Pere Marquette

[watermen]

If you decide to fish the PM there is no permit that i'm aware of. The flies only section starts right at baldwin and remember that club water starts not too far down from the access. Fishing will be tough that time of year but, there is some Hopper fishing due to grass along banks of pM. Unusual in that neck of the woods because of the big trees that line all the rivers. It is a fairly big river and easily floatable but, lots of activity due to the aforementioned outfitters on this river. Close to the area are the Boardman and Jordan that offer more fishing for native brookies (The Jordan Especiallly) is a classic cedar swamp northwwods river that meanders gets Deep in places and has alot! less pressure. The broookies are easier to catch as well, you are fishing for wild trout and there is a difference from what your used to locally. Think stalking more than fishing. It is very fun fishing and a pretty area in it's own right Spent alot of time there when I was your age and was back last summer. Don't forget MI version of the Au Sable north of Grayling as well. Have fun and good luck!

[Wayne SW/MO]

Watermen when I was there you had to stay in the water , but could trespass if you couldn't safely negotiate a hazard as long as you took the shortest route. Is that still the law?

[cnr]

Yes. the law is written that you can exit the river to go around anything you deem as a hazard. But, like here in Missouri some landowners can be a little unforgiving, especially on the PM.

[Phil Lilley]

I was struck by the number of No Trespass signs on the river. Some places they are ignored - were back when I fished it. But there are some places you better watch. About a 1/2 mile above the Green Cabin access I was chewed out continuously for an hour by a guy and gal for stepping on the bank ONCE to avoid a overhanging tree. They didn't leave us alone till we were out of their sight. I think it was a game for them. They enjoyed it.

I've heard there are river monitors but never seen them. Below the 4th clay bank there's a club - can't remember the name of it. But they're pretty picky about people walking on the bank.

[ozark trout fisher]

We'll be careful about the private land situation. I assume it's the same up there where you're good as long as you stay within the banks. If so it shouldn't be a problem...if anyone hassles us about getting out of the river to portage around a fallen tree or something of that sort, that's kind of on them.

We are thinking of floating the fly only area, and doing some wade fishing in the mornings/evenings there as well. If the fishing ends up a little tough that's fine....we should have plenty of time up there to fish a few other rivers that I know from experience can fish well in mid/late summer. It sounds like it's worth seeing even if the fishing isn't the best at that time of year.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think you should remember that there is a difference between some individuals ideas of reasonable and the law. As long as you're we within the law, the enforcement community is well aware of what it is and the "vigilante's" won't generally test the water officially.

I grew up in a time when farmer Brown didn't worry too much as long he knew who and why, but now you have people from the city who find themselves owning what they once thought was a city block and they want no one setting foot on their piece of the earth.

[ozark trout fisher]

I hear what you're saying. We'll certainly find out what the stream trespass laws are and follow them. Past that, I don't know if there's any good solution for us other than to just go ahead and worry about grumpy landowners if they show up. We'll be following the law, we're not going to be yelling or playing loud music, and it's a national scenic river. From what I can turn up it's one of the more famous floating/fishing streams in Michigan, so you'd think they'd be used to seeing people fishing and canoeing. Anyway, I appreciate the heads up.

[watermen]

You must stay in the water still. I made some calls for you this morning (going to school in Ann Arbor) leaves me area contacts. There is no real reason to leave the water it's a fairly large river (Think lower Current) in the flies only and deep below the flies with boat only access. Some of the others I mentioned are worth the adventure from a fishing standpoint. One other thing of note if you take the train tracks out of town in Baldwin (Hard to Miss) There is a Bronze monument where the claim is the first rainbows were stocked east of the rockies by train back in the day. Interesting piece of history if your a trout buff. It's very sparse grey hackle and shwiebertesque. Used to be a seperate secies of grayling in that country before the logging. Visit the fred bear museum and spend some time in grayling and fishing some of the other rivers as well. Other than skeeters it's cool classic trout water. If you've got time hit the pidgeon or Maple at night and skitter mice or other hair bugs in front of the log jams. You won't land many, but the strikes will fill your shorts. Gotta fly to King Salmon on Monday and am hoping the King run rivals last year. Never seen so many 40 plus fish in the Naknek as last year. But that is different fishing. Have a fun summer.

[scifi]

check out this forum

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=24

maybe it'll help

[Phil Lilley]

Looks like he's already been there...