ServicesCountry Anglers provides full-day, fly-fishing, catch-and-release trips. We do not do half-day trips. All trips include a full-day float trip and hot lunch on the river, guided by Jac.
Michigan Full-Day Trip
$375 - normal rate $300 - winter rate (defined as "when Jac says it's cold out") 
Gourmet Lunch
$40 Enjoy a gourmet lunch on the river, including an appetizer, soup, gourmet entree, and drinks. 
Instruction
$30 per hour Private instruction in fly casting, knot tying, and on-river techniques. Country Anglers also will arrange for other guides if Jac is busy and will make arrangements for lodging if needed.
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The Fine PrintPROTECTION POLICY
The pictures on my website will be done with the utmost respect for the fish’s safety. For over ten years, I stopped taking pictures of trout, after a very large brown trout was landed on the Yellowstone River, in Montana, a quick picture was taken, and we were unable to revive the trout. We tried for a LONG time. It made me feel sick. Michigan is not immune to these problems--I have also seen large trout float down the Pere Marquette and other rivers here in Michigan. It is not uncommon to see people on the shore with large browns, taking the fish’s picture. I have even seen a guide taking pictures of a large brown with the client and then with the guide! How long was that fish stressed?! All of the photos on my website were taken with the fish’s safety in mind. If the safety of the fish is an issue, I do not take the photo. If the fish can’t quickly be landed and held, with an immediate click of the camera, that photo will not be taken. For the most part, I try to reward clients and friends for their many years of support by posting their pictures on my website. During prime time, various pictures appear on my website, so check back often! CANCELLATION POLICY
Country Anglers uses the following cancellation policy: All first-time clients will be required to send a deposit of $200 to confirm the booking. If you cancel your trip at least sixty (60) days in advance, you may postpone the trip to an open date later the same season. If no alternate date is booked, will only lose your deposit. If you must cancel your trip less than sixty (60) days in advance, you are required to make full payment for the trip. If you have paid a deposit, we will credit that amount to the total amount due. DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The policy of Country Anglers prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or political affiliation. Persons believing they have been discriminated against in any manner should write to Country Anglers at this address: 2080 S. Thomas Road, Saginaw, Michigan 48609-9701 or at: Chief, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090. |
IS COUNTRY ANGLERS RIGHT FOR YOU?
COUNTRY ANGLERS, owned by Jac Ford, is a by-product of his many years of fly fishing. A trip through the typical year of fishing for Jac will help you understand whether you will enjoy his services.
Here is a typical year of fishing in Michigan …
Fishing in Michigan rivers over the years has been Jac’s favorite past time. He is an expert on the famous Au Sable and Pere Marquette Rivers for trout. He never did get into the steelhead fishing on the other rivers. He fell in love with the steelheading on the Pere Marquette River and has fished for the adronumous fish there since 1972. But, he has fished the Au Sable River for trout for many years … so for trout, Jac is ready and able to fish and guide on these other rivers, too.
Here is a typical year of fishing in Michigan …
- Let us start with the beginning of the year. January and February encompass the fly-fishing and fly-tying classes that happen each year. The classes are provided to teach people what they, as beginners, need to understand with regards to fishing and tying. They are also done to support our local Trout Unlimited chapter, with the opportunity to receive new members, with the hopes that new members will become involved as future board members and officers.
- During this time, Jac goes fishing and guiding for trout and steelhead, primarily on the Pere Marquette and AuSable Rivers. For steelhead the success during the winter is relative to how many comes into the river in the fall and each month thereafter. Most years, it is a good fall run. For the most part, it is good fly fishing in the winter months for steelhead and trout. It is best not to plan too far ahead because, like us, the fish like the weather on the warming trend and not the getting colder side.
- Then, enter March: steelheading and streamer/nymph fishing for trout is usually good from the first part of March until the first part of May. This is prime time. The brown trout fishing gets good during this period, too. During these two months, it’s either guiding or fishing for me five days a week, although I will not be seen on the river much on the week-ends … last year once. Anyway, if you’re looking for a great steelhead and streamer nymph/egg experience, this is it.
- April and first part of May has my favorite dry fly hatch, the Hendrickson. Many trout of large size can be found feeding on the AuSable river from mid - April through Mid - May. Great mid-day hatches and evening spinner falls make for great nymph and exceptional dry action.
- Enter May and June: the early part of the May offers great trout fishing, with some steelies still hanging around. It is fun to do both. The end of the month brings on the famed Grey Drake hatch on the Pere Marguette. On the east side the AuSable produces the sulfer hatch and spinner fall. During this period the diversity of the Pere Marquette and the AuSable comes into play. June on the these rivers has many hatches: Sulfers, Iso's, caddis, grey drakes, and the famed Hex hatch are the main events.
- At the end of June the famed Hex Hatch (Hexegina Limbata). You know--the huge may fly hatch and spinner fall. The best comes during the first week that the hatch occurs because the trout really gorge themselves on this one, and the fish get full. From the smallest to the monster, every trout and a few steelhead that don't leave yet will get stuffed for certain. This is a great time to hook a lot of fish or go after the trout of a lifetime--you know, the two footers. This is the choice of the fly fisherman. Some want to catch fish, and some want monsters.
- Mousing kicks in the end of May and goes through September. Good numbers of trout in the teens can be landed, as well as some real monster toads. It is not unusual to land fish in the twenties. The strikes are real heart stimulators. This is something that I did a lot of when young, and now that I am an old goat who loves to fish, I am enjoying the tranquilly of the night, chasing the big ones with a friend, guiding a client, or with my son, Jeff.
- All during the summer months one can nymph, streamer fish or fish dries most any day and catch fish. Hoppers, Iso's, ants, house fly, beetles, ants, and large stones can attract fish much of the day.
- The fall comes rushing in with the wakes of large King Salmon. They typically are in the river end of August … then really become center stage by the first week of September or so. They occupy the river until the first couple weeks of October, and sometimes the end of the month, like in 2009. The king fishing just wouldn't go away that year!
- Also, mousing can still happen on the PM. But, the end of August the AuSable has the famous white may fly hatch and spinner fall in the evenings. This can be an awesome time to fish dries.
- During the king fishing, some of the best trout fishing all year occurs. The trout really get turned on to the eggs of the kings. Some of the best daytime fishing for trout happens during the salmon’s spawning cycle. Most of my people keep me busy on kings, but they do enjoy catching some nice trout-hooking during this period. But, if you would rather float an egg behind a redd, you can and will have some surprisingly excellent trout fishing.
- Late in the month and into November, the Coho come in to spawn, and the browns do, too. We fish for the Coho, but leave the trout a lone during this time if they are located near a trout redd. This is important to the trout fishery.
- Fall steelhead come in if the rain and other weather patterns are right for the fall run of steelhead. The chrome fish come in, and they are really on the feed, while moving up the river. The bite of the steelies is best in the fall. You can strip or swing streamers or fish nymphs and eggs as the fish move up the river. You can be fishing a run, and all of a sudden, the action goes crazy. They hit, jump and run … not waiting around for your autograph. The fresh fish from the end of October until spring comes and goes in waves. This fishing can be outstanding.
Fishing in Michigan rivers over the years has been Jac’s favorite past time. He is an expert on the famous Au Sable and Pere Marquette Rivers for trout. He never did get into the steelhead fishing on the other rivers. He fell in love with the steelheading on the Pere Marquette River and has fished for the adronumous fish there since 1972. But, he has fished the Au Sable River for trout for many years … so for trout, Jac is ready and able to fish and guide on these other rivers, too.