Lake Sturgeon - Acipenser fulvescens

Finally, I have added the Lake Sturgeon to my lifelist. Sturgeon fishing is always something that I have always wanted to at least try. While the fish itself fascinates me, the method does not, basically a 1 oz weight or larger and octopus hook rigged up on a cat fishing pole, and a hunking gob of Canadian night crawlers. These fish feed primarily based on smell and hold deep, so a fly is not the ideal method for angling. Regardless, my first one is on the books at 33".


Acipenser fulvescens are a wonderful species, hailing from the era of the dinosaur. Closely related to sharks, these fish are cartilaginous and their skin rough to the touch. What makes these fish unique are their armour; these fish are the true badasses of the fish world and juveniles possess razor sharp scoots that will cut you like a surgical knife if not handled properly (I found out the hard way). These fish are long lived and can reach ages in excess of 100 years. Of particular concern is these fishes duration to reach sexual maturity, often into their thirties. This allows for a long turnover between spawning stock, a problem which plagued these fish and their recovery after being fished to near extinction in the late 1800's. In addition, habitat fragmentation due to the construction of dams and pollution have contributed to the major decline of nearly all sturgeons across the globe. The sturgeon Family Acipenseridae is the most threatened Family of all fishes with nearly all species threatened or near extinction.


If you give a damn about these fish, consider joining the North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society. In addition to all of the research and conservation work this organization does, they also have possibly the coolest tees on the planet. Respect the sturgeon!

Soft Hackle Heaven

Whether you call it a partridge, thunderbird, thunder chicken, or a ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus is among the tastiest of all upland birds and game. It is also prized for its hackle in my fly tying stash. Fortunately, living in Minnesota provides me with the nation's premier grouse habitat and population, with over half a million birds harvested annually, making it Minnesota's top game bird. Life is good in the Great White North.


The rump feathers, while used to determine the sex of a ruffed grouse, are also a vital component of the venerable Carp Crack pattern. The ruff feathers, located on the sides of the necks of both genders, are used to form the collar on the Mustache Ride and Landing Strip patterns, as they are long and wispy, providing lots of movement in the water. They are the ultimate soft hackle for those larger streamer fly patterns.



Regardless of how you obtain a ruffed grouse skin, whether it be a a retail acquisition, roadkill salvage, harvested bird, or a donation from a fellow hunter, consider yourself blessed. The ruffed grouse is the pinnacle prize of keen fly tyers.

Fall Scenes

The fall colors are past peak now as the gusty gales of fall are blowing the leaves from the canopy onto the forest floor. The winds of change are here and with it the carping season will soon be drawn to a close. They'll likely be a few more opportunities yet this fall for other roughfish. But until next spring, it will just be denial until I can hold the shimmering golden scales of a cyprinid in my hands again.



So long.

Beaver Island - Land of the Carp Flats

The ride in on the ferry from Charlevoix is surreal. Midnight blue water surrounds you in every direction as far as the eye can see. As you near the main island of the Archipelago, Beaver Island, those dark shades of blue transform into hues of turquoise and aquamarine, like something out of the South Pacific. Even in eighty feet of water, you can see clear through the gin clear water to the bottom. As you pull in to the main harbor on Beaver Island, Saint James Harbor, you realize that you have arrived someplace magical.


The fine folks at the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce and the Beaver Island Lodge were so kind as to put us up for the weekend. I cannot say enough about the warmth and hospitality these folks shared with us upon our arrival. I've traveled a fair amount across the globe and have to say that these guys are some of the friendliest and most gracious hosts I've ever met. You gotta love the charm of the Upper Midwest.



First glance at the archipelago and you'd think you in the Carribean. Crystal clear water encompasses the vast number of rocky shoals and reefs, lined with fine sugar sand. The only giveaways are the vegetation on shore of the larger islands, cedars, pines and spruces, and the missing taste of salt on your lips. While the majority of northern Lake Michigan is still left unspoiled, I can't hardly suspect that the ultra clear water isn't partly due to the presence of zebra mussels, unintentionally introduced to the Great Lakes from the ballast water of ocean going vessels. Untold miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan are lined with the washed up shells of dead zebra mussels. Even in paradise, the impact of man can still be observed.






The real heroes of Beaver Island are Captains Kevin Morlock and Steve Martinez of Indigo Guide Service. These guys put up with half a dozen scurvy Prima donnas from fly fishing's seedy underbelly, the media. Not only did they deal with us assembling to roll call way past reveille, and fumbling casts as some of us were still under the influence of the prior evening's activities, they managed to put us on fish under adverse conditions of a late spring. These guys must be part time saints. I'm not saying that we were all obnoxious by any means, but the pressure is on for any guide leading some of fly fishing's elite, filled with the high expectations of catching some of those Beaver Island behemoths, the common carp.



I came prepared for Beaver Island, sporting a seven weight Ross Rx with a Ross F1 reel, and a Ross Essence FW in a nine weight matched with a Ross Momentum LT for heavy duty work. The seven weight was spooled up with Scientific Anglers Coldwater Redfish Line, which casted wonderfully in the cool Michigan Tropics. The nine weight was spooled with SA's Textured GPX, a perfect fit for tough duty in stiff winds. While I was hoping to test the mettle of both setups to their breaking points, both combos fished flawlessly and had nary a hiccup in the line of duty. While I didn't get to see an F1 blow up or an Rx crack under pressure, I did get to see how easily the combo subdued a thirty pound carp, especially after getting into the backing twice on that fish. Even with over four hundred feet of line and backing out of the guides, My gear never wavered, and I was able to get the fish back to the boat to land.





I'll be back. Even though I didn't get into the quantity of fish that I thought I would, cool water temps resulting from a later spring helped subdue large numbers of fish from coming up into the shallows to feed. Perhaps a visit later in June or early July would be more favorable for high numbers of fish. Regardless, the quality of the fishery is outstanding, and the average size of carp caught had to be pushing twenty pounds. Throw away everything you know about fishing for carp, and head to Beaver Island. Beaver Island will redefine what you think about fly fishing for carp, skewing your baseline and possibly spoiling you for life. Welcome to without a doubt, some of the finest flats fishing in North America.

I'll be back allright, and next time Steve, I'll be bringing the kimchi.

the harvest

While many of you were squeezing in last minute trips to the beach, fishing outings, or backyard barbecues, I spent much of my last summer weekends out collecting native prairie wildflower and tallgrass seeds. A great activity for the family, I was able to spend some high quality time with the kids out walking the tallgrass, taking the chance to embrace the much under-appreciated beauty of our prairies.


Now that the summer sun has faded and the seeds have dried, I took the opportunity to winnow the seeds and sort out the undesirable stems, leaves, and leftover cones. After a little fall cleanup around the yard, I overseeded the riparian area below the house, in efforts to enhance the diversity of the developing wildlfower community that I've established over the past few seasons. Being a good steward of our riparian areas is just common sense, something that many in our world seem to lack these days.



During those Fall walks down gravel forest roads in the brisk morning sun of the northwoods, something is needed to pass the time between flushes of ruffed grouse. I collected a bag of cones from some of the prized conifers of the boreal forest: red pine, white pine, balsam fir, douglas fir, jack pine, and the northern whitecedar. Hopefully some of these cones will take root in my wooded swamp.

Secret Pond

Somewhere near the Canadian border...








Full panoramic. Click on the image for larger version.

the headwaters

Fall colors at the headwaters of the Mississippi, Itasca State Park. Aerial views taken from atop the Aiton Heights Fire Tower.






The Continental Divide. Points east of the ridge drain into the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi. Points west drain north into Hudson Bay via the Red River of the North.



A full panoramic vista of the Continental Divide. Click on the image for larger version.

Blazing Stars and Bluestem

Once covering the great expanse of the Glacial Lake Aggassiz basin, the eastern tallgrass prairie is now merely a shadow of its former self. Bisected by rowcrops of corn, soybean and sugarbeets, interspersed with beds of sunflowers and amber waves of wheat, the once blazing prairie fell victim to the blade of the plow. What's left is merely a pittance of a once prodigious parcel.

The following is a brief glimpse into one of the largest sections of virgin prairie remaining in Minnesota, and one of the highest quality prairie sites in the U.S.