TR Northern Michigan

Three streams, three days, three weight fly rod.

I first fished the Jordan River last year when Wayne Knight
took me there while I was fishing the Au Sable. He said,
"you like brookies, you'll love this place." True and true.
Wayne took me to a spot way upstream where the wading was
extremely difficult, I decided to fish further downstream.
On the first day of a trip I'm just happy to be there, happy
to be standing in a stream and happy to be flailing about
with a fly rod. I caught a few aggressive little brookies
on a parachute Adams and I was happy.

I got a late start on Day Two. When I start to mellow into
a fishing trip I slow down. I don't feel the urgent need to
be on the water at dawn and fish all day. I meandered over
to the South Branch of the Boardman River. The "roads" in
rural Northern Michigan are not well marked and the ones
which appear to be the most well traveled are likely to lead
you to an oil well or a natural gas pipeline. And you can't
really get a clue from the terrain either. When they plant
the pine trees in straight rows like a crop all the terrain
clues disappear. I really need to learn how to use that GPS
thingie I bought. Anyway, I finally found the water and it
was a truly gorgeous piece of ice-cold brookie water. I saw
a few hoppers about and tried them but the picky little
brookies weren't interested. I finally had some success with
tiny little 18 trudes.

On the way back to the motel I decided to look at the main
branch of the Boardman just below where the north and south
branches come together. It's beautiful looking water so I
rigged up my nine foot four weight and waded into position.
As I prepared to make my first cast I heard from upstream,
"GODDAMMIT, SAVE THE BEER !" Yeah, OK. A few minutes later
seven gentleman manning eight inner tubes, the eighth had
the cooler, floated by. So much for the four weight and so
much for the main branch of the Boardman.

By the third day of a fishing trip I've gotten over the
"just glad to be here" phase. I'm a predator, a fish hunter,
a (almost) fearless wader and pursuer of piscine prey. I
fished the U.... M....... River between M........ Road and
C....... ...... Road. No fish there, nope, no fish at all
don't even go there. And I saw a bunch of canoeists too.

A fine relaxing trip and a great workout for my favorite
little three weight.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...

I first fished the Jordan River last year when Wayne Knight
took me there while I was fishing the Au Sable. . . .
I meandered over
to the South Branch of the Boardman River. The "roads" in
rural Northern Michigan are not well marked and the . . .
brookies weren't interested. I finally had some success with
tiny little 18 trudes.

On the way back to the motel I decided to look at the main
branch of the Boardman just below where the north and south
branches come together. It's beautiful looking water so I

Beautiful indeed . . . But I have not seen the Jordan or Boardman
for decades -- so if you know them over time it would be extra
interesting to hear whether they changed or remain the same
as in 1975 or 1985.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Don Phillipson wrote:
"Ken Fortenberry" wrote:
I first fished the Jordan River last year when Wayne Knight
took me there while I was fishing the Au Sable. . . .
...
On the way back to the motel I decided to look at the main
branch of the Boardman just below where the north and south
branches come together. It's beautiful looking water so I

Beautiful indeed . . . But I have not seen the Jordan or Boardman
for decades -- so if you know them over time it would be extra
interesting to hear whether they changed or remain the same
as in 1975 or 1985.

I don't know the area at all. I saw the Jordan for the first time
last year and the Boardman for the first time two days ago.

I don't imagine the Jordan has changed much, it's been protected
by Michigan's Natural Rivers Program for 40 years. In fact all
three of the streams I fished, the Jordan, Boardman and Upper
Manistee are now part of that program.

One change you might find interesting is the State Campground
called The Forks where the North and South Fork of the Boardman
join is now closed due to state financial troubles. But at least
it's still public land.

--
Ken Fortenberry

On Aug 28, 6:47*pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Three streams, three days, three weight fly rod.

I first fished the Jordan River last year when Wayne Knight
took me there while I was fishing the Au Sable. He said,
"you like brookies, you'll love this place." True and true.
Wayne took me to a spot way upstream where the wading was
extremely difficult, I decided to fish further downstream.
On the first day of a trip I'm just happy to be there, happy
to be standing in a stream and happy to be flailing about
with a fly rod. I caught a few aggressive little brookies
on a parachute Adams and I was happy.

I got a late start on Day Two. When I start to mellow into
a fishing trip I slow down. I don't feel the urgent need to
be on the water at dawn and fish all day. I meandered over
to the South Branch of the Boardman River. The "roads" in
rural Northern Michigan are not well marked and the ones
which appear to be the most well traveled are likely to lead
you to an oil well or a natural gas pipeline. And you can't
really get a clue from the terrain either. When they plant
the pine trees in straight rows like a crop all the terrain
clues disappear. I really need to learn how to use that GPS
thingie I bought. Anyway, I finally found the water and it
was a truly gorgeous piece of ice-cold brookie water. I saw
a few hoppers about and tried them but the picky little
brookies weren't interested. I finally had some success with
tiny little 18 trudes.

On the way back to the motel I decided to look at the main
branch of the Boardman just below where the north and south
branches come together. It's beautiful looking water so I
rigged up my nine foot four weight and waded into position.
As I prepared to make my first cast I heard from upstream,
"GODDAMMIT, SAVE THE BEER !" Yeah, OK. A few minutes later
seven gentleman manning eight inner tubes, the eighth had
the cooler, floated by. So much for the four weight and so
much for the main branch of the Boardman.

By the third day of a fishing trip I've gotten over the
"just glad to be here" phase. I'm a predator, a fish hunter,
a (almost) fearless wader and pursuer of piscine prey. I
fished the U.... M....... River between M........ Road and
C....... ...... Road. No fish there, nope, no fish at all
don't even go there. And I saw a bunch of canoeists too.

A fine relaxing trip and a great workout for my favorite
little three weight.

--
Ken Fortenberry

Thanx for an actual TR. Does the Boardman River figure in any of
Hemingway's writings?

I love that loose feeling of on-the-road fishing. Almost enuf to get
up a Jones to mate an F-250 ww/ my orphan camper. Works a recurring
dream of working down the Winter coastal rivers, actually knowing what
the hell I am doing with a steelhead rig.
Dave

DaveS wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Three streams, three days, three weight fly rod.

Thanx for an actual TR. Does the Boardman River figure in any of
Hemingway's writings? ...

I don't know if the Boardman is mentioned in any of his works.
He certainly fished the Boardman near what is Scheck's Place
today. Hemingway was fisherman enough to be "misleading" (OK,
he lied ;-) about stream names. For example "The Big Two-Hearted
River" is a "literary device" meaning Fox River. ;-)

--
Ken Fortenberry