# Smallmouth Fishing Michigan's Upper Penninsula



## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

I just got back from a couple of weeks fishing Michigan's Upper Penninsula.
I truely believe that God created this place for his personal pleasure and others found out about it. 

Fishing remote rivers for the hard fighting smallmouth was great. Many were caught in the 3-5# range using my world famous (to me anyway ) Bumble Bee Popper. 

I started fishing with a 5 wt. rod but soon realized that the 7 wt. worked much better throwing these big poppers, especially in the wind. 
Once you get back in the wilderness you are pretty much alone. I did get a visit by a black bear who crossed the river in front of me but was not fast enough with the camera. Other than that, I pretty much had the place to myself the whole trip.

Getting to the fishing spots was half the fun. 



























This was an safe and easy trip, even with the Emerger, the smallest boat in the Dry Fly Float Boat line up. I wonder who makes these fine boats anyway?:lol: 

Now it was time to stow the oars, put on the Force Fins and get down to some serious hands free fishing.










A few bronze beauties were caught and released but then I learned a new trick.

While floating and fishing I heard a splash followed by some flopping noise right where the water meets the river bank. I looked to only see a ripple in the water and assumed that it was a mink or some other small animal. 
This happened a few more times as I went down stream and I still could not see what was causing it. 
Then while I was in the middle of a cast, I heard the sound again and for the heck of it, I threw my popper up next to the bank there the noise came from and where the water was rippling.
One quick twitch of the rod and things exploded. I hooked into nice small mouth.









This one was about 5#.

At first I thought it was a fluke but soon realized that this noise was caused by large fish crusing right up next to the bank then jumped to shore to get frogs and they flopped back into the river. Now I knew where to look for the real hungry ones 










This is an adventrue that I make every year and each time is better than the year before.


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## alexsalmon (Feb 16, 2006)

Wow, I think I would be a bit scared to even think about going down those falls in ANY boat! Nice smallies, got any pic that you can share of that popper?
Thanks


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

I did not fish every day. It was relaxing to wake up and sit at camp with a hot cup of coffee in the morning. The view here was great also.










Read a good book while listening to the loons on the lake, tie a few flys, lunch, a little nap, then off to fish the lake in the evening. 

After a late supper, I would quietly sit and take it all in before saying good night to what God created for all of us to enjoy and appreciate.










We all need to remenber that:
We did not inherit this from our ancestors,
We have barrowed it from our grandchildren. 

Thread lightly my friends...


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

alexsalmon said:


> Wow, I think I would be a bit scared to even think about going down those falls in ANY boat! Nice smallies, got any pic that you can share of that popper?
> Thanks


These are quick and simple to make and most importantly catch fish.
I used to make these by spinning various colors of deer hair. Then once I found these dense foam heads, it became much easier. 



















Use wide gap hook
Tie in tail feathers and maribou.
Using a razor blade, trim face of yellow foam head flat and at a slight angle down towards the back.
Apply 5 min. epoxy on hook shaft and slide on head starting at hook eye.
Color with permanent Sharpie markers
Thread in rubber whiskers with large sewing needle.
Epoxy on eyes.


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

Great pictures.

Do you form the popper heads yourself, or get them preformed? They look great!


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Nice white water pictures!


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

Pork Chop said:


> Great pictures.
> 
> Do you form the popper heads yourself, or get them preformed? They look great!



These were purchased. They have a vertically flat front. I just used a razor blade to cut it on a slight angle down and towards the rear.
They are available in variuoe colors.


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## Pork Chop (Jan 21, 2003)

They sure look good enough to eat.


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Sweet! Thanks for the story. I don't usually think of the UP as bass country...then again most people don't, which makes it all the better for those who do!


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## Wellston (Dec 28, 2000)

DryFly said:


> I just got back from a couple of weeks fishing Michigan's Upper Penninsula.
> I truely believe that God created this place for his personal pleasure and others found out about it.
> This is an adventrue that I make every year and each time is better than the year before.


Dave
Thanks for the pics and report. I'm headed north to "God's country" next week on my annual pilgrimage. Can't wait!!! 
That is a fine looking boat. Do you know the guy that makes them?  
Jim


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Excellent pictures Dave and great fish. Sounds like you all had a great time and I think you all deserve it too.  

I'll bet you didn't see many canoes on that water. lol


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

Splitshot said:


> I'll bet you didn't see many canoes on that water. lol


Actually one day I saw 2 kayaks and another day at the end of the float I met Wildcatwick, from this site along with his girlfriend. 

Then at camp a guy who was camped down from me came buy to introduce himself. His wife bought a Dry Fly Float Boat from me for him a couple of years ago. 

Then as I was thinking it was a small world, I fished Timber Lake which is one that you have to walk about a mile to get to. Once I got there expecting to be all alone, about 1/2 hour later a guy came walking in. He was parked next to my truck which had the Dry Fly Float Boats logo on the window and he asked if it was my company. He told me that he won a Dry Fly boat at a sportfishing banquet last spring in Muskegon. 

I guess one can not even hide in the U.P. wildneress.:lol:


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Great pics! Those falls are not to be taken lightly and it's a great testament to you're product to be able to negotiate them. I scoured those falls for a while to see if there was away I could shoot them in my canoe but with low water levels and no float bags in the canoe I laughed at the thought of doing it!

It was a pleasure to meet you and your family. That son of yours is one smart kid who was quite impressive with his knowledge of animals and bugs!

Thank you very much for the offers of spotting our vehicle for us. That was extreamly kind. I laughed hard when I found your note! Very ingenious place to leave it!:lol: 

I did catch quite a few bass that night on nymphs. We decided to head south of the there in order to find colder waters and target trout. We left the next morning and found waters that were 52 degrees!:tdo12: We thought that might be a little too cool so we just continued to venture miles upon miles down stream until we found water that was between 60 and 65. That's when our week got magical. We wound up staying there the rest of the trip as the tricos were thick and hatching right until about 2pm! 

Thanks again for your offers and it truely was a pleasure to meet you and your family.


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## Tdepouw (Aug 23, 2006)

Dave,
Wonderful pictures, glad you had a nice time. We will have to try that next summer when we come up. The boats worked great on the trip you took us on and we are looking forward to you coming down here to Naples and going out to the everglades and 10,000 islands with us.


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## Blueracer (Jan 14, 2005)

You have no PM space left! :tdo12: 

Great trip Dave. Thanks for the good report as usual.


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## DryFly (Jun 4, 2001)

Blueracer said:


> You have no PM space left! :tdo12:
> 
> Great trip Dave. Thanks for the good report as usual.



?????
There was only one and I just deleted it.:sad:


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## Riverkeeper (Mar 27, 2006)

So did you get into any 20-inchers at Timber lake


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

My compliments to your white water photographer.


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Blueracer said:


> You have no PM space left! :tdo12:
> 
> Great trip Dave. Thanks for the good report as usual.


Sorry, Fire away!


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

Very nice indeed!


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