| Darkhouse anglers spend the warm months getting ready for winter Doni-Mae B. Rauch On TheWayOutdoors Promotions "First appeared in print in the Michigan Outdoor Times, October 2002." |
| IRON MOUNTAIN -- Remember when the weather was approaching the century mark just a few weeks ago? |
| Most folks were thinking about the beach. |
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For darkhouse anglers, the time between ice out in the spring and the first firm ice of the winter is the time they create their crafts. |
| Not familiar with the term darkhouse? |
| It refers to the portable structure used for spearing fish. |
| Darkhouse angling has a rich tradition in Michigan. |
| The Michigan Darkhouse Angling Association was formed in 2002 by a number of sportsmen wanting to protect the rights of Michigan residents to harvest legal species by spearing from darkhouses. |
| The methods of using artificial fish decoys to take fish through the ice dates back hundreds of years to the Native Americans of our region and it’s practice continues today. |
| The first recorded accounts of spearfishing through the ice are from Michigan. In 1763 Alexander Henry, a fur trader, reported in detail the technique of spearing through the ice by Chippewa Indians in the Fort Mackinac area. |
| “It shall be the goal of the Michigan Darkhouse Angling Association to preserve this historic angling method by educating the public of the heritage and methods of darkhouse fishing,” said president Mike Holmes of Iron Mountain. “Our goal is to educate and teach the public of the heritage and methods of Darkhouse fishing.” |
| Holmes said the organization is dedicated to expose people of all ages to the sport and its historical ties with this ancient tradition. |
| “Darkhouse fishing is as much a historical tradition as it is a sport for those who participate,” he said. |
| It is the goal of the organization to promote public participation, and to encourage the bonding that this heritage creates between our citizens and our natural resources, he said. |
| “We shall preserve and promote the historic art of the fish decoy making and collecting by educating those interested in this fascinating, historical art form,” he said. |
| Carvers from across the country vie for recognition at national competitions and display their wares at festivals throughout the region. A craft show in Iron Mountain as part of the Dickinson County Festival of the Arts will be held at the Premiere Center when Holmes and other top carvers, including award-winning Harley Ragan of Crystal Falls, will display their finished work. |
| Aside from the actual preparation for the upcoming season, Holmes said that the organization is busy in the government arena. The group monitors the activities of state regulators to assure the historic angling practice receives equal, non-discriminatory consideration, when proposing new or continued angling regulations. |
| “We are committed to working with the Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division to aid them in promoting our historic angling methods,” said Holmes, a retired Conservation officer. ”We are committed to protecting and preserving our sport and historical rights for all people and for all times, while promoting the responsible use of our renewable fishery resources. “ |
| More information on how to get involved with the Michigan Darkhouse Angling Association and a sister organization in Minnesota is available by visiting their web site www.midarkhouse.org. The group just started the web site and is starting to showcase some of their decoy work, and photos of trophy fish taken throughout the region. The group plans to add newsletters, a “Letters To The Editor” feature. |
| Holmes invites the public to visit with him at the Woodbee Carvers Show at the Premiere Center in Iron Mountain on Oct 26-27, 2002. |
Darkhouse anglers were thinking about the beach
as well, but more likely their beach was covered with snow giving
them access to Upper Peninsula hard water.