By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

Going “Up North” always carries with it a certain excitement and this time would be no different with one exception:  This adventure would include my great-grandson, 11 year-old Landon.  The youngster lives the city life in a suburb of Detroit and outdoor experiences are somewhat limited.  My objective has always been to introduce him to various aspects of Michigan’s great outdoors, but for the most part we’ve spent our time together near my home in Shiawassee County.  While it’s always fun (and, almost Up North), camping and fishing in a remote area adds to the anticipation of the great unknown.

Last year, I made a new camping checklist, as I unpacked from an excursion and put things away.  That made packing rather simple, even though I packed enough gear – including a small jon boat – to stay for a month.   Rustic Ess Lake State Forest Campground in Montmorency County became our chosen destination.  Because these camp sites cannot be reserved, I could only hope we’d find a site within the 27 available.  We did!

To my delight, we would be the only campers in area of smaller sites on our Tuesday arrival.  We located the perfect site overlooking the lake, where we would carry the boat to the shore without aid of the boat launch available.

We gathered enough wood for a campfire and settled in for a quiet night, as I fiddled with my AM radio to scan distant signals through the eerie atmospheric haze caused by wildfires in Canada.  A far-away coyote serenade completed the scene, although my snoozing partner missed the spooky vocals.

The next day Landon would be able to hold up his end of the boat, as we navigated the downward slope of the hill to the water with the oars, anchors, and fishing gear within.  My innate cheapness meant there would be no electric or gas motor; I was the only means of propulsion and that’s the way I’ve wanted it with the tiny, lightweight boat.  It also means that no boat registration is required and that makes me feel like I’m getting away with something.  Ah, the silver lining.

I had already heard the unmistakable calls of loons and alerted Landon of their presence, while describing their unique water take-off involving frantic wing beats across the water’s surface before lift-off.   Not only did Landon witness the unique ascent of a loon, but it had begun its flight with a fish in its mouth.

We caught a few small panfish but the youngster was having difficulty with the open-faced spinning reel I bought for him.  Snarls with the fishing line prevented both of us from angling (a word Landon learned on this trip), so hooked him up with a spare rod and closed-face Zebco 33 reel.  Those familiar with the Zebco brand may frown on their quality, because plastic models today are somewhat inferior.  However, this American-made Zebco 33 was purchased years ago and I had taken it apart, cleaned and lubricated the gears, and finished the renovation with new line. Frustrations were behind us thanks to the more user-friendly Zebco.

Now we were actually catching some fish.  Rock bass, small mouth bass and bluegills were hungry for worms.  Oh, we tried different artificial lures at first, but with no takers, so it became all hooks and bobbers.  And, that’s all it took for the competitive nature in both of us to make a game of catch and release; although most of the fish were under sized; it didn’t matter to us one bit.

Before departing the camp, I wanted to offer Landon an opportunity to learn what it was like to be the “motor” and to my surprise, he agreed.  I shoved him off alone and coached from shore, but for some unknown reason, the oars were not cooperating anymore.  He kept his cool and somehow managed to get the rowboat back to shore, where we jointly appreciated the end to a cumbersome experiment.

No doubt, a seed was planted and nurturing it will most likely become a life-long mission for the young man.  And, that’s how we pass on our great outdoor heritage.

Low-profile watercraft teams Hobie’s famous MirageDrive® 180 propulsion system with a versatile featherweight fishing and touring platform that turns on a dime.

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Anglers and outdoors enthusiasts who relish a grab-and-go lifestyle are going to absolutely love Hobie’s new Mirage Lynx. A sleek, lightweight, stable and rugged platform, it’s intelligently designed to provide the flexibility and versatility necessary to load and launch with minimal effort at a moment’s notice. Coupled with the power of Hobie’s one of a kind, patented MirageDrive propulsion system, its low-profile, flat-bottom design really drives to the heart of the matter with powerful performance, superior speed, amazing maneuverability and ease of transport unmatched in its class.

Hobie, the leading manufacturer of premium kayaks and watersport products, aimed to minimize weight while maximizing transport and fishing efficiency with the Lynx’s unique design…and they nailed the bullseye. With a hull weight of just 45 pounds, the 11-foot long by 36-inch-wide Lynx boasts a 350-pound capacity and is light enough to easily take anywhere. A hard-shell evolution of Hobie’s proven and popular inflatable 11 design, it features Hobie’s ACE-TEC construction for rigidity and durability, a removeable rudder system for optimal steering control, and a premium MirageDrive 180 propulsion system with Kick-Up Fin technology that affords maximum control with forward and reverse pedaling, even in shallow water. A V-hull entry, wide bow, and innovative waterflow tunnel system combine to ensure a smooth ride, ultimate maneuverability, and stability that allows kayakers to push back into lilies, stick-ups, reeds, mangroves and shallow pockets inaccessible to others, all while keeping hands free to execute that perfect cast or frame the ideal photograph.

The new Mirage Lynx platform also includes molded-in tracks for mounting accessories, EVA standing traction pads, and ample bow and cargo room with bungee tie downs that can be utilized for a variety of applications. The Hobie H-Bar standing support can easily be added for maximum stability. For the ultimate package, effortlessly position more accessories by upgrading to a Hobie H-Rail mounting platform with integrated, patented RAM® Hand-Track™. Hobie’s optional Sail Kit and Bimini Sunshade can also be added using the accessory mount. Aside from its feathery weight, additional features like ergonomic handles and loading pads make transporting the Lynx hassle free. It even comes with a two-piece paddle for back-up propulsion or squeezing in a little upper body exercise.

“Lynx owners enjoy the versatility and flexibility of this addition to the Hobie fleet,” says Morgan Promnitz, Hobie’s Director of Fishing Development. “Whether you want to portage it between remote fishing and touring waters or simply drop it in a lake or river close to home, you can just grab it and go. From a fishing perspective, it’s an exceptional choice for pursuing smallmouth bass or trout in river conditions where maneuverability is key to success, on backwaters where poking silently onto the flats reveals tailing fish, and bays, harbors or even the open ocean due to its impressive ability to stay on schools of feeding lunkers despite wind and current. I also love the transducer cavity included on the Lynx that allows for quick installation of a fish-finder despite the low-profile design. This really is a fun and practical watercraft.”

For a lightweight platform, the Lynx features some serious technology and is easily accessorized. It’s ACE-TEC construction, for example, sees a foam core coated in fiberglass and then finished in plastic, which makes it super tough, nearly unsinkable and easy to repair if necessary. Intelligently designed for both user comfort and battling the elements, its elevated and breathable mono-mesh fabric seat improves visibility while keeping kayakers cool, comfortable and above the spray in a moderate chop. A seatback storage pouch makes it easy to stash items such as sunscreen or a jacket so they’re always within reach.

“This kayak is like a stand-up paddle board with a MirageDrive and a seat that you can customize to fit your specific fishing needs,” says professional kayak angler Kristine Fischer. “It’s super stable, lightweight and at home anywhere from small creeks to big water. Just throw it in the back of your truck or secure it to your car roof and head off to fish a remote river, take it down to the coast, or hit your favorite reservoir. I love that for anglers it’s a blank canvas you can really make your own. Rig it however you want and head on out. Hobie couldn’t have done this any better.” Read more

A striking fish with a sail-like dorsal fin and slate-blue coloration, the Arctic grayling was virtually the only native stream salmonid (a fish of the salmon family) in the northern Lower Peninsula until the population died off nearly a century ago. Three factors contributed to the grayling’s demise in Michigan: habitat destruction, unregulated harvest and predation/competition from nonnative fish species.

Since 2016, the Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative – comprised of the Michigan DNR, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and more than 40 other partners – has worked to bring this locally extinct species back to Michigan.

Late this past spring, the DNR received the 2021 year-class of brood eggs from Alaska. A year-class is a group of fish raised from the same year’s egg-take – in other words, fish that are the same age. The eggs from this year-class will help establish a brood population in Michigan.

How do fish eggs get from Alaska to Michigan? Very carefully. They were transported to Michigan by plane as the carry-on luggage of a Michigan State University researcher. Upon arrival, they were kept at the MSU lab in East Lansing before the final leg of their journey to Oden State Fish Hatchery in Emmet County. The fish are growing well after hatching, and mortalities in this group have been remarkably low.

The 2021 year-class is not the first to make the trip from Alaska to Michigan. In 2019, the DNR received another class of Arctic grayling, and they continue to thrive at Marquette State Fish Hatchery. The fish are growing well with very few mortalities. The next class is planned for May 2022, when the DNR and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will collect eggs from Alaska’s Chena River.

The initiative to return Arctic grayling to Michigan waters could not have been possible without help from local and state partners. The DNR has received incredible support from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game; even though the agency temporarily paused its Arctic graying rearing program, staff there organized and executed the 2021 egg take, collecting eggs from wild stock in the Chena River specifically for Michigan’s reintroduction efforts.

When will you see Arctic grayling in Michigan waters? The first fish from Michigan’s Arctic grayling broodstock are expected to be available for reintroduction in 2024 or 2025. Read more

LITTLE ROCK – The heat of summer often leads anglers to large rivers and the promise of large catfish and an extended period of fish activity thanks to current keeping surface water moving and slightly cooler than in backwaters and reservoirs. But traveling on a river like the Arkansas can be a daunting task for people who don’t know what all those buoys and channel markers mean. How do you know which side of the buoys to stay on when traveling up or down a river?

Remember the 3 R’s of boating: “Red right returning.” It applies in Arkansas and all over the nation.

Whether you are paddling a canoe, chugging along in a john boat, zipping by in a bass boat or cruising on a houseboat, this simple rule will keep you in the right place – in the channel where it’s safe.

Returning means coming upstream from the ocean or the mouth of the stream. Keep the red buoys on your right as you travel upstream. That means the green buoys will be on your left.

If you are going downstream, just reverse this. The red buoys will be on your left, green buoys on your right.

Buoys are found in many sizes and shapes. Just the red and green ones mark channels. Others are white and are for information. This may be directions to a facility, for controlled areas like no-wake zones, and to identify underwater dangers like rocks or dams. A buoy with black and white vertical stripes marks an obstruction; don’t travel between it and the shore or bank.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Tuesday announced that more than $4 million in grant funding will be awarded to 23 communities throughout the state to boost recreational boating.

The funding is made possible through the DNR Parks and Recreation Division’s waterways grant program, which began in 1949 with the goal of expanding the harbor system along the Great Lakes and boating access sites throughout the state. Today, the system includes more than 1,300 state-sponsored boating access sites, 19 state-managed harbors and 63 local state-sponsored harbors of refuge along the Great Lakes.

“Water and boating are at the heart of Michigan,” said Ron Olson, DNR Parks and Recreation Division chief. “We have residents who live on the water, those who travel all over the state to boat and visitors who come here from around the world because it’s the Great Lakes State. Michigan offers outdoor recreational opportunities and picturesque views not found anywhere else, and so it’s of utmost importance that the DNR helps invest and fund Michigan’s harbors and boating access sites for the benefit of all.”

Local units of government and state colleges and universities are eligible to apply for grant assistance for recreational boating improvements and development at grant-in-aid harbors and public boating access sites. The grant-in-aid program provides matching funding to help support quality recreational boating infrastructure. Communities are asked to match 50% of required funds. Read more

SAN ANTONIO, TX (June 23, 2021) – Late Monday afternoon, while practicing for an upcoming collegiate bass fishing event on Lay Lake in Alabama, McKendree University angler Trevor McKinney was struck by lightning out on the water. McKinney and fellow teammate Blake Jackson were running back to the boat ramp ahead of an incoming storm when their boat was struck by lightning. The anglers made it back to the ramp safely, and McKinney was fully checked out by EMS and given the all-clear before leaving the lake.

Association of Collegiate Anglers staff had the opportunity to speak with both anglers, as well as McKendree University Head Bass Fishing Coach Jon Rinderer, to get the full details of what occurred.

“It was kind of getting dark, and we kind of wanted to run down a little closer to the boat ramp. We knew storms were kind of in the area, but not close,” noted Blake Jackson, McKendree University angler. “It starts raining and we start taking off down the lake. We’re running about 55-60(MPH), something like that. And then it just starts raining, so I duck down in the bottom of the boat and kind of just turn around a little bit so it’s not pelting me in the face. Next thing I know, he’s running, and I just see this bolt of lightning right in my face. It had to either hit Trevor’s shoulder, Trevor’s seat, maybe the pole in the back of the boat…but it was just right there in your face.”

Both Trevor and Coach Rinderer reported that the shock went through McKinney’s body and exited via his pant seat and out through the driver’s chair in the boat.

“I was just kind of stunned you know. It was something that you’d never expect just driving down the lake. Honestly, it felt like somebody shot me with a taser. My body just kind of froze up. For an hour afterwards I was just kind of shaking,” explained Trevor McKinney, McKendree University angler.