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The Cedar Sweeper
Michigan is full of great fly fishing and sporting tradition. There are the great rivers like the Pere Marquette (the first stream in the US to receive the transplanted brown trout) and the AuSable (the birthplace of Trout Unlimited exactly fifty years ago) and the Manistee (home stream of the Little Manistee steelhead strain). There are other great streams like the Clinton, the Huron, the Pine, the Rifle, the AuGres, the Fox, and Hemingway's famous Big Two Hearted. Michigan is also the home or adopted home of great fishing writers like McGuane, Harrison, Hemingway, Dennis, and countless others. There are the famous shops like Baldwin Bait and Tackle (BBT), Schmidt's Outfitters, Gates Lodge, the Troutsman, and numerous others where the grand traditions of the sporting life are experienced and preserved.
The Cedar Sweeper figures to be part of the grand tradition that is Michigan fly fishing and the sporting life. We strive to bring the best fly fishing and outdoor features, essay, fiction, news and interest, tips and tricks, and even fiction on occasion. We want to be part of your opening day, fishing camp, or deer camp. We will cover Michigan fish; steelhead, trout, smallmouth bass, salmon, panfish, and walleye. We will cover Michigan techniques like chuck n duck, indicators, spin fishing, dry flies, nymphs, streamers, ice fishing, and even hand lining.
And, while it might seem that we are ambitious with our occasional coverage; we will never roam far from the grand traditions of fly rods, trout, and the rivers that flow through our dreams.
A few years ago I wrote an introduction to a book that a friend made of our annual salmon camp. In it I talked about the guys that make up the camp and I guess it applies to The Cedar Sweeper as well; I described them as "late bloomers with Michigan river blood running through their veins".
If it is in your blood .... well then it is in your soul and The Cedar Sweeper is
The Soul of the Sport!
A Short History
In 2001 an idea for a monthly publication began to take shape. It came about from the recognition that there was nobody, or at least very few publications concentrating on the great writing that fishing and the outdoors provided. The internet was identified as the most cost effective way to put the fantastic writing on display.
Chuck Sams learned the intricate details of the internet and with the help of a few writers that were kind enough to contribute; brought The Cedar Sweeper to life. Writers like Jerry Dennis, Mike Delp, Robert Rutherford, and others helped bring the best of outdoor fiction and essay to the web via The Cedar Sweeper.
TCS’s early days were concentrated on short fiction and there was definitely a creative slant. However, circumstances demanded a break in the action starting in 2004 but 2007 saw the re-launch of TCS on-line. In July the first print edition of TCS was published and offered for sale and the content began to include practical outdoor information as well as the great storytelling that TCS has always offered. In September TCS adopted a new mission and took on the slogan The Soul of the Sport. In November of 2008 TCS published it fourth consecutive print issue and offered a twelve month subscription for the first time.
The Cedar Sweepers first print cover. July 2008
The TCS Staff
Chris Therssen
Chris is our resident fly tier. I tie flies that look like balls of fur and feather on a hook. Chris ties flies that are akin to actual works of art. He is a great fishing partner and sort of our ring leader; when Chris calls and says that it is time to go fishing, well…. it is time to go fishing. He was born and raised in southeastern Michigan and while his youth was misspent (on activities other than hunting and fishing) he has come around of late. Chris is a die hard fly fisherman and usually the last of the group to leave the water everyday. He spends his days making Detroit a safer place to live and when he isn’t fishing with our crew at TCS can be found camping with his young family. We are grateful that Chris contributes to our fly box almost every month and spends at least some of his time camping with us along beautiful rivers.
Joel Tomaszewski
Joel is an Alpena, Michigan native with a penchant for old cars, fighting crime, rivers, woods, and of course photography and the written word. We don’t see a lot of the written word from Joel as he is a little reluctant to share. However, we are extremely lucky to have him as a regular contributor of photography. We pretty much consider him to be our staff photographer. I have never seen more beautiful and creative photos when it comes to fishing and rivers. Joel is not only talented but flexible, providing almost all of our photos (even the photos for our most basic stories). Joel has a 1964 Malibu that will blow you away, an Ipod loaded with some of the best oldies ever put on to vinyl, a fly rod, and a gun. He is in essence our kind of guy and we are lucky to have him.
Chuck Sams
Chuck is a southeast Michigan native who spent his formative years riding his bicycle to fish the shoreline waters of Lake St. Clair. The woods were also his home during the fall and he tagged along well before he could actually partake in the hunt. He experienced some early success with short stories published in Woods-n-Water news starting in 1998. In 2000 he was lucky enough to be included in the anthology Voices of Michigan Volume II, the short story was River Ghost and the subject was fishing. He had other success with on-line publications such as Northern Michigan Journal and Michigan Sportsman and in 2001 launched The Cedar Sweeper. He still spends as much time as he can outdoors but is careful not to neglect his own young family. He spends his days improving the safety of vehicles, enjoys chasing deer in the fall/winter and fish regardless of the season, and putting together TCS every month.
The TCS staff in front of a Pine River high bank. Photo by Joel Tomaszewski
Thanks for dropping in and making The Cedar Sweeper part of your day!
The Cedar Sweeper
The Soul of the Sport
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Ph. 989-687-7880 or billybonesbbq@aol.com
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