Brutal Opener.

Perhaps the forest fire that swept south of Grayling on Thursday was an omen; certainly the howling storm that followed on Friday night, "Opener Eve", was a precursor of what proved to be a tough and brutal Opening Day of trout fishing. The night's rain, coupled with a 25-degree drop in temperature and howling winds made The Last Saturday in April a very slow day on the Manistee. One nice fish did repeatedly rise and slash at a #8 Light Spruce, providing the only excitement for the day. The next day on the North Branch of the AuSable provided some relief, with a small ensemble of brookies and browns willing to play along.

The comraderie provided by fellow fishermen, however, was superb.