brookid
08-19-2004, 02:16 PM
A friend of mine turned me onto this site recently and after reading a few stories I thought I'd share one of my own. About 2 weeks ago I returned to northeast Michigan to spend a week vacationing. I grew up in the area and was excited (and a little apprehensive) at the prospect of returning to my favorite little brook trout stream. The apprehension was due to the last time I'd fished the stream a few years back the beavers were starting to have they're way with the place...or at least good sections of it.
I've been trout fishing now for about 28 years. I fly, spin or bait depending on the body of water, restrictions and feasibility. This particular creek I've always used bait due to the size...probably 15 -20 feet wide on avarage and in it's deepest hole maybe thigh to crotch high...easily navigatable with hip waders...its pretty tight quarters, tough even for a roll cast let along spin casting. That being said this story probably isn't for the purists.
I decided to try a stretch that I hadn't fish in maybe 20 years. I figured this late in the season and the difficulty getting to the stream would be my best bet to find a good section that hasn't had much pressure...I hoped! I rolled out of bed at 6am and after driving to my spot and a lengthly walk through the woods I arrived at the streams edge. I was relieved to find the creek in pretty good shape...water level down a bit but that was to be expected.
I have a great love for this body of water...its where my dad first taught me to trout fish. I'll never forget the excitement of catching my first brookie and thinking this is absolutely the most beautiful fish I'd ever seen. I was hooked 28 years ago and its never left me...I've fished all over the states and Canada
but nothing is more special to me than this place...I think we all have that stream or river...its never let me down.
An hour into the morning It wasn't so much the number of fish that I was pleased with but the size...numerous fish in the 7 - 8 range. The biggest fish I'd ever pulled out was 12 inches...many years ago...and back then I'd bet the average was probably more like 5 -7 inches and throw in an 8 or 9 incher if you worked hard enough...and much bigger if you were lucky enough.
As I worked my way down stream I came to a hole and we've all seen it...the "if there was ever a big trout in this creek...this is were he's at". The hole looked to be the entire width of the creek and was formed by an over turned tree that created a nice little waterfall. I dropped a worm into the water and it flowed over the log and into the hole. Instantly got a hit and missed him. I rebaited sent it through and this time hooked him and I could feel right away he was a nice fish...get him in the net and sure enough 10 inches...it had been years since I'd caught a ten incher out of that creek. I released him back to the stream and thought theres more in that hole...then I did the cardinal sin...with my next effort I managed to get snagged. I inched my way closer to the whole tried yanking, tugging slipped a few times
basically made enough commotion that I figured I put down any remaining trout by the time my line snapped. Luckily I had pulled out a nice fish and I could see just a head down stream another fine looking hole...so it wasn't a total loss. I got out of the water walked past the hole I'd just screwed up and approached the next one. Because the water level was a little low and there was an opening on the bank I sat on the edge of the creek and rested my feet on a rock half submerged in the water. In that postion all I had to do was extend my arms out and I could drop my bait into one of two chutes formed by rock piles that both fed into a large pool. I put a tasty looking night crawler on sent him through the far chute into the pool expecting a hit...and nothing. I reeled it in, crawler dancing on the water and just as it got back to the chute opening a brookie came half out of the water and hit it. It was so quick and unexpected I was now staring at an empty hook. I rebaited sent it through again...expecting the big hit and again nothing. Like before I start to reel in, again crawler dancing across the water and about half way back through the hole, COMPLETELY out of the water this brookie explodes and again I miss him and again he clean picks me. Now that I've got a good look at him I know hes bigger than the one I just caught...I can't believe it! I rebait try again, after about 5 times nothing...and why would he...he's got two big crawlers in his belly. So there I sit...mind racing...I need to present him with something different. Then it hits me...I just bought a set of small blue fox trout spinners...hhhmm I've never tried a spinner in this creek...looks like I could get a back hand flop cast to the other end of the the hole...lets try it. As I'm tying the spinner on the sun peeks out, cuts through the trees and illuminates the hole slightly. I cast the spinner to the back of the hole, start bringing it back through and I see this trout come out and nail it. I get into the water because he was quite the fighter and once in the net sure enough he's a hefty 11 inches and as I'm taking the hook out, still in his mouth are two night crawlers...after a good chuckle and the excitement of finally getting him I release him back to his hole and look to move down stream...then the thought hits me. I look over my shoulder back at the earlier hole I 'd just fished and thought why not. I threw my spinner up stream to the head of the hole...because of the sunlight I could see it coming back to me and then suddenly darting from the side of the hole I get a perfect look at this huge brookie as he slams my spinner. My heart start pounding because I know that I've hooked the largest trout I've ever caught in this stream. I've always been impressed with the fight these fish put up...from the 4 & 5 pounders I've pulled out of streams in Canada to the 7 inchers in these waters...doesn't matter!! This fish was no dissapointment. He had a lot of creek to work with and he used...darting, dashing...beautiful especially on my light tackle. I worked him to the edge got him in the net and couldn't believe it. My creel has 12 inches measured off on the flap and he easily covered that by at least a couple. Interesting note...as I unhooked him in his mouth was a worm...perhaps he was the first fish I missed???
What a day!! I continued on for the rest of the morning...fishing was steady but nothing like those two holes. I didn't use the spinners the rest of the day...not because I didn't want to...just wasn't condusive. 10, 11 and 14 inch fish (along with many 8 & 9)...a day I'll never forget!!!
I did fish other parts of the stream throughout the week but nowhere near the success of that stretch. Some sections only yielded 5 -7 inch fish, while other parts didn't yield as many but bigger. I did get a 12 incher and left one probably in the 14 - 16 range sitting in a hole. I couldn't raise him but I know where he lives!!! and sadly some stretches of the creek have been destroyed by the endless beaver dams...silt, stagnant water ect. I'm probably going to contact the DNR. Some of these stretches are on state land so we'll see.
I also did get out to parts of the Thunder Bay river, the Gil****** and Hunt creek...limited success. One particularly good morning the Thunder bay blessed me with two 12 and two 10 inch brownies in a couple hours of fishing.
Anyways, sorry for the long story but If your like me I love to read about other fishing adventures both good and bad...because we've all had em.
Peace, Brookid
I've been trout fishing now for about 28 years. I fly, spin or bait depending on the body of water, restrictions and feasibility. This particular creek I've always used bait due to the size...probably 15 -20 feet wide on avarage and in it's deepest hole maybe thigh to crotch high...easily navigatable with hip waders...its pretty tight quarters, tough even for a roll cast let along spin casting. That being said this story probably isn't for the purists.
I decided to try a stretch that I hadn't fish in maybe 20 years. I figured this late in the season and the difficulty getting to the stream would be my best bet to find a good section that hasn't had much pressure...I hoped! I rolled out of bed at 6am and after driving to my spot and a lengthly walk through the woods I arrived at the streams edge. I was relieved to find the creek in pretty good shape...water level down a bit but that was to be expected.
I have a great love for this body of water...its where my dad first taught me to trout fish. I'll never forget the excitement of catching my first brookie and thinking this is absolutely the most beautiful fish I'd ever seen. I was hooked 28 years ago and its never left me...I've fished all over the states and Canada
but nothing is more special to me than this place...I think we all have that stream or river...its never let me down.
An hour into the morning It wasn't so much the number of fish that I was pleased with but the size...numerous fish in the 7 - 8 range. The biggest fish I'd ever pulled out was 12 inches...many years ago...and back then I'd bet the average was probably more like 5 -7 inches and throw in an 8 or 9 incher if you worked hard enough...and much bigger if you were lucky enough.
As I worked my way down stream I came to a hole and we've all seen it...the "if there was ever a big trout in this creek...this is were he's at". The hole looked to be the entire width of the creek and was formed by an over turned tree that created a nice little waterfall. I dropped a worm into the water and it flowed over the log and into the hole. Instantly got a hit and missed him. I rebaited sent it through and this time hooked him and I could feel right away he was a nice fish...get him in the net and sure enough 10 inches...it had been years since I'd caught a ten incher out of that creek. I released him back to the stream and thought theres more in that hole...then I did the cardinal sin...with my next effort I managed to get snagged. I inched my way closer to the whole tried yanking, tugging slipped a few times
basically made enough commotion that I figured I put down any remaining trout by the time my line snapped. Luckily I had pulled out a nice fish and I could see just a head down stream another fine looking hole...so it wasn't a total loss. I got out of the water walked past the hole I'd just screwed up and approached the next one. Because the water level was a little low and there was an opening on the bank I sat on the edge of the creek and rested my feet on a rock half submerged in the water. In that postion all I had to do was extend my arms out and I could drop my bait into one of two chutes formed by rock piles that both fed into a large pool. I put a tasty looking night crawler on sent him through the far chute into the pool expecting a hit...and nothing. I reeled it in, crawler dancing on the water and just as it got back to the chute opening a brookie came half out of the water and hit it. It was so quick and unexpected I was now staring at an empty hook. I rebaited sent it through again...expecting the big hit and again nothing. Like before I start to reel in, again crawler dancing across the water and about half way back through the hole, COMPLETELY out of the water this brookie explodes and again I miss him and again he clean picks me. Now that I've got a good look at him I know hes bigger than the one I just caught...I can't believe it! I rebait try again, after about 5 times nothing...and why would he...he's got two big crawlers in his belly. So there I sit...mind racing...I need to present him with something different. Then it hits me...I just bought a set of small blue fox trout spinners...hhhmm I've never tried a spinner in this creek...looks like I could get a back hand flop cast to the other end of the the hole...lets try it. As I'm tying the spinner on the sun peeks out, cuts through the trees and illuminates the hole slightly. I cast the spinner to the back of the hole, start bringing it back through and I see this trout come out and nail it. I get into the water because he was quite the fighter and once in the net sure enough he's a hefty 11 inches and as I'm taking the hook out, still in his mouth are two night crawlers...after a good chuckle and the excitement of finally getting him I release him back to his hole and look to move down stream...then the thought hits me. I look over my shoulder back at the earlier hole I 'd just fished and thought why not. I threw my spinner up stream to the head of the hole...because of the sunlight I could see it coming back to me and then suddenly darting from the side of the hole I get a perfect look at this huge brookie as he slams my spinner. My heart start pounding because I know that I've hooked the largest trout I've ever caught in this stream. I've always been impressed with the fight these fish put up...from the 4 & 5 pounders I've pulled out of streams in Canada to the 7 inchers in these waters...doesn't matter!! This fish was no dissapointment. He had a lot of creek to work with and he used...darting, dashing...beautiful especially on my light tackle. I worked him to the edge got him in the net and couldn't believe it. My creel has 12 inches measured off on the flap and he easily covered that by at least a couple. Interesting note...as I unhooked him in his mouth was a worm...perhaps he was the first fish I missed???
What a day!! I continued on for the rest of the morning...fishing was steady but nothing like those two holes. I didn't use the spinners the rest of the day...not because I didn't want to...just wasn't condusive. 10, 11 and 14 inch fish (along with many 8 & 9)...a day I'll never forget!!!
I did fish other parts of the stream throughout the week but nowhere near the success of that stretch. Some sections only yielded 5 -7 inch fish, while other parts didn't yield as many but bigger. I did get a 12 incher and left one probably in the 14 - 16 range sitting in a hole. I couldn't raise him but I know where he lives!!! and sadly some stretches of the creek have been destroyed by the endless beaver dams...silt, stagnant water ect. I'm probably going to contact the DNR. Some of these stretches are on state land so we'll see.
I also did get out to parts of the Thunder Bay river, the Gil****** and Hunt creek...limited success. One particularly good morning the Thunder bay blessed me with two 12 and two 10 inch brownies in a couple hours of fishing.
Anyways, sorry for the long story but If your like me I love to read about other fishing adventures both good and bad...because we've all had em.
Peace, Brookid