Great Times in Michigan with the UP Fly Angler


Randy Berndt's Logo

                God has blessed me in so many ways.  My beautiful wife, Laurie, allows me to fly-fish all over the country.  Sometimes she accompanies me.  But more often than not, due to a demanding work schedule, she is unable to go.  I want to begin this post by thanking her for loving me enough to let me roam and scratch my itch whenever possible. 

                My latest trip was a year removed from initial planning and originally was to be an extension of a two-week jaunt out west last summer with two of my closest friends, Randy and Jean Carr from Louisiana.  We fished various trout rivers in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana and were scheduled to swing over to the UP (Upper Peninsula), or “upstate” Michigan to fish with another dear friend, Randy Berndt.  Randy is a fly-fishing outfitter, guide and owner of the UP Fly Angler in Trout Creek, Michigan. 

If you keep up with my blog, you are aware that Randy (Berndt) and I finished grad school together at Montana State University in Bozeman.  Since graduation in 2010, we have planned numerous fishing trips, all of which did not come to fruition.  This trip was no exception: a series of rain events blew out every river in the region.

In December, Randy drove south and we finally got together for a fantastic two-day trip on the Little Red River in Arkansas where we caught numerous post-spawn brown trout to 20”.

Fast forward seven months and I am ready to reciprocate the 1300 mile trip north.  As I was finishing my first-term summer teaching schedule, Randy called weekly to give a fishing report.  The news was good.  Both the fishing and the weather were great.  It seemed this was finally going to happen.

The Post Office in Trout Creek, MI
The Best Name of Any Fly Fishing Destination in America
After two days of hard driving, I made it the UP Fly Angler facility in Trout Creek.  Trout Creek is a small town located in the Ottawa National Forest and has some of the most picturesque trout waters in the world. 
One of the beautiful rivers in the UP whose name I cannot mention...
 

 
The UP Fly Angler is an absolutely first-class layout.  Comfortable accommodations, including a sauna, fantastic meals, and the peace and serenity that only such a great location provide. 

My Cabin for the Week
The Morrish Hopper and its real namesake...
For the next four days Randy guided me over some of the most beautiful waters I’ve ever seen.  I caught so many wild brook trout I lost count, some up to 12”.  This might not seem very big, but for a “brookie,” this is HUGE.  Of course, I failed to catch the biggest fish, a brookie that in Randy’s estimation was at least 15.”  This fish slammed my hopper pattern three consecutive times.  I am still lamenting my abject failure on this world-class fish.  But then again, it gives me an excuse to try him again next year…

Nice UP brookie
In addition to catching all these brookies, I also caught my share of rainbows, my first Northern Pike and a 20” Walleye, all on a fly-rod.  These two fish were firsts for me. 

My first ever Northern Pike from a lake I can't mention...
Buck brookie from Ottawa National Forest
 
 
I normally divulge information on where I fish, but this time I will not.  If you are really curious about fly-fishing the UP and want to have the experience of a lifetime, book a trip with Randy Berndt at the UP Fly Angler (www.upflyangler.com) 715-570-5438. 
Randy Berndt and the Clacka Headhunter

Thanks, Randy for everything.  Can’t wait for our next trip.

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