cnr

We are going to fish the little Manistee and Bear creek. Joe hit his first Steelhead with me last spring and this will make a good starter rod for him. Just takes one big Steelie to get the fever. Little streams and big fish make for some awesome fights.

That's a beautiful buck. Well done and congrats.

Yeah, any time you try to go multi-species you loose some of the specific design enhancements a speciality boat has. Anything that has a windshield or center console starts to limit space and casting ability. I fish on LOZ occasionally out of my buddies Champion bay boat and I like the ride. No way two guys could pitch a jig off of the front like you can in a modern bass boat.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a center console boat. They have the capability to handle the larger waves and have a lot of space. For a rough lake like LOZ I think they do a good job.

I parked on 47 last year but just went up the road (maybe 1/4 mile) so I was not close to the signs. The shoulder is very wide and accommodating so I figured I would be okay. No one bothered (ticketed) the car but it was only one time, I may of just got lucky.

I love it. Losing fish keeps you coming back for more. Heart thumping, adrenaline going, all of the sudden your staring at that slack line wondering...maybe I should have done this or that. Makes us better fisherman.

In Michigan they have similar stream regulations as we do in Missouri. Keep your feet wet and off the banks and there won't be any problems. You do have the legal right to by-pass a dangerous obstruction and exit the water to do so, but in some instances just like here in Missouri the landowners can be a little protective of their property. Being polite and asking permission always helps, even though you may not get the answer you want. Sometimes after a few years of asking you get the official OK and a new friend to boot.

You're forgetting the cardinal rule. Happy wife, Happy life. If the windshield keeps the family happy it's a good trade-off. Yep, it catches the wind and can get in the way of casting but if it keeps the complaining down it's worth it. Maybe two boats are needed!

Love the P-51D. I believe it was the introduction of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine that made the P-51D such a great machine. Until then it didn't have the high altitude power to be used as a fighter aircraft.

Very cool pics. I wonder how the Smallie fishing was back then? May not of been very good with all of the pollutants folks would dump without any knowledge (or care) about the damage being done.

Ummm...Cardinals 2006 and 2011.

In really clear water my buddies will out fish me if I run braid all the way to my Fluke. Add a leader in clear water. If the water is colored up I don't see the catch rate change if I run all braid.

The Sox gave us a beat-down in '04. Now it's our turn to win. GO CARDS!!

Killer offense tonight. Man was I wrong. They really woke up offensively. Way to go cards!!'

I hope they win. Gotta say I'm a little pessimistic with the way they have been batting, a .194 team average won't go very far against good pitching. Maybe Wacha is due for that no-hitter :-) Puig is a punk.

Nice fish. Love to see those big fat rainbows.

Ha ;-)

Sure. Trout fishing is good all year.

Amen to that! It seems like it should be so simple: 1) Representatives that represent their constituents (not special interest groups). 2) They should live by the same laws and policies they enact. Government shutdown to prove their points...Great, then they don't get paid either. It sure is easy to be pig-headed when it's no skin off your back.

Hmmm...names for big Smallmouth. I've heard of toad used also. Stud, Slab...those don't fit either. "Monster" Smallmouth?

Micropterus dolomeiu = Smallmouth, Smallie, Bronzeback, Brown Bass, Brownie, Redeye, etc. We love our nicknames and acronyms! Add in texting shortcuts and it's a whole new language.

They seem to like some bigger gaudier patterns out west that we do not use in the Michigan tribs. I think a lot of that is local custom and tradition. Using egg flies and nymphs are common in both areas from what I read. If it is bigger water and there's enough room to effectively swing a two fly rig (egg and nymph dropper) with an indicator I would start there. They are still just trout and a good presentation of a natural food source imitation always works. If the water is colored up use bigger flies and if clear go smaller, pretty obvious but some folks seem to get in the habit of not refining their presentation. Oh, and make sure you buy your flies locally that are tied for Steelies, the standard trout hooks won't work for such a large fish. A lot of the flies you will use will be very similar to what you would use here in both size and color, but the hook needs to be heavier gauge material. Basically, just pretend you are nymphing for Missouri trout and you will do fine. Never underestimate the value of a local guide though. That's the most valuable tool you can employ on new water! Here's one from last Spring in Michigan. Man I love to catch these fish!!! And the infamous joeD minutes before he was busted by a really big fish in the run he was fishing. Sometimes it's just as much fun watching others get a beating by such an awesome, hard fighting fish.

You can try a few spots for wading on the White. Rim shoals or Wildcat shoals are always good if the water is safe to wade.

You and me both. Man I hate those things. I had one eat a 150lb class Tarpon right at the boat once. What a loss.

#3 - If it wasn't in your possession you did not catch it. When Steelhead fishing in Michigan we use a numbering system of hooked and landed. If I had a day of going 3/5 (3 landed and 5 hooked) I'm pretty happy with the day. Fish that take a lot of hours to pursue and hook-up are worth noting as a measure of success. I think anyone who fishes for Musky, Tarpon, Steelhead, Atlantic Salmon, etc. find success in just getting one of the darned things on the hook. But, there is nothing like holding a big fish in your hands while it gradually recovers in the water. When it finally starts to wiggle a little and then slowly swim away, man that's a great feeling.