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

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/

"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.

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

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)

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.

Please consider this an open invitation, JR, to join us any time!

Bill