The Old Au Sable Fly Shop Fishing Report
Whew! My shoulders are officially lowered. I just spent a week with my fine wife and sweet little boy exploring the wilds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
It’s been nearly twenty years since Gloria and I have taken an entire week to explore the wonders that Northern Michigan has to offer. It had been too long and with Jack at four years old, our youthful spirits were rejuvenated. And that is one of the best gifts that having a young child brings to an old couple. Everything we did and everything we saw was amazing—especially through a Jack’s bright, child eyes.
Jack bounced in an out of the tent every time we set it up, rode his little training-wheeled bike in fits and excited spurts, and was clock-eyed at the giant slug we saw and elated with the dirty little campsite that boasted huge numbers of infantile tree frogs and toads he could catch. He helped cooking breakfast over the campfire and was amazed how toast crisped on the on the grate over red coals. It was like being a kid again for me and for him it was exactly like he was showing us everything for the first time—because he was.
I had forgotten, a little, about the smaller parts of Nature’s amazements. And I forgotten about how amazing our state forest campgrounds are here in Michigan. It was weird at first staying in the grounds. I mean, I have a fire pit in my backyard and the neighbors are further through the trees at home than they are in the campgrounds. But the path is groomed or even paved and the site is just a stone’s throw from some placid, quiet lake. And there’s kid’s . . . lots of kids . . . spinning around wild like it’s the good old days without parents even looking. It’s nice to see a little Norman Rockwell in the world and to hope that maybe the good old days aren’t really old at all. Maybe it’s all just perspective.
A little river time can help with that attitude adjustment, too. The mild Summer weather has the Rivers in fine shape and the fishing is holding up nicely. And there’s a lot of space and quiet.
This is the best Summer trout fishing that I can ever remember.
Thank you and take care,
Andy