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Traverse Area Paddle Club

Remember: all TAPC outings are listed on our event calendar and are color coded using this scheme:

 

Small Inland Lakes   

Great Lakes   

Easy Rivers 

Intermediate Rivers  

Difficult Rivers 
Clean-up Trips 

Out-of-town Trips 

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Trip Reports

July 18 - S. Branch AuSable River Cleanup

Published on 7/20/2013


6th South Branch AuSable River Cleanup

John Mesch and I take this project as a chance to fish in the Lovells area and to
have fun with the locals at a few neat taverns that we have discovered there.

On our way over to Lovells, we stopped at the headwaters of the Main Branch and
found this gill net on the shore.  Very illegal.  We will report it to the DNR.

Note: It was pointed out to me that this is probably a net that was placed over
the newly planted grass and straw along the newly constructed section of highway
in the Frederick area and not a gill net at all.



Then we looked for fish and found some.





The next day we headed to the South Branch which is about 1 hour away.





Lois and Megan showing great form.



Milda did well for her first cleanup.



The river was pretty clean and finding trash was not easy.



When rain threatened, I decided to give this little trick a try.  It was pointless because the rain didn't come and I was just left to take it down and continue on.



We got done and didn't get too wet.  Just a few sprinkles which felt good on the 90F+ day.



But when we were almost loaded and ready to leave, the rain finally got to us and we just
enjoyed being there at Smith bridge, cooled off and covered up.

Thank you to the 13 of us for your help taking care of the South Branch for one more year.

And thank you to the DNR for picking up our trash at the "Castle" and to Paddle Brave Canoe
Livery for the shuttle and loaner canoes and kayaks for our guest.

Norm Fred

Note #2:  No fish were killed in the filing of this report.