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Camp Ginger Quill was hardly what you would expect of a fishing camp. It was somewhat rustic, as fishing was the primary activity, but it was also quite elegant. The pressure of the outside world ended when we started down the hill approaching the Ginger Quill entrance. It wasn’t a conscious thing. It was like walking through a magical gate. The smells, the sounds and the unbelievable beauty simply overpower you from the minute you arrive.
The main cabin at Camp Ginger Quill
For us, as children, the long ride from Bay City was almost over when we heard the gravel strike the underside of the car near Roscommon. (I-75 had not yet been built.) Our father, Fred, would make a short stop at Jack’s Rod and Fly Shop to pick up flies and leaders. We would always stop on the bridge over the South Branch to say hello to the Au Sable. From then on we would search for glimpse of a deer and for the small Camp Ginger Quill signs nailed to trees or posts, along with what seemed like a hundred other signs, indicating when we should turn. Once we were on the Ginger Quill road and starting down the hill, we would honk our car horn announcing our arrival. Grandma and Grandpa Smith would welcome us on the back lawn, usually just as the sun was going down. We children would pile out of the car and dash down the sidewalk to the river. The river held great excitement for us. It was like seeing our best friend after a long absence. Our parents had to drag us off the dock.
We usually slept in bunk beds right by the rear entry door. We all remember rolling over and scratching our arms on the rough stucco walls. On a typical day the grandchildren would awaken when the caretakers brought in fresh firewood at 6 A.M. The footsteps up the back steps, the creaking of the screen door spring, and the closing of the door were enough to wake us. We were up quickly and would run along a direct path behind the tackle room, through the woods, and up to the “Dining Cabin” for breakfast. Zoe Borchers’ Au Sable River Pancakes (balls of pancake batter, deep fried and covered with honey butter) were our favorite breakfast. Our ages were compatible with the caretaker’s two children, Bonnie and Butch Borchers, and we got along very well. We would stay occupied at the “Dining Cabin” until the adults were up and ready for breakfast. They would have coffee at the “Main Cabin” but, when ready, would call the “Dining Cabin” on a private phone system, to indicate they were on their way down for breakfast, stopping at the “Boys’ Cabin” to pick up any guests who might be there. While the adults were at breakfast the “Main Cabin” was being cleaned and the beds made or changed. read more…
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Editor’s Note: This is part one of a three-part series on the history of Camp Ginger Quill, an historic family compound located on the mainstream Holy Water on the Au Sable River. The essays in this series are authored by Frederick B. Smith Jr. A short autobiography of Mr. Smith can be found at the end of this first essay on the history of the building of Camp Ginger Quill.
As a series these essays provide a nice first-person glimpse into another time and another way of life on the Au Sable river. Look for the next installment in our series tomorrow.
Camp Ginger Quill was built in 1928 by my grandparents, Bay City businessman Henry B. Smith Jr. and his wife Katherine. It began as a small cabin just downstream from the present site. While making glue on the stove one evening, a small fire started and spread quickly. Fortunately no one was hurt but the cabin burned to the ground.
Three generations of the Smith family at Camp Ginger Quill: Frederick B Smith, Sr., Frederick B. Smith, Jr., and Henry B Smith Jr. on the dock with an Au Sable riverboat (Photo: Bay City Times).
Construction began the following year on the first cabin of the present complex. The “Main Cabin” as it was always known, was initially much smaller than it is today. It included three bedrooms, one bath, the living room, and a small kitchen. A screened porch ran the length of the cabin facing the river.
Two years later the “Main Cabin” was expanded. The hallway to the kitchen was extended down to a large master suite (which is now a bar and game room). Two small rooms along the hall were a bathroom and an office/tackle room. The master suite consisted of a screened porch, a large sitting area, and two single Dutch beds recessed into the wall. Both beds had curtains for more privacy or to block the sun for afternoon naps. A screened game room filled the space between the living room with its large stone fireplace and the master suite. It was dominated by a ping-pong table and exercise equipment, such as an old rowing machine, medicine balls and dumbbells. Access to the game room was a step down from the hall or from the front porch. The living room was closed at the fireplace end and firewood was stored on either side. (The game room is now a large kitchen and dining room.) read more…
Sulpher Emerger
Trout fishing on the local rivers has been good for those looking to fish the hatches. After last week’s cool weather the bugs have been emerging and spinners returning to water throughout the afternoon with heavier numbers in the evening. With nice weather that’s forecast, look for the bugs to get back on schedule and make it an evening game. Both the Upper Manistee and the Boardman River have experienced Sulphurs, Mahoganies, medium brown Stones, Black Quills/Borchers, March Browns and some caddis tan/brown caddis – #14. The riffle sections of the rivers have seen largest numbers of adults coming back to lay their eggs so look for the fish to sip the small spinners in the slick water just downstream. It’s a great time to have a lot of rusty spinner patterns in your box to imitate all of the spinners hitting the water.
The Lower Manistee below Tippy Dam continues to fish well with sub-surface patterns. Being a tail-water, the nymph bite is best, but keep an eye out for risers. The larger fish aren’t coming up so much, but staying down eating unsuspecting fry and stocked trout; those fishing streamers should start off with baitfish patterns like T&A Bunkers, Fin Clips, Deceivers, C&F Minnows and Cheech-Leeches to imitate the bigger fish where smaller fry patterns swung, dead-drifted and/or stripped are picking off both small and larger fish. Obviously mix it up to find out if they are being picky.
The bluegill/panfish and bass fishing on ponds continues to get better now that bright sun is warming up the water after the cool nights. Look for the gills to be on beds in the warmer lakes and don’t hesitate to fish with small nymphs if they aren’t coming to your spiders and poppers; I like brassies, damsel nymphs and bead head pheasant tails. Bass are moving closer, too, to doing their spawning thing so fish with some streamers and smaller top-water poppers and don’t be surprised if a pike enters the picture. Carp are starting to build again in the bays and since it is pre-spawn, they will eat the well presented fly in the afternoons after the sun warms up certain flats. Look for all “warm-water” fishing to improve over the next month for some of the best angling.
If out on the waters and in the woods, don’t play with matches – things are too dry and we can’t afford to have another forest fire start.
Ted Kraimer is a professional guide and fly tier, owner of Current Works Guide Service, and field editor for True North Trout. His fishing reports will continue to appear in T|N|T and on his website.
The Meridian Boundary Fire (Photo: MDNR)
The Michigan DNR has reported on the current state of efforts to battle and contain the two wildfires threatening areas around some of Michigan’s most prized and familiar trout fishing territories.
The MDNR is listing the larger of the two fires, the Meridian Boundary fire, as contained but not under control. The fire has burned approximately 7520 acres at this point in an area adjoining the South Branch of the Au Sable River, south of M-72, in South Branch Township. The MDNR has confirmed that a number of homes have been lost to the fire, but so far no reports of injuries or deaths. M-18 is currently closed from M-72 down to the Roscommon County line.
The fires has been moving south with the wind through the jackpines. The north line is said to be more under control, though the fire has come within one-half mile of the Mason Tract Chapel. The MDNR reports as well that the cause of the fire was burning debris.
The Range 9 fire is located in Kalkaska county on land adjoining the Manistee River south of Portage Creek. Reports are that that fire is contained and mostly extinguished. It has burned approximately 1040 acres. That fire started out as a controlled burn on a Camp Grayling artillery range. There are reports that the fire has destroyed some homes in the area.
After the cold and windy weather of the last few weeks, it is nice to see the actual Michigan spring back on track. The “trophy water” on the Au Sable is back in full swing with a weekend of prolific hatches. Saturday was the perfect mix of warmth and partially cloudy skies with little wind. The bugs came out like a living snowstorm. Sunday was solid as well, with stronger afternoon hatches, under a mostly clear and sunny sky. An added bonus was that the river continues to be mostly free of rental canoes, though lots of folks were out below Mio in their driftboats and kayaks.
Hatch activity this weekend was dominated by flurries of “grannom” caddis (size #14 and #16). To match the hatch, classic elk-hair and Hemingway patterns will work, though caddis emergers and nymphs will work better. The other usual suspects for this time of year are still out in force, including Hendricksons (in sizes #12 and #14), Mahoganies (in sizes #16 and #18), March browns, and sulphers (#16 and #18). Look for sulphers to come out front and center over the next few days with heavy and regular hatches. Some rivers are already reporting that this has happened (like the P.M.), and that it is all about the little yellow bugs at this point.
Keep in mind that with most mayflies, in addition to duns, it is also worth carrying both emergers and spinners to complete the life cycle. Trout are very selective when it comes to that sort of thing.
To a lesser degree, there are some other bugs you might notice out on the river – and the trout might notice, too. In the slower water look for Leptophlebia cupida, a mayfly which is frequently imitated by the Borcher’s Drake or the Black Quill (#14 or so). A few Midwestern salmonflies (Pteronarcys dorsata) are possible encounters, as well – though it is a hard hatch to fish reliably. They are unmistakable due to their relatively large size. They can make a potentially good searching pattern, if the timing is right (try both quite early and quite late in the day).
It is worth noting that the “old reliable” BWOs are also out in full-force. It seems that Baetis are always around somewhere, and this time of the year it is good to carry both classic and new patterns for the entire lifecycle in sizes #16 and #18.
Streamer fishing is still hot, with those big Galloup & Linsenman streamers being a good bet (reports are that light colors are working well). And even though most of us think of hoppers as a July and August option, hopper-droppers are something to consider as well. Go out and get wet.
An AuSable Riverboat
Trout fishing on local rivers continues to be decent with some days being really good and others, not so much. The recent weather, in my opinion, is to blame for the inconsistencies, a little snow over the weekend, warm sun a few days later, a cold rain shower or two here and there and the bugs and their emergence just hasn’t been overly predictable – who can blame them?
What I am experiencing are: The Upper-Manistee – some Hendricksons (mostly spinners at sporadic times of the day), medium brown stones, a few march browns, black quills/Borchers, caddis, mahoganies and an increase in BWOs. The Manistee below Tippy Dam is offering up some caddis hatches, BWO’s, and midges on top and the nymph bite is getting even stronger with scuds and sow bugs down low and fry patterns fished dead-drift, swung and stripped. The Boardman - Hendricksons and caddis have been emerging. Look for the warmer weather of next week to kick-off good emergences of sulphurs on both rivers which should be really good this year.
When not matching the hatch, the streamer fishing has been producing some nice fish for those looking to put the time in and the cast in the right spot. Water levels are lower and clearer than what is considered ideal, but good fish are still coming to the fly: CF Minnows, sculpins, deceivers and zonker/rabbit strip leeches have been working. The right color and the amount of flash varies with not only the day, but time of day – mix it up until you find what they like.
The cooler weather has had its effect on lake fish too. Bluegill/panfish are shallow in some of the smaller waters, and just into the deeper water on others. The nymph and very small streamer angler has had more success beneath the surface than those fishing on top. Look for that to change soon. Bass in the lakes have been getting active in their pre-spawn mode and the pike have been eating a streamer too, now that they are post-spawn feeding. When lake fishing, look for any weed growth to be a good place to target fish. The carp in the bay which were very “spotty” (not widespread, but concentrated when found) have moved back to the deeper water with a few fish coming into the flats when the sun is bright and the water temp is in the mid-50s. Pay attention to night temps, wind direction and bring your thermometer.
Ted Kraimer is a professional guide and fly tier, owner of Current Works Guide Service, and field editor for True North Trout. His fishing reports will continue to appear in T|N|T and on his website.
This seems to happen more and more these days. A good organism, doing its job in the world, eking out life in its established niche. Suddenly, something goes wrong – conditions change or the organism is transported to a new location. Sometimes death or extinction result, but other times rampant growth occurs, resulting in a perfectly good organism becoming a nuisance. Such is the case with Didymosphenia.
Didymosphenia, or Didymo for short, is a beautiful and rather large diatom. Diatoms are a type of algae that grow on all sorts of substrates in a stream; they produce oxygen during photosynthesis, thereby sustaining aquatic life. Many diatoms have specific habitat requirements and have been used as indicators of water quality over the years. Finding Didymo in a water sample has traditionally meant that the lake or river was oligotrophic: very cold and clean, with very little available nutrients. Finding Didymo today might signal alarm.
Didymo occurs naturally across the northern hemisphere, typically in high altitude streams, but has recently started to flourish in a number of atypical environments. Scientists are monitoring stretches of rivers in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, North Dakota, Vancouver Island, parts of Europe, and most recently, New Zealand. Established Didymo populations in some watersheds have completely covered rocks and plants, often for 10-20 km or more, effectively taking over an entire riverbed.
To understand how a microscopic alga can consume a river bottom, consider how Didymosphenia grows. Diatoms are constructed like tiny glass boxes; when they reproduce vegetatively, the frustules (or the lid and bottom of the box) divide. Each frustule produces a new half, resulting in two new ‘boxes’ or complete diatoms. Each time Didymo divides, it also exudes a mucilaginous stalk, which can be hundreds of times the length of an individual frustule. In places where Didymo colonies grow rampantly, the appearance and texture becomes quite gross. “The stuff is really slimy, at least on the top layer,” says Rex Lowe, diatom specialist from Bowling Green State University. “But the stalks are rather tough and cottony when pulled off a rock. When you step on it, the top is slippery but it squishes down, similar to stepping on an outdoor carpet.” Because the stalks are non-photosynthetic, they can take on a whitish appearance. “The stalks make up most of the density of the colony. They dry out almost like paper – in fact, where Didymo colonies have dried out (post high water mark), they look like toilet paper or cardboard along the stream.” The stalks are resistant to decomposition, so there is no odor to the algal mat, but because of the resemblance to toilet paper, it can appear that a river has sewage discharge problem.
Dr. Lowe is currently involved with BioSecurity New Zealand, where Didymo, or ‘rock snot’ as it is called down-under, has launched a significant invasion. Didymo first appeared in 2004 and has since then rapidly colonized ten rivers. How did it get there? More than likely it arrived by trout anglers. “There is just a steady torrent of trout fishermen going over to New Zealand,” says Dr. Lowe. “If they’re from western states and they don’t clean their boots, they are going to be carrying microbes.” New Zealand scientists have taken an extremely aggressive approach to minimizing the spread of the diatom: initially they closed many rivers, actually posting personnel to prevent physical access. Presently, they are considering ways to chemically control the invasion, using chlorine or copper sulfate. “I would think that the most ‘hopeful’ thing is to let it run its course, and then become controlled naturally by a virus or bacteria.” Dr. Lowe compares the New Zealand invasion to a similar event that occurred on Vancouver Island. There, Didymo populations exploded for about 10 years. Since then they have dropped back naturally, not unlike other boom and bust cycles that typify invaders.
But what everyone really wants to know is what is causing Didymo to suddenly bloom? A number of theories have emerged, including increased ultraviolet light and global warming. Dr. Lowe, however, feels that the sudden spread is due to a genetic variant. “On Vancouver Island, the diatom was reported in the late 1800’s; it didn’t explode until the mid-1990’s and their streams have not undergone any dramatic changes. In New Zealand, there wasn’t much diatom growth at all and now suddenly Didymo is there and doing really well.” In other words, Didymosphenia seems to have mutated just enough to radically widen its once narrow environmental window.
Here in the states, Sarah Spaulding of the Environmental Protection Agency is closely monitoring the spread of Didymo. Currently, the diatom seems to be confined to the west, with recent reports confirmed in North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming. According to Dr. Spaulding, “There has been little scientific research on the fallout of this invasion, in terms of the insect life and fisheries.” The stalks seem to present most of the problem. As the colonies become dense, fine sediments are trapped in them, excluding typical grazers (i.e., mayflies, caddisflies, etc.). Chironomids seem to like the mats, and data indicate increased populations in streambeds overcome with Didymo. No one has looked at long-term effects on the fisheries however. “The Federation of Fly Fishers has shown great interest in the spread of Didymo,” says Dr. Spaulding. “In fact, they are cosponsoring a symposium with the EPA and the American Fisheries Society.” The symposium will address the science of the diatom, its growth and spread, and its overall impact on the entire watershed.
Didymo has yet to be reported in the Midwest, but an ounce of prevention beats the cure. Fly fishers travel from one stream to another, often tossing wet waders and boots into a plastic bag or storage container. Diatoms and other microorganisms are capable of surviving quite a while, as long as they have some moisture. Since it only takes one live cell to start a colony, the potential exists to transport Didymo to new streams. According to Spaulding, anglers can prevent the spread by cleaning and treating boots and waders. Scrubbing in hot water and then soaking for a few minutes in a bleach solution (1/2 cup in a 2 gallon bucket) will kill the diatom as well as other organisms (think zebra mussels for starters). It is important to not allow the cells to wash down the drain, as then they are directed right into the watershed. Alternatively, boots and waders can be completely dried for at least 48 hours. Any area that can harbor trapped moisture, however, can also harbor the diatom, so chemical treatment is preferred.
For information on the symposium, contact Spaulding.sarah@epa.gov or visit www.fisheries.org/AFSmontana or www.epa.gov/Region8/water. To report suspected Didymo colonies, collect material in a clean, stoppered vial. Send materials to Sarah Spaulding with exact location of collection site (refer to her email for additional instructions).
‘Becoming an Outdoors-Woman’ Program Set for June 4-6 in the Upper Peninsula
Copyright 2006 by R.D. Mauzy. All rights reserved.
Women seeking the opportunity to improve their outdoor skills are invited to register for the 13th annual “Becoming an Outdoors-Woman” (BOW) program, June 4-6 in Big Bay, 30 miles north of Marquette. The program will be held at Bay Cliff Health Camp, a universally accessible facility, located in a picturesque wooded setting overlooking Lake Superior.
Sponsored by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, this program offers instruction in more than two dozen kinds of outdoor activities, including canoeing, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, fly-tying, archery, boating, birding, rock climbing and shooting sports. According to Sharon Pitz, the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman U.P. program coordinator, BOW instructors will provide basic and advanced instruction that’s uniquely tailored to each participant’s individual ability – a key reason the participants achieve so much in a short time.
“The best part, for me, is to see all the smiles on our guests’ faces when they have accomplished personal goals or faced down fears in their lives and just want to keep learning even more,” Pitz said. “After a program, most women will comment on how much they’ve learned, how tired they are – but it’s a ?good tired’ – and that they just can’t wait to try out their new skills and come back with friends to learn even more.”
The $175 registration fee includes all food and lodging, as well as most equipment and supplies (except as noted in the registration materials). Participants will be housed in a dorm-style facility with numerous amenities, including a pool, sauna, tennis courts, hiking and biking trails and easy access to Lake Superior.
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops are for women, 18 and older, who wish to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, noncompetitive atmosphere. The U.P. BOW program also includes special evening programs, such as birding hikes, group bonfires and more.
Early registration is recommended. Class information and registration materials are available online at www.michigan.gov/bow. For more information, contact Sharon Pitz at the DNRE office in Marquette at 906-228-6561 or e-mail pitzs@michigan.gov.
For more information on all of these programs and more, call 517-241-2225, email DNR-Outdoors-Woman@michigan.gov or visit www.michigan.gov/bow.
