The salmon are starting to move in to the rivers here in Mich. Another two weeks and "Hold on to your fly rod" Picked up some nice rainbows on hoppers yesterday.

 

The Spring Salmon are on the move here as well...spent about 6 hours on the river yesterday...we landed 4 of them...2 just over 30lbs, one about 12 and one about 18 lbs...

Here is a high flyer..

http://www.arboristsite.com/attach/6599.jpg

and another big guy

http://www.arboristsite.com/attach/6600.jpg

 

Great shot!! Salmon on light line, in a river is something everyone who fishes should experiance.Not to much compares to, like you said a 20# plus fish in 2 foot of water ,doesnt leave the fish allot of options except to RUN!! Tarpon ,Bone Fish,Snook all a great time on flies.

 

EE3, you old tree hugger, I am really envious of you Northern guys, us Texas boys have never seen a salmon in our waters, much too warm. Once in a while we see a trout when they import them and dump them below the dams, but you got to be fast cause they're goners when they get to warm water. However our warm water does attract some fine ladies in string bikinis, kind of takes your mind of fishin, but only for a moment till you come to your senses.
I sent you a reply in the "what happened to John Wayne" section. Hope you read it.
Post more pictures.
Terry

 

Dennis, those pictures were great, not just the fish but the water,I am impressed. Did you take those? Very little clear white water down here. Mostly slow and murky. Maybe I could post some pictures of alligators, water moccisans and turtles on a muddy river bank. Not very impressive.
My wife and I love fresh salmon, if you call a two day trip from up North to our local grocery store "fresh". Nothing better I'll bet except fresh from the water to the grill.
Post more pictures, rub it in, I can take it.
Terry

 

Well Convenant if ya ever find your way up here Id be happy to get ya unto some salmon.Its a little like a redfish on the flats. AS far as tree huggin goes, if that means I spent every chance I get in the great out doors and would rather you not cut down every
f!@#ing tree there is so I have one to put my tree stand in for Deer hunting or one for the turkeys to roust in.yep thats me.I Have my own little piece of heaven on a river in northern MI. where iv seen bear,bob,cat,coyote,deer ducks,you name it.Makes me all warm inside.Been out back takin some shots with the bow today starting to get ready for oct. opening.Yep thats me old tree hugger Eric..
just about for got , we got the beach here also right on lake Mi. ...one of the hang outs www.hankypank.com a local bayou

Just went over and read the John Wayne posting - NAH You didnt say anything to bother me .. Last time I cared to much what some one said was some goof ball from a different northern state telling me that all guns should be banned , but for sure hand guns.Lets just say we didnt see eye to eye on this!!

 

Covenant, yeah I took those pics Sunday afternoon at the fishing hole....its called Bailey's Chute....the fish never do get past it...but they sure try hard...its awesome to watch them...at some points there are 3 and 4 fish in the air at the same time.

we get this run every August and we spend about 10 days, whether they be mornings before work, or evenings after work...

I have only ever tried flyfishing them a couple times with little success, typically we use large teaspoons and 20 lb test line...level wind Abu Garcia reels...

I believe the largest caught here this year is 47lbs....but a couple years ago north of us there was a 101lb spring caught in the river...that was an amazing fish to see!!!

My favorite fresh salmon is sushi...I love going to the coast for fresh sushi!!

 

Covenant....when I was in TX in 1993 we saw a bit of fresh water...we were fishing striped bass below the Possum Kingdom Dam out of Ft Worth...my dad and I spent a week there at Christmas...I will have to see if I can't scan some of those pictures

 

Oh yeah I forgot the pic to make ya jealous...lol...

this is my dad and our lure builder on the favorite rock...the whitewater in the background is where the pics of the fish jumping were...

 

We do have fresh water here, some clear rivers in the hill country but nothing as wild as your pics. Most of our rivers are relatively small. A cold river here might get down to 50 deg F. in the winter, there are some cool spots where springs are and the water comes out of the ground about 57 deg. F I don't believe thats cool enough for those beautiful salmon. Thanks for the pics and keep us posted.
Terry

 

EE3, sounds we are more alike than I thought, just a 1000 miles apart,I live in a rural area of S Tex. An avid hunter and fisherman. I don't want all the trees cut down either, I just don't want someone telling me I can't cut one on my property.
Feb 2nd, I was trimming a large oak in the front pasture and got knocked off a 36 ft extension ladder, broke the right wrist in 15 pieces, broke the right femer and the ball off my hip. I still want the right to cut trees.
My reference to Tree hugger was in jest refering to our earlier post, don't be offended.
That looks like beautiful country up there, I've only been as far north as Illinois in recent years. Around chicago, it was nice but not monumental.
I don't know if I could handle the cold weather, we have only a hand full of days below 32 here, my bloods pretty thin.
You mentioned Red fish on the flats, sounds like you fished the gulf before. I like to redfish, but the scenery doesn't inpress me. Maybe cause I've seen it all my life. Keep us posted on the hunting and fishing reports. I'll keep an eye open.
Terry

 

Forgive me for butting into your conversation, but I had to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I have never been salmon fishing and would love to see them on the move. I fished for striped bass with my dad when he was still alive. I have native trout in the river in front of my WV mountain cabin. I have fished for cut-throat trout in the Shoshone River. My fondest memories are catching blue gills on a cane pole when I was a kid. I've always preferred fresh water fishing over salt water.

 

Fishing salmom or trout in MI. is a little differant then out west meaning the rivers are much smaller and slower.We dont have any thing that resembles what DennisG is posting.If you do enjoy reading some of it you might enjoy www.fishbaldwin.com it is a small shop in the town where my cabin is. read the reports.And check out some of the links like the steel head site.

 

Great link ee3....I love reading about fishing elsewhere...ok I just love reading about fishing...lol....

We do have alot of fresh big whitewater but I, as all of you, love fishing the fresh little waters as well with my flyrod...I would prefer to catch 20 fish at about 1lb than I would 1 fish at 20lbs...

One weekend myself and my brother packed up the quad and went out for the weekend into this little river and we must have caught 90 fish each over two days...some were only 1/2 lb...we caught and released everything...but d@mn it was fun!!! I am looking forward to going back there...I am going to take my horse in there next time...

I would love to try bass fishing in some of the places you guys have down south...we don't get any sort of bass fishing up here...

 

Our game fish down here are bass, crappie, striped and white bass and of course the catfish. Also Redfish have been introduced into fresh water, they grow faster and larger in fresh water but will not reproduce, they also have a fish from salt water called a Corvina, I believe it is basically a speckled trout. I like to fish fresh and salt alike, the Gulf is about 2 hours from the house. The fun with saltwater is you nearly always catch something and you never know what you are gonna get. There are so many species in the gulf. I got to go out a few years ago on a University of Texas research boat out of Port Aransas. I grew up on the coast and I was amazed at the creatures brought up in the nets. Things I've never seen before and probably never will again except in a bad dream. One thing I like to catch in saltwater are stingrays, buddy, those rascals can put up a fight. They pull steady and hard, you think you have Moby Dick.
We probably all somewhat take what we have for granted, You Northern guys would think a big marlin or shark a great catch. I thing standing there by Dennis G. and his Dad watching flying fish in all that white water would be an all time adrenaline high. Heck, I would,t care if I had a rod.
As soon as my wife and I get our last youngun out of the house (about 5 more years) we are going to take a cruise on a small ship up the west coast of Canada to Alaska, its a three week cruise that side tracks up the rivers and places a large ship can't go. It lays over many nights in Canada and Alaska and I can't wait. I've been raising kids for 30 years and I'm ready for me and momma to have a little time alone. No more theme parks.
Terry

 

we are getting close... their moving in .the Harbor is stacked.
www.fishbaldwin.com

 

there back...... Made it out this weekend and had a great day with the old 9wt. Hooked about 30 fish (two of us) and landed 3..Had to switch down to 6# in order to keep from spooking them. A 20# plus fish in 2'-3' of water is'nt easy to hold back. But boy did we have fun tring !!