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TR: Michigan nano-clave
It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper
peninsula, and at least several (four? five?) since Wolfgang and I first spoke about sharing the waters of that finger of land sandwiched between Lakes Gitchee-Gumee and Michigan. It seemed like this was the year for a clave. Late last year there was the suggestion by Wayne Knight that we experience Voelker's pond. Further discussion added other participants- Jeff Miller, George Cleveland. Then Asadi. Would we even see Joel, the raffle-master himself? As the date approached, plans adjusted and participants were added and subtracted. My own goofy schedule became solid and I was able to commit to specific dates. It would be short, partial attendance for me, but what else is new for a family man? We were ON! With feverish anticipation, I spent the early part of last week pouring over the DeLorme Michigan gazetteer, combing the Web for further maps and information about various U.P. fishing locales, assembling packing lists. Also early in the week, a call from Wolfgang brought the cold slap of reality that distances being what they are, and schedules also being what they are, our planned rendezvous on the banks of the Fox River just wasn't going to happen. Disappointment all around. Options zipped through my addled brain- cancel altogether? commit to driving clear to Bruce Crossing? shorten the trip and go solo? I decided on the latter. I'd already made plans to stop on the Au Sable on my trip north, so the simplest thing to do was to just make that nano-clave central. It worked just fine. When he heard I was going solo, a buddy here in town was able to make some last minute adjustments to his schedule and join me. It was good to have company! In order to maximize fishing time, I booked into Gates' Lodge on the banks of the main branch of that famed water, where Mark and I arrived late afternoon on Thursday. We fished until 7 or so in the Stephan bridge area. The water was low and fishing was tough, but working downstream, I was able to get a couple of small brookies to take a wet Coachman. Friday we spent the whole day fishing the south branch through the Mason Tract. The weather was cool and a fine rain fell until 1 pm. Again, low water, not much in the way of rising fish, and but a few small brookies brought to hand. I didn't use my camera during the rain, and later in the day only got one fish picture, of this miniature jewel: http://hrothgar.cwru.edu/ausablebrookie.jpg In the evening we returned to the main branch and fished the Burton's Landing stretch- again, few rises and not much in the way of catching. Under gorgeous blue skies on Saturday morning we headed to the upper Manistee. Wayne had given me directions to a favorite hole, which I was unable to find. Each pull off down that road, Wayne, looked like someone's driveway. You'll have to lead me there when we fish that water together sometime. Based on Linsenman's suggestions, we headed further upstream and put in just south of Deward and fished until early afternoon on a gorgeous piece of water that, like the Au Sable, we had a hard time getting fish to rise. Beautiful country, active bird life, and the flask of bourbon made up for the lack of catching. We returned home Saturday night, as Mark had to be at work on Sunday. Not the trip I had dreamed of nor planned, but not a bad way to spend three days either! Cheers! Bill |
William Claspy typed:
It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper peninsula, and at least several (four? five?) since Wolfgang and I first spoke about sharing the waters of that finger of land sandwiched between Lakes Gitchee-Gumee and Michigan. It's too bad you boys couldn't play together, but I, too, am become a master at the broken plan (can you say "Penns 2003-2005"?.) It seems that you made the best of it. Thanks for the TR. -- TL, Tim ------------------------ http://css.sbcma.com/timj/ |
What about 2006 Tiiiiiimmmmmmmmmaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy
|
"William Claspy" wrote in message ... We fished until 7 or so in the Stephan bridge area. The water was low and fishing was tough, but working downstream, I was able to get a couple of small brookies to take a wet Coachman. Did you catch that 16" brown that lives in the deadfall across and slightly upstream from Rusty's deck? Under gorgeous blue skies on Saturday morning we headed to the upper Manistee. Wayne had given me directions to a favorite hole, which I was unable to find. Each pull off down that road, Wayne, looked like someone's driveway. You'll have to lead me there when we fish that water together sometime. Sorry you missed the spot, guess you're right, I'll just have to take you there myself in June. Not the trip I had dreamed of nor planned, but not a bad way to spend three days either! Yup, man I hate China cabinets. |
Mike wrote:
What about 2006 Tiiiiiimmmmmmmmmaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy If I said I was going, the trip would be jinxed for sure. Time will tell. . . -- TL, Tim --------------------------- http://css.sbcma.com/timj/ |
On Mon, 19 Sep 2005 11:25:45 -0400, William Claspy
wrote: It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper peninsula, and at least several (four? five?) since Wolfgang and I first spoke about sharing the waters of that finger of land sandwiched between Lakes Gitchee-Gumee and Michigan. It seemed like this was the year for a clave. Late last year there was the suggestion by Wayne Knight that we experience Voelker's pond. Further discussion added other participants- Jeff Miller, George Cleveland. Then Asadi. Would we even see Joel, the raffle-master himself? As the date approached, plans adjusted and participants were added and subtracted. My own goofy schedule became solid and I was able to commit to specific dates. It would be short, partial attendance for me, but what else is new for a family man? We were ON! With feverish anticipation, I spent the early part of last week pouring over the DeLorme Michigan gazetteer, combing the Web for further maps and information about various U.P. fishing locales, assembling packing lists. Also early in the week, a call from Wolfgang brought the cold slap of reality that distances being what they are, and schedules also being what they are, our planned rendezvous on the banks of the Fox River just wasn't going to happen. Disappointment all around. Options zipped through my addled brain- cancel altogether? commit to driving clear to Bruce Crossing? shorten the trip and go solo? I decided on the latter. I'd already made plans to stop on the Au Sable on my trip north, so the simplest thing to do was to just make that nano-clave central. It worked just fine. When he heard I was going solo, a buddy here in town was able to make some last minute adjustments to his schedule and join me. It was good to have company! In order to maximize fishing time, I booked into Gates' Lodge on the banks of the main branch of that famed water, where Mark and I arrived late afternoon on Thursday. We fished until 7 or so in the Stephan bridge area. The water was low and fishing was tough, but working downstream, I was able to get a couple of small brookies to take a wet Coachman. Friday we spent the whole day fishing the south branch through the Mason Tract. The weather was cool and a fine rain fell until 1 pm. Again, low water, not much in the way of rising fish, and but a few small brookies brought to hand. I didn't use my camera during the rain, and later in the day only got one fish picture, of this miniature jewel: http://hrothgar.cwru.edu/ausablebrookie.jpg In the evening we returned to the main branch and fished the Burton's Landing stretch- again, few rises and not much in the way of catching. Under gorgeous blue skies on Saturday morning we headed to the upper Manistee. Wayne had given me directions to a favorite hole, which I was unable to find. Each pull off down that road, Wayne, looked like someone's driveway. You'll have to lead me there when we fish that water together sometime. Based on Linsenman's suggestions, we headed further upstream and put in just south of Deward and fished until early afternoon on a gorgeous piece of water that, like the Au Sable, we had a hard time getting fish to rise. Beautiful country, active bird life, and the flask of bourbon made up for the lack of catching. We returned home Saturday night, as Mark had to be at work on Sunday. Not the trip I had dreamed of nor planned, but not a bad way to spend three days either! Cheers! Bill It doesn't sound as if the fish were jumping on flies anywhere in MI last week. Fine TR. g.c. |
William Claspy wrote:
It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper peninsula, ...... http://hrothgar.cwru.edu/ausablebrookie.jpg ...... Pretty little fish. These days, a lot of folks' "dream trips" seem to involve very faraway places: NZ, Patagonia, Mongolia, the Seychelles, etc., but the U.P. remains near the top of my list. Must be the influence of Traver (and maybe the Nick Adams stories.....). Thanks for the report. |
JR wrote:
William Claspy wrote: It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper peninsula, ...... http://hrothgar.cwru.edu/ausablebrookie.jpg ...... Pretty little fish. These days, a lot of folks' "dream trips" seem to involve very faraway places: NZ, Patagonia, Mongolia, the Seychelles, etc., but the U.P. remains near the top of my list. Must be the influence of Traver (and maybe the Nick Adams stories.....). Thanks for the report. it's a remarkable place...forget traver, forget nick... forget your internet impressions. figure when wolfgang is available, accept that he is actually knowledgeable, intelligent, courteous, and willing to share the true kindness of hisownself, and let him show you an incredible place. it may be among the last best places in the u.s., and wolf is certainly among the finest guides for such a trip. jeff |
"William Claspy" wrote in message ... On 9/21/05 6:24 PM, in article , "JR" wrote: William Claspy wrote: It's been several years since I've had the chance to fish Michigan's upper peninsula, ...... http://hrothgar.cwru.edu/ausablebrookie.jpg ...... Pretty little fish. These days, a lot of folks' "dream trips" seem to involve very faraway places: NZ, Patagonia, Mongolia, the Seychelles, etc., but the U.P. remains near the top of my list. Must be the influence of Traver (and maybe the Nick Adams stories.....). Thanks for the report. At one point in the planning, we specifically had Traver/Voelker and Nick Adams on the clave agenda- Voelker's pond and the Fox.... That this hoped for event failed to take place as planned is entirely my fault. Even in the early planning stages, meeting George at one end of the U.P. on Thursday and you near the other end on the following day caused me some vague uneasiness, but I shunted it aside in my eagerness, and for this I offer my sincere apology. I won't bore you again with our rationale for reneging. After three years of abortive efforts to get together in da Yoop, it's about time we made it happen. NEXT time we make a rock solid and ironclad plan with a "horrible, lingering death for deviation" clause! :) Wolfgang is there a notary in the house? |
On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 21:25:04 -0400, Jeff Miller
wrote: it's a remarkable place...forget traver, forget nick... forget your internet impressions. figure when wolfgang is available, accept that he is actually knowledgeable, intelligent, courteous, and willing to share the true kindness of hisownself, and let him show you an incredible place. it may be among the last best places in the u.s., and wolf is certainly among the finest guides for such a trip. A lot of it is like things used to be in MN and WI decades ago. Nice topography. A few farms. A lot of trees. Not terribly lush, as the seasons aren't long enough, but there are real forests. Only lush near the rivers and where nettles and alders can grow. Wolf must be fun to ride with. Trying to follow him in another car when you prefer to drive like a granny is difficult. But when he stops, it's at good places. With interesting or great scenery or good looking fishing spots. Cyli r.bc: vixen. Minnow goddess. Speaker to squirrels. Often taunted by trout. Almost entirely harmless. http://www.visi.com/~cyli email: lid (strip the .invalid to email) |
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