Nice! Whereabouts Dave?

Between Baldwin and Walhalla, Michigan on the Pere Marquette. I have gout in my right foot and sat in the back of the boat today. Twenty degrees when we pushed off, wind chill ????. Warmed to about 30 and since my wife was the only one fishing, it was decided to let Steve back troll with hot n tots today. Julie managed the poles and missed a couple of hits but ended up with three browns and two steelhead. Not my preferred way of fishing by any means, but I couldn't get a boot on so we changed tactics for today. Beautiful, peaceful day on the river.

Good hubby! Rivers are a special place to be! Your wife is a die hard.. ...brrrrrrrrrrr!

good fish Jules! Dave ya got the best job....taking pics.

Jules has it figured out..... Gout is caused by diet most times........ it was all about timing!

You go girl!

Very nice Dave! That looks like a beautiful place. At least somebody is catching some fish!!!

Im sure you had a great time. Steelhead and trout fishing is an art. I always loved doing it but was never very good. h.h.

Dave,

I hate to tell you this........but I use trout for bait!!!! BIG stripers eat 'em like candy!!!!!! Bigger the trout, bigger the striper!! Just thought I'd mention that! :p

Well, I can forgive you. But, I'm not sure that you will be forgiven on judgement day! :p

Oh...I can almost guarantee the outcome of that one, Dave.

If it makes you feel any better Dave, We buy the "extras" from the hatchery. No wild caught rainbow carp being mis-treated here!!! The good thing is, whatever don't die a sudden and violent death at the hands of a 40+ pound striper......we get to take home and eat!!!! Skipjack, and gizzard shad aren't that tasty !!!!

Just had to yank your chain a bit!!! :p I will say your reply, although tastefully written, is a tad more harsh than that I get from other trout fishermen!

Gizzard scales on a sammich sucks.... :rolleyes:

Heck, I was easy on ya! While I'm pretty attached to trout, smallies are another whole issue. There is NO WAY the big guy upstairs can forgive killing a smallie!!!!!

I agree 100% whole heartedly on the smallies Dave!!!! As a matter of fact, I have an early spring trip planned to striper fish on Norris Lake. My buddies that live down there said the smallmouth bite is outstanding on Norris that time of year. We may striper fish early morning, and cast for smallies the rest of the day. Depending how good it is, may just say to heck with the stripes, and smallmouth fish!!!!

I'm just giving you a hard time on the trout Dave. I would love to have that experience of doing what you and your wife did, and catch a nice brown or rainbow. It just seems funny to me, that there is this "mystic" about the wary trout, and all the hype that goes with catching them. I'm sure there are instances where they are tough to catch, and there is a lot that goes into catching them. My only experience with them got ruined on Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming fishing for them. A buddy of mine, and I went out and stayed with friends and deer hunted. The guys wife that we stayed with was a trout fishing fanatic. After we got our deer, she offered to take us "trouts" fishing the rest of our stay. We didn't take any gear to fish, but she said she had enough to supply us all. Thoughts of casting flyrods with dryflies, or nymphs, depending on the "hatch" crossed my mind. Or lightweight spinning gear with small spinners since we were beginner trouts fishermen. No, actually we used heavy gear with carolina rigs, and bottom fished with corn, night crawlers, and Berkly power bait. That's where I coined the term "rainbow carp"! :p We caught the heck out of 2 to 5 lb rainbows. But, forever ruined my perception of the mysterious trout, and how to catch them!!!!! I will have to dig out an old picture of that fishing trip....Good fun, and memories!

GOOD LORD this weather has got to straighten up around here so I will get off this darn computer and go fishing!!! :rolleyes:

Your point is very well taken. That's why my wife and I usually head to the fly only water on the Pere. It makes it a lot more enjoyable when it's restricted to fly fishing and catch and release only, at least in my opinion. Now, do you catch fewer fish, yes. But, the whole experience of it is a lot nicer. When they water is clear in the late fall, we float trying to sight early spawn coho's and rainbows or browns. Getting out of the boat and wading and throwing a fly to them and trying to get then to hit is just incredible in my opinion. The other "romantic" aspect of the Pere is the fish there are wild strain as there is no stocking of fish on that river.

I assumed that was the kind of trip you made. And yes, that is REAL trout fishing. Like I said, That is on my bucket list of trips to make.

Been there D on the Pere Marquette. One of the best fishing trips I ever was on. On that trip a buddy and I were wading the river and a Bald Eagle came swooping in about 20 ft over our heads and into the water and pulled out about a 30# salmon. That was worth the hole trip. 2nd is smallie fishing in the Elk River in West Virgina. GOOD TIMES. Thanks for sharing.

Looks/sounds like a GREAT day on the river..... congrats on the fun times!

Gout sux. I feel ur pain. Had it twice and it can put a man down. I commend ya for being out there esp for ur wife. Nice job.