How You Think May Spook Deer

This big buck was photographed, and never knew he was near danger.

This topic is designed to make hunters think. You'll wonder if Ol' Man Richey has slipped a cog or has a few loose screws. Perhaps time and Mother Nature has addled his brain.

I assure you my think-box still works fine. Today's topic may disturb some hunters, could cause others to wonder if this topic has some basis in fact, and if so, how does it work?

This is a quantum leap for some when they read about it, and when I've stated my opinion at countless deer-hunting seminars I've given over many years, some folks sit there with their mouth agape in obvious and total disbelief. It's as if they've hit themselves in the nose with my fist.

Many people don’t believe it, but over 30 years, I know why some never score.

It's not important that hunters believe as I do, but over the past 30-plus years I've tested this philosophy on countless occasions. Each time I test it, the result is the same. I strongly believe what follows is true, and all I wish of readers is to decide if they believe it is true. Feel free to disagree.

Here goes: I believe, since I am a supremely capable and thinking predator, that deer -- especially does and large bucks -- can sense the presence of danger without the benefit of movement, noise or scent. I once hunted mountain lions in northern Arizona, and my guide told me the reason he feels that cougars kill mostly mule deer bucks is because those deer are so full of themselves they act and feel immune to danger.

They are not alert or attuned to the presence of danger. Does, on the other hand, are constantly alert to the possibility of nearby predators.

My thought is pretty straight-forward. I believe that thinking hard about killing an incoming buck or doe can transfer some type of danger signal to the animals. Are human thoughts carried by brain waves? Do these vibes, if you will, throw off a silent alarm that does seem to pick it up much easier than young bucks?

I never think, after spotting an oncoming buck or doe, about shooting that animal. My brain stays in neutral, idling without thought. I deliberately avoid thinking about shooting and killing that deer. I may and often do spend that time thinking about my next article.

My idea is to never stare at a buck or doe. Looking into a deer's eyes seem to allow that animal to feel human presence. My thoughts remain neutral, and when I draw, aim and shoot, I'm concentrating on my aiming point but am not thinking about killing the animal.

To test this theory over the years has proven quite informative. My normal hunting method is to allow my eyes to sweep over the deer without lingering on any part of its body. It's easy to establish the animal is a buck if antlers are visible, and that data is stored in my mind. I know it is a buck but no longer think about it, and I never dwell on such thoughts, which I feel may be counterproductive to a successful hunt.

Don’t stare at deer or look ‘em in the eye, and don’t think about shooting them.

I think about going hunting the next night, which stand may be productive under the current wind direction, or I'll recall something that has nothing to do with hunting. I could just as easily think about painting the basement walls, which is a horrid thought, even when trying to fool a nice buck. I may wonder when the Tigers’ Justin Verlander will toss another no-hitter.

However, my mind knows why I’m out there on that day, which is to possibly shoot a buck or doe. However, my mind focuses on other thoughts, or on nothing at all, and when my mind tells me it's time to shoot, the bow is drawn, the red-dot settles behind the front shoulder and the arrow is gone before my mind tells my finger to shoot.

The deer never senses a threat or any unease. It doesn't feel my predatory instincts coming its way, and the deer remains relaxed. Calm and cool thoughts or even not thinking at all is far preferable than telling yourself that the shot will go through its lungs and heart. That may happen, but if you don't think hard on it, I'm convinced the deer will not bolt unless you move or make a sound at the wrong time.

On the other hand, I've often thought about killing the buck as a specific test. I'll think: Here comes a buck, and look at those antlers. My eyes scan the bone on the buck's head, and then I strongly focus my attention on the heart-lung area.

The buck, suddenly alert, turns his head. My eyes lock on his, a predator staring at a nice buck. His head turns slowly away, and I come to full draw, think about driving the arrow into the chest cavity, and at about that time, the animal suddenly bolts off in panicked flight.

There has been no noise or sudden movements, and no way the deer could smell me. But my thoughts were keenly focused on killing that animal, and perhaps this comes from my many years of hunting experience and shooting many deer. Perhaps my vibes are stronger than those of others who have largely been unsuccessful.

I believe deer can pick up human vibes intent from hunters.

Think of it this way. I no longer drink, but back when I did, my entering a bar was always an experience. If I was a stranger, I'd immediately feel the vibes of other people, and then would come a strong feeling that someone was staring at me. With practiced determination, my eyes would gradually scan the room until that person was spotted.

It was then I'd size up the situation. Is this a friendly person or one who wants to put knuckle bumps on my head? If I sense agitation or aggressive danger, I'd turn and walk out while possible. It's the same thing with deer.

If they sense danger, however it is transmitted, it becomes an instinctive reaction. It's like an adrenaline rush: it triggers the fight or flight response. Deer don't grow large antlers by ignoring these little niggling feelings. I draw the line at giving deer human-like qualities, but I'm convinced that deer can pick up hostile vibes from someone trying to shoot it.

Deer, I'm convinced, can do the same thing as humans although how they process this invisible information is an unknown factor. Years ago, while shooting some of the deer photos needed for stories, the deer would hear the shutter click, look around, and nothing happened. Minutes later another photo or two would be taken, and the deer would become used to the noise. Nothing happens, and they would soon relax.

It's strange but deer seem to sense when a hunter or photographer means no harm, and while an old doe may go charging off, if they are not unduly alarmed, they often return within minutes.

Deer that sense a hunter who is intent on shooting them can get as freaky as a mule deer doe when she suspects the presence of a predatory cougar. She doesn't want to be dinner, and takes whatever evasive actions are needed to avoid the predator. Bucks, on the other hand, seem unaware of danger unless it picks up some predatory vibes.

This is where it becomes extremely important to remain in a non-predatory mind set. Think about killing. and things can quickly change.

This technique isn’t difficult to learn but hard to put into practice.

Never look deer in the eye, never think about shooting them, scan past the animal, never put a lingering stare on the deer, and if I'm about to shoot, my mind is emptied of all predatory thoughts. Ninety-five percent (or more) of the deer that have fallen to my arrows were dead before they knew their lives were in danger.

I repeat: it's not necessary that you believe this, and hunters can continue to hunt as they choose. However, when I hunt, my purpose is to get close to deer, never get them excited, and if the right buck comes by, I'll take the shot. Cougars hunt the same way and they are more deadly predators than most humans.

It's quite likely this may be the most radical bit of deer hunting material you'll read this year. My thought is not to change your hunting style but for you to consider an alternative line of thinking. Many of the key hunters in North America, if pinned to the floor with a hammerlock, will agree with these thoughts. All I'm taking is your time (the line from an old song) and my hopes are you'll give this the thought it deserves.

Feel free to share your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? Your comments, please. E-mail me at < dave@daverichey.com >. Help me out with your comments.

Title: How You Think May Spook Deer

Tags: Dave. Richey, Michigan, outdoors, thoughts, vibes, spook, deer, empty, mind, before, shooting, never, stare))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Our Guide Missed The Boat

Our guide didn’t show but a kind angler gave us a pretty brown trout for dinner.

Do you remember being stood up when you were a teenager. You showed up for a date, and the girl didn't.

There were feelings of anger, disgust, hurt, and the burning question: Why? Thoughts run through your mind: did she get a better offer, a nicer looking guy, but why didn't she call.

My son David and good friend, R.J. Doyle of Mecosta, and I were stood up. Not by girls but a fishing guide.

The dude forgot, we showed up, tried to call but couldn’t find him.

I'm supposed to be in the communications business. That means that I should be able to communicate with others so they understand, and I thought I did. The guide and I had a phone conversation, and two emails, outlining when we would arrive and where we would meet.

We were five minutes late for our 7:30 a.m. meeting on the Manistee River. There was nobody there except two anglers staying in a 5th wheel rig, who were fishing for suckers. Nope, they said, we haven't seen anybody until you three drove in.

We hung around for 15 minutes thinking perhaps the guide was a bit late, for reasons unknown. He didn't show, so we drove up the road to the Bear Creek launch ramp. We then checked Potters Landing, and he wasn't there. We drove to the High Bridge boat launch site south of Brethren, and he wasn't there either.

We retraced our steps. Back to Bear Creek launch ramp, Potters Landing and Rainbow Bend. No guide and no boat.

I called home, talked to my wife, had her look up the guides phone number, and I explained our problem. I called his home, and spoke to an answering machine, and basically asked: Where are you? It took my message that we were waiting for him at Rainbow Bend, the machine digested my message, and I hung up.

We went to get R.J.’s boat to troll the Frankfort harbor for brown trout.

We waited nearly a half hour, and the guide didn't show. Inside, I'm fuming, and David and R.J. are rather mellow. After 30 minutes, we headed back the way we'd come. We again checked out the Bear Creek launch ramp, Potters Landing, and another trip to High Bridge where this time we met a friend from Traverse City.

Off we then headed to the north. We went to Honor, picked up R.J.'s new boat, and took it on a maiden voyage on Betsie Bay between Frankfort and Elberta. It was a new boat, and R.J. was anxious to try for brown trout.

We gathered up tackle and lures, and put the boat in the water, jumped in and David and I began setting lines. We went with the old favorites -- Rapalas and Rebels -- adjusted our trolling speed to get the best action out of these lures, and began trolling them off planer boards.

In and out of the harbor, around and around the harbor, and only one other boat was sharing the water with us. Veteran guide Dave Kane of Benzonia had a client, and we had no problem avoiding each other or trolling too close to each other.

We stuck it out for three hours, and had nary a strike. We quite about 4 p.m., Kane quit at the same time, and we met at the marina. They had begun trolling at daybreak, and had caught one seven-pound brown trout.

Ken, the man who had caught the fish, apparently felt we looked hungry, and gave us his brown trout for dinner. We felt that this was an effective means of communication.

The bottom line was our guide didn't make the meeting, we trolled and caught nothing, and a kindly gentleman gave up a beautiful brown for us to take home for dinner. We just finished eating it, and it was delightful dining for five people tonight.

It was a wonderful gift from a stranger and we ate like kinds.

So, am I mad because of the busted trip? No, but somewhere my email to the guide went unnoticed. I can't make anyone read my emails if they don't turn on the computer, and if he doesn't read his mail, it is time wasted for all of us.

He was apologetic, and feels bad, but what's done is done. It may teach him to check his email, and may teach me to communicate more efficiently although I have no clue how I could have make my message any clearer.

So ... we went fishing, didn't catch a fish, but had a tasty brown trout for dinner tonight, and I'm not angry at anyone. Honest!

Title: Our Guide Missed The Boat

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, the, guide, didn't, show, up, brown, trout, gift, Frankfort, trolling))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

I Believe In This Country

I love my country and what it stands for.  Photo by Henry Zeman.

The parades are still on for tomorrow, our flag will proudly fly in the breeze, and many visitors to the Traverse City area visitors will leave for home. But will everyone remember and never forget the meaning of Memorial Day?

One wonders if the United States of America has as many patriots as during other war years? Are there as many patriots now as those men and women who stood up to be counted in the weeks and months following Pearl Harbor?

Are there as many patriots now as those hardy souls who fought and died on those frozen wasteland mountains and ridges between North and South Korea when we fought that miserable and dragged-out battle? And less we forget, how about those armed forces who fought and died for their country during a tour of duty in the steamy jungles of Viet Nam, a generation ago?

Patriotism is still alive and well in this country.

There should be more because more people live in the United States now than did back in those days of 35 to 65 years ago. But it makes one wonder why people sit at ball games and hockey games when our National Anthem is sung, and not stand at attention, hat off, and hand on heart? Many pay tribute to our flag, and our armed forces, but some do not.

I believe each of us can have and should voice an opinion about that mess we are mired in in Afghanistan and other Middle East countries that seem ready to pop. We may disagree with our personal opinions while respecting each others' right to state their personal thoughts and opinions. After all, freedom of thought and speech is one thing our armed forces have fought all of these wars to protect.

Our men and women have fought and died to help those things we enjoy, but often take for granted.

I also believe that each person in this country should take pride in our flag, stand with hand over heart, as the red, white and blue goes flying during parades on a day like today. I feel we should sing our National Anthem with a strong clear voice and a deep sense of pride. Our Pledge of Allegiance is not something to be taken lightly by anyone in this country.

Stand up and honor our national flag.

My  thoughts concerning political parties, as well as religious preferences, are a private thing I choose not to discuss. One way of proving our freedom is in our right to vote, and those who do not vote can hardly criticize anyone's performance in public office. Those of us who did vote -- for or against the current and past administrations -- have that right. One must vote to earn that right.

Voting is a precious thing. It is the democratic way. It is something we should cherish and cling to. It is something we must strongly believe in, for if we stop believing in our country and our right to vote, it's quite possible someone will try to take those privileges and rights away.

My grandson served a tour of duty in Iraq. He was lucky: he came home with all his body parts and no injuries. Unless one counts those that may be locked away in his head about which he never speaks. Is he a victim of this war as well?

How about those of us who stay at home, and pray for the return of those who go to war to fight our nation's battles. We waited, and hoped never to look out the window to see an official U.S. vehicle pull into the driveway bearing the most horrible of news.

Sadly, that has happened to people we know. Any death in combat deserves our attention and our tears.

Everyone, in one way or another, has been affected by terrorism.

We all know someone who has suffered that gut-wrenching experience of deep loss. The death of a loved one, whether in a car wreck or some middle-east hell-hole, is something no  one should experience. Sadly, it occurs every day as someone gets notified on a war-related injury or death.

I strongly believe in this country, and what it stands for. I may disagree with the reasons why we are in such places as Iraq, but my country is better than any other country on Earth. It is why I love and deeply respect it.

I believe in the role of our military but disagree on why they are there. I pray for the safety of our troops, and thank them daily in prayers or in person for what they've done for us.

My  enemies are those who were responsible for 9/11, and those who wish to impose this brand of terrorism on innocent people. Saddam Hussein paid dearly for his crimes against humanity, as has Osama bin Ladin, but there is no way his death could ever replace what he and his goons did to their countrymen and innocents in New York City and Washington, DC or a dirt Pennsylvania field.

So our troops continue to fight, and some will die, to allow those of us at home to retain our freedom and independence, and the right to a democratic way of life. We are being told that our troops are coming home, but it isn't fast enough for me. They also have lived and died so others who live where they died could be free from oppression.

Those who would defile our flag and what it stands for, and gloat over the pain and misery and death they have inflicted to people of their homeland and the United States and our allies, are no friends of mine. They are our enemies.

Thank our Armed Forces, past and present, for their time and sacrifices.

Today, tomorrow and every day for the rest of my life, I shall thank those who went into harms way for their supreme sacrifices. I thank them personally, and thank them publicly from this daily weblog, for being there and for going to war to protect the ways of this great nation in a time of need.

Never will I forget their many sacrifices nor will I ever forget those cowardly acts of terrorism on 9/11, a day of infamy when many of us were  struck dumb by visions of airplanes being deliberately flown into tall buildings.

We were naive then. Such tragedies made patriots of people who hardly knew the meaning of the word. That infamous day, much like Pearl Harbor, will live forever in the hearts of people who believe in this country and what it will always stand for.

I am a patriot. I love my country, and the men and women who make us strong. How about you? Will you pray for the souls of those who have died, and will die, to keep our nation safe from the evil of our enemies and keep it forever free?

I spent time in the military, and even at the tender age of almost 72, I would still fight to protect  your rights and mine if the situation called for it. Today is more than a holiday, a picnic, and time for friends to gather as summer begins.

It also is a day to remember, and to vow that you'll never forget those people who have fought and died for this country. Do your thing today: thank someone who has served their country for their courage and sacrifices on our behalf.

It's just the right thing to do.

Title: I Believe In This Country

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, Memorial, Day, national, flag, democracy, always, remember, God, Bless, America))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

How to avoid seasickness

Sea-sickness can occur on a large or small boat under certain conditions.

It’s a malady that can bring a man to his knees faster than a sucker punch, and it can happen to anyone, at any time.

It can strike young and old alike. It’s called seasickness, and early summer lake trout and salmon trips on wind-swept waves can cause major problems for those who are ill-prepared.

My buddy was deep in the throes of this marine illness. He was gut-wrenching seasick. Knee-walking ill. Puking his guts out, and then a bad case of dry-heaves set in. A feeling of dizziness swept over him. His face was pale, perspiration dotted his brow, and he was sucking air like a person after running a 1,500-meter race. He was in sad shape.

Don’t talk or think yourself into getting sea-sick.

We were 10 minutes from port, and the boat was rolling in five-foot swells pushed by a stiff northwesterly wind that was blowing foam off the top of the whitecaps. Five minutes after reaching open water, he was hanging over the rail while I kept him somewhupright by grabbing his belt and hoping it would hold.

All this didn't make him feel any better. In fact, it made him feel even worse but I was trying to keep him from pitching head-first into the rolling foam-flecked waves.

“Oh, God, I’m sick,” he sputtered, vomit dripping off his chin. “How long will this last?”

The skipper, unsympathetic as most are to people who are afraid others will think they are a wimp if they take medications to prevent getting ill, said: “It will last until I turn this boat around and drop you off on shore.”

Stay busy doing things aboard the boat. Set lines, downriggers, stay outside.

Bob’s ongoing vomiting brings truth to an old saw often spun by ancient and modern mariners -- when a  person first get seasick, they are afraid they will die. After a prolonged bout with this malady and the dry heaves, they are more afraid they won't.

This is how Bob felt until we took him back to shore. Five minutes after his feet touched dry dirt, and he kneeled to kiss the ground, he experienced a miraculous recovery.

Seasickness can affect anyone, at any time, and its causes are many. The only sure cure is firm ground underfoot, and even then, nausea or queasiness in your guts can linger for hours.

What is seasickness, and how is it treated?

I've never (the noise you hear is me knocking on wood) been seasick, although I've had an upset stomach several times. What causes the illness is hard to determine although there are many guesses as to its many causes.

Boating sickness is another name for this problem. Motion sickness is another. It can occur in a car, boat, bus, roller coaster, Ferris wheel, or bumpy airplane rides, to name a few. Motion upsets the middle ear, which helps us maintain our balance or equilibrium, and this sets up a feeling of exaggerated movement. Rough water isn't the only thing that makes people ill.

One major factor in seasickness is fear. Few people readily admit they fear the water, but they may be very uncomfortable being on big water, regardless of the boat size or the captain’s skills. They subconsciously think about the boat tipping over, them being thrown overboard, and they become nauseous and ill.

Some of the many causes of sea-sickness. Some of is fear-related.

This part is all in their head. They talk themselves into getting sick, and this is the one thing over which they have some control. Don a life jacket, tell your friends you’re a weenie, and go fishing and don’t think about the waves, motion and stomach queasiness.

What an angler or boater eats or drinks can trigger seasickness as well. What a person thinks or hears also can do a nasty job on those on the cusp of becoming ill.

Drinking alcoholic beverages before or during a boating trip is one major cause. A booming morning hangover after a long bout on the bottle can lead to a naval stomach disaster.

Certain foods are known to precipitate motion sickness. Orange, grapefruit or other citrus juices are high in citric acid, which can trigger seasickness. Avoid tomato juice as well, and apple juice can make some people very ill.

Little or no sleep will hammer most people prone to this problem. Too much coffee or pop are major factors that lead some folks to becoming sick on the water. Eating fried eggs, hash browns and greasy bacon or sausage for breakfast, and then chasing it down with a large OJ, is a great recipe for on-the-water barfing.

Don’t yuck it up about people getting sick. It can cause problems.

Sometimes, even talking about motion sickness makes people ill, and some old salts who never get sick take savage delight in talking about the illness. I once watched a father talk about getting seasick, and he literally talked his son into leaning over the rail to upchuck his breakfast.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I told the father. "Sometimes that kind of comment will come back to haunt you."

His son recovered, and then the Old Man got sick. He got zero sympathy from his kid or me. Keep such comments to yourself, and it makes for a better fishing experience for everyone.

Impending seasickness is easy to spot. The victim begins to sweat and often feels nauseous. Gradually, skin color becomes pale or white, and cramps hit the abdomen like getting kicked in the stomach. The cramps can, and often do, double a person over.

Sucking noises are heard as the victim tries to take in more air through the mouth to offset hyperventilation and to ease stomach cramps. The next step – nausea -- continues until the stomach is emptied and the dry heaves set in.

It's no fun for the victim. Frankly, others never enjoy watching the results of this malady in other people. It can be contagious, and if one person gets sick, that causes others to do the same.

Try some of these measures to reduce the risk of getting sea-sick.

What can be done to prevent seasickness? Numerous over-the-counter medications such as Dramamine are available. One or two pills should be taken the night before a trip and one should be taken at least 30 minutes before leaving the dock. Check with a doctor to see if Dramamine or any other motion sickness pill is right for you, and prescriptions are needed for some medications. Plan ahead to keep it from happening.

Don't take anti-motion pills after becoming ill. Scopolamine, an anti-motion sickness medicine, is released slowly into the skin through a behind-the-ear patch, and it works for many people when  properly used. The patches are obtained with a doctor's prescription. It's recommended that a patch be applied the evening before a boating or fishing trip.

If you start feeling ill, start doing some boating chores. Don't sit motionless and hope the queasiness will go away. It usually won't. Don’t go below deck and sit in the head (bathroom) because that will only aggravate the motion problem and make matters worse.

Rig tackle, watch other boats, study the rods or look at the distant shoreline or horizon. Stand in fresh air, hopefully with the breeze in your face, and breathe deeply. Don't inhale gasoline or diesel exhaust fumes, and do not sit or lay down. It only makes it worse.

Avoid unpleasant odors. A lack of ventilation and close quarters can cause an attack. Never go below or lay in a V-bunk if illness strikes. Stay in the fresh air, and remain upright, and look at the horizon. Never look down at the deck or down at the water.

Try eating dry bread, gingersnap cookies, lemon drops or mints. Eat slowly, do not swallow air and think about something other than a queasy stomach. Do not drink milk, alcoholic beverages or soft drinks. Bottled water and mints are good to rinse out a mouth after vomiting and the mints will freshen the mouth and relieve some of the nasty aftertaste of vomit.

Seasickness can strike anyone, anytime. I've been lucky, but someday I'm sure my time will come. Hopefully I'll be able to follow my own advice, and conquer the problem before it overwhelms me.

Title: How to avoid seasickness

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, seasickness, causes, prevention, motion, sickness, fear, horizon, shore, alcohol, pop))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

River smallmouth bass: catch the action.

Dan Gapen (left) and the author with two nice river smallmouth bass.

There are many great smallmouth bass streams in Michigan, and for the most part, they are under-fished. The sad truth is that people chase after salmon and trout in the Great Lakes, and these little gem-like streams are left untouched.

That could easily change this summer with high gas prices. People may start casting an angling eye toward bass rivers closer to home.

I well remember the upper Cass River years ago when I prowled it three or four times a year. I'd look for riffle water with deep holes or runs upstream or down, and a small sinking Rapala was dynamite. Cast the lure to the head of the deep hole, crank it hard to get it down and wiggling, and if a smallie was home, he'd jump on the lure as if it was his last chance for a good meal.

Sometimes it pays to return to past hotspots for smallmouth bass.

Then there is the Grand River downstream from Lansing. I floated it once several years ago with retired DNR fisheries biologist Ned Fogle, and he showed me a new hotspot. Beetle Spins and other small spinnerbaits, and crayfish imitations produced when worked slowly along bottom in the slow current. They turned on the fish.

Fogle caught one fish about four pounds, and I took another a bit smaller, but there was steady action most of the day. It was hot and bright, and we found the fish on the dark side of the big rocks. Any lure that landed nearby was fair game, and we danced with smallies all day.

The upper Flint River (upstream from Flint and Mott Lake) produces the occasional 4-pound smallmouth bass. I fished it years ago, and although it can be rather tough fishing in some areas, it has the capability of producing dandy bronzebacks.

Another Flint River hotspot can be found in the lower river, downstream from Montrose, where anglers can fish the rocks, and the deeper holes and runs. This stretch, downstream almost to Saginaw, also produces some great walleye fishing as well.

Great smallmouth bass rivers are found in both peninsulas.

One of my favorite rivers for smallmouth bass is the Thunder Bay, upstream from Alpena. It may not be the best river for smallmouth bass but it certainly has the potential to produce some big fish.

The last time I floated the river in a canoe, there was an assortment of Jig-a-Do, Beetle Spins, Crawfish-type lures and small spinners in my tackle arsenal. It didn't make too much difference what we used.

If the lure landed near a good fish, and we put the proper speed on the lure to bring out its action, they would hit. We caught fish to 4 1/2 pounds, and I lost a bigger fish on a belly-flopper jump.

The Muskegon River downstream from Croton Dam, especially in the rocky areas, may be one of the finest smallmouth rivers in the state. It's not uncommon, on an all-day float, to land 40 to 50 smallies. I've never caught one over four pounds here, and most of the fish will weigh about two pounds, but they smack a lure hard and jump often.

There are some seldom-fished hotspots on the St. Joseph River, upstream from Berrien Springs, where some dandy smallies live. They seem to see very few anglers or lures, and if you hit the right holes and runs, it's possible to find a brand of smallmouth action the likes of which few people have ever experienced.

Some great stream bass fishing can be found near Detroit.

The Detroit River is well-known for its smallmouth bass action, and I've caught them from Windmill Point down to Celeron Island at Lake Erie. A large number have been caught on the Michigan and Ontario sides. Good bets include near the Hiram Walker plant and the Cow Pasture area, and just upstream from the Ambassedeur Bridge along the Canadian shore.

Try the rip-rap near Joe Louis Arena, near Windmill Point, and downstream in the Trenton Channel on the American side. The fish are where you find them, and it pays to prospect different areas with various lures.

The Upper Peninsula offers wonderful bass fishing in many locations. Try the St. Marys River, Manistique River and Menominee River between the dams. The Ford River that empties into Lake Michigan southwest of Escanaba can be a good bet, as is the Whitefish River near Gladstone.

River smallies are grand game fish. They hit bait or lures hard, jump often, and once whipped, come in to be landed with fire in their eye. They are one of the state's most highly respected and overlooked game fish, and here's hoping you can give them a try this summer.

Hit it right, and you won't regret making this decision.

Title:

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, smallmouth, bass, river, fishing, lures, local, hotspots, rocky, areas, holes))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors

Sharing our wonderful outdoor heritage.

                                       

Women are the fastest growing segment of the outdoors. Expose kids to hunting.

Countless things are accumulated as life passes before our eyes. We begin our life naked and squalling, and if we live long enough, our busy lifetime of travels in the outdoors will leave us with an accumulation of priceless baggage.

Most are not valuable from a monetary standpoint but they are priceless because they produce fond memories.

Our baggage consists of the odds and ends and other accumulations of mementoes and memories from a lifetime spent on the water and in the fields; in the marshlands and woods; on the ground and in a tree.


This baggage is both mental and physical; things that can be held, looked at, and reminisced over. Memories can be found everywhere for a packrat like me, and I keep them around for a very good reason: every mounted animal, bird or fish, every hat, my bows, firearms, fishing rods and ree;s -- all have stories behind them.

Outdoor memories of friends and good friends are more valuable than money.

Those stories bring me life.

 For instance: on the wall between my mounted fish is a Shakespeare glass fly rod. I used it every day during 10 years of guiding brown trout, salmon and steelhead river fishermen, and the stories that rod could tell would be wonderful. Over 10,000 salmonids were caught with that rod, and it was finally retired in 1979 after I landed a 30-pound chinook salmon.

I heard a muffled creak as the brute of a fish was beached, and after removing the fly and rolling the fish upright until it could swim away, I retired that rod and it now hangs in a place of honor  among some of the fish it helped catch.



My junk room (basement) has over 300 different hats hanging from the rafters. There is a unique story behind every one, including one from Detroit's Homicide Squad that states: "Our day starts when yours ends." There are hats from Alaskan hunts, fishing trips in New Zealand, product hats worn on one hunt or another, and hats from friends who know I collect them.

However, the only hats I keep are those with a fishing or hunting tale hanging off them. I could spend hours studying this worthless hat collection that has provided over 50 years of fishing and hunting memories.



Robert Traver’s “Testament Of A Fisherman,” and signed. was a welcome find.

Whoa. Here’s a signed copy of Robert Traver's (John Voelker) "Testament Of A Fisherman." It was signed by him on Feb. 1, 1982 and states: To my fellow writer and fisherman, Dave Richey, with all good wishes." It's worth very little except to me because I valued my friendship with Voelker and often think of him even though he passed away years ago. I look at his Testament, read it at least once each week, and it's priceless memento.



It's been my pleasure and privilege to belong to the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), which I joined in 1968, and on my office walls are my writing awards. Four stand out: OWAA's prestigious Ham Brown Award and their Excellence In Craft Award, Michigan United Conservation Club's Ben East Award For Excellence In Conservation Journalism, and the Michigan Outdoor Writer's exalted Papa Bear Award for Excellence in Craft. There are many other writing awards, but these four remind me of my 44 years spent writing outdoor copy for my valued readers.



The other day while sorting through some of my life's baggage was fun. There was a box containing all of my fishing and hunting licenses from my teenage years to now. I have most but not all of my earliest fishing and hunting licenses from this state, and some date back to the 1950s.

It takes a few minutes but eventually a thought will reveal a heralded moment of fishing from a 1957 fishing license, and those old licenses still bear the required Trout Stamp attached. One license held a stamp of Michigan's old Fish Car that was used by the Department of Conservation to carry trout to northern streams for stocking.



Old salmon-trout stamps are beautiful works of art.

One man's baggage is another man's treasure trove of outdoor memories. Such is the case with some of my bear, deer and turkey patches. My lot in life is to record as much of our fishing and hunting heritage as possible, and to present it in a way that others may  enjoy.

Take a moment now, and reflect bacl pm some of your little pieces of life's baggage and what joys they have produced over the years.

 We can travel through a life of fishing and hunting, and retain some of our memories. Because, if nothing else, those thoughts will spark a fire in sportsmen.

That fire will blaze up into a full-blown recollection of a memorable day or event in our lives that must be remembered long after our ability to hike the hills and wade the streams has ended.

Those memories are what keeps me alive as I live for my next outdoor adventure

Once infirmities and age slow us down, we can relives out ourdoor memories.

Once creaky joints, bum legs and poor vision send me to an easy chair rather than a tree stand,
hiking wooded trails or pulling on a pair of chest waders, and once old age has dulled my sense of smell and hearing, and a need to revel in a plate of butter-fried morel mushrooms, I’ll still have a lifetime of memories to keep me going.

Take time now though to teach others about the outdoors and its many marvel. Invest of yourself by teaching children or a spouse about the miracles of nature, and see that the understand that we are only temporary guardians of our fishing and hunting heritage. Help them to understand the need for them to continue this wonderful heritage if these wonderful pastimes ae to surive the foreseeable future.

Title: Sharing our wonderful outdoor heritage.

Tags: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, future, guardians, of, outdoors, fishing, hunting, trapping, resource, stewards, heritage))

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