Manistee River Fish Wheel

Click the .pdf for more information about a new way to treat lamprey on the Big Manistee, have to be honest never seen anything like this before.

Manistee River Fishwheel Flyer

Northern Shrike

IMG_6489This little guy, about the size of a blue jay is pretty amazing.  Northern Shrikes usually site quietly, often in the top of a tree, before they swoop down after insects, mice, and small song birds.  Impaling it’s prey on a thorn or wedging it in a forked twig.

This is the first one I’ve had a chance to photograph.  Usually they sit so far away.

 

Mis Fit Heads and future Muskie Flies

With a fresh 13″ of snow that fell have a couple days off to hit the vise pretty hard.  Have a new product I’ve been wanting to play with.  They are called Mis Fit Heads you can find them here at the Lund Fly Shop.  I think one of the hardest parts of finishing big flies, is making your heads look nice and sexy.  Also epoxy products can weigh down your patterns, so I’m excited to see how these new flies swim in open water once we thaw out.

mis_fit_head

Muskie Mis Fit Pattern

 

Scott fly rods

Scott T3H Video

Had a great time working with Erik Rambo on this little project.  Great job Erik you do amazing things with the camera and at the editing desk.  Thank you Erik for all your hard work.

Thank you Brad Petzke and Kevin Feenstra for helping in this project as well.  And thank you Scott rods for making such a good product.  If you like the two-hand rods, you owe it to yourself to pick up one of the new T3H’s, they are sweet.

Swinging with the Scott T3H from Mangled Fly Media on Vimeo.

The need for sun and warmth

Why you can most likely guess I am addicted to steelhead fishing and truly love my winter fishery in my backyard, but the skin and mind are calling for warmer days and brighter skies.  Found this little video and I’m so jealous.

Silver Lining from Jekyll Works on Vimeo.

Picture of the Day – What could of been

So if I did not have two witnesses, again a story in the wild that, hardly anybody would of believed me.  So now I have a project.  Today I  had my first confirmed Golden Eagle sighting.  The picture below is an immature Bald Eagle that I had the camera ready for, but the Golden Eagle I had the camera in the case, and even after waiting for another chance, which I was not given.  I have no photo proof of my sighting.  So come back soon, as I hope to have the Golden photographed.

immature bald eagle

Common Merganser taking flight – Picture of the Day

As more and more migratory birds show up again, a common merganser here is one of our most frequently seen birds along the Manistee River.  Did see my first Michigan state bird yesterday, Mr. Robin.  Spring is here and so are steelhead and early streamer fishing for trout, still have some prime dates open.

 

IMG_6280

Public Meeting for Pike and Muskie regulations

Follow this link for more information about public meetings in your area for the NEW regulations regarding pike and muskie for 2013.  Public meetings will be held in March and April.

New Patagonia Waders

Patagonia Waders from Patagonia on Vimeo.

Screen Shot from Spey Cast Video

From the same project that shows the B&W Fly swimming, here is a screen shot from the video shot of my Scott T3H ripping up the water on the Manistee River.   I bought a Scott 1288 T3H and it’s an absolute gun.  Fell in love with this rod as soon as I first got it wet this fall.  Can handle any situation that I throw at it.  Big heavy flies or longer bellies and lighter bugs.  Rod just matches my casting style and everything Michigan big river fishing has to offer.

scott T3H