Days Out In Autumn

Gazing out across Blind Lake. The leaves are starting to properly change color. There is a bit of a chill to the air.

--October 17, 2024 at 6:10 PM.

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10 days ago when I hiked into Blind Lake the leaves were just starting to show colors. Here and there red, tan, brown, yellow were visible but the vast majority of leaves were still green and clinging to their branches. Fall was in the air but it didn’t feel like it had really settled in. We had a series of very warm days - an Indian Summer of sorts. But you could tell it wouldn’t last.

The previous day I backpacked about 4.5 miles into Blind Lake Campground. On this steadily warming early afternoon under totally clear blue sky on a nearly glass-smooth Blind Lake I paddle back to my starting point on Halfmoon Lake: about 1.7 miles. Photo taken by Richard.

--October 18, 2024 at 12:13 PM.

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Saturday, October 25, found me up ready to head out again into Pinckney Recreation Area. The morning was sunny but slightly chilly. That probably wouldn’t matter as long as I was moving. I am sure bikers and trail runners preferred the low 50s (maybe) temperature too. The plan was to hike from Crooked Lake to Richard’s house; Lil would spend her time biking the Crooked Lake Trail; Richard would do something. Then we would all gather at his house and go fishing.

As I walked the rolling hills of Crooked Lake trail mountain bikers zipped on by heading in the other direction. A couple trail runners hustled on past. Leaves fell off the tress as the wind caused them to lose their grip. The colors that had been somewhat sparse 10 days before were in abundance now. It was a lovely morning in late October. I was somewhat past the halfway point of my hike when Richard came into view. He had decided to hike from his house towards me. That probably saved me from making a mistake and taking a somewhat longer, or at least less interesting as it would have had a road walk, hike. Togheter we walked the trails through the forest enjoying the company and the weather. Perhaps we should have stopped and had some of the hot tea I was carrying in my thermos. About 90 minutes after starting out, with one small mistake at the start in the campground (so easy to get confused in campgrounds) I found myself climbing the steps to Richard’s front door. Now we had time for tea as we waited for Lil to arrive.

The afternnon ws spent out on Richard’s pontoon boat. Perhaps none of us really has much talent for fishing. I suspect Lil has done the most; she certainly has the gear. It’s good we didn’t need the fish to survive. But it doesn’t have to be out catching your meal. It can, and in our case certainly was, about being outside with people you like in a pleasing location. We certainly had that. The Deer Camp beer made by Upper Hand Brewing along with the smoked cream cheese and crackers just helped to round out a very fine mid-autumnal afternoon.

Standing on a fishing pier jutting out into Crooked Lake. The smell of smoke from campfires drifts on the wind from nearby campsites. It’s a crisp clear morning and the leaves are really starting to change color. It’s lovely.

—October 26, 2024 at 10:46 AM.

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We found a shallow spot, maybe 15 feet deep, on the northern shore of Halfmoon Lake. We’ve been out on the lake under pretty clear sunny skies for 90 minutes and lost a few worms to fish but caught nothing. Richard is enjoying himself as are Lil and I.

—October 26, 2024 at 2:38 PM.

Maps are centered on the photo: Google map, Apple map, OpenTopoMap map

With the fun music of Da Yoopers playing in the background and the sun shining down upon us for the past 3 hours success has come: a fish has been caught. This tiny sunfish was the first of 2 Lil caught along with a not much larger bluegill. Enough for a few bites but it’s good none of us needs the fish to survive.

--October 26, 2024 at 4:02 PM.

Maps are centered on the photo: Google map, Apple map, OpenTopoMap map

Muskegon River Fly Fishing Trip, June 2016

Almost sunset. I'm trying to remmeber all the things you need to do to make the best cast of my fishing line. Most often I forget to pull in slack.

It is the second weekend of June and I am finally joining Paul Haan and Eric Doyle with Eric's Friend Jamison for a weekend of fly fishing. This would , for Jamison and me, be our first fly fishing excursion and it quickly became clear   that we had a lot to learn as we tried to catch our first fish out of the Muskegon River.

 

 

 

Fly fishing is a more involved activity than you might first think. I am confident that there are scores, if not hundreds, of species of flies that one can use to try and entice various fish to strike and impale themselves upon a hook. The flies you use change depending on the time of year, what is hatching, what is turning from nymph to fly (I think) and what the fish are doing. You may try different flies at different times of the day ; you might try using more than one fly at a time; you might move you line in different ways to make a fish think the fly is more like a real tasty morsel than not. Of course, most times you will fail to catch a fish - it's a good thing we about catch and release and not trying to put food on our tables.

 

While I doubt I'll ever be an active fisherman, if for no other reason than logistics of getting to fishing holes, I did enjoy my attempt at fly fishing. I am sure there are other people with very limited vision who fish, taking advantage of welcomed help by those who can see and know what they're doing, and I'm quite happy I was able to join the fishing community.

 

A trip video on YouTube is here.

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