Fishing Michigan

I started doing this several years ago, when my cousin’s kids started to become of age where fishing peaked their interests.   With Lani growing by leaps and bounds, I will do the same for her some day. It is one of my more memorable fishing experiences, and think every kid should have one of them.

It started back in the day, when I was 8 or 9 yrs old.  My dad’s cousin, Uncle Joe and I were fishing.  Now Unc was a river rat from years back on the Detroit River, and this guy knew his fishing.  He gave me this small frog patterned Believer to fish with.  It was only 3 inches long, but still looked like its big 8 and 10 inch muskie cousins.  Back then they were made in Michigan (now Toledo, OH). 

Ok, so the scene is set, me and Unc fishing.  I catch a 30 some inch Northern Pike while trolling around one of the lakes next to the cabin. To a fourth grader, it was HUGE.  I was having such a good time fishing with that lure, I didn’t want to come in for dinner.  But when the time did come to come back to shore, Uncle Joe gave me that lure to keep.  He said something to the effect, if caught something on it, you get to keep it.  Did I mention that I love my Uncle???

I have never forgotten that, and have passed it on to the younger relatives when I take them fishing.  Last year it was my Cousin Ruthie’s boys, Jack and Scott.  I took them out in the rowboat and went around the lake, giving them each a spinnerbait to fish with.  I told them, if you guys catch a fish on those lures, you get to keep them.  Sure enough, both the boys caught pike on those spinnerbaits, and they got to keep their lures.  Now they have a memory from Uncle Chuck.  Scooter liked his lure so much, when he got it snagged on some brush in his Grandma and Grandpa’s lake, the crazy kid dives right in and gets his lure back.

Fishing is a great way to get kids outside and excited about the outdoors, so take one fishing, and bring plenty of extra lures to hand out.  They will love you forever, for just one moment in time.

UP as in for the Upper Peninsula.  Countdown started,  and ready to go.  Really, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING READY, but mentally I am already there.

I started making my lists of things to do between now and then.  Unfortunately I stayed up to watch the Tigers lose another late inning game in which the starter pitched extremely well.  Too bad Leyland had taken Inge out of the game already, bet he would have done as good as Zoom Zoom.

Oooops, I got sidetracked.  Right now I am getting ready to pack up the rods and reels for 7.5 hour trip to the cabin.  Thats first on the list.  Then comes the pike and muskie tackle.  Then I heard that the walleye are biting on Big Bay de Noc, so that goes too.  If I fish the Ogontz, I better bring some smallie stuff (think I might be getting bronzeback fever).  My little cousins are always around, so I might bring some crappie gear too.

Want to try a few new things, so I will pack up a few small Plano trays with those in there, too.  Basically, in the next few days that’s whats on the menu.  So while I am doing those chores,  will bring a few ideas and concepts on board, throw them out there, and when I get back, we can see how well they worked.