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04/28/2006A trout fisherman's delightFamed fishing hamlet reels in the anglers
Vicki Fuller unpacks fishing gear for the fly shop at the North Branch Outing Club, which operates out of the original general store in Lovells. LOVELLS — There's a little place deep within Crawford County's AuSable State Forest, and a river runs through it. If the North Branch of the AuSable River didn't pass through the tiny town of Lovells, the community wouldn't exist. At least, that's according to Glen Eberly, Lovells Historical Society board member. "It was started as a logging location," he said. "The railroad came to open up Grayling and this Lovells-Lewiston area for the logging. But it also brought people for the fishing." The place grew from a logging camp in the 1870s to a renowned fishing hamlet, first for native grayling and later for the trout that were introduced to the ecosystem. Celebrity sportsmen such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Ernest Hemingway stayed at the Douglas House, where the North Branch Outing Club was formed by lumber baron T.E. Douglas. Today, the historic site is recognized as a state and federal landmark. A new family — the Fullers — operates a bed and breakfast there and offer guided fly-fishing trips from traditional AuSable riverboats. "It's definitely got some of the best fishing around. Water clarity is very consistent and there's not as many people as on the Main Branch," said Todd Fuller, who runs the fly shop with his wife, Vicki. The couple was busy Thursday morning, stocking shelves with fishing gear. A rush of fishermen are expected tonight for the annual trout season opener on Saturday. Todd Fuller, also a river guide, said although this stretch of the stream is open year-round for dry flies only, the last weekend in April brings a flood of people on fly-fishing retreats. Many of them end up at the annual Lovells trout opener celebration, now in its fourth year Saturday and Sunday at Lovells Museum on Twin Bridge Road.
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