The BackCast Podcast

Surviving the Ice Storm: Nature's Resilience and Challenges John and Richard are joined by Dr. Greg Corace to discuss the aftermath of the impactful ice storm that hit the northern lower Peninsula at the end of March. Greg shares his insights on how this natural event affected the woods around us. Greg is a professional Forest and Wildlife Ecologist and is a contact for the Forestry Assistance Program in Alpena and Montmorency Counties. He began working at the Alpena-Montmorency Conservation District in July 2019.  Greg has a Bachelor's of Science (Zoology) and a Master's of Science (Biology) from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. (Forest Science) from Michigan Technological University. Greg was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana. Click here for Greg's full resume/CV. Over the last 20+ years, Greg has conducted forest planning, applied research, management, and inventory and monitoring on public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  As an aside; if you are interested in learning more about the storm, the National Weather Service also has a great write-up(weather geek stuff) on the storm – definitely worth a read. As always; we're grateful for your time and hope you enjoy our shows.  The Lovells Township Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the heritage of Lovells and northern Michigan. Through our museums and events, we strive to enrich our community and preserve the important history of the area while sharing it with our residents and visitors. The Lovells Township Historical Society is a 501 (c) (3) organization whose genesis can be traced back to the August 1990 Heritage Days Celebration. For a more detailed history of the Historical Society, visit here.    

In this episode, Richard and John sit down with rod maker Chris Sparkman.  Chris is a retired math teacher and a talented rod maker.  We held this recording back a few weeks to coincide with the 2024 edition of the Rod Makers at Grayrock conclave.  We have a couple of other rod makers lined up; so be sure to check back for some more great listening!

In this episode of the Backcast Podcast, John and Richard are joined by John Walters.  John has been deeply involved in conservation for well over 20 years.  Whether leading TU at the local and state levels, serving as a director for the Anglers of the Au Sable or serving on the state's Nature Resource Commission; John is at the conservation forefront of our rivers and woods and of the wildlife therein.  John is a great conversationalist and is always a fun guest.

In this episode of the Backcast Podcast we delve into the complexity of the legal system, the world of fishing and more with our special guest, George Mertz, a circuit court judge and passionate outdoor enthusiast. George takes us on an enlightening journey through his unique experiences both from the bench and riverside, offering insights into technology's impact on court transparency, the joys and challenges of fly fishing, child engagement in outdoor activities, and in-depth tales of trout conservation.  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the BackCast Podcast!  We're excited to offer you a special off cycle episode with our film making friend Robert Thompson.   Our regular listeners may recognize RT's name from his film The River.  We're especially pleased to be one of the first stops on his “film tour” celebrating the release of a new streaming offering called Night of the Hex II. "As June arrives in the Midwest, it ushers in the emergence of the "Michigan Mayfly" or Hexagenia Limbata. This prolific hatch comes off at night and with it brings out the biggest trout to gorge on these bugs.  This is truly a unique fishing experience and can offer an angler both heartbreak and the possibility of a trophy brown trout, often in a single night.  Follow five Midwestern fly fisherman, through various obstacles, as they chase this hatch and hunt these large brown trout under the cover of dark. "Night of the Hex II" offers a glimpse into the fly fishing culture on Michigan's Au Sable river and what goes into fishing a hatch that is so unique, it has rarely been photographed." Preview/Rent/Buy on Vimeo - http://vimeo.com/ondemand/noth2 Catch up with RT on Instagram @thirdyearff  

We're back with an out of cycle treat for you.  Our guest for this episode is Amy Trotter who serves as the CEO for MUCC, the nation's largest, most effective state-based conservation organization. Having served in this role since December 2018, Amy has been serving as Deputy Director since 2015 and on MUCC staff since 2007. She is responsible for carrying out the strategic objectives of the organization in all its phases: policy/program; outreach/education; communications; administrative and fundraising. Trotter provides staff leadership and development opportunities for up to 12 full-time staff and oversees the business operations, works with the MUCC Executive and Conservation Policy Boards and leads the annual budget development (~$1.4 million operating budget). This is a fun and informative conversation; we hope you enjoy it!

After an unplanned absence; we're back!  Richard & I are joined this week by Craig Porter. Aside from being a neighbor and friend; Craig was the Director of Photography and Video for the Detroit Free Press.  As you may imagine, Craig has seen a lot in the course of his photo journalist career!  We hope you'll enjoy hearing Craig's stories.  You may also check out some of his video shorts about the Au Sable here.

This week Richard and I chat with Ken Szabo.  Ken is the editor and publisher of Grouse Tales. Grouse Tales is the “official” newsletter of the Loyal Order of Dedicated Grouse Hunters.  The newsletter is a work of passion that Ken has been producing for 47 years.  Listeners interested in information or joining may email Ken at grousetales1@gmail.com  

This week, Richard and I are joined by veterinary doctor Paul Mesack.  Paul is an avid outdoorsman and ran a very successful veterinary practice for many years in Grayling.  Paul sits down with us to talk about getting your dog ready for bird season and other items that are relevant to owning a dog in the Northwoods.  Paul is a fantastic gentleman and we hope you'll enjoy this episode.

Richard and I are joined this week by Glen Blackwood.  Glen is our Regional Director of Development for the Ruffed Grouse Society.  He also sits on the Board of the Voelker Foundation.  When he is not tending to those duties, Glen also operates The Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company a wonderful fly shop and bookstore out of Rockford Michigan.  On top of that; Glen was recently named as the Fly Fishing columnist to Sporting Classics Magazine.   For this episode, Glen tells us about recent RGS/AWS developments, an update from the Voelker Foundation and a little Northwoods recon to get you fired up for bird seasons.  We always enjoy our visits with Glen and hope you will, too!  

Our guest, this week, is a gentleman named David Boerema.  David started the Voyager Canoe Trip program.  The Voyager Canoe Trips offer young men an opportunity to get away from the everyday world they live in.  This opportunity to learn about tools of the trade, include identifying stars such as the North Star, direction (orienteering), learning survival skills, methods on how to make camp or prepare a meal in all conditions.  The experience provides a fundamental understanding of why conventional wisdom is not always the safe choice, and that true understanding comes from learning, reading, listening.  This produces a healthy respect for the world in which they will live in.   David and his team have positively impacted a large number of young people.  For more information on David's program, check out the Voyager's website at https://www.voyagerscanoetrips.com  Within the site you'll find loads of information, along with their latest newsletter and some great photos!

This week, Richard and I are joined by Hunter Eurich and Logan Clark.  These young men are spending their summer working with Richard at the North Branch Outing Club.  More importantly, they are doing some great river work.  Logan is assisting with the trout telemetry study in conjunction with Mark Luttenton and Hunter is working with Steve Sendek to restore and create river habitat on our beloved North Branch.  I think you'll find both of these young men to be engaging and entertaining.

As we head into our brief summer break (we'll be back in early August) we're joined by Brett Baer.  Brett is a Michigan native who now divides his time between Texas and California.  His primary business is construction, property management, and staging high properties to optimize marketability and revenue.  He is also the new owner of the North Branch Outing Club and joins us on the Podcast to talk about this Historical Venue and his plans for the Lodges' future.   This is a great chance to hear what is going on with this beloved historic property.

With Grayrock just concluding; it seemed appropriate to sit down with one of the rod makers.  This week, we're joined by Ron Barch.  Ron is the former editor/publisher of The Planing Form, an international newsletter for split bamboo rod enthusiasts. Ron also conducts rod making schools and seminars and has successfully instructed dozens of anglers and craftsmen in the art of split cane rod making.   He was instrumental in establishing the first Rod Makers School at the Catskills Fly Fishing Center in Livingston Manor, New York. His list of credits include: skilled woodworker, rod maker, angler, author, publisher, and dedicated environmentalist.   Ron and his wife, Carole, live in Hastings, MI.  When he is not in the shop or at his desk, he chases trout and grouse and sometimes his grand kids.  You may also check out Ron's website at aldercreekangling.com 

We have a special guest this week.  Vanessa Perry (Richard's daughter) is a glowing example of a successful woman in fly fishing and conservation.  She has a plethora of experience with both the Ohio and Minnesota DNR, the EPA, the National Park Service, the Peace Corps and a slew of others.  As icing on the cake, she is also a classically trained concert cellist.  Vanessa is a fantastic ypoung woman and we are really happy to share this conversation with you!

After an unplanned week off; Richard and I are back and have a neat guest for you.  Our fellow board member and unsung hero of the Au Sable, Steve Johnson, sits down with us this week.  Steve's family has been in the Lovells area for a very long time.  Steve shares insights into his childhood and formative years as well as his adult experiences.  Steve has seen a lot and done a lot.  We hope you enjoy this conversation.

This week, Richard and I are joined by special guest Dr. Ben Jones.  Ben is President and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society. RGS & AWS unites conservationists to improve wildlife habitat and forest health for ALL forest wildlife. We promote forest stewardship for our forests, our wildlife and our future. We envision landscapes of diverse, functioning forest ecosystems that provide homes for wildlife and opportunities for people to experience them. Ruffed grouse and American woodcock are bellwethers of forest condition - they can only persist in healthy, diverse forests. These same forests clean the air, filter water, and support local communities. Working forests work for wildlife!   RGS/AWS website: https://ruffedgrousesociety.org   RGS Migration Mapping: https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/migration-map/

This week, Richard & I sit down with Tim Scott.  Tim and Terry Wittorp are the co-founders of the Tie-a-thon program which has gently nudged fly tyers from all over the world to donate over 200,000 flies, and counting, to various good causes over the past 16 years.   They have a very simple mission: “To provide quality flies tied by volunteers to non-profit groups and organizations that use fly fishing for therapy or education.”  And, they have done a heck of a job getting results.  Check out these numbers…   16 years of donating  6 non-profit recipients  $661,200 in flies donated Donations from American Samoa, 5 provinces of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Scotland. Donations from all 50 states 55 tyers have donated over 1,000 flies    Tim is a great person and a heck of a lot of fun to chat with.  We hope you'll enjoy this episode!   You may learn more about Tim and the Tie-A-Thon by visiting their website https://www.tieathon.org or check them out on Instagram!  

Welcome back.  With Rodmakers at Grayrock in the not too distance future Richard and I are joined this week by rod maker Jeff Wagner.  Rod Maker is applied to a wide swath of craftsmen; Jeff is definitely in the elite portion of this distinction.  His work is magnificent and can be viewed on his website.  We had a very enjoyable chat with Jeff and hope you enjoy listening to him.

This week John & Richard are joined by Mitch Salhaney and Don Boyd of the Grayling Fish Hatchery.  There are a lot of very cool things happening at the Hatchery, including some breaking news.  We definitely feel you'll want to hear what is going on.  Mitch and Don have a strong passion for this project and we're happy to share that with you.   If you're in the area; please consider including a visit to the hatchery in your plans.  You may find out more on their website or on their Facebook page.  

Our guest this week is Jim Schottenham.  Jim is the curator of the American Museum of Fly Fishing.  Jim also has a passion for early American reels.  He can often be found hosting his own podcast (Reel Talk) through the American Museum of Fly Fishing.  As past president of the Old Reel Collectors Association and former reel expert for Lang's Tackle Auction, Jim has spent decades collecting, studying, and writing about antique reels for numerous publications.  AMFF Site: https://www.amff.org Jim's contact: JSchottenham@amff.org

We're posting this episode a few days before the start of Michigan's Trout Season (or Opener, as we like to call it).  Richard and I have the pleasure of sharing a conversation with Joan Wulff.  Almost everyone has heard her name and she is widely accepted as The First Lady of Fly Fishing.  At 96 years young, she is still super sharp and engaging.   As the American Museum of Fly Fishing notes; “The accomplishments of Joan Wulff are staggering. She helped to found the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum; she holds International Women's Fishing Association club records for Atlantic salmon (1975) and brook trout (1966); she is a trustee of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and the International Game Fish Association; she is a senior advisor with the Federation of Fly Fishers; she has made multiple television appearances on ABC, ESPN, and PBS; and she has received more than twenty-two honors and awards, including induction into the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame, the American Museum of Fly Fishing Heritage Award, and the Federation of Fly Fishers Lifetime Achievement Award. Wulff was honored in 1998 when a group of avid anglers from New Jersey named their club the Joan Wulff Fishing Club.”   We're delighted to share this conversation with you.  Best wishes for a great Opener.  We hope you'll swing through the museums, see this year's displays and perhaps join us for the Leaky Wader 1K.  We'll see you there!

Welcome to our first episode of 2023.  Trout Season is fast approaching and we're ready for you.  For this episode Richard and John are joined by Glen Eberly, Dave Cozad and Tom Baird to recognize and remember Jim Schramm.  Jim is our newest inductee to the Unsung Heroes of the Au Sable.  Jim's legal work on behalf of cold-water conservation is significant and we think you'll enjoy learning more about this unique gentleman.

Richard and John are joined by author Joe Heywood.  Joseph Heywood is the author of The Snowfly, Covered Waters, The Berkut, Taxi Dancer, The Domino Conspiracy, the ten previous Woods Cop Mysteries, Hard Ground: Woods Cop Stories, Harder Ground, and the Lute Bapcat Mysteries Red Jacket and Mountains of the Misbegotten. Featuring Grady Service, a contemporary detective in the Upper Peninsula for Michigan's Department of Natural Resources, and Lute Bapcat, a Rough Rider turned Michigan game warden in the 1910s, Heywood's mystery series have earned the author cult status among lovers of the outdoors, law enforcement officials, and mystery devotees. Heywood lives in Portage, Michigan.

Richard and John are joined by Joe Hemming, President of Anglers of the Au Sable.  Joe practiced law in the Detroit area for 35 years, specializing in family law and mediation/arbitration in the area of business law. He received his J.D. degree from Wayne State University and his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University. He currently is pursuing a master's degree in history.   Joe picked up fly fishing as part of his mid-life crisis in the late ‘90s and never looked back. He rapidly honed his skills through Trout Unlimited's fly-fishing school, then found the perfect little place on the Au Sable River near Wakeley Bridge to lure his family into the fly-fishing fold. Joe, his wife Betsy, and daughters Erin and Caty, have enjoyed this slice of Heaven since 2001.   Joe joined the Anglers of the Au Sable several years ago and is honored to be part of this fine organization. Aside from being President, Joe is one of the attorneys who represented Anglers of the Au Sable in the fish farm fight involving the old Grayling Fish Hatchery. He had also been active in the efforts to halt oil and gas drilling along the Mason Tract. Having majored in history in college, Joe is an avid history buff and enjoys gaining historical knowledge about the Au Sable River and surrounding area. He also is a lifetime supporter of the Lovells Township Historical Society and member (and past board member) of the Au Sable River Property Owners Association. In addition, Joe is a member of Fly Fishers International and Trout Unlimited and a past member on the Board of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Alliance. Joe plans to stay actively involved in the protection and preservation of the Au Sable River for many years to come.  

For episode 56, Richard and John chat with Chris Wood the President and CEO of Trout Unlimited.  Founded on the banks of our very own Au Sable River; Chris now leads this organization in the endless quest to protect and promote cold-water conservation.  We enjoyed this chat and hope that you do, too! Beyond being an avid outdoorsman, Chris is the author of numerous papers and books.  You may read some of Chris' articles, here.   

John and Richard sit down with Richard Alexander.  Richard is a Salt Lake City native who has spent a good portion of his adult life collecting and fishing with vintage fly rods and fly reels. Over the years he has joined and participated with online fly-fishing forums buying and selling rods and reels. He began photographing each item as it passed through his hands, creating a rich photo library of the rare and historical items he had grown to love. To share his passion for vintage fly tackle and insight of antique rods and reels, he created the Antique Rod & Reel Library website www.antiquerodandreels.com . The website was designed to help anyone identify the items in their possession by comparing them to the rods and reels in the online library. Richard is always excited about sharing his knowledge and experiences with anyone interested in vintage fly tackle.   Over time, Richard began to identify a niche in today's fly-fishing market. There was a reason people loved these old fishing items, and he would often hear them say, “They just don't make them like they used to.” Richard sought to fix that. Combining his love for flyfishing and passion for the sport, as well as almost forty years of experience in engineering design, machining and manufacturing, the RC Alexander Imperial 125 was born. The Alexander Imperial 125 is a modern evolution of Heddon's Imperial 125 that gives the fisherman the classic look and balance of the vintage reel but the robustness of today's modern materials and machining tolerances. The Alexander Imperial 125 is machined from solid aircraft grade aluminum bar stock with internal components being made from todays lighter stronger alloys. One characteristic of the Alexander Imperial 125 is an agate line guide as found on the original 1924 version of the reel, along with the three-position check adjustment added to the post WWII reels. The Alexander Imperial 125 reel can be ordered in left- or right-hand retrieve and in several Cerakote colors shown on the website https://rcalexanderreels.com .  

For this episode; Richard and I have the pleasure of sitting down with Greg Corace.  Greg is a forestry and wildlife ecologist.  Greg began working at the Alpena-Montmorency Conservation District in 2019. Greg has a Bachelor's of Science (Zoology) and a Master's of Science (Biology) from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. (Forest Science) from Michigan Technological University. Greg was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana. Over the last 20+ years, Greg has conducted forest planning, applied research, management, and inventory and monitoring on public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For more information on Greg and his past work, visit his ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Greg_Corace  You may also view some of Greg's “non-academic articles here: http://www.alpenamontcd.org/articles-of-interest/germination-and-soil-scarification  

This week, Richard & I are joined by Kristin Thomas.  Kristin is an aquatic biologist with Michigan TU.  Among a variety of impressive projects; Kristin has most recently been involved with the placement of large woody debris (big trees carefully placed in the river by a helicopter).  This map link shows the project area. 

This week, John and Richard sit down with expert gunsmith and gun fitter Dell Whitman.    Dell is an upland bird hunting enthusiast, focusing mainly on grouse and woodcock, while also pursuing western and southwestern upland birds. He trains his own bird dogs and owns both flushing and pointing dogs, including a French Brittany and a field-bred English Cocker Spaniel. Dell is an Orvis pro staff member and a technical writer for Shooting Sportsman magazine. Dell enjoys camping, fishing, gardening, beekeeping and shooting 28 GA and 410 GA shotguns.   Want to learn more about Dell – search on… D. C. Whitman Custom Gunsmithing, 8455 Maple City Hwy., Lake Ann, MI 49650.  Dell does have a Facebook presence, but not a dedicated website.  

Our guests this week are Jon Chizmadia and Andy Pokorski.  Jon and Andy are two of the leaders involved with running the Michigan TU Youth Camp.  The camp is an amazing opportunity for young people to be exposed to all aspects of fly fishing and cold water conservation.  Amazingly, there are times when some of these spots go open.   Jon has offered his TU chapter email address so that interested parties (either as participants or volunteers) may contact him directly.  jonchizmadia@kvctu.org    We hope you'll find this conversation as enjoyable and inspiring as we did.  Learn more about the camp at this link: https://www.kvctu.org/2022/01/15/2022-michigan-youth-conservation-trout-camp/

Greetings everyone.  While our museum season has closed for regular Saturday hours; we have about six more guests before The BackCast Podcast goes into hibernation.  We're not going to show all of our cards, but suffice it to say we'll be finishing in a very strong way. Our guest, this week, is Ethan Berger.  Ethan is the owner/operator of Wing and Hook.  I'll let Ethan best describe his perspective; “Though I thoroughly enjoy a day on the water by myself or in the woods walking behind my dogs, I have a love for getting other people in the outdoors and being able to share my passion with them.  Whether it's floating down one of the many rivers Northern Michigan has to offer or walking into a cover in search of upland birds, I love to see the excitement people show when they hook into a beautiful fish or get to experience a flush of a grouse or woodcock right from under their nose.” Richard and I had a great time chatting with Ethan and we hope you'll enjoy listening.

Our guest this week is Robert Thompson, or RT.  We've had the pleasure of knowing RT for many years and we're very excited to share this conversation with you.  RT is not only an angler, but also an exceptional film maker.  The title that many in the Au Sable watershed are familiar with is a film called The River. The film was shown in Grayling, at the Rialto, the night before Opener.  RT has also made some other great films including Spey Daze, The Brothers Brown, Summers (a very neat film about Robert Summers and more.  You may visit RT's site to learn how you can view these amazing works!  You may also rent titles on his Vimeo site.   Thank you to everyone that stopped by last week.  We exceeded our funding goal and even got a little more, so Thank You!  We have a couple of pieces left which will be available this weekend and next, then they'll be gone.  So, if you still have a desire to help fund future year's scholarships; we'll appreciate the help.  We did have a couple of supporters from out of town ask if we would be posting any “leftovers” on line.  We will, it won't be everything, but a few nice pieces for your consideration.  Those will go up on Sunday (18th) or Monday (19th).  It's kind of an experiment, so please bear with us.  Finally, we'll close for the season on Saturday Oct 1st.  

When working at the museum; the most frequent topic we get questions on is when and where will the Grayling be re-introduced?  To that end; Richard and I are delighted to sit down with Tom and Nicole Watson.  Nicole's doctorate thesis surrounds the reintroduction efforts in Michigan.  While you won't get specific current status; you will get a real feel for the logistics behind this important initiative!  Nicole has done a whole bunch in a short time – her contributions to outdoor enjoyment go way beyond just fishing or hunting.  She has led groups of women in their quest to become outdoors women – super cool!  If you have a hankering to move to learn more of the far north this one may be of particular interest! No need to mark your calendars now – just come on out.  From 10a until 3pm; LTHS will host an art sale at the Township Complex - Saturday September 10th.  The proceeds of this sake will be used to fund our annual scholarship to Kirtland College.  We have some great pieces that we are certain you'll want to take home!  

On this episode of the BackCast Podcast, John & Richard sit down for a great conversation with Vic Johnson.  Vic has a number of books to his credit, including Eight Points of Light, Fiberglass Fly Rods the Evolution of the Modern Fly Rod From Bamboo to Graphite, Fenwick: Fenwick's History and Rods, Including the Development of the First Graphite Rod and others.   John Randolph (Editor Emeritus of Fly Fisherman Magazine) has offered this in praise of Vic's work, “…reading of your history of fly lines, birth and death of Fenwick, fly rods, and more. Your research on all these subjects is the best ever written on the broad histories of our sport. I wish I had read them 30 years ago when I began my Editor/Publisher work at Fly Fisherman magazine. No one has done a better job in this area of research/writing on our sport.”   We agree and we're certain you'll enjoy all the various aspects of this special conversation!   Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our Art Sale on September the 10th.  The proceeds will provide this year's funding for our scholarships.  We have some amazing pieces that we are certain you'll want to take home!

We have a special guest for you this week.  John and Richard sit down for a chat with Cameron Mortenson of The Fiberglass Manifesto.  Cameron, through his website, has become the go to source for modern fiberglass information, reviews and products.  He's always available for consultation and as you'll hear; he is a true fiberglass evangelist.  You can learn more about Cameron and discover the buzz around modern glass by visting his site.  We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!   Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our Art Sale on September the 10th.  The proceeds will provide this year's funding for our scholarships.  We have some amazing pieces that we are certain you'll want to take home!

This week John and Richard sit down with Tom and Alexis Brodhead of 406 Fly Lines in Livingston, MT.  Tom and Alexis give us a little insight as to how the area is recovering from the Spring floods.  We also hit on current fishing conditions along with a couple of their new product offerings.  If you're looking for a classic fly line for your classic rod – visit their website https://406flylines.com  

We're back from our summer break and we've got some fun lined up for you.  This week John and Richard sit down with David McCool of the North Branch Outing Club for a “trout season halftime report”.  David shares some of his observations and stories from a fun first half of the season while looking ahead to the second half of trout season and maybe even a peek ahead to grouse season.  As always, good fun was had by all!  

This week, John and Richard sit down with Glen Blackwood.  Glen is a great guy and has touch points with many things we enjoy.  Aside from his Auction Service and his shop - Great Lakes Fly Fishing Company - Glen serves on the board of the John Voelker Foundation, and is the Regional Director for the Ruffed Grouse Society where he directs business development and fundraising programs in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana along with promoting recruitment events, educational activities, and habitat days.  Glen has some great stories and we're sure you'll enjoy this episode.  

This week, John and Richard are joined by Mark Karaba.  Mark has a very interesting background.  He's a writer, a videographer, a fishing guide and a cold water conservationist.  Mark and his family have been involved with our neck of the woods for over 40 years.  We hope you'll enjoy this episode.  Richard & I sure did.  Happy 4th of July.  Stay safe and be sure to join us next week for another interesting episode!   You can learn more about Mark by visiting https://www.theflyfactor.com/projects

This week Richard & John put a wrap on the Rod Makers at Grayrock (good pun, eh?) gathering as they sit down for a conversation with Mark McKellip.  Mark is an exceptionally talented rod maker.  He, as most rod makers, is all about the detail.  We cover all kinds of ground in this episode.  Again, you don't have to be a rod maker to enjoy this episode!  As always, thanks for downloading and listening.  You may also learn more about Mark's rod making through his website: http://www.mckellipbamboorods.com

This week, Richard and I are recording from Rod Makers at Grayrock.  This is an annual gathering of extremely talented cane rod makers.  Chris is active not only as a maker, but as a historian.  Chris is very involved with Rod Makers at Grayrock and with the folks at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum.  He runs the Catskills gathering and has endless stories about the craft of bamboo rod making.  Richard & I had a great time chatting with Chris and a fantastic time chatting with all of the Grayrock attendees.

We're back from an extended Memorial Day break and have a great guest for you.  David Smith is one of our Unsung Heroes of the Au Sable.  Having discovered the Au Sable as a young boy scout, it would be his post retirement years that mark David's significant contributions to the watershed.    Whether leading the crusade to purge Purple Loosestrife, serving on the Huron Pines board, contributing as a board member to Mason Griffith Founders TU, serving as a director for the Anglers of the Au Sable or leading his neighbors as head of the Au Sable River Property Owners Association; David is a force.  It's not just deskwork leading organizations, it's his tireless field work that sets the bar so high.  Richard and I had fun sitting down with David and we think you'll enjoying listening!

This week Richard and John are joined by Dave McCool and John Nagel of the North Branch Outing Club.  NBOC has recently changed ownership and we'll get some insight as to what is in store for this historic building. ​ Dave McCool - David is an avid sportsman with over 20 years of experience developing and operating outdoor programs, including private fishing and hunting expeditions. David got his start in the marketing industry and after a few years, transitioned from the ad world to his real passion – the outdoor world – establishing and operating his own business, McCool Outdoor. David later became Director of Instruction for Orvis Michigan, the company's tenth corporate fly-fishing school in the nation. At NBOC, David is responsible for overseeing operations, supervising guided tours and managing the fly shop. He is certified as a fly casting instructor by the International Federation of Fly Fishers and is active in land and cold-water resource protection efforts, having serving with the Grand Traverse Conservation District and on Trout Unlimited's First Cast Program. David is also a distinguished upland guide with over 40 years of experience. ​ John Nagel - John's love of fly-fishing began at the age of nine when he was gifted his first fly rod and took to chasing panfish and bass while on family fishing trips to Canada. He would quickly graduate to trout in the limestone spring creeks of Pennsylvania and to steelhead in the Great Lakes tributaries. While an exchange student at UNC Asheville, he fished the mountain streams of North Carolina and tailwaters of Tennessee. In the summers, before graduating from Kent State University, John guided in Colorado and Alaska, honing his skills on western trout.   While those adventures were great experiences, John's passion for the pursuit of trout and grouse eventually led him to settle in Northern Michigan with his English setter, Woodrow. John is particularly drawn to the Au Sable for its fabled hatches and legendary night fishing opportunities as well as its rich sporting history. John runs a classic 24-foot cedar Au Sable boat built by Billy Lowes as well as a drift boat.   The BackCast Podcast is a production of the Lovells Township Historical Society - home to Michigan's only trout fishing museum. If you like Michigan rivers, trout fishing with a fly or just like hearing a good story; please join us.  LTHS is a 501c3 non-profit organization - please visit LTHSMuseums.org to help support us!

This week Richard and John are joined by Mark Mackey and Rod Jenkins of the Bamboo Bend Project.  Last week we heard from Dave Jankowski, this week we get his illustrator!  We'll dig into more of the in's and out's of the Bamboo Bend gang, hear about living by oneself in Alaska and more.  This is a fun episode; we're confident you'll enjoy it! ​ Mark Mackey - Raised in northern Wisconsin, a land rich in outdoor activities and forests laced with wild trout streams.  Received Biology degree from Northland College in Ashland, WI and worked as a biologist for the National Park Service from 1988-1990, and later Joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1990.  He Served well and faithfully in the Marines for 23 years as an Infantry Officer and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.   Rod Jenkins, aka Bald Eagle, is a retired airline pilot and former Air Force pilot.  He has witnessed many of the stories in this book and been a character in a few. In retirement, he has pursued his interest in drawing and watercolor painting.  Rod has enjoyed all things fly fishing for more than 50 years. He enjoys fly tying, bamboo rod making, and time spent sharing these skills with anyone interested.  One of his greatest joys is being an instructor in the Project Healing Waters/Bamboo Bend School that teaches military veterans how to make a bamboo fly rod.   You can learn more about Bamboo Bend by clicking this link: http://www.bamboobend.org   You can buy Dave Jankowski's book (properly illustrated by Rod Jenkins) at Dave's site: https://www.davejankowski.com

This week John & Richard sit down with rod maker, fly tyer, jet pilot and new author – our friend and north branch neighbor Dave Jankowski.  Dave's new book, The Venerable Fly Tyers is available through his web site www.davejankowski.com, at the Lovells Historical Society Museums or on Amazon.  As the proceeds from Dave's book are directed to assist disabled American veterans, please consider buying directly from his site or at the museum.  We had fun chatting with Dave and we think you'll enjoy this episode.   Dave is a retired U. S. Air Force fighter pilot and Northwest Airlines captain. He is an ardent fly-fisherman, fly tyer, and bamboo rod maker. With a passion for veterans, he participates in Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing and its affiliate, Bamboo Bend, where he serves as lead instructor. He lives in Traverse City, Michigan, with his wife, Mary. They enjoy a long marriage, have four grown daughters, and eight grandchildren who all love to go to “Grampy's Cabin” on Michigan's famed Au Sable River.

This week Glen, Richard and John sit down with Peter Jones to chat about cane rods, fishing and general north woods fun.  Peter is an excellent fly caster who has won the Rod Makers Demarest Challenge, and participated in the Hardy Cup competition.  Peter is Cane Rod Maker, a long time Rod Makers at Grayrock Board Member, MGTU Board Member, and he instructs at the Bamboo Bend Workshops.     He clearly know his way around a fly rod. Peter is a very engaging and entertaining speaker so even if you are not a fly rod geek you will enjoy this episode.

Happy weekend!  The BackCast Podcast is back with a new episode!  This week; John & Glen sit down with Howard Johnson.  Howard is responsible for the “Cedars for the Au Sable” program.  For 25 years, Howard has made it his passion to line the banks of the Au Sable & Manistee rivers with white cedar saplings.   “Key to the protection of the rivers as cold water fisheries is a special cedar seedling planting kit developed by Howard N. Johnson and Cedars for the Au Sable (CFAS). A restoration/reforestation project of the Au Sable River Property Owners Association (ARPOA) since 1997, CFAS and it's many volunteers have partnered with private river property owners, river conservation organizations and the Michigan DNR to plant over 20,000 northern white cedar seedlings in protective enclosures on the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.”   Listen in to find out more ways that you can get involved.  You can always check out Howard's web site https://cedarsfortheausable.org 

Join us as John & Glen sit down with Robb Smith.  Robb has devoted an enormous amount of time as a leader in cold water conservation.  He's served as a leader and influencer for TU at the local state and national levels.  His passion is undeniable and if it involves cold water advocacy, fly fishing or perhaps chasing ruffed grouse; Robb is on the scene!   His national TU committee created a powerful document (A Case for the Great Lakes).  You may check it out, here: Robb is a fantastic gentleman and we think you'll enjoy this episode.   We'll be back again next week with another fun episode!  As always, you can stay abreast of coming events by visiting our website at LTHSMuseums.org

And the hits just keep coming…  This week, John and Richard sit down with Steve Sendek.    Steve is a retired fisheries biologist.  Hailing from the western UP, Steve now resides in our neck of the woods and has done a fantastic job as a steward of our rivers.  We'll spend some time talking about the North Branch, so this is one you'll enjoy.   Stayed tuned as next week we'll be speaking with Robb Smith.  As always, you can stay abreast of coming events by visiting our website at LTHSMuseums.org

Greetings from the north and Happy Labor Day weekend!  We're back from our summer hiatus and ready to continue our conversations with our Unsung Heroes of the Au Sable.   In this episode, John and Richard sit down with Steve Johnson.  Steve is a fantastic gentlemen.  Steve and his family have a long history in the area.  Whether bringing computerization to river mapping and redd surveys or serving in a leadership role for local organizations; Steve has generously given his time and knowledge to protect and improve our river system.   Stayed tuned for more podcasts in the coming weeks.  We're delighted to be back and wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend.  As always, you can stay abreast of coming events by visiting our website at LTHSMuseums.org