A CASE OF THE MONDAYS? NO WAY!  Get out there early to catch some fish before heading in to work as conditions align for a great first-light bite.  Both nights pose a small chance for more rain, but as for now there’s enough to get grasshoppers growing on the landscape. Use Dakota Edge’s first installment in our series of 50 Pheasant Flies to exploit this natural summer food source.

(Featured Photo: Whether imitating a real grasshopper (right) with a fly or a lure, now is the time to get on a hot bite. Simonson Photo)

DAILY CONDITIONS: 

WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):
Today:  Mon 7/17 – Slight chance for rain. Hi 95, Lo 70, Winds S to N @ 10.
Tomorrow:  Tue 7/18 – Cooler with light winds. Hi 85, Lo 65, Winds NE @ 8.

SOLUNAR (Bismarck Times):
Sunrise: 6:07AM Sunset: 9:31PM
Moonrise: 1:33AM Moonset: 3:13PM
Overhead: 8:18AM Underfoot: 8:44PM
Moon Phase: Waning Crescent (40% Full)

EDGE HOUR.  6:00 – 7:00AM.  A shift in the weather comes early in the day, as winds make their clockwise turn from south to north at sunrise.  As rain chances taper, get out on the water early to catch some fish during today’s Edge Hour.

DAY RATING:

THREE THINGS.

HOPPY SUMMER.  Small grasshoppers are starting to appear as we head into the heart of summer.  For panfish and trout, nothing beats the slap of a hopper fly on the surface of a pond or stream for an exciting surface take.  Here’s a simple pattern that incorporates some popular pheasant feathers into a fun tie that catches fish!

TALKIN’ TRAIL CAMS.  Dakota Edge’s Nick Simonson shares in-depth tips and selection advice for trail cameras this season as part of “The Run Down” at Runnings.com.  From this year’s hottest models to cams for the budget-conscious hunter, check out all that Running’s has to offer, including plot mixes and mineral licks to keep those big bucks in camera range.

ONLY IN FLORIDA.  File this one in the weird category, as Atlas Obscura reports on a raccoon breaking into a Florida car, not to scrounge the crushed Cheetos and Goldfish crackers out of the floor mat edges, but rather to give birth.

Stay Sharp!