When my wife Ginny and I started building our home in 1976, one of the first things on the agenda was digging a farm pond, and using the resulting dirt to fill in around three sides of the house. I can remember the “pond” being nothing but a large, empty crater in the ground. The first water into it actually came from our new well, and the well-digger had recommended doing so to assure that all the pipes were clear of sediment and any metal fragments. I had a long hose going from the hydrant … Read More
I Am the One Percent
So far, I’ve had no success in the trout stream yet this year. My outings have been limited by a knee injury from which I’m gradually recovering with a little rest and TLC after an active weekend with two of our Yooper granddaughters. Oh, what fun and memories, despite some occasional lingering signs of aging. But enough about that. We’re talking about fishing here. Why the title of this article? On the day of my most recent outing, I was more cognizant of the weather as I carefully planned my trip to the stream, in … Read More
Mad Woman Across the Water
Have you ever fished in such uncomfortable circumstances that most in your life would consider you mad for exposing yourself to such extremes? Maybe it didn’t start out that way, but somewhere along the line, you crossed the line of rationality? That happened to us, more specifically me, with my husband as an almost hostile accomplice. We went camping on Muskallonge Lake in Michigan’s upper peninsula with high hopes of indulging in some of Michigan’s finest fishing… his idea. It was late June. We’d read about the famous Two Hearted River that Ernest Hemingway wrote … Read More
Murphy Lake’s 16 th Annual “Pike Pull” ice fishing contest
Located near Millington in southwestern Tuscola County, (manmade) 209-acre Murphy Lake has long offered some bountiful fishing opportunities. It was created during the 1850’s by lumbermen to be able to float logs down Goodings Creek to the Cass River near Vassar. Small creeks were vital during the lumber era to readily access the forest and more easily remove winter-harvested logs. Damming the creeks was a common practice to build up enough water depth to send a flotilla of large logs in a controlled downstream rush when the dam was opened in the spring. Goodings Creek … Read More
Backpack into the Ontario “bush” for Lake & Brooke Trout
Matt and I would become lifelong friends after the two of us made our way into the Ontario wilderness for several days of hiking, camping, and fishing. We shouldered our packs, aluminum canoe, and walked from the truck to the trailhead marker, which was nothing more than a small weathered wooden box & sign mounted on a post. If you didn’t know where to look you’d never see it. We signed in with the date we were going in and our expected date of return. I had been hearing about this adventure from Matt for … Read More
The Big Pay Off
I’m not talking about greenbacks here. I’m referring to the occasional benefits reaped from the fishing stream, despite myself. Those who venture into the stream often face challenges that provide many lessons in life. Certainly patience, preparation, and dealing with adversity are among these lessons. I have had an ongoing battle, so to speak, in a specific fishing hole within a particular small fishing stream. The operative word here is “small.” As such, the downed trees and branches create obstacles that while they make great habitat for the local fish, they make it nearly impossible … Read More
Live Streaming for Nature’s Screen Time
Enjoying the great outdoors far outweighs time spent watching TV. When choosing between the fishing tube or the boob tube, it’s no contest for those with an appreciation for all that nature has to offer. No concern over obscenity, whether audible or visual, other than the rare expletive that may be expressed by some frustrated fishermen. For the most part, it’s meditative and a place to express gratitude for our creator, as well as provide for your family, if you’re lucky. I’ve recently enjoyed a couple of what I would call productive outings in my … Read More
Nothing can beat fall fishing in Michigan
The origin of the name “Michigan” is derived from the Native American (Chippewa) word, meicigama, which means “great water”. Known as the Great Lakes state, Michigan offers wonderful fishing opportunities the year round, and for more fish species than anywhere else in this country. Although a lot of folks place a main focus on hunting, anglers in the know, realize that fall fishing can be very productive, as well as extremely entertaining. According to Jason Gostiaux, a MDNR Fisheries Biologist for the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit, the fall season offers Michigan anglers the advantage … Read More
Essential Gear For A Fly-In Fishing Trip
Well folks, the day has come and it is time to start going through my gear to prepare for another fly-in- fishing trip to one of my favorite lakes in the Canadian wilderness. It’s been almost 3 years since my last trip as I was filming football games the past two seasons and didn’t want to miss a single opportunity to watch my son play varsity football. Now that he has graduated, it’s time to slip away with my father in law to enjoy another week of peace and tranquility on a private lake in … Read More
Hook and line adventures during the Dog Days of summer
Most folks often assume the Dog Days get their name from the mid to late summer’s dry and hot weather which of course, can be hard on dogs. However, the name comes from the late summer timeframe in which the Dog Star, “Sirius”, named by ancient Romans, can be readily seen. The Dog Days timeframe is typically July 3 to August 11, but for me, it runs from the beginning of July all the way to mid-September, and it is when I truly enjoy fishing during a very relaxing and often sultry atmosphere. I’m primarily … Read More
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