9-18-10

Not to beat the same drum…but I love these father-son trips! Today, I had fly rod first-timers Dave and his son Mike who had to give the Kings a shot since Dave’s brother Don and his son Lance crowed long and hard about how much they enjoyed their fall trip to the Manistee last year with me—and, of course, how their fishing prowess was surely second to none!

And, for most of the morning, Dave, Mike, and I were beginning to think they just might be right. First off, the numbers of fish in the river today were flat-out paltry compared to the largess Don and Lance enjoyed. Then, too, the relatively few fish we hooked seemingly homed in on every log, stick, and snag in the river. So the morning was a litany of bust-offs and flies suddenly free of fish. Lunch, though, and a change in boat position, thanks to Captain Steve, turned the tide in Dave and Mike’s favor. More fish on and then, first Mike, then Dave brought salmon to the net——both of which led to the inevitable comparisons with brother Don, who I have it on the best of authority, failed to put one in the net last year, unlike his son Lance. Fortunately for me, this matter will be resolved among the family clan with my standing aside bemusedly watching it all. Congratulations, Dave and Mike! You kept at it through rain and lost fish, only to succeed. Happy for you both!

Captain Tom Kuieck