Deer Park Lodge

Fall colors, first snow, and one fine fish

Finally, the weather is getting back to a more seasonal mode. We woke up to a light dusting of snow on Sunday and before the afternoon was over we had over 2" of the white stuff all over the place. It was pretty cool to get the snow as the fall colors are really just peaking, but way to early in the year. Of course it hasn't stuck around very long but up until yesterday the cold temps did. The weather man tells us that every day should be an improvement and we'll go back to the mid-50's next week.

As I said, the fall colors are just now peaking and it appears they will stay with us for some time and there is still a lot of green trees in the woods. It's a great time to take a ride throughout the U.P. if you are so inclined.

Fishing remains pretty good in the river. Last weekend I think everyone who fished caught some salmon.  The Cohos appear to be beyond their peak and are starting to wind down as a lot of dark or older fish are being caught. Monday my buddy Bob and I had a great morning down on the Two Hearted River, all by ourselves. I hooked into a beautiful 8 lb Steelhead that gave me a pretty good run for the money. Upon hooking it, the fish jumped out of the water a good four feet and then headed down stream as fast as the drag on my reel would allow it. Before long I was looking at the writing on the back of my spool through what little bit of line I had remaining.  I ended up chasing this fish downstream a good 200 yards before finally winning the battle.

After catching a fish like this I was ready to call it a day, as my fishing day was complete. Upon catching up to Bob, he was just putting his second fish on a stringer. We hung together and fished one of my favorite holes and really got into the fish. We both walked out with plenty of fish to fill the smokers. The surf fishing report have been just so so. This will surely be picking up in the near future.  Have heard a few reports of Menominee being caught.

The hunting seasons continue. Seems the number of bear taken in the past couple of weeks has not maintained the pace of the first two or three weeks. Deer hunting will be a struggle this year. One of our neighbors took a small basket rack 9-pointer opening day, and that is the only one we are aware of up here. Deer sightings and tracks are pretty rare as compared to past years. This weekend we have a large family here from the Soo that like to hunt birds and rabbits. They hunt pretty hard and we suspect they will take a fair number of small game.
 

Our store business has slowed considerably, thus we will be shutting the doors for a couple of weeks on Oct 24. We will reopen again on Nov. 12 for the next 10 days of deer season and then close the store up for the season. We will keep our cabins open, so let us know if you are thinking about a get-a-way up north for a few days.

Give us a call at (906) 658-3341 or use the email form at the top of the page to make your reservation.

Until then, enjoy the fall colors!!!
 
m & m

Black bears, blueberries, and fall colors coming.

The blueberries continue to be plentiful and in great shape. They are probably easier to pick now too because most of the berry leaves have fallen. It takes delicate hands now though, as all you have to do is touch the berries and they are ready to fall. Sure seems like all the birds have been filling up on the berries too. Guess they know what's good for them!

We just finished out three awesome weeks of weather. Yesterday was the first day since mid-August that we got some rain, and boy did we need it. Everyone riding bikes or four-wheelers out in the woods got extremely dusty. And these back roads were in rough shape between the dust and the chatter bumps. The rain did allow the road commission to get out and get them all graded yesterday. The near-term forecast looks like it'll be good for riding. From here on through the remainder of the fall the back roads should be in pretty good shape.

The bear hunters in the area are having pretty good success. Not surprising given the UP is home of the Michigan's highest density black bear population. The check in station at Pine Stump Junction is reporting 15 bears registered so far. I know the group of hounds men that come into the store regularly got three bears this past weekend, all over 200 pounds.

The people fishing both the mouth of the Two Hearted and the river itself have had pretty good success with salmon and a few steelhead.

Sunday we spent quite a bit of time on the river and brought back two nice Coho's.  We also saw a bunch of pink salmon in the river. Lake fishing has been on the slow side.But we have heard a couple reports of people catching nice meals of perch lately.

The color season is coming on quickly. It appears that the first week of October should be on track for prime color season.  We will try to do another blog report next week to keep you posted on the "colors". You can also check here for weather.com's foliage report.

We have several openings available throughout the month of October.  If you are thinking about coming up give us a call - (906) 658-3341 - and we'll do our best to work with you.  Until then, get outside and enjoy the weather.

Mike & Monica

The Summer is Setting. Must be Labor Day Weekend.

 

The Deer Park Lodge boat dock and a beautiful Muskallonge Lake sunset

Blueberries, blueberries and more blueberries! What a crop we have this year! They are everywhere up north here, and in great numbers. I think we will be picking berries up until October.  All the animals that rely on these natural fruits sure will go into the winter fat and happy.

Mother Nature is shinning on us this week and it looks like it will continue through the Labor Day weekend. We have finally put several nice days back to back which hasn't been the case most of the summer.  But for the past week and for several more days to come the weather has been "Way Nice". Check out this near perfect forecast.

Fishing has been O.K. but nothing special to report.  A few salmon are starting to be taken off the mouth of the Two Hearted River.  This will certainly get better in the next couple of weeks.

Wolf sightings have really been up the past two weeks.  Several folks have seeing wolfs close to the main roads. After coming close to extinction a hundred years ago, there seem to be pretty healthy populations now. Learn more about our Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) here.

Gotta run - the campground's rocking for the weekend. Got boats to float, a store to tend, and tall tales to tell. Hope to see you soon, this is a great place to be when things quiet down. Give us a call and we'll set you up: (906) 658-3341

Enjoy the weekend everyone!!

Mike & Monica

Prime time: Fish! Berries! Vacancies! Weather!

The weather has turned to fabulous. Mid to upper 70"s light wind and so far very few bugs.  Last night we were star gazing, it was so nice out that we had a hard time getting inside for bed. Check out this beautiful forecast!

 

Blueberries are in good supply and ready for the picking. If you have the energy and the back to take it, your bucket of berries is readily available. The good news here is that the picking is just going to keep getting better. Just think about all the things you can bake with fresh blueberries!

Fishing is still good, and his heating up on multiple fronts. Yesterday's reports varied from several pike, one being over 34", some nice smallmouths, to a nice batch of pumpkinseed bluegills being caught.

 

Here's a Muskallonge beauty. Clem was in a canoe by himself without a net. This fish was 44 1/2" long and weighed 24 pounds. AWESOME!!!!

Prime time cabin availabilities - snap 'em up quick!

Cabin openings due to cancellations are once again available during the prime-time of the summer. Our large cabin, which can sleep up to six in now open from August 22-29. This is a great deal for a family, two couples, or four to five friends. 

Also available during the same dates are cabins 6 & 8.  Number 6 has views of the lake from the large kitchen window. Both cabins have queen size beds and of course your own private bath.  Check out the rest of the web-site for more information. If either of these is of interest to you give us a call at 906-658-3341.

It's a great time to be up north. Come on up and enjoy what we have left of summer. The blueberries and fish are waiting. And don't forget about the agates!

Cheers,

Mike & Monica

Sweet deal for a family or group! Call fast!

    

We just took a last minute cancellation and will be happy to make someone - a family, two couples or a group of friends - a whale of a deal on our two adjoining one bedroom cabins - number 6 & 8 - for next week, Sunday, August 1st through Saturday, August 8th.

Give us a quick call at (906) 658-3341 and take advantage of a great opportunity and a sweet deal.

These two cabins are set up duplex style with a suite door in between. Each cabin has a queen size bed with a day bed setup with large pillows to double as a couch, and a private bathroom with shower. The well-equipped kitchens each have a small dining table. Everything you and your family or group need to settle in for a cozy week in the U.P. woods.

First come, first served! Call (906) 658-3341

Cool summer, but lakes and woods love the rain. Blueberries, too!

It's been a cold, wet and foggy couple of weeks here at Deer Park Lodge. Summer temps just haven't gained the strength to rule over the coolness of Lake Superior. Each time the winds start coming off the big lake it seems like the thick fog is close behind. 

On a positive note for the area (but probably not for tent campers), we have picked up more rain this summer than many in past years. Yesterday we enjoyed a beautiful day and between 4 and 5 o'clock we got hit with four tenths of and inch of rain. But the woods and lakes really need it so we won't complain.

The weather has been good for the continued growth of the blueberries.  We are already picking, and it seems like in a week or two there will be tons of berries throughout the area and plenty for everyone. Head on up and bring a bucket. Think jam, pies, crisp... here's a million ideas.

The weather has made it a bit difficult for the fishermen. Not only finding a good day to get on the water, but also getting the fish to cooperate.  We did have a cabin guest go out yesterday and within an hour hook two large smallmouth's and a nice pike.  Got a report in the store of some nice brookies being caught in the upper parts of the Two Hearted River.  The water depths are really fluctuating in the river due to the rain.

Hopefully August will bring us some nice steady sunny weather.  Being in the U.P. is still a great place to be to enjoy a bit or R & R and vacation time with the family.  We hope to see you up north.

Give us a call or drop a line, we'll be glad to get you set UP.

Mike & Monica

Summertime, and the fishin' is easy - 5 lb bass and a 20 lb pike!

It's another heavily overcast and cool morning up north. Seems as though we have had our share of this type of weather. With Lake Superior still being very cold it doesn't take much of a wind to bring that coolness on shore. Quite often that will result in a heavy fog coming on shore, which certainly helps the cooling process.  Thankfully for all, we did have a few very nice days throughout the July 4th weekend. Lots of folks were around and it appeared most businesses were staying busy.

Big pike seem to have dominated the fishing stories of late. We have a group of cabin guests who come in every year and their real love is fishing for pike. I would almost bet that over the course of the past eight years they have caught (and usually released) at least one 40-plus inch pike almost every year.

This year was no exception, as they brought in a beautiful 44", 20 pound plus pike.  A few days later another one was caught by someone at the State Park that was said to be 45". I cannot tell you how many stories we have heard about the exceptionally large fish that got away. Plus, it seems like almost everyone is catching pike from 10-30". Smallmouth fishing has also been very good. The latest bragger was a 20", 5 pounder caught and released two days ago. Now, that's a bass worth singing about. Take it, Robert Earl!

With the cooler weather we've been having it seems as though the weed growth has been minimized and thus improving the fishing. We have yet to see a streak of hot weather.

Blueberry bushes still look as though they will produce big time in a few weeks.  Better get those buckets ready. The damp cool weather sure has been a good thing for all the wild flowers, ferns, moss and lichens.

It does appear that the mosquitoes are starting to let up some. Hopefully we have turned the corner on these guys as they have been about as bad as we have seen in 18 years of being here. We got a "Thermacell"  insect repellent earlier in the summer and must say that it has lived up to our expectations as advertised.  We are very pleased with the results.  This little devise is a bit spendy (just under $30) but worth every penny.  Check it out if you haven't already.

That's about it from this neck of the woods.  Time to go bag some ice and stock up some campfire wood.  You all have a nice day, hope to see you up north soon.

Let us know if we can hook you up!

Call (906) 658-3341 or use the email form at the top of the page to make your reservation or get more information.

Cheers,

Mike & Monica

A friend's "Lessons from Abbott"

So many people have shared kind words and left thoughtful notes about our big dog, and pal, Abbott. We recently received a long, heartfelt message from our friend and Deer Park Lodge fan, Pete Wurdock, and we thought it would be nice to share some excerpts with you.

"Abbott knew his job and did it well. He did it without complaining and without understanding the complexity of the sentences we spoke to him. But he always understood the intent of the gentle pats on the head we gave him and surely deciphered the most well intentioned words we offered, because his job was to love and be loved."

"His interaction with people was far more frequent than most dogs and I find that intriguing. Think about it, between Abbott and his best friend, Mocha, they collectively heard more lovers tales, kids screams, intellectual conversations and fish stories than most dogs could ever dream. As a result of this experience, his vocabulary far exceeded most canines across the Upper Peninsula.  His walk was mighty, his bark triumphant and the simple truth is that his presence in a room never went unnoticed."

"I salute Mike and Monica and my heart goes out to them in this time of loss. They took care of Abbott and gave him a life better than most and when it came time to say goodbye, they did not linger in the fields of hesitation as many people do. They kept him comfortable and were quick to realize that Abbott’s body could no longer sustain his spirit--- and knew that it was time to let go."

"Mike and Monica, I’ve been around your place often and have taken a handful of photos of Abbott and Mocha, but not enough because each time I thought, I’ll take time to shoot some the next time I’m up north. It always seems like people we love never stay with us quite long enough, which is why when I come to Deer Park Lodge this summer, I’m bringing my camera and insisting you two take time to pose for me so I can remember what great friends I, and ALL of us have, in you."

Thanks Pete.

Pete is a writer and photographer. His new book is Places I Hide

Here's the latest hot summer cabin openings

Photo courtesy of the DeGelder family

It's not too late to come on up and join in the fun (camping, fishing, boating, tubing, rocking, hiking, swimming, daydreaming, horseshoeing, camp-firing, berry-picking, napping, sunset watching and star gazing... you get the drift) at one of the beautiful Upper Peninsula's sweetest spots - Deer Park Lodge on Muskallonge Lake!

Shifting schedules and changing plans have resulted in these prime time availabilities:

• Cabin #8              July 11-25 and Aug 29-Sept 4
• Large Cabin          Aug 8-15
• Cabin #2               Aug 22-29
• Cabin #4               Aug 29--on
• Cabin #6               Aug 29-Sept 4

You'll find rate and reservation information here.

As always, give us a call or drop us an email. We'd love to help you plan your trip.

Cheers,

Mike & Monica

Summer coming on strong (bugs, too)!

It appears the summer weather is gaining strength and getting the upper hand on those cold spring days. It was actually hot a couple of days this week (forecast). For the past two days though, the famous fog from the big lake is coming in and out over Muskallonge Lake. Lake Superior has to be really cold still, and when that north wind crosses the water and then hits the much warmer air on land the fog develops. And thick it is. (Did you know fog is really a cloud?)

Speaking of thick, it's a good way to describe our mosquito crop. Holy smokes they are tough this year,  even along the lake shore. To get away from the Lake Superior shoreline and down into one of the back lakes or along the river you best be carrying a good insect repellent and/or a head net. It's been a good  many years since seeing the number of mosquitoes we are currently experiencing. But don't let that stop you from coming up.  We are hoping to keep head nets and bug juice in stock. Fortunately, the frogs on the pond are doing their share of abatement!

Lots of eggs being hatched and fawns starting to show up.  In the yard we have been seeing young Robins, young Hairy Woodpeckers and we are still waiting for the Killdeer eggs to hatch.  Ma and Pa Killdeer are getting pretty protective of their nest, we had to close off a walking lane down by the beach to protect all parties.

Fishing hasn't been bad but also not great the past week or so.  Seems like the trout lakes continue to produce as do the pike fisheries.  The Smallmouth bass are starting to come their beds and have been fairly easy prey if you know what you're looking for. Lots of Rock bass are still being caught. The river trout fishing seems a bit on the slow side, most reports off the river center around the mass amounts of mosquitoes instead of fish. But, we are still seeing a few Lake trout coming out of Perch Lake.

Rains continue periodically so the blueberries are looking great. If only half the blossoms make it to the fruit stage we will have a bunch of berries come August. Plan on coming up an picking your share!

Give us a call if we can be of any help: (906) 658-3341

That's it for this report.  Enjoy your day!!!

M & M