Walks with a Fly Rod

I was looking forward to this trip for a while.  Mention LOG CABIN and  you get my interest.  Add HISTORIC and  with good fly fishing , in front and I'm in like flies on ...well you know.   I have to say... this did not disappoint.  In fact, I'm putting my hand up RIGHT NOW for a repeat next year. (and every year) SIGN ME UP!!   I knew this was going to be good...

First stop, Gates AuSable Lodge for some flies, tippet and what ever else I felt I  had to have.  I was also in for the latest scoop on the river conditions both for fishing and the legal battles.   The AuSable "Holy Waters"...

... just down  a few steps from our cabin, great women who love to fly fish, the smell of cedar and pine on the wind ... Yes, it was going to be good, BUT I didn't know it would be THIS good.  Wa Wa Sum was magic from the very second I walked through the creaky old screen door.  

When I walked in, there was some "Fishin' Music" playing , the smell of a wood fire burning in the fire place and an inviting sofa .

I sat there for a few minutes, quietly soaking in what I was feeling.  I couldn't stop smiling.  This was my version of heaven and I was still breathing!  

When you walk out on the porch you see and hear the AuSable River below.  The rocking chairs are all hand made bent willow and cherry.   There were a couple of beds on the porch , too.  If it was a little warmer I would have stayed there.  As it was, it was  freezing at night with heavy frost in the morning, high bright skies, stiff winds and low 50s during the day.  Just to add to the off fishing, the clouds came in with some cold drizzly rain and snow was in the evening forecast.   No fish showing on the surface this trip.  This spring has been unusually cold.  OR I should say it was like spring used to be when I was a kid... back in the 50's and 60s.    It didn't help the fishing any, but who cares.  This was heaven  and I found it in Michigan , and  nothing mattered but the moment. 

This was another Flygirls of Michigan adventure.  Kris was nice enough to invite me down to her place a day earlier.  This was great because it saved me from having to get on the road at an ungodly hour to get to the cabin in time, which made the day much more enjoyable and relaxing. The border always throws surprises and as it was ,it took me two hours longer to get to Grayling because of border delays.   Kris and Tina have a nice place in the  bush  not far from Kneff Lake.  There are dozens of bird feeders, squirrel feeders (they get the cute little red ones) and a deer feeder.  Kris and I sat at the table looking out the window over good conversation.  There were Rose Breasted Grosbeaks ....dozens of them. 

I rarely see them in my neck of Ontario.  There were wild turkeys, nut hatches and other birds more common to me.   The deer started showing up at dusk.  The first one , a yearling button buck, limped in  alone.  It had been left behind by its usual group.  It looked like it may have had a run in with a car.  I heard a lot of coyotes later that night and I really wondered if the button buck would show up again the next day, or were the coyotes lucky.   After it left , others came in to feed...and there were some interesting challenges for dominance  between a doe,  heavy with a fawn and a younger female around the feeder. "THANKS KRIS" for letting me share this! 

The other women started arriving to the cabin not long after I did.  I had time to explore , meet the new faces and get re acquainted with the familiar before  starting in on our activities.   We were going out to learn access points on the famous branches of the AuSable .    I did the North Branch which was great because that was the one I had never spent time on before.

This is a group of eager anglers getting ready to take off on a float down the North Branch from Dam 4.   These are Au Sable River Boats.  I later found out, from Judy, at Fullers North Branch Outing Club,   that this group of anglers was from London, Ontario.  Fancy that...and I didn't know them???

Meal times were in the Dinning Room  

Jewels of the river, After a day of checking out the river and doing some fishing, it was time to unwind and sit by the fire.

In the evening we had guest tiers come and share there knowledge and skills.   Jerry Regan  is known as the keeper of the Au Sable River patterns.  He shared is knowledge of the traditional Michigan fly patterns and their history. Here is an article about Jerry. 

http://michigansstreamsidejournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19  

Followed the next night by Dennis Potter who talked about more current patterns  and the benefits of synthetics like Z-Lon and foam.    He's a very funny guy.  Almost as funny as **Ian James.  Sorry Dennis,  I didn't get a live action photo of  him.  I felt like a little kid back in school again and was too afraid to take the shot and get scolded!!  LOL.  So I'll steal one from the Internet:

Press Photo/Cory Olsen
Here is an excellent and interesting piece on Dennis : http://www.mlive.com/grpress/slideshows/20080425-fly-tier/  I'm Looking forward to seeing you again on the Wakely Lake  / Hex Weekend in a few weeks.

We also had a special treat:

Charlie Weaver is an Au Sable River Boat guide who also has another talent. He provided a couple of hours of soothing entertainment with a number of songs.  You can find his CD here: http://www.chartingnature.com/books.cfm?book=B6881

Hey Charlie!!  I think I caught you last summer on my camera.  Check out this link and scroll down!  http://flyfishingforums.hipwader.com/viewtopic.php?id=2704

Here are just a few more photos from a fantastic Flygirls adventure. I just wanted to say a special "THANK YOU" to camera shy Colleen  Jenkins for all her efforts in putting this all together.  I sure hope I see this one come again next year.  I'm serious...Put me on the list! 

Camp Wa Wa Sum

Camp Wa Wa Sum is a Michigan State University conference center and a research facility used by the departments of Fisheries and Wildlife and Forestry. It is located on the AuSable River, 6 miles east of Grayling. The name Wa Wa Sum means "plain view" in the Chippewa language and was given to the camp in 1905 by Chief David Shoppenagon, an AuSable River guide and outdoorsman. The first building was constructed of red pine and tamarack logs in 1897-98 by Rubin Babbit, an AuSable woodsman who later became Michigan's first wildlife officer.

The camp is used for Fisheries  and forestry research .  Non profit groups can use the site for educational purposes. 

The river below the cabin.  This is the Main Branch "Holy Waters" above the Whirlpool.  

A frosty morning on the porch overlooking the river.

  Telling stories under a watchful eye. 

Back seat knitter!! BUSTED!!

All that outside air, at the end of a day, one tends to fade by the warm fire. 

Bed sure looks good!  

(click photos to see full size) 
Thanks  Again, Flygirls of Michigan, Kris Nichols, Jerry Regan , Dennis Potter, Charlie  Weaver and Colleen  Jenkins for making this a trip to remember forever.   

Spring has sprung.  The grass has riz and the trout season is now officially open.   I've been lax with my additions to this blog but what else is new.  I was busy building a web site for our local fly fishing club over the past couple of months. 

  I can tell you that I've spent way too much time sitting on my heinie  over the winter.  It's not going unnoticed either, as everything hurts big time, after a weekend of fishing. 

The outing was with the Flygirls of Michigan.  

I joined up with them last this past winter.   This is a great club.  I highly recommend it.  Click the logo for the link.    I used to think, "Why would anyone need a women's fly fishing club".  After all, the only difference between men and women fly anglers was how they answered natures call in the woods.  Right?  It took me a couple of years but I finally figured out why "I" needed a women's fly fishing club.  If you want company on the river and to go on extended fishing trips, this answers that need.  Lets face it...the guys won't be too eager to ask some aging married female  along on a trip.  Women are few and far between at the moment in this sport.  Over time I'm sure this will change but too late for many of us.   Its  also a safe and welcome environment for those women who feel intimidated by walking into a club that is wall to wall men.   That was my experience but I'm not easily intimidated.  Besides...the men  often  fall over you to help get you started and the best part of that is that they tell you things they wouldn't tell their best buddies, like favourite fishing holes and the secret fry pattern.   

  So if you're looking to go fishing with other women this sort of thing is ideal and they offer great opportunities  at really affordable prices for every skill level.   It's too bad this group isn't in every state and province but that's not saying it won't be possible to start up something where you live.  I'm sure you can find help from this group to get yours up and running.

So on with the trip!   We were up in Wellston , Michigan this weekend, floating down the Manistee River, fishing for trout and steelhead.    I wanted to take the opportunity to work on my streamer fishing and see if I could bring up a big brown trout.   I also learned how to "chuck and duck" with a running line and pencil lead.  It's not  what I though of as fly fishing but it does come in handy in the type of water we were floating.    The water is deep, the bottom uneven and the flow is  fast!  Chucking lead and lots of it, is the only way to get your fly to the bottom here.     I'll be getting some running line for the fall!  LOL   

So your wondering how the fishing went.  I raised a lot of browns...several  large browns, too....and I hooked one beauty....but in the end I couldn't keep him out of the logs!  D'uh!!      It doesn't matter.  It's just one less photo, but the thrill of seeing him hit that fly, feel that BIG tug and  seeing him come jumping out of the water was enough for me.  He sure was pretty!!   My intent was to learn all I could about fishing streamers for trophy trout.  I did just that and what fun it was, too. My thanks goes to our wonderful guide, Chris Martin  out of Schmidt Outfitters.   I love those BIG Galloup flies for sure!!   I tied up a bunch of them over the winter and now they are going to get the fished out of them over the rest of the season.    There is something about streamer fishing that is just as addictive as dry fly fishing, only more exiting. 

I also had the privilege of having Ray Schmidt assist me with my fly casting.  I'll take all the pointers I can get from this man.   He is one of the very best and could tell me what others instructors could not, in a kind and constructive manner.   I now know not only what needs fixing but he gave me what I needed to know so I could figure out how to fix it.   I'll be working on it for sure, over the next several weeks.

Ray teaching some of the girls.

This link is a video of Ray teaching how to tie the STS Bugger !

This is my drift boat partner, Kelly,  bringing in a spring steelhead with our guide, Chris at the net.

Some of the Fly Girls working hard for a trout.

After dinner discussion  during an informal gathering of the Flygirls at Schmidt's Conference Centre.

The facilities are truly awesome.  There's the fully equipped fly shop,

great advise, top notch guides, a casting pond, and sparkling clean lodgings to suite every need.

Most of the group stayed in these units.  There are three different buildings within this well wooded area, containing several units.   Your only minutes from great fishing too. 

Some of us stayed down the road at  Schmidt's Pine Creek lodge...

(Click photo for larger view)

It was a great place to end each day.

I hope to get back up this way again soon.   Next stop!!!  Wa Wa Sum.  See you on the Au Sable!!

If you haven't seen this movie, I dare you to not run out and get it after seeing this.   This scene has to be one of the best moments in movies or in books.  I get shivers and tears every time I hear it.  Enjoy! 

With an upcoming drift boat trip with the Flygirls of Michigan, I found this video appropriate to share.   Enjoy! 

"Dear Lord: Thank you for bringing  me to Timmy's house and not to Michael Vick's --  AMEN!"