This is Gary Baldwin our very first “bear guide!” He showed us the ropes, and his family has been gracious enough to allow us to use their camp whenever we bear hunt. Gary owns B & G plumbing and heating in Beaver Grove, just a few miles southeast of Marquette. Not to many years ago he turned the business over to his son Matt, and his daughter Paula is the business secretary. Sweet eh? Well Gary has really gotten himself “hooked” on fishing, and he does beau coup of it in the U.P. and Canada.
Gary, Matt, and Matt’s father-in-law Tom all left for Canada just before bear season opened. Usually Dick (Gary’s dad) goes with them, but he had trees to cut, wells to dig, pump houses to build, and generators to rebuild in his spare time! I’m telling you this is the hardest working, tougher than nails, genuine outdoorsmen that one could ever meet. He never stops, and yet he’s always available to give someone a helping hand when needed. I’m glad he stayed back to keep us bear hunters laughing-he’s quite a guy!
Gary’s wife Nancy gave me these pictures from last years Canadian fishing trip, and you can see why they love it so much. The one picture is of Gary holding a 3-pound brook trout (Canadians call them specks) and Gary said if he catches a 4-pounder this year it’s going over his fireplace. That is if he had a fireplace! They also tied into some monster walleye, as you can see. Two of these were 9-pounders! Tom is holding a very decent smallmouth, and they catch many northern pike. In fact Gary gave me a package of pike and walleye, and we had a fish fry at camp the night before opening day. I also had his recipe for fish, and I’ll have to admit they were some of the best fish I’ve ever eaten. Nancy also fixed us three pecan pies while we were at camp, and that my friends was worth the price of admission. See why we try to go back year after year! We get treated like family and thats the truth. Thanks for everything you guys do to make us feel welcomed.
Mike
Some very nice fish in the photos Mike.
Sounds like an excellent family, and one I definitely wouldn’t mind being friends with.