“The state of Michigan should realize that Aquila Resources has never been honest, nor transparent, about its plans, and that this project cannot be built without pollution, impairment and destruction of the Menominee River and its ecosystem,” Lord said.
On the water
Fishing partner Jason Klein and I had spent last weekend fishing for muskie, smallmouth and crappie on lakes in Vilas County. On Sunday, Klein’s father, Jack, who lives in Presque Isle, was at the helm of a three-man float boat as Jason and I casted for smallmouth on a 4-mile stretch of the Manitowish River just south of Mercer. Our thoughts on the trip were focused on finding fish, not getting snagged on trees and keeping a lookout for sand bars that could bring our boat to a temporary stop.
But Monday’s trip on the Menominee River, while also focused on smallmouth, included talk about the mine, the future of the river and the summer career for Stelzer, who works as a guide for Tight Lines Fly Fishing Co. based in De Pere. The company, which has been offering trips since 2001, runs multiple floats a day on an 80-mile stretch of the river and has been active in promoting the resource and drawing attention to the proposed mine.
Guide Gabe Stelzer holds a smallmouth bass caught by a client last week using a fly rod on the Menominee River.
In 2020, a film crew from MeatEater, which produces the Netflix show “Das Boot,” accompanied Tight Lines owner Tim Landwehr on a trip down the river. Footage that wasn’t used in the episode was incorporated into a short film that was part of the 2021 National Fly Fishing Film Tour.
Credit: Source link
