Explosions on the Fourth of July

The schedule of events said that the fireworks for this little town were going to be on July 5th this year.  Thus, on the 4th, I found myself sitting in a canoe on a small lake in Northern Minnesota, with my brother-in-law, waiting for explosions of different kind.

The Hex hatch happens on many lakes in this part of the world at this time of the year.  It makes the hardcore walleye guys curse and stay home.  "They are on the $#^&* flies..." they'll say, and they are right.  The protein unload of this hatch is enough to make any walleye, of any size, fore-go their standard forage of minnows and leeches for the delightful "POP" of  a fat mayfly between their teeth.


The explosions vary.  The little fish will splash, medium size fish gulp and the largest fish just inhale.

So, I sat in the boat waiting for the drum beat of the marauding mosquitoes that usually signifies the start of the hex hatch.  We chose the lesser of the two evils and applied Deet to our jackets and hats and the back of our hands.  (Deet doesn't stop the little bastards from biting you, it just keeps you from going insane.)

Before there were any bugs on the water, I decided to fish a no-named bonefish fly that had a size and color similar to a hex nymph.  It didn't take long for a smallish fish to buy into my program.  I took one look at the fish, did some mental calculations and came up with: "would be delicious".  I slid it on the stringer.

Next, a small northern pike hammered the fly and I came up with the same conclusion regarding its flanks as table fare.  Not what I was targeting, but what the heck.

The hatch is dependent on a number of things, some of which I understand and some of which I don't.
Heat and light are important.  Rain and wind are typically not good.  It was with a little disappointment that I watched the calm surface of the water get kicked up from a squall passing to the north.  When it calmed down again a few bugs started to show on the surface and a few fish (some "inhalers") followed them up. 

I hooked and landed another smallish fish and then stuck a fish that was probably in the 2 pound range before the hook popped.  My brother-in-law heard a gulp in the darkness near where his fly should have been, waited longer than he should have and then set the hook on a decent pound and a halfer that we added to the pile.

The mosquitoes were biting through the cane seat, my pants and boxers and it made me think I should have brought a boat cushion.

A second squall came and kicked up some wind and dropped some rain effectively closing the door on the hatch for the night. 

I tied on a deceiver and cast for awhile thinking that I would offer them a plan "B" to a failed hatch.
I got one taker, about the size as the first fish, and threaded the rope through it's gills.

The Hex hatch for walleyes, sometimes you hit it and sometimes you don't...but it's always worth heading out to see if you can find the explosions.

The best lakes have unimproved boat ramps.

Preparations

Walleye falls for a Bonefish Fly

Squall that missed us.

Hardly a bragging stringer but at least 1 dinner.

The best lakes have unimproved parking lots.