Hi All
It was a long winter up here and very snowy. We still haven't lost all our snow. So our Steelhead run is off to a slower than normal start on all rivers. I walk-in steelhead fish, snowmobile and ice fish all winter so to me and my gear it's like no big deal, just a little cold no biggie. So the flows are above normal levels for the last week + as we slowly melt off. I had 4 days I cancelled/ moved trips March 15,16,17,18 to fast and flooded for my liking. Until this week I had canceled or moved more trips than I had done. The weather has really been rough at times this winter. One stretch I plowed/ shoveled 6 days strait. I would like to see our snow totals for the season.
We had a slow start to snowmobile season. Our first trip to the Keweenaw was almost a bust. The week before we got there they were thin snow wise. Lucky for us it snowed all week and we had great trails for my new sled. I splurged and bought a 2018 144" 800 Assault. That is the first premium sled I have bought with electric start and fancy gas shocks. All I can say is that 800cc Polaris is like a crotch rocket. You get it in deep snow and it rips the ski's up 2-3' all day and will carry that wheelie as long as you can hold it. Radical power. I like it! The part I don't like is it still gets stuck :( when the rider screws up. Bust out the shovel's.
Ice fishing was great as usual had good days and slow days but the ice was slow to form early season but in the end it got very thick and was able to fish areas of lakes we hadn't fished in years ! Lake Cadillac had almost 2 feet Grand Traverse Bay froze to rear record levels and friends were fishing the heck out of Grand Travers and Saginaw bays. I should have made it over to both but never got the ambition. To wore out from plowing, shoveling and ice fishing I guess. Sorry guys next year I'm going..
Adam has turned 22 and is graduating from Ferris State with a 4 year bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and currently finishing up there own inhouse police academy at Ferris. He is doing very well learning a lot and in the process of interviews and applying for jobs as a Policeman or Deputy. Very proud that he has almost finished college and ready for the job in the field he studied. To many goto college and they wind up in a job that has nothing to do with there education background. That's my favorite part about Ferris is they have a lot of studies that are ready for job placement there. Great job Ferris State. We have gotten out a few times this winter pistol shooting at Lake County Sportsman Club. You have to shoot and stay in practice even in the Winter.
Currently the river has went back into it's banks just in the last couple days but still just a inch below my cement slab. Rose our little dog can still get a drink easily from the cement on our a.m. walks to the river. Rose and Debi are doing good. They go for walks everyday and Rose is 11 and doing great. Being cute is a lot of work though..
Steelhead are in the system from top to bottom and there are a variety of ways to catch them. My favorite is fly fishing but I also like spin fishing with lures. With the fly rods I use chuck & duck and indicator rigs and when the water warms up some more streamers. Spin tackle I use a variety of lure brands and those fish that have a appetite for destruction apply here. The grab is out of no where and the Browns and Steelhead rips it.. fun fun fun...Same with a Streamer on a flyrod no fun'er way to fish. Lots more work and no guaranteed fish but very worth it !!
I have lots of open dates for rooms and guided trips thru April and May. I tied tons of flies this winter. So if your looking for a vacation give us a call. Seems like the weather is on a uptick, fingers crossed we have no late winter stuff left. Give us a call 231-745-6667
Thank You
Clint
