Something told me we were in for a whale of a day of fishing, as we readied the drift-boat near the ramp of the Snake River in eastern Idaho. Across the pavement crawled a salmonfly the size of a chubby, winged golf tee. One creepy-crawly insect was followed by another and another. They flitted about, …
By Chris Zimmerman Last summer in late April, I pulled into the parking lot where the Little Muskegon River pours over the dam in downtown Altona, MI. A younger version of myself was there with his two daughters, fishing. They cast worms under a bobber into the swirling froth, hoping for a fish to bite …
Outdoor Mysteries: Trout in the Little Muskegon River Read More »
Eastern Idaho – After many years of hearing about the tremendous fly fishing on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, I finally got the chance to try my luck. On an early morning in mid-August, I parked the vehicle near a rustic campground, and ambled past peaceful tents and fifth wheels. The thin, clear …
EUREKA, Montana – I could hardly believe my eyes when I parked the rental car and stood on the gravelly brow of the Tobacco River in northwest Montana. Before me, the Tobacco twisted and poured its way hurriedly past fallen firs and balsams, rocks and boulders. Pockets of dark water in the twists and turns …
‘Twas a fitting farewell to the last hour of bird hunting in central Iowa. Not a minute from the truck, we were into the thick of things. My little Brittany, Shorty, climbed a steep embankment on the edge of a gravel road and slammed on the brakes. He stood there for ten, fifteen seconds – …
Four days of hunting. Four limits of wild rooster pheasants. It’s not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination, but my pals and I from Michigan had a few things going for us when we made the big drive to North Dakota. We weren’t on a game farm or a pheasant ranch. The …
East Central, North Dakota. ‘Twas a sight seldom seen in Michigan. As we drifted over a small rise in the landscape, a pair of pheasants drifted out of the vast prairie and into a cattail slough the size of a soccer field. Our truck slammed on the brakes as we watched the spectacle unfold. The …
GRAND MARAIS, MI- After a beautiful fall road trip up the middle of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and crossing the Straights of Mackinac, I finally made the easy left turn onto highway M-123. North by northwest I went, through the little hamlets of Trout Lake, Newberry and at last, Seney. Squalls of needle fine rain painted …
Long Walks with a Short Dog Yield Troubling Few Grouse Read More »
Talk about hectic start to a relaxing holiday in Yellowstone National Park: Catch a plane to Bozeman, rent a room, and in the morning, a motorhome. Drive the motorhome real fast and buy some gas on the outskirts of the park. Check into a campground inside Yellowstone, have some dinner and head down a hill …
Trout Fishing Mecca in Yellowstone National Park Read More »
SAULT STE MARIE- What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago in the Soo, we managed only two smallish Atlantic salmon after a half day of casting flies into the frothy, bubbling swirl behind the giant power plant on the St. Marys River. Oh sure, it was fun, but no matter how much I …