22-SEP-2008
The 130-mile Au Sable River runs eastward from the center of northern Michigan to Lake Huron. The South Branch of the Au Sable is considered one of the best rivers for brown trout east of the Rockies and has blue ribbon status as a trout stream in Michigan.
22-SEP-2008
The South Branch has been our favorite river to kayak. Traditionalists still use canoes, but kayaks provide a safer and more relaxed trip. Kayaks are still viewed as “new-fangled” toys by many natives. But it is true, that everyone who has canoed the river, has a story of tipping over somewhere along the route. I’ve canoed the river. And I’ve tipped over.
22-SEP-2008
Luckily, except for a few deep holes, the river is relatively shallow, but even shallow water can be cold. Canoeists and kayakers share the river with fly fishermen who wade the river in pursuit of its brook, rainbow and brown trout.
22-SEP-2008
Fishermen are required to use barbless hooks and release all fish. That doesn’t discourage any serious fishermen from coming to the Au Sable.
22-SEP-2008
The shoreline is lined with pine, cedar and a variety of hardwoods, many of which lean over the river on their way to eventually falling into the river, as many have already have done. On a trip several years ago, we encountered a work crew from the Department of Natural Resources who were working along the shoreline with rope and chainsaws. I commented about their work to open up the river. They corrected me. They were felling more trees into the river! They explained that more fallen trees would enhance the river as a fish habitat.
22-SEP-2008
We enjoy kayaking a 25-mile stretch of the South Branch of the Au Sable that begins in Roscommon and extends through the Mason Wilderness, from the Chase Bridge to above the Smith Bridge. This is a special place.
22-SEP-2008
The Mason Tract is a section of undeveloped land that was donated to the State of Michigan in 1955 by the George W. Mason. Mason was President of the Nash Car Company. In addition to his generous donation, he is also remembered by helping George Griffith to form Trout Unlimited.
22-SEP-2008
Griffith, at the age of 97, achieved a national reputation for his work in protecting and promoting trout fishing. It was at his lodge, The Barbless Hook, on the Au Sable River in 1959 that a group of like-minded fly fishermen conceived Trout Unlimited, now a well-known national organization.
22-SEP-2008
There is an annual canoe race on the Au Sable, the Weyerhauser Marathon, that starts in Grayling and ends at Lake Huron. The 100 mile trip takes nearly 24 hours and attracts many canoeing enthusiasts, young and old, who come to compete. Canoeing that distance would be a significant challenge for anyone, but doing it in darkness makes it considerably more difficult.
22-SEP-2008
In the past, we’ve always started our trips on the river right after sunrise to maximize the opportunity to see wildlife. Getting on the river early has given us a chance to see lots of ducks, mink racing around on the logs along the shoreline, muskrats industriously swimming from one job to another, otters playfully chasing each other and kingfishers sitting on trees overlooking the river. We’ve also seen deer, great blue heron, bohemian waxwings, eagles, and osprey.
22-SEP-2008
This is the first time we’ve paddled the river in September. Frequently, low water at this time of year makes boat travel difficult, but early fall storms created higher than normal river levels. We were assured that we’d have no problem with this trip. We’d been to several overlooks of the river and agreed with that assessment.
22-SEP-2008
Cool morning temperatures created a morning mist over the river. As a photographer, I was chilled, but delighted. Morning mist brings a rich quality of light to photographs. I was eager to get in the kayak and start down the river.
22-SEP-2008
As in the past, we were first greeted by usual flocks of ducks lazily swimming in areas of backwater. Some would swim downriver to stay ahead of us, some would fly. We always wonder how far downriver we could chase the ducks. Gradually they began to simply swim to the side and let us pass them. Some would fly and circle back to where we originally found them. After an hour and half, we ran out of ducks.
22-SEP-2008
The mink and deer were absent this year. We did see a muskrat chasing an otter. And, instead of seeing just one eagle, we saw two. We spotted a female eagle sitting on a pine branch and arrived in time to see her mate fly to her branch and then immediately begin to scold us. Kingfishers were abundant and we saw several herons.
22-SEP-2008
The maples, birch and oaks had begun to present their fall colors. The multitude of hues and their reflections in the calm pools of water were breathtaking. Here, oaks turn red, but maples do it all – their leaves can be red, yellow, orange, crimson, burgundy, or a combination of all the colors.
22-SEP-2008
We usually see a variety of colorful wildflowers along the shoreline. We were too late for most of them this year. Milkweed flowers were long gone and now, their pods were mature and beginning to open preparing to release their seeds and silky parachutes. And there were a few purple asters.
22-SEP-2008
We saw two fly fishermen wading the river. They were having a great day but said they were challenged by the high water. We also encountered two fly fishermen being guided in classic Au Sable river boats. These long, narrow, flat-bottomed boats float downstream with the guide using oars in the rear of the boat to direct it. There is also a heavy chain that is dragged to help slow down the movement of the boat downstream. All were fully dressed in the obligatory Eddie Bauer fly fishing uniform. No levis and tennis shoes here. Even the boat riders were wearing dry suits that would enable them to leap in the water to go after their fish.
22-SEP-2008
Conversations with the fishermen are always short and cordial. Everyone was having a great day. How could it be otherwise?
22-SEP-2008
Six hours, two peanut butter sandwiches, 338 photos, a Snickers bar, two sodas and apples later, we pulled our kayaks out of the water just below the Smith Bridge.
22-SEP-2008
A visit to Higgins Lake is never complete without a trip down the river. And once again, we felt a sense of accomplishment and calm from our time floating above the clear water. We had reaffirmed our relationship with the river.