1/23..."Lacygne Lake...Cure for the Hard Water Blues"

Currently there aren't too many options here in the great state of Kansas for a flyfisherman looking for that tug. The small bodies of water are all frozen solid and the last time I looked even the large reservoirs were 3/4 of the way hard. I consider myself an adventurous sort , but even I draw the line at walking out on two inches of ice so I can reach some open water to fish. That only leaves option C , the power plant lake and hot-water discharge about 30 miles South of my hometown.
Not the most picturesque location by any means , but the waters still in liquid form and I know from experience that fish can be had if your timing is right.

This week when my day off rolled around (Wednesday) I decided that I couldn't let a fourty degree winter day go to waste. Other obligations were keeping me in town but that still left option C open. It didn't take much convincing to persuade my fishing buddy that it was a grand idea , if it involves fish..water or food of any sort he's always up for the task!

We arrived just before noon to an empty parking lot (big surprise) and quickly assembled some gear for the mile long walk into the area we intended to fish. With the sun shining and the water lapping at the shoreline of the lake it was almost possible to imagine it a nice Spring day , almost.
We fished our way around the section of lake just below the warm-water discharge hoping to encounter a few of the white bass or hybrids that frequently chase baitfish in this area.





The baitfish were there in droves , small schools of them could be seen rippling the surface of the water in every direction , enjoying the added warmth of the water just as Joe and I were. Unfortunately the predators we were looking for were nowhere to be found. We worked our way around the cove North of the outlet and then back again with only one strike to show for our dedication.
We sat down on a log to ponder the situation and have a snack , Joe's favorite , peanut butter crackers.


Unable to solve any of the worlds great mysteries (or determine how to change our fishing luck) I simply changed flies and continued our trek back towards the outlet.
I wish I could say that we caught fish , or even a fish , but we didn't. That being said we were just happy to be traipsing around the lakeshore and enjoying the company of the local herons , a group of mallards and a flock of turkeys that we spooked off the hillside at the back end of the cove.


We'll be back for another shot at those fish in the near future , it's always those fishless days that spark my interest , I know they're around I just have to figure out how I'm going to catch em!!