The Best of 2013!

This is what we do!  If you think you're ready for a Guided Trip or one of our Christian Men's Retreats in 2014, call me.  LET'S GO FISHIN'!

2013 Pere Marquette Christian Men's Retreat Wrap-up

What a fantastic few days in Baldwin Michigan.  The fishing was "colossal epic".  We talked about why David was considered a man after God's own heart and how we can take daily strides to be the same way through talking with our heavenly daddy continuously and allowing His will be the filter of our days.

If this looks like the kind event you would like to be a part of, get signed up for the 2014 Pere Marquette Christian Men's Retreat ASAP.  I look forward to meeting with you in Baldwin, MI next time around.

2013 Pere Marquette Christian Men's Retreat Preview

We're just a few days from our Pere Marquette Christian Men's Retreat. The reports are that the PM is full of kings with hungry brown trout and steelhead hanging out behind them munching eggs.  Here's a little preview of what to expect on the river.  I have been cooking all week preparing some unbelievable meals.  And we're going to spend some time discussing why David was considered a man after God's own heart.  If this looks like your kind of fun, get signed up for our next retreat, where we go fishing and come home better men!

Fly Swap

One of the great parts about being a fly fishing guide is meeting other guides.  It's really great when you run across another guide that does not chase what you chase.  And it's even better when you both want to fish for the other guy's quarry.  That is exactly the story for Dave and I.

Dave has started a guide service for brown trout on Ohio's Clear Fork River.  Clear Fork is one of the 3 Ohio streams that is stocked yearly with brown trout fingerlings.  ODNR has selected these 3 streams based on water temperature and habitat that should allow the trout fingerlings to holdover year to year and grow up big and strong.

Clear Fork river has upper and lower sections separated by Pleasant Hill Lake.  I am very familiar with the lower Clear Fork and have caught some nice browns down there over the years.  What I really wanted was someone to show me around the upper Clear Fork to see if slinging my streamers was just as effective up there.  Dave is the guy with the knowledge to help with that.

Dave is a fantastic fly fisherman, but has not had the time to get dialed-in to the steelhead game on the Lake Erie tribs.  Well, you see where this is headed.

We spent 2 days together fishing Clear Fork and then Rocky River in April.  It was fantastic learning some new tactics from Dave and being able to share some knowledge of steelhead waters to help him with his game.

If you have wanted to check out the brown trout fishery on Ohio's clear Fork River, Dave Radomski is your guy.  He has excellent knowledge of the river and the fish and his rates are really great.  Contact Dave with Mohican Fly Fishing Guide Services, LLC for a great experience on the Clear Fork.

This is a 2nd year holdover Clear Fork brown.  You can see a year of naturalizing to the stream diet has allowed for the red dots on the adipose fin and the blue-gray dot behind the eye to start to develop.

In the 1st hour of the morning the trout were really active.  We both caught about 5 brownies each ranging from 10-15".

Dave showing off his landing skills.

We didn't catch any monsters on this day, but the trout were beautiful.

This pretty little hen hammered a wet fly on the swing.

Dave let's one go so it can head back to the lake and return next season even bigger!

Big Brown Comin' Down...

I've been itching to fish the Lake Ontario tributaries in New York for a while.  These tribs get great runs of salmon, brown trout, and steelhead each Fall and Winter.  The lake run brown trout fishery is legendary.  It's difficult to pass up the chance to get into 30" brown trout.

Dead drifting egg patterns is the mainstay of fly fishing for these big browns.  But as the evening cooled water begins to warm in the late morning sun and the browns start to get a little more active, don't underestimate just how willing these fish are to hit streamers on the swing.  Between slab browns and fresh steelhead in the systems, you will have tired arms by the end of the day.

Started the trip off right with a 27" hen right out of the gate.

I love the variety in brown trout color patterns.

TOUCHDOWN!

One stream we fished had beautiful resident wild bows as well.  Look at that rose stripe and those rose fins.

Even in slower small runs, don't hesitate to swing a bugger or smaller wet fly from the top of a run.  WHAM!

I knew that switch rod was going to pay off! 

This little hen hammered a swung egg sucking leach.

Just be aware...there are some places in NY that DON'T allow chairs in the stream :-D

And just when you think all you are going to swing up is brown trout...a steelhead crushes your streamer!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Autumn is like Christmas morning if you like to catch trout and salmon on the fly.  I made a trip up to Michigan last weekend to fish the Pere Marquette River.  The Pere Marquette is a great trout fishery that also gets a wonderful Fall king salmon and Fall/Winter steelhead run.  And if you hit her just right, you can catch them all in the same day.

We had a great weekend.  I think hitting the Pere Marquette would make for a fantastic Christian Men's Retreat. The rooms in Baldwin are very inexpensive, the fishing is truly world class, and the type of fishing would work well for discussing men's issues while we're away.  If you would be interested in a future Fall Christian Men's Retreat for some "iron sharpening iron" time and some time on the water in a world class fishery, let me know and I'll start putting it together...with your name on the list!

Who cares if you catch anything?  Look at this place!

An early run bonus steelhead...schwing!

The butter bellies are stuffed with salmon eggs.

The average king salmon on the Pere Marquette is 15-17lbs.  That should put a bend in your rod.

You can see yourself fishing in this scene...can't you?

LET'S GO FISHIN'!

Fall Colors

While you're gearing up for Fall steelhead, don't forget the brown trout.  The wild browns are starting to get active.  And, their Autumn colors are starting to show.  If you're a trout fisherman, don't forget the butter bellies. They are loads of fun on 1-3wt rods!