Posted on August 13 2026
After yesterday's woeful fishing performance, my usual reaction would have been to spend more time fishing and less time doing crosswords. Today it was 6:45 before I pulled the suspenders up over my shoulders, put on the fishing vest and headed for the river. Why? I'm tired of fishing the Sulfur Zone, had yard work to do, and wanted to try to fix the front door, it works fine in April and May, but refuses to close, and this year latch, in June, July, and August. Got a jack post and raised up the door frame on the latch side. It no longer binds but I still have to push down on the door handle to lock the door.
Everyone who regularly reads the reports is familiar with the choice that has to be made with the raincoat, (under the vest or over the vest), well there are two more choices, (leave it in the car or put it in the back of your vest). I left it in the car, with but two hours of fishing and thinly clouded skies to the west, it was a no brainer. Fifteen minutes later, a quarter mile away from the car, I heard the first rumble of thunder. Debated walking back to the car, said no, and hooked a fish on a blind cast in the first sprinkles of rain.. By the time I netted the 12 inch rainbow, the rain was coming down harder. Walked to shore,climbed over a haystack of cain piled up during the high water a week ago and sat down in the knotweed under a silver maple. It didn't rain hard but I would have been soaked out where I saw three fish rise. When the thunder got to be ten seconds after the lightning, I emerged from the cain and stood waiting for the three fish to rise again, they never did. It was 8:20 when I reeled it in and headed for the car.
Never saw a bug of any kind on the water all the time I was there. FYI, my recent trips to both the lower WB and the upper BR have witnessed a river void of any kind of hatching bug. The rises that I have seen are from fish chasing something up from the bottom and casts to them get no response. My advice, stay home and play golf, or suck it up and fish the Sulfur Zone where you will have big fish eating sulfurs within 10 feet of you. Catching them on a sulfur dry is another thing.
Thanks as always for the detailed reports. I’m 6 hours away with no hope of getting back in the near future but read them each day, always learning something.
But unless someone has a question on the smallmouth fishing on central NE (poppers OK , lizards in the Lilly pads better), I have nothing to add but I do have a question……
I will be back out in mid October and was wondering what the outlook could be for the fall fishing this year? It may be too early to tell, and if so that’s OK.
Again, thank you for writing the report!
As someone who has been suffering through the lower WB summer, I can tell you there are bugs, based on my field notes. Most pages say “3 sulphurs, 1 cahill” or something similar. I usually can pull something out of the chop with an Iso, but even that has been failing me this summer. We’re close to the main stem opening, which will at least add some variety into the routine.
Ron K-Thanks. We had a great time. And nice catch on Harry Chapin. .Ed
ED S. – You and your son will treasurer that experience for a long time. BTW going with Harry Chapin for today’s title.
Angler119’- A difficult evening. The fishing has gotten very tough. Took my son, Ed jr ( I know, very original ) to the Red Barn. Ed’s a very experienced fisherman , but a single Dad and wound care nurse, who doesn’t get very many days off to fish. He loved it.The Barn wasn’t crowded (4 other guys) a light hatch got enough fish going so we were casting to rising fish for a while . I landed an 18” rainbow via an HH ( head hook ) but he landed a beautiful 20”( measured) brown a 20 sulpher no hackle and he was thrilled.it was great introducing him to Dave and Assoc. Ed’s Jim N and Dennis. I’ve talked about them and Angler 119 for the past several years. Just a wonderful day . Ed
👍👍
Fished the zone from 9-3. No bugs…no hatch. Had a couple of sporadic risers against the bank and got a nice brown on an olive emerger.
Best part of the day was
1. Chatting with Dennis and his nephew. Yes I heard the excitement from 100 yards downstream when his nephew had a hit.
2. Talking with Ed and meeting his son “Big Fish Eddie”. Two classy guys!!!
3. Watching a fawn swim across the river just below me. Was wondering if he would take a size 20 sulphur???
I fished the sulfur zone with my nephew. This was his first stream wading and trout fishing adventure. He was spin fishing and had a fish follow his lure and was extremely excited at that. Jesus not catch a fish. We got on the river about 1 and left at 6:30. The action early was dreadful. Bugs but no rising fish. At 5:30 the switch was flipped I had targets all over and refusals abundant. I did manage one 12in.rainbow. It was great to talk with Ed and Jim associate editors. Great day!!!!!!!