# Father-Son Fox River Trip



## FredBearYooper (Oct 5, 2009)

Starting to plan our annual trout camp, looking to camp somewhere right on the river and wade. Anyone give me some suggestions? This is going to be the last weekend in April.

Pic from last year's trout camp in N. Georgia.









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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

FredBearYooper said:


> Starting to plan our annual trout camp, looking to camp somewhere right on the river and wade. Anyone give me some suggestions? *This is going to be the last weekend in April*.


The obvious place would be Seney Township Campground if you want electricity etc. and be near a store or bar or a hotel when the river floods its banks that weekend and sweeps your tent away... or drive up 450 a few miles and there is also the more rustic Fox River State Forest Campground. Plenty of nearby two ruts to drive down and explore.

You can contact Northland Outfitters to rent a canoe to do an over-nite float, fish, camp in the Wildlife Refuge. (Rumored to be great fishing.) http://www.northoutfitters.com/index.php?page=UP_River_Trips

Now comes the caveats. The last weekend of April will most likely be too early for good to great fishing. Also, trying to float an extended stretch of the Fox is gnarly and will involve a lot of portages. You have been warned.







You might instead plan it for later in the year, like September.


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## Superior Outfitter (Feb 19, 2018)

I would come up later if you are going strictly for trout. It seems like most years the trout opener is pretty cold and a lot of people are targeting steelhead instead.Mid May when the hatches get going along with the skeeters is when things pick up for stream trout.If you scroll through our old fishing reports you can get an idea of whats going on in the Central U.P.
https://www.superioroutfitter.com/local-fishing-reports


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## neazor91 (Aug 4, 2008)

I also would wait later to come up. Opening day, the Fox is generally high, dark, and fast. In high water, the Fox can be a little dangerous to wade. 

Mike


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## zzcop302 (Jun 29, 2013)

PunyTrout said:


> The obvious place would be Seney Township Campground if you want electricity etc. and be near a store or bar or a hotel when the river floods its banks that weekend and sweeps your tent away... or drive up 450 a few miles and there is also the more rustic Fox River State Forest Campground. Plenty of nearby two ruts to drive down and explore.
> 
> You can contact Northland Outfitters to rent a canoe to do an over-nite float, fish, camp in the Wildlife Refuge. (Rumored to be great fishing.) http://www.northoutfitters.com/index.php?page=UP_River_Trips
> 
> ...


Thanks Puny,
I’ve heard about the rustic state campground and have wanted to check it out since moving up here.
Hopefully this will be the year.


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

FredBearYooper said:


> Starting to plan our annual trout camp, looking to camp somewhere right on the river and wade. Anyone give me some suggestions? This is going to be the last weekend in April.
> 
> Pic from last year's trout camp in N. Georgia.
> 
> ...


I know many have said it, but I'll be blunt. As a guy that spent several years in a row trying to conquer the Fox (main and East) don't go the last weekend in April. I repeat, do not go. Been there done that, when I was younger, and for some reason (a stupid one that I am still trying to find) I thought it would be fine to go up there for the opener. Heck, I've fished the opener all over the LP all my life, how different could it have been? Answer - VERY different. I'd wait a month, or go late August/early September. The fishing will not be quite as good later, but it's beautiful up there that time of year and the bugs more often than not are either gone or very tolerable. Also, and I'm not trying to rain on your parade, just trying to help you avoid all the mistakes I made in my first attempt at the Fox system, wading is difficult at best. In the main branch I swear you could drop cars in there and never see them....:tdo12: Some holes just look downright intimidating... It can be done, but you gotta like doing the whole "tippy toes leaning forward half floating" gig, or be really tall. Floats are better, you will have to portage. You could also motor up the east branch, which is quite a grand adventure. Just make sure you take a pocket full of shear pins. I'm curious to know your thoughts on all this. And, I'd be glad to share more if you want. It is a really cool system, and has some really nice fish. But, it is not for everyone IMO.


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## FredBearYooper (Oct 5, 2009)

zig said:


> I know many have said it, but I'll be blunt. As a guy that spent several years in a row trying to conquer the Fox (main and East) don't go the last weekend in April. I repeat, do not go. Been there done that, when I was younger, and for some reason (a stupid one that I am still trying to find) I thought it would be fine to go up there for the opener. Heck, I've fished the opener all over the LP all my life, how different could it have been? Answer - VERY different. I'd wait a month, or go late August/early September. The fishing will not be quite as good later, but it's beautiful up there that time of year and the bugs more often than not are either gone or very tolerable. Also, and I'm not trying to rain on your parade, just trying to help you avoid all the mistakes I made in my first attempt at the Fox system, wading is difficult at best. In the main branch I swear you could drop cars in there and never see them....:tdo12: Some holes just look downright intimidating... It can be done, but you gotta like doing the whole "tippy toes leaning forward half floating" gig, or be really tall. Floats are better, you will have to portage. You could also motor up the east branch, which is quite a grand adventure. Just make sure you take a pocket full of shear pins. I'm curious to know your thoughts on all this. And, I'd be glad to share more if you want. It is a really cool system, and has some really nice fish. But, it is not for everyone IMO.


I appreciate the insight, all the men in my family cut their teeth on the fox, due to my past job, I was unable to do the same, just moved back here and have yet to get used to the timeframe for weather here compared to Georgia lol

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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

FredBearYooper said:


> I appreciate the insight, all the men in my family cut their teeth on the fox, due to my past job, I was unable to do the same, just moved back here and have yet to get used to the timeframe for weather here compared to Georgia lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


Cool. Well, I'd be interested to hear what you plan to do, and how things went after you get back. 

The first time I went up there was a real experience. Got to camp just before dark on a Friday evening. We camped at the East Branch site off 77 I believe, which is a super cool site. When we got there Friday evening, it was clear and in the mid to upper 50's. When I woke up that next morning, there was 3-4 inches of snow on the ground.... Not good when you prepped for a spring trout adventure...  Firewood became a necessity vs. something to enjoy. And, the bundles at the store in town (going for 3 bundles for $9, or 4 bundles for $12 according to clerk.... ) didn't cut it...... That weather lasted for 3-4 days, and the fish were totally inactive... When the CO stopped by to check the site, he looked at us like we were madmen. Nice guy, but he definitely got a kick out of our stupidity...


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## bark river (Jan 7, 2012)

Here is my experience from last years opener. I had always fished the opener around home but decided after having a cabin in Germfask for 10 years it was time to fish the opener in the U.P. the Fox being the obvious river to try. Well much like all of the previous posts it didn't go great, we knew we were in trouble when we headed up 450 and when we got to the Seney Campground it was partially flooded, water was high. We continued forward up 450 back on several 2 tracks and found what looked like could be amazing spots if the water were not as high, dark and fast. On a trip later in the year late August I tried it again and another on the last weekend in September to better success much easier to fish and wade but still several deeps holes. With that being said same group of us are going back up this year for the opener knowing what we know now the trip is just about getting up there and having a few cocktails around the campfire and relaxing, can't beat that. Oh and we will try for a few fish, best of luck report back on how it went for you.


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## Teggs (Mar 20, 2013)

try fishing on a great lakes tributary thats not obstructed by damns. Usually trout opener can be some of the best and most exciting days to chase lake run rainbows (steelhead). Trout opener allows acess to many tribs that were closed all winter. Every tributary gets them, There are a few nearby great lakes tribs that might be fun exploring and will produce fish for you. You wont have to deal with flooding or slow action.


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## FredBearYooper (Oct 5, 2009)

Teggs said:


> try fishing on a great lakes tributary thats not obstructed by damns. Usually trout opener can be some of the best and most exciting days to chase lake run rainbows (steelhead). Trout opener allows acess to many tribs that were closed all winter. Every tributary gets them, There are a few nearby great lakes tribs that might be fun exploring and will produce fish for you. You wont have to deal with flooding or slow action.


Admittedly I know absolutely nothing about catching steelhead. I wouldn't even know where to begin 

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