# South Branch--funny story



## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

I fished the south branch just around Dog Town Sat/Sun this weekend. Saw one big fish, and had him take my fly but my attention was diverted when a racoon came within 8 feet of me and started working the bank for a meal so I missed the fish. Anyway I fished til 1AM and no hex's.

What made me finally leave was I got creeped out. Now you think somebody would have told me about those big spiders that float the river after dark... but I never heard about them? Anybody want to coin in on that? I was waiting for the hatch and watching the bugs drift down when something caught my attention. Aha! I thought... finally a big bug floating. On closer inspection it was a poor spider the size of my hand that got blown into the water--I thought. Too bad for him. He bounced above an eddy that had a trout feeding all day, but for some reason the trout ignored that spider? I wonder why? Then all of a sudden that big spider goes 200MPH across the water to the edge and hangs out. So now I think, that looked pretty deliberate so apparently he is not so helpless. In fact at this point I realize that he is quite able to walk on the water... and probably fish for small minnow or frogs, etc. 

Then it dawns on me, if there is 1 spider... there are probably more. So I swing my headlamp up stream... and low and behold. BIG ******* SPIDERS EVERYWHERE. So I dodge them as they come streaking by and fish another 1/2 hour constantly paranoid that I missed one... 

you would think somebody would have said something.


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## steve ypsi (Nov 24, 2002)

Now would you please tell the whole story about screaming like a woman and polluting the water as you ran


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

Well Steve honestly I am not really all that afraid of the critters, but the way they bolted off the water was unlike any spider I have ever seen. It kinda gave me the creeps. That along with the fact that I parked a long ways away from the closest parking spot and hiked in so I wouldn't see any other fisherman. And 2 guys come wading by and mumble if it was ok if they climbed the bank in back of me. I said no problem, but why in the heck would you want to??? There is nothing remotely close to me? Then they sit and watch me cast for a while... 

THEN! After reading that several people have been seeing bears on the river only 2 miles away... and I hear what sounds like cubs, but turns out to be deer doing a contact grunt that they only do this time of year. 

Oh that along with a racoon, a possum, a weasal, a porkupine, 2 deer, and a 50 spiders the size of my hand... it was a weird evening.


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

My Girlfriend and I were floating the main branch on Friday in our new float boats, when she made the comment that she saw a spider that was the size of her hand! She said it was the biggest spider she had ever seen. Weird stuff. I had no idea that we had large spiders like that. Anyone have any ideas of what kind of spider? 

Banditto, I hear you. We fished the south brach on Thursday and I kept looking behind me at every crack of a twig. Before I knew it there was a deer that was about 10 feet away from me. It got my heart pumping until I saw what it was. Gotta lave the South Branch. :tdo12:


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## steve ypsi (Nov 24, 2002)

Banditto
Your night sounds like sections from the movie Deliverance and that cult movie about people going into the woods of which I can't think of the name. I am not afraid of Spiders as long as I can see them, I would rather have a snake swimming in the water near me
I was trout Fishing here in Ypsi and was making way along a deep section and there was grass over hanging the bank that was long and thick, I slipped and was falling and I grabbed on the nearest thing which was that grass to keep from going under, well a huge spider fell out of that grass right in front of my face which was about water level, I am not ashamed to say I screamed and tore that bank up getting out of the water, luckily my rod which I dropped in my haste to put distance between that spider and me landed with the tip sticking out of the water against the bank.
that was 35 years ago


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## HexManiac (May 3, 2004)

I put in at Parmalee on Friday and seen one of those spiders on a log. I didn't know that there were spiders that big in Michigan. It was jet black and looked like a freakin' octopus. I don't think I would have wanted to be wading where you were. Unless, of course, there were big fish taking big flies on the surface.:tdo12:


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

Ya but like I said, I watched the spider float over at least 6 fish with no takers. I think the fish are keen on those spiders. I would bet money those spiders are fishing for small trout in the 4" range. 

I found a possible match but for states south of MI. It may be called a Spotted Fishing Spider, or something close. The abdomen looks smaller in the pictures I found, but the description matches the spider. 

I have seen spiders as big using my climber above 30 feet. There are big spiders living in the canopy of MI forests, it is just so uncommon to ever be up that high so not many people see them.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Banditto; You call that a "funny story"? Not trying to be rude or mean but that's just sick! :coco: I hate spiders! I detest spiders! I dont like spiders! They are the creapest things in the world! You've by now figured out that I'm not fond of spiders?  And now I'm being told about these "Monster" spiders! :yikes: 

Banditto; You won't have to worry about me messing up any of your fishing on the river! In fact I think I'll just stick to ice fishing. I know spiders dont like the cold and snow! :16suspect 

Anyone know the name or have any pictures of these "Monster" spiders Banditto speaks off? Whats the daily limit on them and since they're on the water do you have to be shooting steel? :mischeif:


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

That's the south branch of the Amazon right? :yikes: 

I'm a puss when it comes to spiders too, never seen one that big in Michigan.....


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

I would say in all honesty they averaged 3.5" to 4" wide with a 1/2" abdomen. But the largest peaked around 4.5" to 5", and that is the one that nearly ran into me in the river. I was literally dancing from side to side for about 10 minutes. 

I believe they are a form of fishing spider being they had pearlecent bubbles covering their bodies keeping them afloat. They also could move on the surfice with ease.


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## mickdrosco (Feb 20, 2002)

Banditto,
We locals plant those spiders in the area to help make sure there is enough room to fish during the Hex...


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Currently looking for some of these to introduce in the flies section of the PM, I hope the water snakes dont eat them. With the 7th year coming up the wolf men may also help thin things out.


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## kienbaumer (Jan 29, 2001)

Speaking of critters. This guy likes one of my spots as much as I do. I've had a couple encounters with him at this spot of the south branch. There are alot of bears up there thats for sure. Just about every week i hear of somebody else spotting one.








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## mickdrosco (Feb 20, 2002)

Kienbaumer...
I didn't plant him, he's a native


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## beer and nuts (Jan 2, 2001)

No doubt you were seeing the Fishing Spider! Things go about 4 inches and hunt minnows, small frogs aand anything else around a lake or river. They can actually dive under the water!!! Total harmless except when they get on someone and than they actually can wrap there legs around your throat and pull you under water, where they send out a spider signal and hundreds of their friends will come running(on the water of course) and suck and bite the life out of you. This happens only during the time of the hex hatch on the South Branch and parts of the mainstream(between McMaster and Parmalee) and the attacks have only been known to happen from fisherman that live south of Houghton Lake. Locals for some reason are immune to the attacks! Good Luck out there this weekend!  

ps. Attacks have happend during the Brown Drake hatch as well!

pss. Banditto, no doubt you were witnessing an attack, lucky it wasn't you but another fisherman that might have been around the corner. Wheww!!!


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## Banditto (Jun 9, 2000)

Well now I understand your name fully.


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## mickdrosco (Feb 20, 2002)

Banditto,
Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions about Beer and Nuts... He probably does fit well with both halves of his name, but take another look at the picture of the bear... It's not humans they fear.. it is the fishing spider


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## beer and nuts (Jan 2, 2001)

Just so ya know Banditto, the Fishing Spider is true, take a google search for fishing spider pics, quite common in Michigan, I'm sure its the spiders you saw. 

And thanks for the compliment mickdrosco!--fishing has been slow down at the cabin area, even though the boy caught a nice 8.5 inch brookie right in front last weekend, his claim-first fish caught during the daylight. His rod and a spinner, we cleaned it and he ate it. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!!!!


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## mickdrosco (Feb 20, 2002)

Click on the following link for a picture of these impressive looking spiders. I would have posted here, but the photo is copyrighted, so to respect that, I am providing the link:

fishing spider picture


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## Rising Trout Flies (May 20, 2004)

I saw one of those huge spiders on the Pigeon River this weekend. I took a picture... It was *BIG!*


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