Northern Michigan

[Dalton Terrell]

Over the long weekend of the 4th, I headed up to Northern Michigan for fishing trip; but don't tell my girlfriend, she thought it was her family vacation. Near her parents house, I managed to spend a few evenings on a local lake and headed to a prominent trout stream for the famed hex hatch. 

Right after we arrived, we grabbed some dinner and a few drinks before taking out the SS Shady Lady. My girlfriend's brother had never night fished but was luckily crazy enough to tag along. We quickly got into a few small largemouth and rockbass before the sun set, but the real action started around 11PM on top in the night's full moon.

The next evening, I hopped in the rental to hit a trout stream known for big hex hatches. When 10PM rolled around, it was game on. Hexes were absolutely everywhere but rises were sporadic. I had a few misses but no dice; however I did see a fellow net a 20" bow.

On the night of the 4th, my motor vehicle skills may have been lost so I headed back out on the lake. This time I brought a bigger popper to see what I could get into. One cast into the reeds and this beast of a bowfin showed himself. After this fish, I got cut off by a pike and luck was gone.

The final evening Up North, I sought vengeance on the trout stream. It was a bit warmer this night and the hexes were even thicker. I waded back into the spot I'd tried before and had two risers in range. My first cast, a fish jumped out of the water as my fly hit the surface, knocking the fly way out of the way. I missed a few more hits and went home empty handed but ready to go back to the family vacation next year.

[TurbineBlade]

Ah, bowfin!  They ranged into the "bootheel" of Missouri on a wildlife refuge I frequented, usually to collect salamanders for some grad/undergrad projects.  

Good aquarium fish, if you can house them.  I sold my 125 gallon before moving here in 2009.  You really need a 180 gallon or larger to do it.  

Gene

[TurbineBlade]

Sorry, I got distracted thinking about bowfin (and the elusive Ambystoma talpoideum, grandest of the genus).  I have a picture of my closet with multiple "mole" species.......65F house, happy amphibians, boy those were the days!  

I meant to say good report!  Beth thinks you're among the group's stronger writers, so I'll share this with her.  

Gene

[Dalton Terrell]

Thanks, Gene and Beth.

My old literature professor literally wrote the (yet to be published) book on Bowfin. We had them in NC close to where I went to school in a few spots. I caught some on lipless crankbaits when I fished like that and later found a swampy pond that had drained to trap a large population in a small area, where They were easy targets on crayfish flies. I don't think I've caught one in over seven years until now, but they're awesome fish.

[TurbineBlade]

That sounds like my kind of professor!  They're a great fish, and that's a beauty you got there.  

Gene

[Carl Z.]

I was out on the AuSable the weekend before you with little luck. It was just a bit too cool for the Hex's to be coming off on the nights I was there.  Supposedly the next night it warmed up an the browns were hungry.  However even hooking one of those brute's doesn't mean bringing it to the net.  

That's a hatch I'm going to have to try again.  But the bright side of fishing there was the "dang, another brookie" moments.  I probably caught a dozen brookies at dusk, waiting for the sun to set.

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[namfos]

You make it sound like you're in rehab or something like that...LOL

Mark

On Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 11:07:54 PM UTC-4, Dalton Terrell wrote:

... when I fished like that...

[Steven Butler]

This is awesome man! Really wanting to get to Michigan for some fishing in the near future.

[Dalton Terrell]

Mark, it's pretty bad, I have even had a couple relapses this summer.

Dalton

[TurbineBlade]

Pffff -- I've fished with fly tackle out of a canoe (and formerly a kayak) many, many times now.  I think anyone who says that there aren't advantages to using spinning tackle from a canoe is trying to prove a point.  

I love fly fishing, tying, and everything related to the hobby.  That said, I've yet to see lures as effective as inline spinners anywhere in fly fishing.  

Fishing is fishing, to me -- 

Gene

[namfos]

Don't feel bad. As Dirty Harry once put it, "a man has got to know his limitations." ;-)

On vacation, if I want to put some fresh fish on the table for lunch or dinner, I break out the spinning rod and the wacky worms. Never fails, I always catch fish. 

Mark

[namfos]

My Ultimate 12 has a pretty damn comfy seat, Gene. I did not suffer numb legs or feat weekend before last. 

Mark