Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Hi All

Another year is almost gone. My family ( Debi, Adam, Rose and I )would like to thank everyone who stayed with us at the Lodge or went on a Guided Fishing Trip..Thank You All Very Much....We are lucky to live and work in a vacation paradice with pretty much unlimited outdoor activities..

In December Fly Fishing has been average..Walked in this past weekend for 3 hours and got a small Brown Trout ,a Coho, and a quick hookup with a Steelhead. Took out new guys on a fly fishing trip on the 8th. and landed a 18" Brown and lost 2 other Steelhead. Took out a pluggen trip on the 1 st. a first time for them and we went 2 for 4 on a bitter cold day. Felt like single digits to 15 deg at the most..Steering wheel on the Powerdrifter was half frozen, reels half frozen, anglers bundeled up to the max. Man O man that last couple weeks in November were rude cold..Had over a foot of snow, ice on the lakes building. Steelheading and Trout slowed to a crawl everything got a cold slap in the face..

The weather broke around the 4th.-5th and has been pretty bareable the last 14 days..We have been working on winter projects on the new 72nd.St. House..Insulated R-21 the crawl space,30' X 50' tarped it on the ground ( no more rolling around in sand), orgnized wires & cables, ducts, waterlines etc..It's going to keep the floor warmer and looks neet and orgnized. Then the attic got insulated also with R-30 on top of the R-16 so it has 12"+..Will save gas and electrictic also be a more comfortable year around place. Painting projects are next on some rooms. Got a 50" Flat Screen TV for the 72.nd st. house black Friday shopping along with 4 32" Flat Screens for the rooms at the Lodge.

Did 8 windows and a Doorwall job for a friend Jeff on the nice days when it hit 35-40 deg..Jeff got a new German Shorthair Pointer that is going to be a good dog real soon..Stays close and never runs off, listens good for a pup..Can't wait to start kill'en birds over the new pup.

Think I'll be shooting a bunch more real soon also.. Skeet, trap, pistol, rifle and archery..I could use some brushing up and Adam wants to be a crack shot..Adam has started some shooting skills but needs to kuckle down and burn some ammo to get into the instinctive side of shooting. When it becomes first nature self defence..

Adam is finishing High School this year and has been going to West Shore Community College for 3 simesters on a dule enrollment program with his school..He has been accepted to Farris State, Central State, and Grand Vally State so far.. For now he wants to study a Criminal Justice program, become a law enforcment officer for a while and then move onto something bigger FBI, Marshal, or Game Warden..I'm rooting for Game Warden / Conservation Officer..That's right up my alley..If I had to do it all over again I might have walked that CO. path..

Ordered a new Clackacraft Driftboat today. I'll be selling my 2008 Clackacraft 16' LowPro MegaBox model. Going to ask $5500 OBO. Galv trailer,8' 6" Smoker dyna light Sawyer oars, extra seat, cover, floormats,anchor..No leaks, just scratches and some light chine spots. Have had the boat 7 seasons and has never been sank or mistreated..It's a solid boat. Thought about re-finishing it and the oars. It's a much much cheeper route than a new one. It's just simpler for me to jump into a new one. Nothing to do to it but cosmetic stuff if you choose to pretty it up..Of course I have to have delivery of my new one before I can cut this boat loose totaly.

That is all that's going on, remodeling projects, fun fishing, a few trips sprinkled in..And a week to finish Christmas shopping...I better get that done soon..


Tight Lines
Clint

Early Start To Winter

Hi All

Well Winter is back. YUCK...I have been out fishing in it and plowing already..FUN FUN...The fish were not yet accumulated to the sudden cool down. So it has been a little slow. It is pretty for the first hour then it's just cold...Having the right gear is KEY to comfort and survival... For me it starts with Simms extrem wading socks($25), then Simms fleece wading pant( $100), in a pair of Cabelas 1600mg. boot foot 5 mil. waders( $225) is my lower half..Top half is T- shirt, Simms long sleeve poly turtleneck($75), Simms windproof fleece jacket($225), Patagonia Arctic water proof down filled puff coat with the hood($450), on my head is the one and only Leather Waterproof Bommer Rabbit Eared Crowncap from Winnipeg ,Canada($75)..On my hands are waterproof snowmobile style Ice Armor Ice fishing gloves($100) or Keni fleece/ neoprene fingerless gloves($20) while fishing..Add it all up and I wear about $1200--$1300 + or -  of stuff..Worth every single penny!! This gear is for snow flys till snow is gone..November --Early April...Yea it's a lot of gear and $$ but I laugh at the cold while wearing it..Hope you find some of these items way under your Christmas Tree...No peeking...


Jeff and I hit the water for a couple hours before the crap hit the fan and there was some good color to the water that day right after a recent rain..Jeff hit his male on the swing and I served up a egg fly to a hen..Had brave clients for Sunday and Monday 16th./17th. in the first real cold snap of the year..Thanks for hanging in there Phil and John, we were rewarded with a 30"+ Lake Run Brown..Good Luck Deer Hunting and Fishing also Happy Thanksgiving everyone..

Tight Lines
Clint

Mo. Hunt Was Short

Hi All

Been a while..October wound down with some great Brown Trout fishing and a few Steelhead around.. Salmon season was pretty tough this year. So after I got caught up with all my guide trips I went for my annual Missouri bow hunt. I usually leave before Halloween and get stands set up the first couple days. I hunted a evening on Oct. 30 th. after I set 3 stands and saw nothing but the good rubs I was looking at 15 yards away. Oct. 31st. I  hunted another evening in a stand set on the drive in and could have got a doe at 5-10 yards but passed looking for the buck following her. On November 1 st. passed on a young 10 pt. at 5 yards, saw a couple does getting chased by a nice buck and they ran off up the hill..45 min later a super loud grunt and 2 does ran behind my stand. Then the buck popped out. He was nice with good brow tines..I said shooter..He walked by at 5 yards on my trail and I drew back and shot at 10 yards. He jumped my string a little and my shot was high and back more than I wanted, 50 yards later he fell..I was shocked..I stayed in my stand a hour for good measure and went to where I saw him last..Another great Mo. bow hunt in the books..

This was the quickest hunt I had done..Last season I hunted 12-13 days on and off with the big wind days off..The 2 evenings I hunted this season were mostly wind related shortened days. Nov. 1 st. the weather was perfect 22 deg. in the a.m. calm..Perfect weather..I stayed and took my time removing my stands because the youth gun season was going on. So I waited to pull a couple stands. Took my Deer into the processor and they rushed it to get it done before I had to leave. Rode around on a combine with my cousin Mark who was busy harvesting soy beans. He planted my food plots this year in Milo. All in all I'm back and thinking of going Steelheading soon...

I have heard reports the Steelhead are around but conditions are a little tough..We are in bad need of rain to increase #'s of fish and get some much needed color to the water..We had a sprinkle today but it wasn't much..I may go out for a walk tomorrow in the back yard or down the street to see what's happening. All my trips are scheduled with other guides because I was planning on around a 2 week hunt. I kinda wish I knew if there was some bigger bucks around but this one was better than last years buck and I hunted hard last year. If you would shoot it on the last day you should shoot it on the first day, was what was in the back of my mind..I would diffiently shoot this one on the last day with my bow.. Seeing big bucks in daylight is hard enough getting them at 10 yards you need some good luck and good weather too..

Tight Lines
Clint

Give me a call if your intrested in a Fall/ Winter Steelhead/ Trout guide trip..Lots of good dates open..

September Is Over

Hi All

Well here we are with another September is over. Fall is here and it is time to start finishing those drifts. I have started to preach already to the clients...Why you may ask..The trophy fish are behind the Salmon..To say this was a tough September would be a understatement..Hookups were hard to come by and you had to make good on few opportunities and put them to the net or you might have gotten skunked..

The last 2 weeks have been better and better..But the first 2 weeks of September were TOUGH..Biggest problem was no big heavy rain, way to much sun, and way to much heat. The water temp flowing out into the lake was bath water till mid September..We still have a lot of summer moss all over the rocks everywhere because of no heavy rain so keeping your hooks clean is constant and now add all the leaves too...

Have been hitting some Steelhead but not very many around yet. Think I have hooked 5 and finally got one 12 lber. in today and a 16" skipper Steelie on Monday..Great Job on the chrome guys..Browns have been biting as well..Nothing over 20" yet on the gold bellies but plenty of teeners.

Fresh Salmon ( Coho and Kings) are still coming up from the lake at a steady trickle and every once in a while a heavy push is rumored here one day gone the next. I have been patiently waiting for the Salmon to come to me up top and I stopped chasing the dream of a hole stacked full of fish 10-12 days ago..Old Salmon are dieing off fast and there is a steady rotation of fresh new ones..You pick moldie oldie zombie or greener brighter Salmon..There is enough around you can be choosy, where you stop, is what you'll catch..

Went bird hunting with friends this weekend and we shot 2 grouse and 5 woodcock over the weekend and I missed Salmon Eve and Salmon Day here on the river..We had at least 100-200 phone calls for the last weekend in September it was right up there with Blessing of the Bikes..Crazy..Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and was safe, I was not feeling left out at all over in Lovells chasing dogs and birds..

On a sad note we were over there in Lovells for a memorial of ONE of my best hunting buddies Jim Edwards died of cancer a littler over a year ago and wanted his ashes spread at Woodcock Alley one of his favorite hunting creek beds along with the ashes of his last 2 hunting dogs Butch and Cassy. So there was a good size group over there celebrating the life and many hunting and fishing trips with Jim. We all had great times with him. Lots of pictures and life long stories were told. A very fitting end to Jim's final resting place..

Enough of the tear jerker stuff and there is lots of great times being had this very minute on the river and in the woods. Tomorrow October 1 st. the ARROWS FLY and the next day Deer start scanning tree tops for large smelly objects on platforms. The acorn crop is huge, huge,huge this year...Do not waste your money $$ on carrots unless you want to see how long it will take them to rot.

October 1 st. is the start of the extended season rules...That means UP stream from M-37 bridge is CLOSED TO ALL FISHING.. Downstream from M-37 bridge is open ALL year around on the Middle Branch or Main Stream of the PM. All of the Baldwin is closed, creeks also. The Little South Branch is closed, creeks too..The Big South Branch is closed, creeks too..Most of the small creeks and streams are closed in other words General Trout season is over and most of the rivers in the state are closed to fishing. Check your rule books closely and if your not sure call the DNR to find out or you could face FINES..

My Open Guide dates: Are October 14,15,17th..--28th.. Think Mixed bag( Kings, Coho,Steelhead,Trout) the best fly fishing of the season is near..Book a day or two you won't be sorry...

Tight Lines
Clint

Salmon Season Slow Start

Hi All

We'll  Salmon season is off to a slow start. We have been missing all the nice flooding rains lower Michigan has gotten the past 2-3 weeks. Customers telling horror stories of all the rain and flooded basements. All I keep thinking is I wish that happened up here( dang we missed it again) and we would be in much better shape with our run. We have had some showers but no big high water, dirty up the river events. You need 3"+ for that. Just a steady trickle up from the lake every day. Some Salmon just have to run and nothing is going to stop them.

I have been managing several hookups a day and 1 or 2 fish to the net. That has been the average for me..Not gangbusters but were not skunked. The commitment rate isn't there. Lots of nudges,bumps, and 1 hook straitened out stuff going on. The ones that are biting it right are coming in to the net with a mouth full of hooks..In other words we haven't been wrapped around a log yet..Couple busted lures, couple bite offs from Pike, all in good fun with the lure program.

It's nice and overcast today with some rain showers and I'm off. It's Debi's birthday and were going to have a day together.I'm back at it tomorrow. Which is good, a few more fish each day in the system. Every day will be better than the last.

Fishing on Lake Michigan has been good the last few times out. Best day was August 16th. Had my biggest box of the year weight wise. The last 2 times out the water has been warm and the fish we marked were acting stale. Should have went offshore for a mixed bag, but I wanted to target adult Kings so I hugged the bank and caught some just not big numbers in the box..

Open guide dates are October 13,14,15,17-28th..These are Great dates for fly fishing.. Salmon, Steelhead, Coho, and Trout ( Mixed Bag). Fall Colors and cooler temps..Snatch up some of these guide dates you won't be sorry...

Tight Lines
Clint

August Kings / Pike / and Trout

Hi All

Been a while...I know...I know...Summer is pretty busy with all the tourism and fishing. Fishing has been good out on Lake Michigan and in the Pere Marquette River. The river in general has been low and clear for the last month, like it is suppose to be. Hopper fishing and mousing has been the best way to get the bigger Trout along with nymphing when nothing will rise to the fly and you have to get down to them..Not many Salmon around couple here and there but no good fishable #'s as of yet in the river. A friend saw 15 in a hole one day a couple weeks ago and there is a few here and there but they are hard to target still in the river..

In Lake Michigan the Adult 4 year old Kings have shown back up and pretty much on Que..The size is down a little bit from last years Big Boys but last year was a exceptional year around here..This year there are still the 28-30 lb Kings out there from the reports on the Wisconsin side of the lake, it's just not like last season over here on the Michigan side of the lake..

Lately out of Ludington there has been some 23-25lb. Kings caught and some 18-20 lbers. are becoming more abundant as we get closer to the Fall run..Were not stuffing the coolers with 15 -20 Kings every trip out but 5-7 a trip is a good catch and the size is good like 8-18 lbs. are the bulk of the catch this season so far..Who knows the big lake is very very big.. ALL the fish have a BIG FAT BELLY so they are eating very well for sure.

Pretty much anytime you want to go Offshore you can find the nice batch of Steelhead,Lakers and Coho to fill the cooler. The Kings are near the shore line for the most part and very hard to impossible to find offshore this season. It has been a weird season with lots of cold water up against the shore and it's ICE water not far down..

For Example (if you care) : Offshore 500+ FOW 12-15 miles out, it will have some warmer stuff on the surface 58- 62 deg. and drop like a hammer 20-30 ft. down to 41-44 deg....40-50 ft. down 38 deg. just plain and simple ice water..Near shore 100 FOW 63-65 deg. surface temp and 40 ft. down it will be 46-48 deg., 50 ft. down 44- 40 deg. below that ice water.. The normal summer surface temps are in the 72 -75 deg. range and most years you have a big thermal break 46-48 deg. ( Salmon preferred temp). at 70 to 100 ft. down with a major temp. change with lots of warm water from the surface all the way to the break in temp.It helps you target water temps and the better fishing is stacked in that temp. break...The water is so cool everywhere this year, the fish and bait is extremely scattered..

The cool, wet summer and the late thaw of the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, also the Great Lakes being 75% covered in ice from the Polar Vortex has really done a number on the water temps this season...Good or bad who knows but the fishing has been a different kind of year out there..Keeps you on your toes..

I was in the lower river here a couple weeks ago with Jeff Hubbard Pike fishing and we got a few med. size ones on lures and flies but didn't see any Kings and didn't really figure we would. Might have to go tomorrow and check things out. We are getting a nice rain today and the river is rising some and cooling and there is plenty of cold water near the shore lines. I usually start sniffing around August 15th. and chances are good we'll get either Pike or Kings or both..

I have booked August 23,24,25th. for trips but I'm open to go anytime from here to the end of the month for those hard fighting August Kings and Pike on lures or streamers. Half or Full days..Let me know I'm ready to GO..This rain were getting should give us a good shot of Kings and get the season kicked off down river..I look forward to this time of year. The best fighting fish in fresh water IS A KING SALMON bar none. When they bite that lure or streamer you will know it !!

My open guide day left in September is the 5th....October opens up after the 11th.--30th..

We still have some good room openings and plenty of days open to get you on the water this late Summer and upcoming Fall. Give us a call..


Tight Lines
Clint