Fishing Report

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November 29th 2005

Hi All

This is going to be a long report. There is so much to catch up on. The last report I posted was at the end of July, I apologize for that. The reason I haven't been writing is a long one but to sum it up....I've been very busy and I haven't been happy with my report or my web site for that matter. My web designer kept promising to post pictures to go with the reports and failed to do so. He was also unable to provide me with the means to do so myself. We have since, hired a new web designer. The web site is going through a total overhaul. It will be easier to maneuver the site for our visitors, more pleasing to the eye and have the correct programs installed for us to maintain the site ourselves. I hated putting out a report with no pictures. I have a new camera and all these pictures and the job just wasn't getting done. A picture is worth a thousand words and for most people that is one of the most enjoyable parts of a report.

August was hot and dry. I was out on the Pere Marquette and catching some early Kings from around August 15th through September 10th on plugs along with some pretty nice Pike as well. Then switched over and did fly fishing from around September 10th on. This fall was one of the hottest and dryest fall's I've ever seen. Many days in August and September I was wet wading. I would wear waders for the morning then by 9:00 or 10:00 I was peeling them off. I pray next fall doesn't repeat that cycle.

October and November were definately the time to come up to Baldwin and Salmon fish. The temperatures were cooler and there were plenty of fresh Salmon around throught November 15th. There was also a good mix of Browns and Steelies to be caught all in the same day.

Steelhead numbers are on the rise along with the river as we speak. We have had two tastes of winter up here. A couple weeks ago we had 4"-6" that melted quickly. Just this last week we had 6"-8" on the ground. A few snowmobilers even ventured out over the Thanksgiving weekend. This snow left as quickly as the first one did.

The Pere Marquette has a dark stain and is up a bit. It should come down a little, clearup and be in great shape for this weekend with a nice stain and wadeable conditions and hopefully a fresh push of Steelhead. I haven't fished here for a couple of weeks. Just yesterday was the first time I've been out in a while. I went down to the Muskegon with John Still and played around down there dropping back plugs. John picked up his first Muskegon Steelhead around 5lbs.(insert picture)! One of the other boats down there did well but Chad lives on that water. Conditions were perfect, warm and raining on and off. Chad was fishing egg flies and I was plugging. I thought about busting out the flyrods and tying on a couple of eggs but I just didn't want to be a quitter on the plugs. I will be going down there tommorrow as well to plug a few runs. If I don't hit a fish by noon I will spend the rest of the day flyfishing.

November 15th was opening day of firearm deer season and a good day for Craig (a Red Moose Lodge customer). He hung a nice 8 point buck on the buck pole here at the lodge with a 17.5" spread and 6" tines. A very nice buck for the area (this is where I would insert a picture of Craigs nice 8 pointer and my lame but tasty spike). For me it was a repeat of last year. A 8" spike showed up around 8 a.m. and I intoduced him to my 240 grain XTP sabot from my Thompson Center Omega. The funny but sad thing is, last year I was invited to hunt in Craig's blind. I shot a 8" spike by 8 a.m. with my muzzleloader. I for sure didn't know that 8 pointer was running around last year or this year for that matter. Even though I'm jealous(and I couldn't help thinking, that could have been me in that blind this year). I'm glad Craig got a nice buck this year.

This bird season has not been a good one so far. My time has been very limited. I went out a couple of days in September. It was hot, dry and there were to many leaves. October gave better conditions and I had a little more time to hunt. November has shown the best conditions with cooler temperatures, more rain and no leaves..... we wacked'um. Flush #'s were best in September. There was an abundance of dumb young Grouse. The local Woodcock population hung around waiting for the first good frost or first good shot by a hunter to move them south or into a game bag. Shooting is always tough on Grouse and Woodcock. You hear many more than you see, if you hearing is good enough. Many people under estimate the need to have good hearing while bird hunting. Good hearing is key to having that extra split second to locate that bird. Follow him not only by movement but by sound as well. Look for that little window threw the trees and get a good poke at that bird. This is a good reason to express to young an old shooters the importance of good hearing protection while on the range or doing yard work etc.. What good is all the shooting skills if you can't hear where the bird is coming from. Probably the most difficult shot in the woods is a grouse comming out of a tree 20' above you. They are tough to see and you are not expecting a tree flush. You hear the flush but by the time you figure out it didn't come up off the ground but came out of the high house, it's too late to get a shot off. You have just been schooled by one of the smartest, fastest and in my opinion, the best game bird in North America.

Next week I will be in Nebraska. I will be out of town December 4th-9th. My dogs, Jody and Bear, are going on best vacation of the year. This will be Bears first trip and she still has a lot of bird work to figure out. Bears Grouse and Woodcock season was spent on the sidelines. She works nice and close but is a major distraction to Jody. Bear is a puppy at heart and destroys the work atmosphere for Jody. Bear has been fetching well all summer and is very soft mouthed. I thought this would apply to birds as well until she almost swallowed the first Woodcock she went to fetch. She didn't understand that it was my bird and not a cheese burger on the ground. I got that fixed with a Grouse, she couldn't swallow one of them. Bear tried to chew on the first Grouse a little then I ouch,ouch,ouch,ouch,ouched and she stopped. She thought she was hurting me. So she is retreving well now, not gun shy and works close enough. The only thing left is finding her own birds and finding those birds before Jody. I can't wait until a Pheasant explodes in her face next week and sets her backwards thinking what in the f@*% was that. New puppys can be frustrating and fun at the same time. The hardest thing to do is not to leave them in the truck and just hunt the old pro. They need lots of birds shot over them along with plenty of field time for the first couple of years.

If any one can get up before or after the holidays there are lots of opportunities left to get a Deer with a bow or muzzleloader during the late seasons. Along with some good Grouse hunting and Steelhead or Trout fishing.

I think that is eveything with any LUCK my next report will have all kinds of pictures of fish caught, birds and Deer taken from this fall season. That will be my X-Mas present is to have a complete report for once in 2 years. This Past October 15th was my second year anniversary of owning the Red Moose lodge. Thank You, to all the great customers I've had this season, and new friends I've made threw this business.

P.S. I almost forgot...I have gift certificates for sale at the Red Moose Lodge. It would be a great gift idea for a get away. A trip down the river, a stomp threw a field/woods or just a relaxing stay here at the Lodge.

P.S.S. Our winter rates go into effect December 1st. 2005 and go through March 1st. 2006 it shaves $5 to $10 a night off our regular season rates.

Tight Lines & Strait Shooting
Clint

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July 26th, 2005