June 20th, 2008
By Arthur

The Grand River is the largest river in the state of Michigan. It runs for 260 miles and passes through many cities including Grand Haven, Lansing, Jackson, and Grand Rapids. The Grand also passes through 8 counties before emptying itself into Lake Michigan.

Since the Grand River covers so much of Michigan’s lower peninsula there are many places that this natural resource can be utilized. I have fished on the Grand in multiple locations, and have also fished for a variety of different species that reside in the river as well. It is truly a one-of-a-kind river that we are fortunate enough to have so close to us.

My whole family has fished the river, and we always visit it at least once during the year, if not more. I have fished it for salmon in Portland, seen carp caught out of it in Grand Ledge, and caught many a nice smallmouth bass out of it in Grand Ledge and Portland. You will also catch an occasional pike on the river. It even holds trout in certain stretches as well.

You can see why there is such an attraction to this river just because of the sure number of fish that are available to be caught as well as the variety of species available to catch. There is nothing I like better than to be running a #3 mepps spinner through its dark water just waiting for a nice smallie to be on the other end of the line.

I think the best part of the Grand is its sure accessibility. There are a variety of places where all you have to do is park your car along the bridge and walk a short trail to the river, as well as some places that are “secret” and allow for some prime fishing.

So if you’re in Lower Michigan and bored on a Saturday afternoon, grab a pole, a few mepps spinners, and try and catch yourself one of the variety of different fish species that call the Grand River home.

Popularity: 25% [?]

May 20th, 2008
By Arthur

My brother and I were shooting the bows last weekend and we got to talking about doing an activity that I really do miss. We realized that we hadn’t shot an archery 3-d course in quite some time.

When I first got into archery, we used to shoot these courses all the time. We would start around May, and then just make our rounds through the local courses. Honestly, at the time, it made for a great Saturday morning ritual for myself and a buddy of mine. I can’t think of a better way to spend 3 hours on a weekend then shooting the bow. It was awesome.

While we will have our 3-d course set up on my cousin’s property again this year, it is just not the same as getting out and shooting a true 3-d course. It is much easier, and closer to my house, but it doesn’t provide for the different scenarios that you can experience while shooting a 3-d course for the first time. It is a great experience, and I think the closest representation of actually shooting at an animal, that you can find. Sure there are video shoots and such, but they don’t provide the feeling of realism that being outside, deciding the yardage, and taking the shot does. It is great practice and a great time.

So my first outdoor intention for this year is to get out and shoot a couple archery 3-d courses. It might be hard, with the newborn on the way, but I’m sure the wife will be nice enough to let me work it in.

I’m looking forward to it.

Author’s note: That is not one of us in the picture. It was just a very good representation of the activity I am talking about.

Popularity: 45% [?]

April 21st, 2008
By kristine

When I was a kid, my family lived downstate, or more like midstate. Every summer, without fail we’d come up North to vacation about an hour away from the area where I now live. Every year the Shreve family would have a family reunion in the small Northern town where the old family farmhouse still stood. We’d come up for a week, and most of it would be deadly dull. Let’s face it, you can only swim and sun so much.

While most of the vacation was relatively placid, we did usually take a few trips. One of those trips was always to Fishtown. Even back then, when I was a kid, I loved the weathered boards of the buildings, and the neat little trinkets that were sold in the shops. I also remember, strangely enough, getting salt water taffy in Fishtown, which, even then, seemed odd as Fishtown was on a freshwater river and lake.

Fishtown is the historical district of Leland, Michigan. Once, about a hundred and forty years ago, it really was a fish town; a place where people who fished on the Great Lakes, and those who worked to can those fish, lived. Today, it is a series of shops and art galleries, where tourists can browse for a unique souvenir or gift. Fishtown is also the site of the only public ferry offering rides to the Manitou Islands.

Fishtown was first stettled in 1854. The area was a great one for fishing and more families came to get in on the catch. Fishing wasn’t an easy life, but a family could support themselves doing it and many families did until the 1930s. In that decade, catches declined do to overfishing and the introduction of non-native species. The fishing settlement needed another reason to be, since commercial fishing couldn’t support it anymore. Eventually the area was developed as a tourist destination and Fishtown was born.

Today there are still two active fisheries in Fishtown and an active charter fishing business. Most of Fishtown, however, is now a shopping district with art galleries, souvenir shops and candy stores. The quaint shacks which used to house the fishermen and the cannery workers have become quaint stores where tourists search for a unique piece of art or something to take home as a remembrance of their trip.

Some of the standout galleries and stores in Fishtown include Fishtown Pottery where you can get high-fire porcelain and glazed ceramics. Reflections is Leland’s oldest art gallery and nautical store, and a famous tourist destination. If you’re in the mood for food, stop by Carlson’s for smoked fish and beef or turkey jerky. You can also stop by the Village Cheese Shanty for wine, cheese and local specialties. If you want a truly unique souvenir, visit TUG Stuff, which features clothing and accessories which carry the TUG logo. This log was designed in the early 1970’s by a local artist and reflects the history of fishing on the Great Lakes.

Fishtown is also a great place from which to go fishing. The Fishtown Charter Service will take you out to fish the waters of the Manitou Islands. If you love lake trout, brown trout, or steelhead, booking a charter trip could be for you.

When I was small, Fishtown was a place we went to break up a week long family reunion. I remember it as a place with cool little shops where some indulgent aunt or uncle always let me purchase some cool little trinket. Today, I don’t get back to Fishtown as often as I should, but after writing this, I think I’ll put it on the list of places to go this summer. After all, I’m an adult with a wallet of my own now, and I’m betting I could still find a trinket or two worth buying.

Popularity: 31% [?]

April 11th, 2008
By kristine

SimplyOutdoors has somewhat of a treat today.  We have a guest blog from a blogger that all of you should be familiar with.  So without further adoo here is one of Kristine’s contributions to my Michigan Sanctuaries Series.

Arthur has been patiently waiting for a guest post from me for a while now, and I think I’m finally ready to provide one.

When he started his Michigan Sanctuary Series I volunteered to write a post or two, since I am from Michigan as well. He lives “downstate” and I live in Northern Michigan, so we were able to divvy up the places about which we wanted to write. There were a few “Up North” attractions that weren’t familiar to Arthur, so I said I would write about those.

One of those attractions is Old Mission Peninsula which is right in Traverse City, the town in which I live. Old Mission Peninsula is 18 miles long and divides Grand Traverse Bay into East Bay and West Bay. The peninsula contains approximately 54 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, and has some beautiful scenic drives.

One of the highlights of touring Old Mission Peninsula is the wineries. If you like wine, you can find a wide variety of very good vintages if you take the winery tour. I know from experience that Chateau Grand Traverse makes a great Late Harvest Riesling, if you like white wine. Many of the wineries also have events during the course of the year.  Chateau Chantal has Jazz at Sunset with the Jeff Haas Trio. Several of the wineries also band together to offer things like Blossom Days. These are special events that give the public an opportunity to taste wines and tour the wineries.

The Peninsula is also home to some great restaurants. One of the most historic is the Bowers Harbor Inn which was originally built as a summer retreat for a Chicago lumber baron. The Inn is now a restaurant and also comes complete with a ghost, which is reputedly the wife of the original owner of the Inn. Old Mission Peninsula is also home to the Old Mission Tavern, and The Boathouse. Restaurants range from fancy and expensive, to more casual and less pricey. There certainly is a lot of great food on the Peninsula.

Just in case you’re thinking that wine and food are the only things Old Mission Peninsula has to offer, I should also tell you about the great parks where hiking and biking is available. Peninsula township park has forty acres of forest and orchards that can be explored. The trails are paved and relatively flat, so it is a nice bike ride or walk. There is also Lighthouse Park, which features the Old Mission Peninsula lighthouse, which is on the end of the peninsula. The lighthouse was built in 1870 and was operational for sixty seven years. Currently the lighthouse is part of Lighthouse Park, although the lighthouse itself is off limits to the public and used as a residence by park employees.

The Old Mission Peninsula offers so many different pleasures. You can dress up and go out for an elegant dinner. You can spend part of a weekend touring the wineries and tasting all the great Michigan wines. You can bike or hike the trails or simply sit on the beach by the lighthouse and listen to the waves lap the shore. Whatever your mood, Old Mission Peninsula offers something for you to do and a lot of natural beauty in the bargain.

Popularity: 39% [?]

March 26th, 2008
By Arthur

Our next installment of the Michigan Sanctuary series features a place that I have spent many hours visiting over the years. That place is Duck Lake in Calhoun County.

My parents actually live on this lake, and have lake access, so I have been fortunate enough in the last couple of years to be able to log many hours on the lake. We have also fished this lake since I was small and I caught my first ever bass on the lake as well.

I think that Duck Lake is probably the best fishery in the southern part of the state. Not only do you have a wide variety of fish available to catch, but there are also plentiful numbers of fish and the action is awesome. Duck lake features perch, bluegill, pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Not only does it feature these particular fish but they have a tendency, because of the size of the lake, to be huge! We have caught plenty of 3lb and up largemouth and smallmouth, and we have also been fortunate enough to land pike over 30 inches long. I have also landed, by pure accident, a walleye that was 7lbs and 28 inches long. There are blue gills in the lake well over 10 inches too. Plenty of large fish to be had for the patient angler.

The lake features ample room for fishing and water related activities such as tubing and skiing. There isn’t a summer day that goes by that you don’t hear a jet-ski or waverunner whizzing past as you fish. Pretty often you will even have the chance of witnessing a float plane land and/or take-off on the water. The lake provides many a sight-seeing opportunity.

My favorite part of fishing the lake is in the summer when the bass are hitting top water lures. The sister’s boyfriend, Corrin, and I sat out one night and just absolutely slaughtered the bass on the trusty top water Jitterbug. There is just nothing like fishing when it is pitch black out, listening to the Jitterbug work its way across the water, and getting to hear that sound muffled by a hungry bass hitting the lure. I am not sure there is any more exciting type of fishing out there.

I have to be honest and tell you that I almost didn’t do this post, because Duck Lake is such an excellent fishery that I didn’t want to draw even more people to it. I figure though, with it’s sure size, that keeping it a secret would be a hard task and plus being able to share its true excitement is a great thing to do.

So check out Duck Lake down in Calhoun County the next time you get a chance. I highly recommend it. Oh, and do me a favor, only fish it and leave your waverunner at home:)

Popularity: 41% [?]