To find out more about Jill and scheduled activities around Lake Monroe for 2016 visit their Facebook Page or the DNR website for Lake Monroe. You can download updated activity sheets and read more on recent events sponsored by Jill’s office.

The second half of the meeting featured Mike Donovan at the fly tying vise. Mike always does a good job showing everyone how to tie traditional flies.  This month Mike demonstrated tying a hair wing streamer.  I’m sure it will catch fish.

Don’t forget your Indiana State Park Entrance Pass this year. The prices have gone up again but if you’re a Senior you get a discounted rate. If you have a boat, registrations are due and you must have the DNR Launch permit on State waters. March will be time for new fishing license, don’t forget.

Indy Fly Fishing Expo: A few of us attended the fly fishing expo at the Indiana State Fair Grounds last week end. Coupled with the Indy Boat Sport and Travel Show, a guy could spend an entire weekend looking at all the GUY stuff they had there. The Fly Fishing part of the show was a three day event. It took us a few hours to visit all the booths and talk with some new friends and some familiar faces. They had a casting pond setup and fly fishing seminars were held all day long, featuring some of the most informative fly fishing experts in the Midwest . Booths were full of fly tackle, guide services, fly tying supplies, fly tying demos, zingers and forceps by the hundreds and free hats for special anglers.

Fish Report: What a weird year for weather and fishing around Lake Monroe. During the mild winter fish were very active up to the end of last year but the fly bite slowed down a little in January as water temperatures dropped into the 30’s. Fishing was slow but with patience fish could be found where there was open water. February sunny days have prompted fish to move a little shallower and they continue to bite on small flies. Fishing will only improve if the water temps continue to rise. Spring is on the way, get out and fish.