Ice Fishing, Winter Hikes and News.

With the winter winds picking up and the temperatures in the Upper Peninsula dropping with it, it is time to trek onto the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior ice to do some fishing.  I will be heading onto Little and Big Bay de Noc, as well as Lake Superior along the Northern Wisconsin shoreline near the Apostle Islands and Ashland Wisconsin, to get into some Walleye, Salmon and Trout.  Looking forward to it!  Anyone with tips or success, feel free to share it.   I promise not to take your spot or use your shanty!  If I do, I will leave the fire going and keep it stocked with cold beer!!!

The Day Before Christmas...

Good afternoon!  Well, if many of you did not awake this morning to the news flooded headlines of the passing of the "Health Care" bill, then you must be off hiking or road tripping somewhere and for that I am jealous. Either way, I am sure you heard the news about now.  Merry Christmas!  Looks like many of us will be hiking with more caution--at least those of us without health care.  Listen, I am neither a Republican, nor Democrat, just so you know and I am not a politician, nor will I rant about it on here.  I am an "American".  That much is for certain.  I am an outdoors nut, hiker, biker and one who is not swayed by the injustices of these "so called" politicians.  I mean, who can you believe nowadays?  I do not know what this new health care bill will bring, but in the meantime.  Happy Holidays and if you have any great trips of hikes you have taken recently or are doing so...pass them along.  Merry Christmas and keep on trekking!

Winter highway travel tips.

Many of you may find this funny, but if you hit a deer...do not attempt to leave your vehicle and go pet the damn thing! Yes, I saw it done recently and had I started this blog page a few weeks back, I would have had a better account of it. But, it was a few weeks ago when I took the trip up to Munising and to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I also came across a bald eagle while heading up US 41 and also a bald old man not using his turn signals as I came up on him and noticed I was closing fast! I know, I know...it is so hard to use those darn turn signals!!!

Anyway, after getting into the lakeside town of Munising, I did venture into the water with my neoprene waders from Cabelas and did not freeze until about an hour and a half into fishing the Anna River. It was a bit lonely out there at the mouth, as it was early morning on a Saturday and the wind chill made the temperature around 15 degrees F. However, I was surrounded by many Mallard Ducks, both male and female and for those fisherman, outdoors-men and women, and duck enthusiasts, we know how noisy that can be.

The sun ended up warming it up a little bit and the 2 Coho Salmon I caught on a Cleo made it worth the trip. Of course, as I normally do, I released both of them as there were bigger ones out there. I just did not see or catch them later that morning.

So, my only issue or gripe of that day--neoprene fishing gloves. I seem to need new ones and the ones I have are rather old and leak quite a bit. All in all, besides some minor equipment issues and almost rear-ending an old bald man on US 41 North, It was another enjoyable winter day of fishing, hiking and site seeing in the U.P.

Winter hikes.

Winter is here.  For most of the U.S., the weather has not only changed our internal wiring, but has forced us to find new things to do.  Midwest weather, with snow and cold temperatures, has given way to ice fishing, skiing, snowmobiling and believe it or not, hiking.  I recently visited the Lake Superior shoreline as I do most every winter--weather pending.

The Lake Superior shoreline is one of the most beautiful and untouched pieces of "Americana".  Whether or not you have been there, along the shores of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, it can provide you and you significant other, or family, with endless possibilities to hike, fish, camp or just sight see.

Most would say that this time of the year in the U.P. is not the time to be hiking, but it can be done on one of the many days where temperatures are in the 30s and on the day I chose to venture out on my own, it just so happened to be.

The Miner's River and Miner's Beach is a great place to visit and I just returned with some great pictures and after catching some winter salmon and rainbow trout (4 total and all were released).  The temperatures were unseasonably cold (in the 30s but a little less with the wind chill), but I dressed for it and turned out to be well worth it.  No traffic, either by car or hiker, and the snow was still minimal with about 6 inches on the ground.

I could go on, but I just wanted to start my posts and get the ball rolling.  I hope to start posting videos and pics or slideshows to showcase the beauty and tranquility of a good hike in the U.P. along the miles and miles of shoreline.  Enjoy and keep on trekking!