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3. The Coppler Creek canyon - some nice pics from last fall to help you survive the Apocalypse

This was the last big hike I took last fall, and our colors were amazing. Our trout season here in MI opens three weeks from tomorrow & I have a couple of new 6'6" 2-weights to explore these gorgeous little brookie creeks with. As it turns out, I am hoping that I have just moved from one place where I can walk to bass & bluegill to a new place where I can walk to brookies...we'll see in a few weeks! In the meantime, let these photos take your mind off the crazy world and into a secret place full of natural wonders, including blood-red sphagnum moss, wild cranberries, and sundews. Enjoy!

Jonathon, hunkered down in beautiful northern Michigan woods

Thanks Jonathon, really need something right now to brighten the day. At least the sun was shining today. Ive been fishing all winter when water levels and temps allowed, but Im ready for some warm weather and bugs on top.
Mike.

How the heck would it be possible to fly fish that Hellish place? Maybe a 4' ultra light spin rod and a little worm. What is in there, midget trout?

To someone such as yourself, Matt, used to fishing in large, wide-open waters, the above probably looks claustrophobic as all hell. But with a shorter-than-7-foot rod & 2-weight DT line, and some 5x tippet & appropriate sized flies, there are beautiful brookies to be had, especially if Mr. Beaver has created some habitat for them. My new location is laced with little streams like this, either tributaries to the Pine (as is the above) or flowing into the north shores of Foote and Cooke Ponds. Not much competition for solitude! Especially in these days of "the plague" when you wanna avoid everyone...plus the other natural wonders hiding in there, they're magical places and a challenge to fish, making success sweeter. And I'm sure plenty of Troutnuts will back me up that you will at times be surprised by how big a brookie will come out of waters like this, they are small-stream specialists!

And I can walk to it, or it's a short drive if I don't feel like making the hike, and that's an ultimate advantage, easy access!

Jonathon

Hi Jon,



I understand. I frequent another ffing forum and there are a bunch of guys there who fish streams even smaller than the one in your pictures. There is a large group of fly fishers who love little water and wild brookies. I'm happy for them, and for myself, because it keeps them away from the big waters I like to fish. Diversity is what is so interesting about ffing. Big fish, little fish, big and small waters, bass, trout, steelhead, Atlantic salmon, the list of different pursuits is very lengthy. I know guys who only fish for Atlantic salmon. Nothing else. I know guys who love to fly fish but only in salt water. Two of my closest friends are dry fly snobs. They will not fish for wild trout with anything but dry flies and usually only to rising trout.

It is great you live so close to that water (it must be a haven for mosquitoes and black flies!!). If I had a decent stream, even if they were stocked trout, within 15 minutes I'd be very happy to be able to get out for a few hours.