Michigan

or however that dang word is written! : ) Use this forum to discuss those things that are related to, directly, or indirectly, fly fishing, i.e., tackle, catalogs, single malt scotch, cigar preferences, pipes, camera gear, etc. This is sort of an off topic area but one related to bamboo and fly fishing.

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tyghguy
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Joined: 09/11/18 12:19

Michigan

#1

Post by tyghguy »

My daughter and family are moving to the Lapeer Michigan area. I know very little about Michigan other than reading Hemmingway. So to you folks on the forum that live in that neck of the woods, how do you like it and can I expect to find some good trout fishing when I go to visit? I watched a video of fishing for vey nice Brook Trout in Lake Superior. It looked wonderful. A lot of fly fishing history in this area as well. Thanks

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Brooks
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Re: Michigan

#2

Post by Brooks »

As a trout-centric western river dweller (Idaho/Montana), I’ll give you my impression of my very limited “tourist” experience in Michigan: I love fishing there. I’ve fished around Midland for smallmouth in pea-gravel bottom streams that were wonderful for wading and floating in small one or two-man craft. I fished the upper Au Sable (Grayling area) for trout during the famous Hex hatch (at midnight, floating—very exciting, and almost spooky). I’ve fished the very bottom reaches of the Au Sable floating in a driftboat, tossing little poppers for smallmouth. And I’ve fished Lake St. Claire for monster muskie.

I think you should be very excited about your daughter's move. There are so many places in Michigan to fish, and the fishing is fantastic.
Again, just an observation from someone who lives near some famous western rivers.

Additional note: I never realized how topsy-turvy the Canadian border is around Detroit and specifically on Lake St. Claire, until I fished there. When fishing in the northern part of the lake (in the U.S.), Canada is south of you!
Last edited by Brooks on 10/11/21 12:52, edited 1 time in total.

G-ManBart
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Re: Michigan

#3

Post by G-ManBart »

One thing to note about Michigan is that much of the discussion about fishing is focused on the upper part of the lower peninsula and the upper peninsula. I live southwest of Detroit and the kind of fishing I'm interested in (trout) is generally 3-4+ hours away, so a day trip isn't practical. As an example, Grayling is 3.5 hours from me...so it's either leaving in the middle of the night or driving up the day before, getting a hotel, etc. Lapeer will put you much closer when you visit, so that's a good thing for you.

I'm eligible for an early retirement in four years...I'm taking it and heading west to have more sun, less humidity and close access to fishing. It's funny, but when I lived in NM I was in the high desert and could be on a nice trout river in 30-35 minutes from my house!

Unrelated to fishing, Michigan has been hit really hard the last 20-30 years so your daughter may be in for some culture shock. Most people are shocked, sometimes horrified, when they see entire neighborhoods abandoned, large buildings falling down, roads that are terrible and lack of normal services like police, fire, EMS and garbage removal. Some people think it's only Detroit, but that isn't true at all. Many other areas are just as bad, if not worse...Flint and Saginaw (both not far from Lapeer) are in extremely rough shape with very high crime rates. I've lived in 7 states so far and I have never seen anything approaching how bad it is in much of Michigan. In the places hit hardest, like Detroit, Flint and Saginaw, they have thousands of houses waiting to be demolished and thousands of lots for sale at $100 each. Imagine that...you can literally buy a vacant lot for $100. Detroit has something like 25K lots available for sale at that price in their land bank. Last I knew Flint had something like 5K similar lots. Because so many of these areas are largely abandoned the tax revenue is gone, so they can't afford to have police, fire, EMS or garbage services close by. They don't collect trash in those areas either, and many have had all their streetlights removed to put them in areas where people are still living. The few folks in the largely abandoned places have taken to throwing their bagged trash in the abandoned houses nearby...you can drive by and see a burned out house piled high with trash bags. Those same folks frequently put up 8' high chain link fence around their property and literally have a chain and padlock on the gate that they go through when they come or go. Those burned houses come from the neighbors lighting them on fire so that drug dealers won't use them and squatters won't move in...better to have them burned and look at the remains than have drug dealers guarding their stash or drug addicts over dosing and dying...all of which is common. I won't liken it to a war zone, but it's a lot more like a third-world country than most people would believe.

Sorry to sound like such a downer, but it's really very sad what has happened here. There are some bright spots, but it's going to take a long, long time to ever get close to anything approaching what you'd expect in a major metropolitan area.

Edit...southwest, not southeast of Detroit...I don't live in the river!
Last edited by G-ManBart on 10/10/21 17:50, edited 1 time in total.

tyghguy
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Re: Michigan

#4

Post by tyghguy »

Thanks for the replies. My son in law is there now and really likes it. Small town, clean, and friendly people. I have fished in the West all of my life. Can't wait to visit and head North to fish some new places.

bassman
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Re: Michigan

#5

Post by bassman »

I hope you s-i-l and daughter find the area to their liking. Unfortunately the bleak picture painted above is all too true in too many areas in MI right now. I spent a lot of time in the Upper Peninsula when I lived in northern MN. The runs of Coho, Chinook, and Steelhead out of Lake Michigan were unbelievable back then but been years since I've enjoyed that. Have a couple of cyber friends living in UP and rave about all aspects of their fishing. When it comes to Lower Michigan that is something you'll have to explore. I'm sure warmwater fisheries will be available but wouldn't count on trout fishing without heading north. Good luck on your visits.

G-ManBart
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Re: Michigan

#6

Post by G-ManBart »

tyghguy wrote:
10/10/21 16:33
Thanks for the replies. My son in law is there now and really likes it. Small town, clean, and friendly people. I have fished in the West all of my life. Can't wait to visit and head North to fish some new places.
Glad to hear he likes it! I hope nobody thought I was beating on Michigan too badly...well other than the humidity which I hate ;)

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carl otto
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Joined: 01/31/10 19:00
Location: Michigan

Re: Michigan

#7

Post by carl otto »

Congratualtions, your family members move to Michigan is a just opportunity for you. There are many great salmonid fishing opportunites for you here anytime of the year. There are many great guide books, hatch books, etc. for you to learn more about the State from. As just a few tempting examples;

1) The Saulte Ste. Marie River is probably the greatest salmonid fishing river in the US. Where else will one be able to find, Atlantic Salmon, Chinook, Pink and Coho salmon, river run Rainbows, Steelhead, Lake Trout, lake run Brown trout, Coaster Brook trout, the Pinook cross breed in one stream to fish. From the time of ice out all the way into the late fall the fishing is great.
2) The Steelhead runs in the Michigan streams are more abundant then many west coast streams. There are runs almost anytime of the year depending on location. (Michigan is about 600 miles long running north to south and it feeds into three largest Great Lakes)
3) There are over 12,000 miles of cold water trout streams in the state. Most of them accessible. (Many of them spring creeks flowing out of the largest glacial deposited alluvial plateau in the Lower 48). Many streams are year round fisheires. Millions of acres of public lands and public accessible private lands.
4) Reasonable out state license fees.
5) Historically, the birthplace of Trout Unlimited, Swisher and Richards, Scientific Anglers, The Adams........
6) Original home of the Heddon Company, Paul H. Young, Lyle Dickerson, ........
7) To digress, some of the finest Woodcock and Grouse hunting in the midwest (Michigan is going through a 50 years timber harvest rotation, which is creating vast tracts of bird habitat). Large Turkey populations and a deer herd that is, lets say, overly abundant.
8 More large water coast line than any state in the US. The Great Lakes fishery for the species noted above is tremendous.

Near Lapeer there are 2 trout streams an easy drive away. Head west about 45 minutes and there are a number of streams in the Lansing area.North in about an hour you will start to hit some very nice, but overlook fisheries.

PM me for more details. I would be glad to help you out, even take you fishing.

And

Welcome to our great State.

Pure Michigan

Carl

tyghguy
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Re: Michigan

#8

Post by tyghguy »

Carl Thank you so much for your response. I am planning on buying a book or two on fishing in Michigan. The steelhead runs here in Oregon are on the decline and the state just closed The Deschutes River for steelhead fishing along with many Columbia River tributaries. Those Coaster Brook Trout look amazing. I appreciate your offer. It will be next spring before I bring the rods back. I also am an avid upland bird hunter, mainly pheasants here in Oregon. And I already have my sights set on a huge Michigan Whitetail. Like the steelhead fishing, deer hunting has also taken a hit here in Oregon. Who knows, I may like it so much I too may become a resident. The West is no longer the place I grew up in. And with my two grandsons, who my wife and I are deeply attached to, moving there, well, you know Grandma may already be on the plane. Thanks again Jerry

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Titelines
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Re: Michigan

#9

Post by Titelines »

These guys are fibbing. There ain't no trout in Michigan. :D

Mark

Bamboo River
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Re: Michigan

#10

Post by Bamboo River »


Bamboo River
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Re: Michigan

#11

Post by Bamboo River »


RAZINGKANE
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Location: Grayling, MI
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Re: Michigan

#12

Post by RAZINGKANE »

As a life long "Michiganiac" I can only say that your outdoor activities are only limited by your imagination. I have had the good fortune of living in our UP, the "Thumb", the far south Lake Erie swamplands, and my final resting place, Grayling. Yes, Michigan has its depressed and less than hospitable places, but I've traveled around a bit and seen just as bad in just about every place I've been. Michigan just hasn't had the luxury of pulling a blanket over its problems and pretending they don't exist. Several factors have conspired to keep our shortcomings in the national spotlight. (IMO)

Be that as it may, you are never more than 6 miles from a body of water. Trout in our blue ribbon streams, salmon and steelhead in our rivers and Great Lakes, small mouth base fisheries all over the place, blue gills on the beds, pike, and yes, even fresh water bonefish (a.k.a. carp) in the flats of Grand Traverse Bay. I seldom take my gear from the truck just because I never know what opportunities might present themselves. We have a number of first rate fly shops that will guide you in your pursuits. Considering the distances required to reach fishing opportunities in other states, some of our best locales can be reached from down state in the same amount of time it takes to do dinner and take in a movie. (About three hours.)

Hunting can be first rate for grouse on the right year, and I manage to fill my tag or tags every year on whitetails. Last year for example, I arrowed a first rate eight point 200 yds from my backdoor on a Wednesday and was salmon fishing 80 miles away on Friday. Works great if you're no longer slave to a day job, but even so, with a little planning your days off can be a hoot.

I will never be able to say enough good about our "Water, Winter, Wonderland".

John Niemann

Picture is Autumn view of the Au Sable by my back door.

Image

cebe
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Re: Michigan

#13

Post by cebe »

Great steelhead rivers are anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half hours from your family’s house.
Good trout streams are about the same distance although a lot more goid trout streams are within an hour and a half. Good smallmouth rivers are minutes away as is Lake Huron ahore opportunities.

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jhuskey
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Re: Michigan

#14

Post by jhuskey »

There are a handfull of areas in the US that ooze the history of cane rods, trout fishing and fly tying. You are moving to one of them!

tyghguy
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Joined: 09/11/18 12:19

Re: Michigan

#15

Post by tyghguy »

Nice pic John The Au Sable looks wonderful. I am used to fishing more fast moving water so there will be a learning curve. I did manage to shoot a nice buck this year, but the deer herds of my youth don't exist in the area I have permission to hunt. As far as crime etc., Portland Oregon, where I live, is not so safe these days either. But Oregon in general is still a very nice state. Thanks to all who replied. Jerry

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TimM
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Re: Michigan

#16

Post by TimM »

Congrats on the MI connection!

For fly fisherman the Au Sable, Manistee, Muskegon and some others are the bread and butter but you will be a few hours away in Lapeer.

You will be pretty close to some great Walleye, Smallmouth/Largemouth and Perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River. The smallmouth fishing is a lot of fun a fly rod. There is also some good Musky fishing in Lake St. Clair in limited areas.

Casting a wider net Carl already described fishing at the Sault, Lake Michigan regularly produces world record brown trout on both the MI and WI sides and there is some amazing Lake Trout fishing in Lake Superior. (And also, Brook Trout, Splake, Coho, Brown Trout, Rainbows/Steelhead, Pike, Walleye, Burbot ...)

When they offer gravy for your pasty it's a trap - it's ketchup (or catsup if you must) for the natives.

magpie
Guide
Posts: 238
Joined: 11/24/15 12:43

Re: Michigan

#17

Post by magpie »

RAZINGKANE wrote:
10/12/21 07:05
As a life long "Michiganiac" I can only say that your outdoor activities are only limited by your imagination. I have had the good fortune of living in our UP, the "Thumb", the far south Lake Erie swamplands, and my final resting place, Grayling. Yes, Michigan has its depressed and less than hospitable places, but I've traveled around a bit and seen just as bad in just about every place I've been. Michigan just hasn't had the luxury of pulling a blanket over its problems and pretending they don't exist. Several factors have conspired to keep our shortcomings in the national spotlight. (IMO)

Be that as it may, you are never more than 6 miles from a body of water. Trout in our blue ribbon streams, salmon and steelhead in our rivers and Great Lakes, small mouth base fisheries all over the place, blue gills on the beds, pike, and yes, even fresh water bonefish (a.k.a. carp) in the flats of Grand Traverse Bay. I seldom take my gear from the truck just because I never know what opportunities might present themselves. We have a number of first rate fly shops that will guide you in your pursuits. Considering the distances required to reach fishing opportunities in other states, some of our best locales can be reached from down state in the same amount of time it takes to do dinner and take in a movie. (About three hours.)

Hunting can be first rate for grouse on the right year, and I manage to fill my tag or tags every year on whitetails. Last year for example, I arrowed a first rate eight point 200 yds from my backdoor on a Wednesday and was salmon fishing 80 miles away on Friday. Works great if you're no longer slave to a day job, but even so, with a little planning your days off can be a hoot.

I will never be able to say enough good about our "Water, Winter, Wonderland".

John Niemann

Picture is Autumn view of the Au Sable by my back door.

Image
200 yards with a bow. I'm ama ::) zed

RAZINGKANE
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Joined: 01/02/17 19:19
Location: Grayling, MI
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Re: Michigan

#18

Post by RAZINGKANE »

Ummm...the tree stand is 200 yds from the back door. The shot was 25. OKKKK... I'm good, but not THAT good.

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wctc1
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Re: Michigan

#19

Post by wctc1 »

My good friend, cane rod making teacher, and outdoorsman, Steve Kiley, now passed so soon, opined to me he was surprised Oregon fishing was less than that in Michigan, until he was repeatedly plied with a wee dram and some "expert" guidance. Still, he said he was right on as to fish hooked, the variety of fish at any given time, and for pan fried fish. I miss Steve, he was an excellent fly fisher and a fine outdoor companion.

Another guest at several mountain camps here in Oregon retired from the MI highway dept. in the "Upper," as I think he called it. He told me the fishing was 100% better than summer in the Cascades. But, who goes fishing for the fish? Just asking. .

Your family has picked a great area. It will improve, I'm sure. Joe here

billems
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Re: Michigan

#20

Post by billems »

I can't remember the title, but Ernest Hemingway wrote a piece for the Toronto Star on fishing steelhead in St. Saint Marie. Good story. He had a member of the Cree tribe as his guide.

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