Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Sweet Ambrosia!
I smell a skunk! No big deal, everyone gets a whiff of the ammonia like smell every once in a while. Up North, it’s a call to get outdoors especially when the weather is cool – maybe rainy – and your best bud (your bird dog) is twice as antsy as usual and wants to keep going when he’s out for his morning walk.
Seamus and I beat the expected rain this morning when we went for our morning constitutional but at the end of the road, well, suffice it to say, I was vigilant for the little black and white critter that left his calling card lingering in the air. Actually, I was more concerned about Seamus finding the source than anything else. I knew if he did, most of the day would be spent bathing him in a mixture of peroxide, baking soda, liquid Dawn soap and water ….again and again and again.
I was a little concerned when he went into his hunting mode – nose to the ground, tracking down what had been there before him – but he kept going in the direction I wanted him to go. It was almost as though he knew not to be too curious about the skunk scent, probably because he’d been skunked twice before and he likes the bath cure less than the odor.
Down the road are two chicken coops next to a cabin and once in a while, one of them gets left open and the chickens strut out onto the road and Seamus of course, gets interested. He doesn’t go on point (he knows the difference between a chicken and a grouse) but he sure likes to watch them scatter. Most ran back to the coop, but one took flight to the top of a 5th wheel trailer with Seamus looking up at her. I could almost hear him call her a chicken.
The rain started and the smell of the woods filled both our nostrils. This will be a fishing weekend, but soon, soon the bell will go on his collar, my brimmed fishing hat with the fleece fly band will be replaced with a hunter orange cap and the bamboo 5 weight will give way to the 20 gauge o/u.
If only I could live forever.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
It was all about kids!
Yesterday the Huron Point Sportsman’s Association held their annual Heritage Day Festival at their facility on 28 Mile Rd. just east of Gratiot. I participated on behalf of the Michigan Fly Fishing Club, giving kids a taste of fly tying. It was great.
The entire day’s activities revolved around introducing kids to the shooting sports (rifle, shotgun and archery) as well as hands-on crafts and of course, a primer on fly tying.
The day began at 9am and ended around 5pm. Kids with their parents, grandparents and other relatives filled the grounds and got hands-on instruction to, not only shooting, but how to make arrows and other necessities for those sports …and the enthusiasm of both the kids and those putting on the event was amazing.
Kudos to the Huron Point Sportsman’s Association for realizing that kids are the future of these sports and they can be a family event.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Where did the river go?
There are writers who can put a romantic spin on a place or object and the thought or memory fills your head like pipe smoke circling Santa’s head as he sits and contemplates how best to leave his presents on Christmas Eve. I don’t know if I can do that. I do have a romantic vision of certain spots on different rivers I’ve fished and caught fish or not caught fish and just enjoyed myself on; to the point I didn’t want to leave.
Anyone who follows my writing knows, the Jordan River in Antrim County fills that niche for me. The Jordan River was the first river in Michigan dedicated as “Wild and Scenic” and it was and is, a pristine place that holds brook trout, rainbows, browns and salmon and steelhead. It is truly a wonderful place to fish, photograph or just spend time exploring …especially the upper stretches that meanders through thousands of acres of forest.
I’ve fished the Jordan for over 30 years and have not covered it thoroughly enough to discover all of its secrets. In its hey-day, the Jordan was a “premier” trout stream. In fact, it held Grayling – maybe longer than the Au Sable or Manistee. Guides out of East Jordan guided clients from Graves Crossing to the mouth at Lake Charlevoix in East Jordan and catches were legendary. Someone said, “The Jordan is where guides come to fish the Hex hatch.”
Being a small river with a fast current, the Jordan soon became a great river to canoe, kayak, and tube, A few spots along access points and roads became local swimming holes. And the river, for all its charm and character, began to feel the stress of its users; some might even characterize it as neglect.
Mother Nature too, plays a hand in changing the character of the Jordan. Rain and wind that causes erosion along it’s exposed cedar banks drops cedars into the current, changing it if left un altered. One such change occurred at “Rainbow Bend” a place where rainbow trout could be counted on being caught – at least most of the time. It was a section of the river with a moderate current, sediment rock bottom mixed with sand and vegetation along the edges. A wet fly pattern would produce more times than not and the best way to wade was to enter from a feeder creek and work downstream.
After the long cold snowy winter and wet spring, “Rainbow Bend” lost a cedar just above the bend and changed the flow of the current and created a natural sand trap. Now it is easier to wade upstream, cast into still water and catch all the creek-chubs you want. There is little vegetation, no sediment rock on the bottom …in fact, it’s all sand.
The swirling pipe smoke faded from around Santa’s head; and the aroma of tobacco is gone. I will relive the years of wading “Rainbow Bend” in my mind many times …and hope the Jordan gets a higher priority on the DNR’s list of priorities …I guess I still believe in Santa.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Seven hours with the “Master”
It could have been a better day if I could have spelled Jerry from polling his Au Sable Drift Boat, but vintage Jerry Regan wouldn’t hear of it. He controlled the boat from start to finish, caught fish in the process and together we managed to solve half the world’s problems …the other half didn’t need our immediate attention.
It was a wonderful day on the Manistee: good weather, few interruptions, willing fish – though non wanting to commit suicide. Au Sable Skunk’s were successful as were hoppers, double skunks and black, size 12 stones. The river ran just above normal and was almost gin clear; just a slight coloration from Saturday’s rain.
The section we floated was from Long’s Livery to M-72. It was my first float on that stretch but it won’t be my last. It is absolutely great water; both to look at and to fish. Thanks Jerry for sharing your boat and mind.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Rain, it’s just water!
Up North, rain is an event: Farmers need it to grow corn I’m still waiting for; the flowers and bushes “She Who Must Be Obeyed” planted and seem to come into every conversation when planning her day; and it benefits the streams and lakes. In other words, I need it to optimize my fishing opportunities.
A while back, in one of my columns for the Oakland Press, Macomb Daily and Daily Tribune, I recalled being in the Jordan on a cloudy day – doing quite well catching brookies – when it began to rain. It had rained for probably a half and hour before I realized I was getting as wet above my waist as below and water was dripping from my waxed cotton brimmed hat. It was almost instinct to turn toward the bank when I caught myself, chuckled, and resumed fishing.
The only thing rain means to a fly fisherman is he or she will probably change to an emerger, wet or terrestrial pattern to match the food that’s being washed into the river, giving greater exposure to what’s happening beneath the surface.
If it rains while sitting on a deck eating barbeque or while watching a parade, it’s a bummer; if it rains while standing in a river, fishing ….well, it’s just another pattern change.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Boo, boo and more boo!
Ron Barch surrounded by MFFC members holding one of his rods
After listening to Ron Barch, owner of Alder Creek Rods, put on a presentation at the Michigan Fly Fishing Club last night, I racked my brain on the ride home of what I could mortgage to buy more bamboo fly rods. Ron’s program was so informative, I actually paid attention for the whole thing, as opposed to dozing off like I usually do.
What I walked away with, was the realization that bamboo isn’t the fragile material I’ve taken it fore – a misconception probably brought on by hype and the cost of these gems. According to Barch, who is considered one of the leading bamboo rod makers in the country, bamboo rods are more durable than graphite, boron and fiberglass. Bamboo fly rods being heavier, and constructed from five or six trips, have the natural strength of the natural material and bend naturally unlike forcing the blank of a graphite rod out of round to get the flex. I know that sounds convoluted but it made perfect sense when he explained it.
Barch brought a series of rods with him, rods he built and old rods built by past master rod builders and showed the difference between “then and now.” It was a great presentation. (It was a smart marketing move too, as everyone stepped up to fondle and drool over these gems, trying to imagine what the “keeper of the purse” would say when they found out there was a significant drawdown of funds.)
I had intended on taking him out for “two fingers” but he held court for so long after the meeting, I wimped out and went home ….probably a good thing or I might of had a rod tube in the back seat and Seamus might have had to start eating dog food.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Even a blind squirrel …..
It was like waking after a long sleep … not sure where you are, where you’ve been but somehow in familiar surroundings. When I crashed through the brush after circling a mucky section of low-land high up on the headwaters of the Jordan, I came to not only a clearing, but the river. I was sure I had been here before but didn’t remember when or how I got here. I’m sure I would have remembered and returned many times.
There was meadow 30 yards deep on one side and bushes of various type hanging over the river on the other. Vegetation was growing on the bottom on the south side and gravel runs were on the north. A channel meandered crisscross between the banks. In 40 yard intervals, there were sweepers and submerged logs creating eddies and cascading falls to a lower level, forming three foot pools. It was almost like a brochure created to get you to sign up for a week’s stay at a lodge, only there was no lodge.
There were no hatches I could see, but several trout splashed above and below me. The only decision to make was whether to fish upstream with a dry or down with a wet. My natural tendency won out and a wet BWO was tied on to the 5 wt. 7’6’’ bamboo.
It was eerie; this place wasn’t exactly in a desolate place … isolated but desolate. I had parked the car at an overgrown pull-off and just began walking to where the river must be. There was thick underbrush that had to be gone through or around and eventually my wadding boots got stuck in muck and an alternate route had to be sought. At that point I was just busting brush to get to a clearing. And to my surprise, the river appeared.
The Jordan isn’t as manicured as the Au Sable, Boardman or Manistee. By that I mean, it doesn’t get the respect these other rivers do. The Jordan isn’t on the top of the DNR’s list of “things to do,” especially the upper stretch. But it is beautiful and occasionally will surprise and reward the dedicated piscator.
This place was too perfect. I couldn’t believe no one had found this section. After flailing for several hours, I made my way upstream to where two small creeks entered and discovered they weren’t creeks at all, just cuts in the river formed by small islands. Beyond the second island, a bare spot along the bank appeared. It was overgrown but had once been a two-track. I followed the overgrown trail and came to a deep depression that was man-made. It had been dug to close off the two-track to motorized vehicles and been forgotten. From the dirt road it was almost invisible because of the encroachment of the surrounding forest.
Without a GPS I needed to remember this old path. When I returned to the car, quickly getting out of my waders, I drove to the trail and set the trip indicator to zero and wrote down the mileage to where I entered the valley.
Now, where did I put that damn paper?
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Size matters.
It was a hopeful sign walking through two hundred yards of field to get to the access point of the Manistee between Cameron Bridge and Mancelona Road among swarms of grasshoppers. (They reminded me of Brook Benton’s “Boll Weevil” song.)
I had hopper patterns in different sizes and tied on a Joe’s Hopper size 8. Carefully I worked my way upstream, casting almost on to the grassy edges of the bank and jerking it back …almost skittering it. Nothing. Around the bend and upstream, working both sides of the bank, the hopper hit the water, danced and drifted. Again nothing.
Several fish rose to something I couldn’t distinguish and disappeared with the rings they left on the surface. It was going to require a change of tactics.
Midges were tried, changed and replaced with other hopper patterns. This time a Letort pattern, again size 8 as I discovered the eights were the smallest size in my box. Nothing. Dave’s Hopper was last and, as with the others, no interest.
Finally, out of desperation and the need not to be skunked on one of my favorite stretches of the Manistee, I changed to a Hare’s Ear nymph and landed a couple of small brookies. My ego was satisfied.
The hoppers flushed in front of me in huge swarms on the way back to the car and I decided to take a closer look. Actually, all I had to do was cuff my hand and swat it in front of my face to end up with a couple in my hand. They were on the small side, maybe a size 10 and dull in color, a dead grass hue.
The ride back to the cabin, had me thinking about the patterns I was using that had little in common with the actual hoppers I walked through. A decision was made to develop a pattern that matched what I had seen.
Stay tuned.
TD
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Just think about it!
So here we were sitting on the deck and all of a sudden out of the blue, I said we ought to have Seamus mated for the pick of the litter. Well you could hear a pin drop. I’m still waiting for a response.
Hopeful, TD.
Category Archives: Two Cents Worth
Dubbing!
Seamus insists on being taken for a morning run. This morning three rabbits scattered in different directions as we stepped off of the back porch. Seamus didn’t know which one to go after, so he ignored them and we went on.
The wheels did start turning though, I was reminded I needed a little more dubbing in different hues. Hmmm!