# October NE MI report w/pics...



## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

Northern Michigan is a pretty special place to be this time of year. The foecast called for rain and snow thru this coming weekend so we decided to get a few days in early in the week. I'm actually glad that the inland trout season is over (at least as it concerns me), it may help me stay employed.
We left Saturday evening and made grayling about 11pm.

Sunday morning at the lodge i met a couple gentleman and after a lengthly conversation they invited me along to fish with them. These guys have been fishing the river for a long time and have made quite a few "connections" along the way. We were going to fish an area that unless you own property or float it, its tough to get access.

We drove to some private property and parked. I was surprised to find out that the place belongs to a pretty well known fly tier in the midwest.
We suited up and headed down to the river. The plan was to let Curtis lead the way, i would follow about 15 minutes later followed by Mark.










We got in the water about noon. It was a beautiful fall day, 72 degrees and a bright blue sky. Ideally we would fish down to a certain area where if the olives showed we would see some good dry fly fishing. We fished a leasurely pace. Curtis swang a soft hackle and Mark and i went with small streamers. I picked up a small brookie pretty quickly and thats about as good as i did for the remainder of our wade.










The brookies are quite stunning this time of year, even when slightly out of focus. I met up with Curtis at one of our stops along the way. We sat on a log and watched Mark fish his way down to us. Curtis said to me that Mark just looked like a fly fisherman, no arguments. The guy looks the part. It was a pleasure to watch him throw
line using an old Leonard cane rod...just a sweet, graceful stroke.

(look close...he's there)










They each picked up a few fish. The olives never showed so we cut the wade a little short and climbed out.










I headed over to fish another stretch of water...they went to have a beer. I couldn't buy a fish. We met up with them for dinner and afterwords i headed back out for some night fishing but the drought continued. It was a tough first day but a beautiful one and some friendships were made. I hope to show them some Wisconsin fishing next year.










Monday we woke fairly early. My girlfriend decided to wade along while i fished. The river was really up. The area had got a ton of rain earlier in the week. I was told the river had dropped about 5 inches but was still up 3. It was clipping along pretty good and at times had both of us bumping along the bottom.










It was turning into a good news/bad news situation. The good news? i was seeing alot of olives early. The bad news? i hadn't moved a fish and it was clear and sunny, forecast called for clouds. We ended our wade with nothing to show for our effort.

The sun continued through the afternoon but at least the olives showed. It wasn't heavy but it did put enough bugs on the water to get some fish up and working. I will say they were tough. I suppose by this time of the year they've been worked pretty hard. However, it wouldn't be fun if it was easy.










The fishing overall was better than Sunday, but that wasn't saying alot and i still had yet to move a nice fish on a streamer.


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

It all came down to Tuesday. I again rolled out early to pull streamers. I worked my way downstream from the lodge. In the past i've done pretty well in this stretch.










I didn't move one fish, i saw no bugs and it was sunny again...not good.










When your done it makes the climb up those stairs a little tougher. I hoped the afternoon would be better. We grabbed some lunch checked out and decided to fish the south branch on the way out of town. i figured i started my Michigan season on it...may as well end it.

The South Branch is such a great place...so remote and very few signs of life, at least the section i like to fish. My girlfriend bummed around with the dog on the path that runs along the river. 










It worked out well for both of us. I sent them down to my take out and i jumped in the water. The south was really up. I would say it was at least as high as it was when i fished it just after runoff in the spring.










I got the cloud cover i was lookng for and it wasn't to long after that the bugs started popping pretty heavy. I started throwing a small streamer and took a few little brookies but again it was pretty slow. I came to the second of three islands in this stretch. I had noticed a few rises here and there but when i glanced at the back channel flowing behind the island it was boiling...it couldn't believe it.










There were numerous fish working the entire foam line in the photo. I crept up behind them and went to work. I think i stood there for two hours. When they got wise to me i turned around and worked the fish downstream at the confluence. I just went back -n-forth till things went quit. I caught alot of fish. The brook trout were just amazing...



















They were so deeply colored it was striking. The browns weren't exactly ugly either...










I threw a little 6'6 4wt and had alot of fun. Once things calmed down it was about time to get out of the river and head for home. I was content enought to string up the rod and wade down to my take out. I never did move that big fish but it didn't really matter.










The walk down the path back to the truck was beautiful. It was a good year.


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## Hoosier Daddy (Jan 10, 2006)

Awesome post. Almost felt like I was there............... Almost


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## Brian S (Apr 5, 2002)

brookid, those are some of the best pics of brook trout I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing.


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

The funniest part of the weekend a forgot to put in the report. We packed up and started for home but something felt funny, just a weird feeling. I asked Deb to crawl to the back of the truck to make sure there was two rod tubes. She checked and there was, but something was still wrong.
I've read about this many many times and have always thought what kind of dumb #ss puts his rod on the roof of a car then drives off...how do you do that?
Well...15 miles down the road i found out. I stopped for gas, get out and what is laying on the roof?...yup. I couldn't believe it!. Luckily i have a roof rack so the reel slid down and caught it and it probably helped that the rod tip was facing down wind so it didn't get flipped over and off the truck...
The cane rod is already in for repairs, i didn't need to lose that one as well...close call but hopefully a great lesson!


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Excellent Post and pics!!!

Always looking forward to your adventures


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## NEMichsportsman (Jul 3, 2001)

Super report as usual!

Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Good show.


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## Swamp Ghost (Feb 5, 2003)

Striking!


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## sir mendalot (Jun 12, 2003)

brookid,

I have grown to fondly anticipate your reports as your adventures are often on the waters that I most love but fish all too little.

By the way, curtis is a good man and as much a fixture as that favorite sweeper or riffle. Quick to share his knowledge, especially for a "real" cup of coffee.

Jerry


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

One drawback to you posting those pictures is I often find myself just looking at the pics and not reading the words. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

Another great photo essay. Sorry to see the trout season come to an end since it will be another 6 months until we see another report from you.


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

gunrod said:


> One drawback to you posting those pictures is I often find myself just looking at the pics and not reading the words.
> 
> your not missing much...


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## DanP (Mar 1, 2005)

Thanks for the post. Photos of the fall brookies are awsome - As has been said, your post pull you in and make us feel like we were there - thank you for that. My trout fishing is done & I have never fished salmon or steelhead so this last post was a welcome finish to the year.

Dan


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## UBDSLO1 (Feb 23, 2004)

great pics, thanks for sharing!!!


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Thanks again for the report. It's going to be a long winter without seeing those pics of yours. I hope your going south a few times!


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## MuskyDan (Dec 27, 2001)

beautiful stuff there thank you


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

beautiful pictures


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Thanks BK for the excellent report and of course your always fine photos.


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## brookid (Aug 25, 2004)

Thanks kids...

I know trip reports (or the like) have been a hot topic of late. I've stayed out of the fray up to this point but i would like to briefly chime in on the issue.

I really enjoy these kind of site and truth be told probably spend way to much time cruising around them...as a certain lodge owner said to me last month, "your tracks are all over the internet"...

I really like it here. Its comfortable and its home. I'm a moderator on another site but this one is my default...i keep it up all day while a work and check it far to often... 

The main reason i like it here are the trip reports, not just the rivers but lakes, ice, warm water ect. I may not post in those forums but i read them...and if they're loaded up with pics all the better. Judging by the views in any given forum i would agree with Whit that they're a popular feature here...of course that can be a double edge sword.

I don't view them as bragging or looking for attention. It has given me pause however the last few times ive posted as to whether i should or not. To my knowledge i've only gotten one pissy pm in the past and it was quickly settled. I don't do it to beat my chest and i hope know one thinks other wise... i'll brag when i start catching bigger fish... 

I make the reports because i enjoy it. I read others' because i enjoy it and what else i'm i going to do at work...work?

I hope people continue to post reports and I hope some of the older members start again.

I realize its not that simple and there are some deep rooted issues (and yes maybe some members that abuse it) but at the very least if we all use a little common sense...I hate to think what the site would be like without them.

I can only chime in so often with my favorite 5wt, best wading boot, favorite streamer...you get the idea... 


just my 2 cents


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## NEMichsportsman (Jul 3, 2001)

I think many of the members post because they had a great time, have some great pics and want to share the experience with others. I cant imagine what the forums would be like without reports from the field.

I dont like members who post to brag, I dont care for those who only post to criticize others, and I am not overly fond of the members who only post asking things, but never post their own experiences/share _*their*_ expertise.

I would hope that this site is meaningful in the sense that not every detail is given in a report....PM's can be a wonderful tool for specifics, but this usually occurs when some kind of rapport is established. I know a lot can be discussed in the open forums in terms of tackle and tactics, making reports very relevant as well.

I hope all the parties who make reports will continue to do so, and I would encopurage others to share as well!


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