A refreshing getaway - Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula!
Aug 2, 2023 20:28:02 #
Covered a lot of miles...via truck and kayak over the past 5 days while enjoying some new and old places in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula. The plan was to not have a plan...just wing it and see where the water, roads, wind and weather would take us!
My wife and I each brought a kayak, with intentions of trying to paddle in some brand new waters that I have been researching with charts and topo maps spread out on the kitchen table. Despite strong winds for several days in a row, we did manage to get on the water someplace each day to find calm conditions.
Found a few new rural places to dine and grab a hot meal that intrigued my wife, so I'm sure we'll be headed back at least one more time before snow flies!
Since I find it irresistible to be in a kayak without a fishing rod, I did manage to get about 3 hours of trolling and casting in during a few of the excursions. Most of the time we just paddled. The "catching" was a bit on the lean side, with only one single Northern pike and a few yellow perch to show for my efforts...but I still had fun trying.
Closing out with a few snapshots taken along the way, with credit going to my wife along with the little camera that finds it's way into my hands as well...
My wife and I each brought a kayak, with intentions of trying to paddle in some brand new waters that I have been researching with charts and topo maps spread out on the kitchen table. Despite strong winds for several days in a row, we did manage to get on the water someplace each day to find calm conditions.
Found a few new rural places to dine and grab a hot meal that intrigued my wife, so I'm sure we'll be headed back at least one more time before snow flies!
Since I find it irresistible to be in a kayak without a fishing rod, I did manage to get about 3 hours of trolling and casting in during a few of the excursions. Most of the time we just paddled. The "catching" was a bit on the lean side, with only one single Northern pike and a few yellow perch to show for my efforts...but I still had fun trying.
Closing out with a few snapshots taken along the way, with credit going to my wife along with the little camera that finds it's way into my hands as well...
Shore casting for Northern pike in the Seney Wildlife Refuge and Sanctuary. While this expansively large area is mostly known for birding. The shallow weedy ponds are also home to some fish. Caught nothing at all, which is highly unusual!
Tahquamenon Falls in the Summer. We never get tired of hearing the roar and rush of tannin stained water falling over the edge of this 50' drop.
A calm bay near Grand Marais, MI. My wife is sizing up the waters that lie ahead....
Numerous varieties of wild flowers were in bloom, attracting the classic monarch butterflies to visit and hang out. Had to swerve while driving in the truck quite often to avoid catching them in the grille!
A fiesty little water snake holding ground at one of the boat launches. This photo taken while he was pondering a bite on my bare ankle!
Not too often that I see a green leech...typically shades of black and brown. Along with the snake, this locale kept my wife on shore. Just the thought of having to stand in the water while getting aboard the kayak made her uneasy.
Caught this 26" pike in Pete's Lake, South of Munising, MI. After a careful release, the fish stayed near the surface to catch it's breath for a moment...which turned out to be fatal. A nearby bald eagle swooped down and spiked it for dinner!
Lake Superior at Miner's Beach looking East along the high rising sandstone cliffs.
A view of the Miner's Castle rock formation that guards the entrance to Munising Bay to the left (West).
A final stop on the way home to troll for smallmouth bass near Mackinaw bridge. A nearby small island rookery for cormorants was cackling and laughing at my efforts to catch a fish. The island is home to several hundred of these water rodents!
Aug 2, 2023 20:48:43 #
fishyaker wrote:
Covered a lot of miles...via truck and kayak over ... (show quote)
Beautiful trip and pictures Yaker. I've only been to Lake Erie, but would love to visit the rest of the Great Lakes someday. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.
Aug 2, 2023 21:04:00 #
Fredfish wrote:
Beautiful trip and pictures Yaker. I've only been to Lake Erie, but would love to visit the rest of the Great Lakes someday. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.
Thank you Fredfish! They represent quite a diversity for sure, and I hope that you do get a chance to drive around them one of these days! A local trip, known as the "Circle Tour", allows a driver to take shoreline roads when they are available, to circumnavigate all of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay Ontario. My wife and I have had a chance to do it in components, and I highly recommend it! The other Great Lakes are a treat as well! Lake Michigan is another fun trip, and keeps you in the USA the whole time.
Aug 2, 2023 21:14:20 #
fishyaker wrote:
Thank you Fredfish! They represent quite a diversi... (show quote)
Sounds like a fun ride. Someday.
Aug 2, 2023 22:06:05 #
Another terrific blog entry, fy! The water in that 1st pic is just screaming "fish me!" The color of the leech in the 6th pic is the perfect green pumpkin summertime color. There's no way a bass could resist that offering at the end of a hook!🎣🎣🎣
Aug 2, 2023 23:32:21 #
fishyaker wrote:
Thank you Fredfish! They represent quite a diversi... (show quote)
Years ago I did one of those circle tours but it was around all 5 great lakes. I was riding a 1984 Honda Goldwing with a riders club called Rockford GW Riders club. About 40 bikes made the trip, took 7 weeks to finish but we also did a lot of sight-seeing and sampling local foods. It was a blast and I would love to do it again.
Aug 2, 2023 23:36:24 #
Aug 2, 2023 23:54:58 #
Aug 3, 2023 07:25:45 #
DCGravity wrote:
Another terrific blog entry, fy! The water in that 1st pic is just screaming "fish me!" The color of the leech in the 6th pic is the perfect green pumpkin summertime color. There's no way a bass could resist that offering at the end of a hook!🎣🎣🎣
Thank you DCGracity! Although it was more about sight seeing than fishing I thought that it would be fun to post. Yes...that body of water is quite large, and most places are not accessible except for the shoreline. The idea is to keep it natural for birds and game without having people out in canoes and kayaks to spoil it...but they do allow for limited fishing while taking a 7 mile drive that winds thru several water lagoons and ponds.
Aug 3, 2023 07:27:07 #
Bcmech1 wrote:
Years ago I did one of those circle tours but it was around all 5 great lakes. I was riding a 1984 Honda Goldwing with a riders club called Rockford GW Riders club. About 40 bikes made the trip, took 7 weeks to finish but we also did a lot of sight-seeing and sampling local foods. It was a blast and I would love to do it again.
Now that would have been a blast! Very fun to have done it as a group too! As you mentioned...lot's of neat towns, people, eateries and scenery!
Aug 3, 2023 07:27:33 #
NJ219bands wrote:
Nice 👍
Thank you NJ219! Glad that you enjoyed it!
Aug 3, 2023 07:29:13 #
Kerry Hansen wrote:
Great pictures.
Thank you Kerry! We had a great time filling the memory cards on both of our cameras!
Aug 3, 2023 07:44:38 #
fishyaker wrote:
Covered a lot of miles...via truck and kayak over ... (show quote)
Ah yes another well narrated and pictured excursion of the fishyaker happy duo.
No plan A, B, or even a plan C. You both have been blessed with your twofold enjoyment of enjoying the outdoors to the point of seeing where the God given breeze will capture your interest.
The pics make one wish to be among such beauty along with you even if it is from looking at your ventures by way of a computer screen. All so breathtaking and clarity as though we are right there. That is until the snake pic.
Hair stood up on my arms and I am out of there
Aug 3, 2023 08:57:29 #
Aug 3, 2023 09:05:52 #
plumbob wrote:
Ah yes another well narrated and pictured excursio... (show quote)
Good morning Plumb! Glad you enjoyed this! The snake encounter was a surprise, and originally it had been hunting underwater and came over to check me out...all the while staying submerged! Hopefully the waterfall photo helps balance having included that snake photo!
As Stage participants, we all live in a wide range of areas that offer interesting surroundings. I get the same enjoyment from the posts of others like what you mentioned in your comment.
One of our favorite things to do along the Lake Superior beaches is to comb thru rocks and stones...looking for agates, and other oddities!
Putting together a small cairn from flat pieces of sand stone.
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