Big and Little Bay de Noc

[Ashman]

Just got home last night from spending 4 days in Michigans Upper Peninsula.....the bays de noc area to be specific. My youngest son Chris was not going to be able to go whitetail hunting this year due to a new job, so it seemed a good option would be a fishing trip where we used to live. We really wanted to catch walleye but everyone we talked to and what we read sounded like that wasn't gonna happen.

We left Wed. evening after Chris got out of work and made the 6 1/2 hour journey to Garden and stayed with some friends. Got up early Thursday morning amid a downpour and headed to Escanaba to pick up some shirts and hats I have made every year at a place that does silk screen work. Left there and stopped in at Bayview bait and tackle to meet Chris Wahl and ask him any info about fishing in Little bay de Noc. He was very helpful and gave us some suggestions for Saturday.

Travelled back to Garden and put the boat in at the fishing site launch and headed west to a well known bluff and trolled in 18-22' of water with a couple rapalas, one perch one silver. It wasn't long and we had our first fish on which turned out to be a bass, which we released. No more than released that fish and had another one on.....this time it turned out to be a northern pike. My son had never caught a northern before so this was a first for him. Not big by any means (28") but still a happy time for him.

We ended the day when the weather just got to be too much and headed back to our friends place to put the boat in their garage and dry out a bit. Friday the conditions were not favorable, rains and heavy winds so I spent some time visiting my friends and family.....anxously awaiting fishing in Little bay de Noc.

Saturday morning we launched out of van Cleve park and began trolling a area where the bait shop guy reccomended.....my friend caught a 12" walleye and released it......that was the only fish landed all day on Little Bay.

Although we didn't land many fish, it was the time being spent fishing with my son and some friends that made the trip.....after all that's why we call it "fishing" and not "catching"......

[SPOONWASHER]

Nice job Steve!

[GLF]

Nice job Steve.

[Adam Bomb]

Nicely done. Its not always about the fishing....sometimes it just nice to get away. Good stuff. Congrats to your son on the pike as well.

[Priority1]

Steve, Fishing with good friends and family is what it's all about.