Johnny Panther Quests. Ecotours

Walleye season in full swing

In Spring and Fall the rivers are swarmed by fishermen. Thankfully where we go, not many do.

I wasn't surprised that the Cass River was still locked up solid with ice. I was surprise at how low and clear the water was in the Tittabawassee and Flint Rivers. The bottom moved around quite a bit over the winter, and with it being low and clear, the changes were dramatic.

We took a short( five hours) blast out into the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge and back. The first thing I noticed was the beating the boat ramp took over the winter. It is sad to see the decay of what was once one of the busiest marinas on the river. Hopefully we will be back in a week with higher and more open water to really get into the heart of the Shiawassee Flats. Boat tours will be starting shortly, and it's always nice to be able to give the impression I know where I'm going. We saw a pair of mute swans, and tested the waters(ice) of the wide part. I would imagine it will break up and float out today. Following are a few images of our recon.

The cut in March

Following snowmobile tracks... in a boat! It won't be long and we'll be picking our way through the shallows of the "wide part", putting sun screen on like we didn't pay for it. I feel a Cass River recon in Frankenmuth coming on.

Here is a clip of some moments from our boat rides in 2009. The majoriy is from the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge just minutes form Birch Run, Frankenmuth, and Saginaw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_IWy8JUrGg

Courteous
Attentive
Respectful
Dependable
Supportive

That is the Davison Cardinal Code where my kids go to school. As an adult it is sometimes hard to adhere to the code, let alone being a child. For some it is easier than others. There are a lot of cardinals(the bird) around our area. Every year we have a pair that nest close by. The males will be in the tree tops singing their song, trying to attract a mate. Recognizable in both sound and sight, they are pretty striking.

The long range forecast calls for temperatures to be above forty all next week. Rest assured that I'll be digging the boat out today making sure it's ready to rock. With dry bags full of gear and cameras with extra batteries we'll head out Johnny Panthering into the Shiawassee Flats. The smell of the mud and vegetation is pungent and very sticky, we call it Shiawassee glue. The poor boat really gets a workout, and some times the motor is used as a fifteen horsepower blender as we churn through the ice.

I did an interview on WJR Radio 760 out of Detroit, which will air at 4:30PM April 4th. I felt like I spoke with a Chuck Taylor tennis shoe stuck in my mouth. Hopefully I was able to get the point driven home. I don't know how many people will hear it on Easter Sunday though. I will probably be at Bulldogs, back in the woods flagging our first race. Or maybe out in the Shiawasse National Wildlife Refuge on a boat ride?

Cass River 2008

A couple more days of "Springtime in Florida" are upon us. The air is sweet, the birds are singing, and the Saginaw river is opened. I am actually tired of riding in circles on the ice, and am looking forward to my spring recon for 2010. Dodging icebergs, breaking ice, and seeing what is new are high on the agenda this time of year. Not many want to put on a snowmobile suit to go on a boat ride, but I feel one coming on. It's usually myself, or maybe a couple of team mates that head out into the Shiawassee Flats this time of year. Last year the day after out first ride I did a tour on February 15th. It was brisk but beautiful. The day before was once in a lifetime!

The red-tails are still hanging around the neighborhood, and there have been quite a few woodpeckers knocking around lately. Our swamp has a lot of dead trees so it is ideal habitat for northern flickers, red-bellies, downy, and hairy woodpeckers. I think the raptors are already winding down. We will find out what is happening maybe as soon as this weekend out in the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge. With the possible rain in store, it might be enough to break things up and get them moving.

Cass River 2/15/09 still frozen

One of many eagles we saw that weekend. Sometimes six to a tree.

It is easy to see stuff this time of year..

Definintion; 1.The art of getting paid to play. 2. Having fun or enjoyment while working.
Examples:
I've got to plork all day.
I'm busy plorking right now.
I plorked all afternoon.

This weekend I'll be plorking at White Lake. Announcing the ice races, and hopefully racing in front of the White Lake Inn. Yesterday while out playing with the kids at the sledding hill of death, I was watching what kind of birds were moving through. That helps me sound knowledgable to my guests when we are Johnny Panthering. Everytime I go for a boat ride or guide a tour I learn something new. I am working very hard to "plork" for a living. Below is an image of me plorking a few years ago on the Flint River.