July 2021
This summer I took a great trip to the waters of Waugoshance Island on Lake Michigan near the Straits of Mackinac. I was with my oldest son, Will, and our friend and local guide, Ethan Winchester, of Boyne Outfitters. We were trying something new—freshwater flats fishing for smallmouth bass. This little excursion was made possible by a very special present from my wife, Libby, to celebrate Will’s 30th and my 65th birthdays, and it is a new venture for Ethan. Ethan purchased a nearly indestructible Hog Island flats skiff—which Ethan described as a Yeti Cooler with a motor—a Tohatsu jet outboard to be exact. The boat has a poling platform for spotting fish and only draws 2”. Then there is “Gary,” the affectionate nickname for the GPS-controlled Garmin trolling motor. Gary does an amazing job of holding you on a pod of fish when the captain gets a little tired of polling or fighting the wind. And comforting to know Gary is powerful enough to get you home.
We count ourselves fortunate to be two of the first sports to help Ethan get this new gig dialed in. He has seized on this incredible untapped fishery, and it will be a great outlet during the months when trout fishing slows down.
We met Ethan in Petoskey at 7:00 a.m. on a sunny and exceptionally calm morning and made our way along the Lake Shore Drive, past Harbor Springs through Good Hart, to the Port of Cross Village public access boat launch.
Conditions were ideal although the wind promised to kick up in the afternoon, but we knew there were plenty of secluded back bays to hide in. We crossed the bay to Waugoshance, a remarkably smooth ride save for one minor incident. I pulled out the “Banana Boat” lotion and Ethan was sure I had jinxed the trip. The banana superstition dates back to the 1700s when many ill-fated ships were known to have been carrying bananas to their destination. There are other theories directly affecting fisherman from the dangers of banana peels on deck to the sweet smell and ethylene gas bananas emit being a fish repellent. I had to convince Ethan that while the name of the lotion was unfortunate, it was not a threat to the successful outcome of our day or the mechanical health of his new rig. While this thankfully proved to be the case, I will not tempt the fates again.
That conversation behind us, Ethan took time to describe the trio of historic beacons that guarded these island passages: White Shoal, Skillagalee Island, and Waugoshance lighthouses lining the route to the Straits of Mackinaw, the 5-mile channel that connects Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. Technically, the two bodies of water are one lake. To my surprise, we only saw one boat all day and the fishermen on board unfortunately decided to crowd us in our secluded little honey hole. Ethan was a little put out by this, and with so many other options, we left fish to find fish and our privacy.
At last count, I have fished over 75 different bodies of water for countless species, but site fishing for smallmouth in the crystal-clear shallow flats of Lake Michigan and Waugoshance Island is a first for me and ranks at the top in so many categories. Ounce for ounce, the smallmouth is the gamest fish that swims, and we caught over two dozen on the fly rod and spinning rod with the wind kicked up. The uninhabited shores provided an incredible habitat teaming with wildlife including an abundance of bald eagles. We also spotted many other species of fish to target including northern pike and the prehistoric muskie. I hooked a 30” northern on the spinning rod and a coffee tube and it summarily handed me my line back sans leader and lure. I will be better prepared the next time.
For a lunch break, we found a nice sand beach to post up for a tasty picnic prepared by the kitchen a Boyne Mountain Resort. After lunch, Will and I prevailed upon Ethan to give us a casting lesson. Everyone needs a tune-up from time to time as we fall into bad habits, and the double haul can be elusive if you don’t practice. Ethan has a great teaching style and helped us both fine-tune our presentation, diagnosing the cause of those tailing loops when they occurred.
Probably the most remarkable aspect of this trip is that it feels like the Bahamas, and you have to remind yourself that it is all freshwater, 1,180 cubic miles of it or 1.3 quadrillion gallons. No salt, no sharks (that we know of), jellyfish, or urchins, although I guess there have been reports of piranha, sea lampreys, and possibly bull sharks. Climate change could alter all of that.
