Mark DeSanto of Essexville releases a Steelhead on the Pere Marquette River on Super Bowl Sunday 2012. DeSanto was "INDIE" fishing with a new Orvis 11'-6" Switch Rod. "Normally you don't catch fish on a brand new rod," DeSanto laughed. What Did You Do On Super Bowl Sunday?
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(Editor's Note -- We watched the first half of the game on my Android phone using NFL Mobile . . . Ahhhhh, sweeeeeet technology . . . Got back to Bay City by half-time to see the end of the game.) There's an "APP" for THAT!!
The temperature on Super Bowl Sunday (2012) was forecast to be approaching forty (40) degrees by the Weather Channel.
My phone rang, and it was Mark DeSanto . . . who is not at all interested in NFL Football or the Super Bowl . . . asking if I was interested in a Sunday "Day Trip" to the Pere Marquette River for a little taste of early-Spring Steelhead fishing. I had plans to attend a Josh Sharrow Super Bowl party over at the AmericInn but caved to the pressure of a potentially great spring-like day on the Pere Marquette River. (As long as it was 40 degrees)
River Traffic on Saturday had been "over the top" according to both Mike Batcke (Stealth Craft Boats) and the young man behind the counter at Baldwin Bait and Tackle.
"If you guys are headed into the Fly Water," Batcke warned . . . Better make sure that tree across the river above the railroad bridge has been taken care of."
TREE . . .? I was not aware of any TREE across the river.
A quick note about the Pere Marquette River.
Since the PM River is designated "Wild and Scenic," . . . when a tree falls across the river, only a select few individuals have the authority to cut the tree to make a thru-way.
And then . . . that opening cannot be any wider than a standard drift boat width . . . about 60 inches.
After taking a trip to see the downed tree . . . and watching Jason Fulmer and Matthew Stockton handle the portage over the tree . . . DeSanto and I went for coffee and decided to wait for the assigned tree surgeon with a chainsaw to make the opening. (We were told that the assigned saw man was already headed downstream to make the cut.
THE VIEW FROM DOWNSTREAM -- The Pere Marquette River is a "Wild & Scenic" River. When a tree falls across the waterway, it can be a problem for drift boat fishermen.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
RAMMING SPEED -- Michigan Fly-Fishermen, Jason Fulmer and Matthew Stockton are headed downstream in their Hyde Drift boat. They will need to carefully negotiate over the log that's laying across the stream.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
Fulmer and Stockton move quickly once their drift boat is part-way over the log. With all that water current in the River . . . One thing sure . . . you don't want that boat to turn sideways in the current.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
UNDER CONTROL -- The Hyde Drift boat is "centered" on the log as Fulmer and Stockton plan their next move.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
LOOK OUT BELOW -- Here she comes, Fulmer yelled as he pushed the boat up and over the log.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
WHAT Ya Thinkin', Mark? -- Essexville's Mark DeSanto eyes the log across the Pere Marquette and plans his trip scheduled later in the morning.
(MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)
SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT -- It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it . . . O.J. Cunningham is on the oars in the Upper Fly Water of the Pere Marquette River on Super Bowl Sunday with Mark DeSanto.
(MyBayCity Photo by Mark DeSanto)
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O. J. Cunningham |
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