- Publish date:
FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes). C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M—water muddy. N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling.
WT50—water temperature 50°. FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor. OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.
TANGUIGUE [?]: NORTH CAROLINA: When John L. Wood of Princess Anne, Virginia, landed an odd-looking 26½-pound mackerel near Hatteras last week, it was tentatively identified as an Indian Ocean species called tanguigue and never previously reported from the Atlantic. Mr. Wood shipped his queer fish to the American Museum of Natural History for identification.
TARPON: FLORIDA: While Tampa Angler Ed Dunn and his family drowsed aboard their cruiser in Tampa Bay, a 70-pound tarpon spotted the baited hook left dangling over the boat's stern, ate bait, jumped, landed in boat, dispelled drowsiness. But hottest west coast spot is still Boca Grande Pass, where Sarasotan Jack Collins, who won last year's Sarasota tournament, took this year's lead with a 183-pounder. Generally tarpon are more plentiful this year than last but few are spectacularly heavy.
SAWFISH: FLORIDA: Biggest fishing news in Tampa last week was 1,000-pound 15-foot sawfish landed by Ray Martinez on 90-pound test line from party boat Atlantis, out of Johns Pass between St. Petersburg and Clearwater, after four hours of heaving and hauling. This member of shark family is rarely hooked so far north along this coast.
ATLANTIC SALMON: NOVA SCOTIA: Most rivers in province are badly in need of rain; meanwhile the Medway is top producer (30 last week) with Sheet Harbor River runner-up.
NEW BRUNSWICK: Last week was poor on the Miramichi as main rivers are L, C, WT too high but agent reports some action at heads of Tobique, Renous, Northwest Miramichi with small dry flies best; fair run of grilse seems to be developing and next week may show slight improvement in this watershed. On St. John River, N and C, pulpwood drive petered out last week and OG for Hartland and other good pools.
MAINE: Bangor Salmon Pool, where one salmon was total season catch at press time, SC July 15. President Eisenhower got lonesome fish as gift.
STEELHEAD TROUT: BRITISH COLUMBIA: First run raced through Stamp River on last week's high water and was well up the Ash at press time, but another Stamp run seemed to be shaping up as river is at good height. Capilano and north shore streams report a few fish and OG. Good gambles are Brem and Gold rivers, if you can get there.
CALIFORNIA: Summer-run steelies to 8 pounds, together with a sprinkling of salmon, are in Trinity River and picking up momentum from Hyampom to Trinity Center; OG.
MUSKELLUNGE: ONTARIO: FG and OG across this province as M. M. Crawford of Chillicothe, Ohio hoisted 52-pound 6-ouncer from Lake Nosbonsing in North Bay area and John Prothe of Blairsville, Pa., removed 50½-pounder from north channel of French River just below Oulette Falls, on pikie-minnow plug and Johnson spoon respectively. Other lunker 'lunges include Ohioan Max Smith's 35-pounder from McGregor Bay, northeastern Manitoulin Island and more than a dozen fish over 25 pounds from west arm of Lake Nipissing; best spots are edges of weed beds.
NEW YORK: Chautauqua Lake trollers had trouble with floating weeds from weed-cutting operations but plug-and-spoon casters scored prettily along untouched weed beds, with several fish in 25-pound class boated last week, and OG through next fortnight.
WISCONSIN: FF/G last week in northern state despite sizzling weather and some heavy rains, with muskies still street-cornering at weed beds in fairly shallow water, and OG for expert muskymen or well-guided tyros. Thirty-five-pounder lifted from Lake Emily, 24-pounder from Catfish Lake on bucktail. Some action reported in Ballard, Wildcat, Big Presque Isle and Big Arbor Vitae lakes.
MICHIGAN: Rival spies say OG and OP for Lake St. Clair as muskies may retire to deep water any day now. We split difference: OF.
PENNSYLVANIA: Lake LeBoeuf muskies were still yawning and scorning all bait and lures last week and watching big walleyes (to 12 pounds) latch onto trolled spoons and spinners. However several bass fishermen in Allegheny River below Tidioute had tackle smashed when rambunctious muskies ate plugs.
TROUT: WASHINGTON: All rivers SH, but sea-run cutts showing in lower Humptulips, Satsop and Quinault rivers and OF/G. FG on South Fork of Skykomish as fly-fishers are taking large rainbows on Royal Coachmans and Grey Hackle patterns, wet and dry. Clear Lakes in Pierce and Thurston counties both FG, OG for big 'bows. Cushman Lake FG, OG for silver trout. Lawrence Lake FG, OF for rainbows to 18 inches. Pearygin FF, OF, Liberty and Buffalo FF, OG for big rainbows on trolled lures. First high-lake party packing in to Granite Lakes out of Marblemount will find lots of snow, probably good fishing. Whatcom Lake is tapering off, but some limits of silvers and rainbows are reported. Tip: you can now get in to Canyon Lake and Creek for whack at cutts, brooks and rainbows; you'll trade lures lost on snags for good fishing with little competition for best spots.
ONTARIO: FP, OP throughout most of province as WT rises; springholes in smaller lakes and larger streams still producing, but skimpily; best bet is Antoine Creek N of Mattawa.
MONTANA: Most streams L, C, FG as unseasonable cool weather retards runoff; FG on Madison, Flathead and Yellowstone rivers, Rock Creek. OG as streams fall to easier wading levels.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: FVG last week and OG for Kamloops trout in Lac Lejeune, Peter-hope, Horsefly, Paul, Beaver lakes; all interior lakes are hot, with OVG for fly-fishing above 3,500 feet and for trollers everywhere. FG with fly and troll for cutts on Campbell watershed including Buttle River. Cameron and Shawinigan producing well. OG in lakes, OP in streams.
COLORADO: Cantankerous Colorado correspondent comments, "There are still plenty of big fish here, and it is not always the super-duper fancy-Dan fisherman with a 15-foot double-tapered moss-dyed leader with special Framizan English reel and self-tied old skunk hair on a number 18 light-wire hook that gets them." Cites 10-pound 5-ounce brown extracted from Roaring Fork by Mrs. Kenneth Tucker of Carbondale, who employed large, sloppy gob of salmon eggs presumably not on number 18 light-wire hook. Gunnison River L, C, FG, OVG. Las Animas River L, C, FG, OG. Williams Fork L, C, FG, OG. Blue River L, C, FG, OG. Cochetopa Creek L, C, FG, OVG. Arkansas River F, clearing, FF/G, OG. Colorado River (Middle Park area) L, C, FG, OG. Yampa N, C, FVG, OVG. St. Louis Creek N, C, FG, OVG. Big Thompson F, C, FF, OF. Poudre N, C, FG, OF/G.
MICHIGAN: Daytime fishing improving on Manistee, Au Sable, Sturgeon, Pigeon and Maple as natural 'hoppers increase and artificials raise good brooks and browns; OG as cold front moved in last Sunday to break heat wave. But night fishing is still best bet for big browns.
PENNSYLVANIA: Most central state streams are nearly deserted but good fly-fishers can rustle up a few nice fish almost any evening on Light Cahills and other small dry patterns; FF through next week, despite high WT. Best bets are Spring and Bald Eagle creeks in Centre County, other spring-fed limestone streams. All Allegheny Forest streams were low at press time, with WT68-70 and FP except for few well-shaded, swift streams such as upper Kinzua. "Northern tier" streams are low but big dries will take big browns after midnight, especially in larger pools in the lower First Fork.
CALIFORNIA: Trinity Alps Primitive Area lakes including Emerald, Sapphire, Stoddard and Caribou are ice-free and giving easy limits on flies and bait. Other good bets in northern region: upper Mad River and lower Eel, Lake Pillsbury, Battle Creek, Feather River and its forks, Desolation Valley lakes in American River watershed, south forks of Merced River, Woodchuck, Indian, Cow and Rancheria creeks on upper King River. Thundershowers in northern and central Sierra slowed up high-country sport but clearing weather is forecast and OG, say packers. Hot spot on east slope of Sierra is Bridgeport Reservoir, where FG for lunkers with bait or troll. Crowley is calm but fishing tailed off last week; OP. Upper Rock Creek lakes are good bet for biggish brooks. Mack, Heart, Long and Chickenfoot lakes are well worth long hike. Owens River gorge L but FG with bait. In L.A. area most waters are L, heavily fished; some good catches from West Fork of San Gabriel, Big Bear, Little Rock Reservoir, Crystal Lake.
OREGON: Most larger lakes seem to be slacking off but fly-fishing picking up in Santiam River; evening fishing best, with trout to 15 inches taking small dries, and OG. Deschutes River SD, FF, OF.
STRIPED BASS: NEW YORK: At press time stripers were avoiding Montauk like the plague, but new schools may move into area any day to replace ones that disappeared several weeks ago; meanwhile OVP.
NEW JERSEY: FF/G with trolled bunker spoons by day, trolled rigged eels and plugs at night, from Sandy Hook to Sea Bright; bass averaged over 30 pounds last week and OG through next. At Barnegat Inlet, FF with plugs for smaller fish during day. FF from surf and jetties from Long Branch through Deal.
MASSACHUSETTS: Big news is still huge striper catches on Billingsgate Shoal in Cape Cod Bay; one party of seven anglers aboard charter boat brought in 48 bass weighing over¾ ton; had 7 fish on at same time and boated the bunch. Best bets for surf casters are Sunken Meadows in Provincetown, Nauset Beach at Orleans but action is sporadic as big offshore schools occasionally chase bait within range of blue atom plugs (best lure); night tides are best time. Cape Cod Canal fishing is slower, with wise anglers rigging eelskins for night bottom fishing. FP/F at Cuttyhunk as charter boats averaged 3 bass per night while trolling Sows & Pigs Reef. FG at North River mouth (Scituate-Marshfield line) and FF for trollers inside river.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Big schools of small stripers were hitting bucktails last week in Santee-Cooper Reservoir but big fish were scattered.
BLUEFISH: NEW JERSEY: "Best run of blues in 20 years!" say chum-fragrant Jersey veterans. Schools averaging 6 pounds were four to 12 miles offshore last week off Asbury Park to Monmouth Beach and in Mudhole, with catches averaging 50 to the boat and fine chance to try light spin and fly tackle on willing fish. Several over 10 pounds reported. Surfers were settling for smaller fish; best spot was Long Branch; OG through next 10 days, as new schools are expected.
NEW YORK: Charter boats out of Freeport were knocking blues from 4 to 8 pounds dead last week and OG through this week; most boats were chumming.
TUNA: MASSACHUSETTS: School fish were still offshore and coy last week, but 10 big bluefins showed up in fish traps.
MAINE: Bluefins are due off coast this week after showing off Wedgeport (Nova Scotia) last Saturday (where first fish taken averaged only 300 pounds).
NEW JERSEY: School fish averaging about 20 pounds are abundant 30 to 50 miles SE of Barnegat Inlet, Beach Haven and Atlantic City but aren't being bothered much as Brielle and Point Pleasant boats concentrate on outsize blues in area; FG, OG.
