Spring Is Coming

Hi All

Spring is on it's way..The weather has been pretty darn nice and the river is open for fishing. The Steelhead run is off to a slow start. It's still winter like conditions with lots of snow and ice still to melt..So until that is all gone don't expect any warmer water temps. Cold nights are still the norm also..The river is running lower and clearer than you would expect up in the fly water..Mid river has a better stain and flow and a few fresh fish coming up out of the lake.. Lower river is still pretty icy from what I here Indian bridge to the Lake Michigan. M-37 to Walhalla is free of most of the shelf ice and there is a few trees that you can get around but are far from easy passage. So you will need to bring your "A" game rowing wise all Spring.. Pack a saw and a 100' of rope for a while just make sure you reach your take out safely.. Be safe and use good WISE judgment of river conditions. Use extra caution at the launches they are a icy mess. Pulled a friend out this a.m. from M-37..

There is fish to catch but the hookups are winter #s and the fish are still easier to land like winter Steelhead..The fish I have hooked are still rolling and slow head shakes and there barely getting down stream of the hole from where they were hooked.. They will find a couple more gears as the fresh fish make there way up and the water warms up some...

Steelhead are being caught with all methods and in all sections of the river..Lately most of the fish I have hooked have been on 10' 7 wt. with a 9wt. Salmon /Steelhead taper fly line indicator rig with eggs or nymph flies.. I haven't had a abundance of trips yet so I have been scouting and walking in or fun fishing with friends. I have some trips next week and that is the start of the season for me..Thank god I'm so sick of cold long hard winters..Let's pray next winter isn't like the last 2 years... I have lots of good dates open for the next few weeks and some left in April. Give us a call if interested in a fishing trip or need some lodging...

My new boat will be here on March 15th. and my old one is sold..After it gets dropped off it will take about week to get the wench and cover made if all goes well ..Then I'll have a squeaky clean new 16' Eddy Clackacraft to row this season..It will be nice having a new river ride..

Other than that I have been snowmobiling a little, ice fishing all winter and plowing and shoveling snow daily and keeping up with projects around the lodge. Sean Mc Donald and I did a ice fishing tournament out of Hamlin Grocery and I took  8th. place out of 58 fishermen. I had 25 Crappy and 4 Perch. Sean and I took a large group of 12 guys in January out on the ice for some ice fishing action.. My son Adam turned 18 March 1 st. and is growing up quick. He graduates HS this year and will be going to Farris State in the Fall. Kicking around some summer classes also.. That's all I have for now..Hope to see you all out on the river or at the lodge for another great Steelhead and Trout season..

Tight Lines
Clint