I think the surpirse October 2007 heat wave delayed the color peak a bit this year. More color would have been a bonus, but even the subtle changes looked stunning from the water. I will definitely do this trip again in 2008!

Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie, four of the five inland seas comprising the Great Lakes have Michigan shoreline. And ports. Superior, Michigan and Huron ports are the gateway to big fish. Fish like chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, rainbow, brown and lake trout. Fish that surpass the 20-pound mark regularly. Fish that make your reels scream and your arms ache.

Size matters folks. It’s that simple.

To get into this big lake, big fish game you could go out and buy a boat in the 20-foot or above size. Add a 100-horse or better motor. Then come the downriggers, electronics, rods, reels, lines, lures, nets, gas and insurance. Add in a decade or better of education on how and where to fish these behemoths and you’re all set. Besides the time you’ll only be looking at a $25,000 or better investment, if you go for used and cheap equipment.

Been there, done that. After a sharp slap up beside the head by the CEO of the house, my wife Kris, I found religion, or at least a better way to do it.

Now when the big lake beacons I hire a charter boat with a group of three or four buddies and leave the buying and the education to the professionals. Me, heck, I just want to catch some fish and have a little fun.

Imagine how many charter trips I could go out on at around $350 a pop – that’s for the whole boat folks. Adding in a generous tip, and assuming four of us are on that trip, each chartered trip comes to roughly $100 a person. Even on the cheap side, and forgetting about gas, that’s 200 fishing trips for the same low-ball price of a boat rigged for the lake.

Jim Swanezy, of JJ Sportfishing, fishes out of the Yacht Basin Marina in Holland. Swanezy runs a tidy operation and is well known as one of the top charter skippers in the area. In fact, when it comes to the numerous tournaments on Lake Michigan, Swanczy’s name is normally at, or near the top of the leader board.

Early June through early July is a mixed bag fishery. Chinook are cruising north along the lakes following the alewive spawn. Steelhead and lake trout, along with browns, will be found in more in pockets, or pods, than scattered across any one area. As they are very temperature and prey oriented, you may find the fish hugging the bottom, or at the mid depths and sometimes even on the surface.

In late June through July and early August steelhead take center stage. You’ll make the run farther off shore to the deep water where the steelhead play.

"Steelies like the deep water when the weather is hot. The lake forms a thermocline, a temperature barrier, and we can see it by finding something called a scum line. This line is formed by the meeting of two different water temperatures, water of two different densities. The scum line is filled with bugs and small debris blown into the lake. The bugs and debris draw baitfish up to the surface which, in turn draws the steelies. These open lake steelhead can really put on a show. It’s common for a fish to jump a half dozen or more times."

"August is the major transition time for kings, and the best big fish fishing" says Swanezy. " They are getting ready for the spawn. In most places on the Great Lakes, and definitely from here in Holland and north, that means that the adult kings will be moving into the near shore shallow water in the evenings and then move back out to deeper water, say 120 to 140 feet, when the sun comes back up. The kings don’t like making that long swim any more than the anglers like running the boats that far so if you can find these two styles of water in close proximity to one another then you’ve got a leg up on the salmon."

Now, before you start counting your chickens before the eggs hatch, there are no guarantees. Fishing is fishing, even in a trout pond. But, Swanezy, along with his fellow captains, do their best each and every time they go. Think about it. It’s their job.

There is one other thing I like about going out on a charter fishing boat. The folks that run the boat also clean your fish. Michigan charter boat captains are licensed via a rigorous instruction period and testing through the U.S. Coast Guard.

To find a list of charter boat captains, and the ports they work out of, go to:
www.michigancharterboats.com

Travel Michigan has received permission to reproduce this article.

From the expansive flats of Lake St. Clair in the southeastern section of the state to the interconnected lakes of the Cisco Chain in the Upper Peninsula’s western end, muskies rule the water. In the words of Don Miller of Motor City Muskies, "There’s the muskie, then there’s everything else." Whether you like to live bait these water wolves, toss huge baits of plastic, metal or wood, or troll at seemingly ridiculous fast speeds, if you’re after the supreme predator Michigan waters are where you want to fish.

During the summer the best times to fish for muskies are early and late in the day, or after dark. If a good storm is brewing, particularly one bringing in cooler weather, so much the better.

During the fall there is a switch or sorts.

Early and late in the day are still good bets but don’t discount the midday periods when frost is on the pumpkin. Remember that these fish are in a heavy feeding cycle and aren’t at all afraid of the light. If there is a bit of masochist in you, the fall night bite can be down right spectacular.

Trolling is the preferred method for Miller on St. Clair. Swim Whizz and Believer baits, huge wooden and plastic stick-baits are the dominant lures used by anglers here. Perch patterns are the favored finish. Troll at 5- to 6-mph, (yes, that fast), and work the 4- to 12-foot depths. Be sure one lure is placed back only 20 feet or so and is running right in the prop wash.

On the inland lakes and rivers, casting takes over with a variety of glide baits, spinner and hard baits. Magnum Shad Raps, Muskie Killers and the like will all work. In off-colored water the mantra of color, though debatable, seems to be "if it’s not hot, it’s not." In other words, work finishes like fire tiger and chartreuse. In clear water natural finishes like sucker, whitefish and perch stand out.

Muskie pro Lance Christensen has two rules when casting. "First, always watch behind the bait, don’t watch the bait. That’s where you’ll see the fish or the swirl. Second, always finish smoothly, no stopping, with a large figure eight or a very exaggerated L-shaped finish. Nearly 75 percent of my fish strike while ending the retrieve with these."

Muskies are tough, toothy fish. Setting up a proper rod, reel and line combination is absolutely critical to you successfully bringing in a fish. Rods should be heavy action sticks with very a lot of spine. When you reef back to set the hook you don’t want the rod to give the fish any mercy.

The same goes with the line. Mono is a definite no-no. Old timers still swear by braided Dacron, but you can do much better. The "super lines," such as my personal favorite, Power Pro, don’t have any stretch and when you set the hook you really cross their eyes. These newer super lines are also much thinner than the old standard Dacron, and they cast like a dream. You do need to be careful as these thinner super lines will cut you if you try to release a snagged lure by hand. At the end of the line you’ll want a good quality barrel-swiveled leader at least 12 inches long to prevent the fish from biting through the line.

Your reel should have a good quality drag, something reliably smooth and steady. Bait casting reels are preferred over spinning reels. In most every case your reel need not be spooled with any more than 150 yards or so of line.

So, where is the absolute best place to catch these freshwater wolves? Without any doubt Lake St. Clair gives up more muskies each year than any two bodies of water put together. The habitat and abundance of prey is second to none. Couple that with a good number of very skilled charter captains pursuing nothing but muskies and you have an ideal situation for catching these fish. Take Captain Mike Pittiglio of Muskie Mania Sportfishing for instance. Over the past five years he’s boated just shy of 3,000 from Lake St. Clair. On one 8-hour trip the net brought in 28 of these!

Hot Spots

Southern Lower Peninsula

Lake St. Clair, Wayne, Macomb and St. Clair Counties
Muskie Mania Sportfishing Charters
Miller’s Sportfishing Charters

Thornapple Lake, Barry County
Barry County – County Parks and Recreation

Bankson Lake, Van Buren County
South Haven Visitors Bureau

Northern Lower

Lake Skegemog/Elk Lake, Kalkaska and Antrim Counties
Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

Manistee Lake, Manistee County
Manistee County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Ross Lake, Gladwin County
Gladwin County Chamber of Commerce

Upper Peninsula

Lac Vieux Desert, Gogebic County
MichiganLakes.com – Gogebic County

Craig Lake, Baraga County
Craig Lake State Park

Lake Michigamme, Marquette County
Marquette Country Convention & Visitors Bureau
Michigamme Shores Campground
Van Riper State Park

Additional Information:
Department of Natural Resources: Large Lakes Program
Michigan Recreational Boating Information System: Find an Access Site

Travel Michigan has received permission to reproduce this article.

Ever wonder how sausage was made? Me neither. If I sat down and thought about it, I probably would no longer enjoy one of my favorite breakfast side dishes. I had the pleasure to be a crewmember on board one of the yachts racing from Port Huron to Mackinac Island. Much like the sausage, sailboat racing is awesome to the casual participant, but there’s another side of the story for those who actually grind and hoist their way to Mackinac Island every year. Welcome to Port Huron to Mackinac Island: Sailing 101!

In order to be invited onto a boat you better be a great sailor. Only the best sailors are chosen to grind, trim and pilot these silent, majestic boats to the straits. If you happen to be “lucky” enough to be chosen to participate in the race, be sure to expect the unexpected.

My boat, “Comfortably Numb,” allowed me to bring one bag that could weigh up to 10 pounds. This bag included shoes, rain gear and life jacket. Wait, these things alone weigh 10 pounds. So much for toothpaste, deodorant or a change of clothes. Think I am kidding? Most captains have a scale on the dock and will eject any non-essentials on the spot.

Once sailing, you soon forget about the lack of creature comforts and ease into the actual act of sailing. This sport is awesome, if there is wind. When there is no wind, I guess it could be classified as “floating.” For the first nine hours of this race the entire fleet was stuck in the “floating” mode. The only problem with floating is that there is no breeze to cool you off from the 95-degree heat.  It is during this time the black flies start to emerge. From where, I don’t know, but they want a piece of you, and they take it, over and over. The easy solution to both problems would be to jump into the cool water, but don’t forget we are in a race. No swimming! So there you sit, on the rail, staring at your toes that are dangling just centimeters from cool, refreshing water. If I could just touch a little bit. Damn!

On the “rail” there are no cushions, just hard fiberglass. Deck rigging is extremely uncomfortable to sit on, but essential, therefore can’t be moved. In order to have a seat you have to position lines, clasps and whatever else lies on the deck between the cheeks of your buttocks.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the sun finally started to drop below the horizon. As the cool wind caressed my skin the realization that skin hurts when it has been baking in the intense sun is only surpassed by the smell that radiates from you and the crew. Sorry, no showers, water is heavy and is dumped from the holding tanks before the boat leaves the dock. Remember, we left the deodorant. At least the sun is going down and it is time to eat.

On our boat we were lucky. We were able to use our own plate. Many boat crews pass a dish and share the same bowl as the guy next to them. Some crews have to pass the spoon as well! I have heard tale of crews that bring only power bars and cereal, which they eat for every meal.

After your gourmet meal it is time for a sleep shift. Mine came at 2 a.m. This was good because I got a chance to cool down in the 65-degree night air before I turned in. I entered the cabin, rolled my bunkmate out of bed and recoiled from the smell of the day’s sweatfest. There’s nothing like being the lucky recipient of a warm bunk containing someone else’s perspiration, sunscreen and drool. Some people avoid this situation by simply sleeping hung over the rail. I didn’t particularly care to spend any more time with the rigging in my butt, so I opted for the bed of sweat.

Night sailing seems to be everyone’s favorite.  At night the speed of travel generally increases and so does the danger factor. The decks become slippery with condensation and bow spray. Sail changes have to be done in pitch dark. Well, maybe not pitch dark. If you hold a flashlight in your mouth wile pulling down the 50-foot spinnakers, your vision increases by a few candlepower. The problem is, the flashlight generally gets knocked askew while trying to stuff the huge sheet into a 2-foot deck hole. I suppose you could straighten the light back out but if you let go of the sail with one hand, the wind could grab the sail and snatch it out to sea.

Deck ropes are a familiar culprit during the wee hours of the night. They often like to wrap themselves around an ankle and with any mislaid step, pull folks over the edge. Many captains make crew members clip into a harness so they don’t go overboard at night. Good idea I guess, but as I watched, I could not help but think that if you were on the low side of the boat you would be dashed repeatedly against the side of the boat by the force of the enormous 9-knot waves. I think I would rather simply fall overboard than to be beaten unmercifully for the five minutes that it would take to drag me back on board. On the other hand, if I went overboard, how would the boat see me? Ever been in the middle of Lake Huron at night with cloud cover. Goodbye sweet prince.

My favorite part of the race is morning. Sunsets and sunrises are the reward for endurance and hard work. Our crew worked in silence while taking in the amazing sights. This time is when you begin to reflect on the race, your role in the race, your role on the earth, your family…then you are jolted by a loud voice commanding “Time to change the spinnaker," and it's right back to work. After all, there is still another day of this competition to come.

For some reason I can’t explain, this was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. I think one of the crew members explained it best when she said, “It’s like giving birth. If I remembered the pain I would never have another child. I only remember the enjoyment of the accomplishment.” I never have given birth, so I use the sausage analogy.

However you explain it, the result is the same. If given the opportunity, I would do the Port Huron to Mackinac Island race again and again. I may even add a few more miles to the race. I did not really want the race to end.

Special thanks to Mark Miller, captain/owner of the “Comfortably Numb” boat, for letting me become a member of the crew. By the way, we WON the race! For more details on the crew and boat go to Numbsailing.com.

Travel Michigan has received permission to reproduce this article.

Leave the lounge chairs at home and reinvent your beach day with three sun-soaked adventures. Survey the city from five stories high, fly across the water on wind power, master the waves from the deck of a massive ship. Whatever your pleasure, we guarantee you'll never look at Grand Traverse Bay the same way again.

A good way to start? Spend a wild weekend on the water with Broneah Kiteboarding's "Northern Exposure" kiteboarding camp. Brothers and co-owners Matt and Keegan Myers keep class sizes to a minimum, no more than six students per weekend - allowing for one-on-one training time. Kiteboarding is a fast-growing sport, popular in places like Hawaii and Western Europe; it involves a rider strapping his or her feet to a board and holding onto a bar connected to a large kite. By maneuvering the bar, the rider is dragged across the water on the board and can lift into the air to pull stunts - a seasoned kiter can jump as high as 30 feet in the air. Not sure if you're cut out for kiting? The Myers claim anyone at any age can learn; it's just a matter of determination and a willingness to respect nature's elements. By the end of the weekend you'll walk away with a new hobby, new friends and a deeper appreciation for two of Michigan's best natural resources--wind and water. (231-392-2212)

Looking for even bigger air? Get high with a sky-scraping ride courtesy of Traverse Bay Parasail. For 15 minutes, a very long 15 minutes  that brave souls can dangle from a parasail up to 500 feet in the air. Several hundred feet of line is fed out from a boat, allowing those in the parasail to experience a rare bird's-eye view that stretches from both bays all the way to the city's limits. If the thought of going it alone gives you the willies, consider sharing the experience with a friend for a tandem flight. Holding hands is optional. Reservations are recommended; no penalties if the weather does not cooperate. Expect to spend about a half hour on the total excursion, from dock to water to dock again. (231-929-7272)

Balance out all that airtime by planting your feet on the deck of the Tall Ship Manitou,a sturdy and stately replica of a 19th-century cargo schooner. Call ahead to reserve a two-hour midday, afternoon or evening cruise; prices include boxed meals on some excursions. The midday and afternoon cruises are perfect for families. Kids can look up at the giant billowing sails and pretend to be a pirate cruising the high seas. If your family is strictly a party of two, sign up for the more subdued evening cruise. Stand with your sweetie at the helm and let the breeze tangle your hair, give the crew a hand, or simply lean into the wind and consider the feeling of freedom that comes with cruising open water. (231-941-2000)

Finally, rest those sea legs at Boathouse Restaurant (14039 Peninsula Dr., 231-223-4030 ) for fantastic food and a decidedly delicious view of the bay. Grab a table on the patio out back in the evening and you're guaranteed a sweet sunset over West Bay. Your time on the water might be done for now, but with dishes like fried tempura asparagus and crab-topped whitefish on the menu, you'll be glad you returned to the dry land.

MyNorth.com, the vacation site of the North, is refreshed daily by the staff of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. Deborah Wyatt Fellows is editor-in-chief.