So far for the last 5 or 6 years we make a special trip to the river that we like to call “Mancamp”. The term “mancamp” is reserved for when the Texans come to town. For the last few years it has been an early fall/closing weekend deal. This year we postponed for a week or so b/c of the new regs. This year, b/c of scheduling and the fact that it should be stellar, we planned it for early October. Pre-spawn browns were the target. Bad weather was the hope.

You couldn’t have begged for better weather… for early fall color viewing. I mean really. We had perfect weather for anything you would hope to do on an early October weekend in Northern Michigan except target big, hungry, and horny pre-spawn browns on the Au Sable. It was sunny and 70 degrees every day we were there. Absolutely gorgeous weather to sit in a boat, cast your arm off, and consume many beers.

We did turn a fair amount of big fish which is always fun. Especially after a hot summer that had many concerned about a possible fish kill. The words we heard were that we turned more good fish than many of the other anglers that weekend. Nice to hear but boating a few of those that took more than a peek would have been nice. A fair number of teens were put in the boat but when you’re hunting the big stuff, small teeners don’t get in photos like they should hence the lack of fish pics in this post. Everyone caught fish but not everyone got a pic. Redundant is… well… redundant.

Here’s the trip pics.

Todd up front and Bart on the sticks with a great hat that may have helped him earn the coveted "Most improved oarsman of the year" award.

All Texans in the back of the bus please. Steers? Or queers? Its up for debate.

That hat really ties the room together.

Todd figured out that if he really squeezed his butt he could cast further.

Wadsworth... the only pic from the weekend of the man, the myth, the fucking LEGEND!

WTF do you say about this? Ummmm... that's a lovely "dock" you have there? No motor and clearly going nowhere. Fucking awesome. Next time I pass this barge, if there isn't a thong hung on the rail, one that was once worn by a woman, I'm gonna blow it up.

Here's Randy being glad this Ditch Pig was a mini and not tied on a cheap hook with a big ass barb.

Wow! Are you comfortable? Can I Get you anything?

Cooling off a bit. Like I said, it was warm... even for a Texan. I still haven't figured out out why some of us still INSIST on wearing waders in the boat.

I can't remember what was going on here but they seem to think its funny.

The morning commute.

One of Mike's from Friday.

Just plain nice.