4 DETROIT FREE PRESS | WWW.YAKSCORNER.COM THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2002 5

Our state symbols

or the Yak’s last adventure in search of FMichigan’s symbols, he wanted to go fly-fishing for brook trout, the state fish. But where? He didn’t have a clue — and he didn’t know beans about using artificial flies to catch fish. So he called Rusty Gates, one of Michigan’s most talented fly-fishermen, and on May 1, Gates took the Yak to one of his favorite hot spots for catching brookies, on the north branch of the Au Sable River near Grayling. It was 2 p.m., and the day had warmed considerably since morning. But it was still a few degrees too chilly for This is a model of a brook trout. A real brookie is about seven inches long, Hendrickson mayflies to start on average. A 10-incher would be considered a big one. Rusty Gates, who took the Yak fishing, was named 1995 Angler of the Year by Fly Rod & Reel magazine. hatching on the water’s surface, attracting trout from their hiding places. Gates helped the Yak pull on sports,” said Gates, who grew up on rock he was try another.” trout in Michigan that the limit on waders — special thigh-high boots to the Au Sable and learned to fly-fish sitting on. But you can’t catch how many could be caught and kept in keep his feet dry — and the two from his late father, Calvin, when he “It’s way cool,” anything if the fish aren’t a day was 50 fish, he said. As the ventured out into the cold, shallow was 11. he said of fly-fishing. feeding, and they weren’t trout population declined, the limit river. “It’s always been passed down from “And it never ends — you the day Gates and the was cut — to 40 fish a day, then 30, “This is one of the most traditional father to son. But some of the guys can fish for 35 years and Yak tried to catch a 20, 10 and finally to the current daily Grayling bring their there’s still something to brookie. limit of two to five fish, depending on The brook trout isn’t daughters up, and learn.” The two were the stream. really a trout. It’s a more and more As the trout season disappointed, but only Others say it’s OK to eat trout. char, a member of a women are getting progresses, hundreds of briefly. As Gates says, “They’re great to have for breakfast closely related fish family. into it.” different kinds of insects will “If they were easy to once in a while,” said Rich Bowman, Michigan has three true Gates watched hatch on the river — and catch, everyone would do executive director of Michigan Council trout species. The largest, the river intently, Gates knows how to tie a it.” of Trout Unlimited. the lake trout, is a native of waiting for the fly to look like every one of them. Each When Gates does catch a trout, he But the conservation group has a the Great Lakes. The other temperature to hit is a little work of art made of fur, always releases it back into the river saying: Limit your catch, don’t catch two, the rainbow and the 50 degrees so the feathers and tying silk. — not just on the 16-mile stretch of your limit. brown trout, live in coldwater bugs would rise But it takes more than a good lure the Au Sable where trout are Said Bowman: “If everyone caught streams and rivers. Neither from the river like a to catch a trout. You have to be an protected, but anywhere he catches what they could legally keep every is a Michigan native, as is dark shadow. expert sneak, moving slowly to the one in Michigan. time they went fishing, we’d have to the brook trout. The Grayling Patiently casting spot where you want to cast your rod Of the state’s 38,000 miles of drastically reduce the number of fish trout, another native his rod into the without scaring the fish. rivers and streams, only 12,500 miles people were allowed to keep.” species, went extinct in the fast-flowing “A lot of times, we get down on our are cold enough to support trout. early 20th Century after its current, he seemed knees,” said Gates, a professional “It’s very easy to destroy these By Patricia Chargot habitat was destroyed by as much a part of fishing guide. “You have to be patient. streams,” said Gates. PHOTOS BY PER KJELDSEN Rusty Gates made this artificial mayfly. He’ll use it to try loggers. Gates carries dozens of different flies with him. to trick a brook trout into thinking it’s a real mayfly. the river as the If you don’t get anything with one fly, Fifty years ago, there were so many