One of my favorite parts of the Huron River, strange as it may seem, is the mill race downstream of Argo Dam. It's utterly unloved, used for recreation only as a canoe portage.
M. and I went to the spillway that connects this mill race with the Huron, just upstream of the Detroit Edison Argo Substation. There was a lot of trash - sticks, logs, aquatic weeds of various kinds, the odd can and bottle - clogging the spillway. I brought two old cross-country ski poles, and we went stick fishing. The object is to catch a stick and then pull it so it goes over the spillway.
Both ends of the ski pole are useful. The pointy end is better for poking and pulling. The grip end has a loop to secure your hand in which can be used to snag a branch. If you twist the loop you get a secure hold and can pull just about anything.
When we were done stick fishing, most of the spillway was free of brush and weeds.
We did see one couple who had caught some bluegills somewhere nearby, don't know exactly where.
