Carp Rescue!

While I have spent a lot of time fishing this summer, I have also been able to help some fish.  At our church picnic, I noticed a small pool that had 14 large carp in it.  The pool had been connected to the Grand River at one time, but as the water had gone down, the carp were stranded.  I gathered a posse of carp rescuers, grabbed my big pike net from the van, and went to the pool.

I scooped up a carp, and carried it several hundred feet to the Grand River to be released.  I repeated the procedure five times during the course of the picnic.  Carp are not everyone's favorite fish, but I'm happy I was able to help them out!

Return of the Pike!

Late in the summer of 2012, I became concerned about the pike population in the Looking Glass River near DeWitt.  I was not able to catch or see any pike because, I think, the water was so low and warm.  But on July 7, I returned to the Looking Glass and the pike are back!

I cast a minnow into the river and a big pike came out of nowhere and grabbed it;  this might have been one of the best strikes I have ever had!  The pike constantly thrashed and jumped, which made for great entertainment.  As you know, I am a catch-and-release fisherman, so I put the pike back for the next fisherman to catch.

A few minutes later, an ever bigger pike hit my minnow.  I struggled with this pike for four or five minutes.  He must have been 34 or 35 inches long.  Unfortunately, he did a back flip and came off my hook.  I was sorry to lose this pike, but I enjoyed the great battle we had!

July Journey

 The week of the Fourth of July is a time when I usually go fishing Up North.  This year's trip took to me to Alanson, between Petoskey and Mackinaw City, on the Crooked River.  During our time in Alanson, we stayed at the Crooked River Lodge.  A couple of years ago, new owners took over, and they have done many good things, including hiking trails, a fishing dock, and a fish pond where you can feed the fish.  I caught a number of pan fish while fishing right from the dock behind the Lodge as well as near the lock, just outside of the town.

The Crooked River around Alanson is good habitat for water snakes.  I observed a number of these snakes during my adventures along the River.  The water snakes I saw are not venomous, but people should not handle them, as they will bite!  I estimate the largest snake I saw was close to three feet long.

I always enjoy being in the company of a good fisherman!  When we approached the big fish pond at the nearby Oden State Fish Hatchery, some people told us there was a bald eagle close by.  Sure enough, when we looked over the water, there was a great big bald eagle looking down at the trout!  I didn't see the eagle catch a trout, but I can also see how he became a great big bald eagle!


Meanwhile, back behind the Crooked River Lodge, I was pleased to see several turtles.  The turtles I saw were mostly painted turtles and snapping turtles.  When we were walking back to our room, we saw many turtle nests that had been dug up by raccoons.  The turtles were very skittish, and every time I would get close for a picture, they would swim off.


I love northern Michigan and the fish and the
wildlife I see there.  I look forward to returning
there later this summer!