Bourbon, Flies, and Lies: April 2026

Sunday, April 26, 2026

Looking for a hook-up @ Lake Milton!

On the Beach looking for B!tches

I headed out to comb the beaches in search of pre-spawn smallmouth bass.

When I left the house the air temperature was 60 degrees and by the time I got to Presque Isle State Park it was 45 degrees.

Needless to say, this did not help my cause. Lol I knew fishing would be tough and it would be compounded by the NNE winds.

I did not get to the first bay on the Isle until 1030 on purpose. The one reason was the weather. I needed the rain to pass through because no one enjoys fishing in the rain when the temps are in the 40’s lol.

I would only use the eggbeater here and I had hopes to fish Elk Creek in the late afternoon, but those hopes were crushed by the storm.

They had some type of fishy tourney for Yakers this day and even knowing the weather was dismal they were out in good numbers.

I did see some guys doing well with a Carolina rig and 3” creek chubs. They caught some nice walleyes and really decent smallmouth. Not my fave style of fishing, but they where putting on a clinic.

I did get a hit though on my soft paddle tail swim bait, but that would be all I would get all day. I was satisfied with that, at least it was something.

I hiked about 4 miles of shoreline. I was nice to see the different waterfowl. This area is a huge migratory birding area.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

It will be a fishy weekend next Saturday and Sunday

I will be attempting to find fish in Pennsylvania on Saturday and on Sunday I will attempt to fish Ohio.

I am really wrestling not hiking but I need to feel the rushing waters on my skin.

I know when I go fly fishing or use my eggbeater somewhere it is to relax. I may walk countless miles and lose countless flies or lures. I know that the reel reason I am even out there is to unwind from life.

Saturday I shall drive out to Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania. Smallmouth Bass should be starting to arrive in catchable numbers along her shores.

The wind will be out of NNE and only 12 knots. I will spend the better part of the day there before going to Elk Creek.

At Elk Creek in the lower mile of the creek, she should start to see smallies moving in to get into their prespawn feeding frenzy.

I have not targeted smallies in Elk in maybe 15 years and I am sure they are still in there. We will see how it all plays out.

I will also be paying a visit to the west break wall in Conneaut.

The last time I was up there on the inside of the west wall I saw a huge sand bar that nearly reached the break wall and it has always been shallow there.

Now access to the break wall may even be easier, but we will see on Saturday.