Hunt Ducks Hook Fish
Lost Lake Woods Club
Skunked
This was not how I expected to start my duck season. Opening Morning: 5:30 am My eyes where on fire. My nose dripped. The overwhelming stench of skunk assaulted my senses. Chad leaned on the tailgate in the dark driveway. His new pup, Jax, was the perpetrator. Camo vest, face and fur saturated in skunk … Continue reading
Seven Pound Bass: The Sequel
It felt like a big Northern Pike. A subtle bite with nothing but a small boil on the surface. Then deadweight on the line. No drag-screaming runs. Just steady pressure like reeling in a log. Only an occasional thumping head-shake. Then nothing. Back to being a log. With an attitude. When she was close enough … Continue reading
The Derby
It’s Sunday morning. Just before dawn. I can still taste the blackberry brandy. The sweetness is gone. Replaced by a hangover. A few deep breaths of icy air settles my stomach for a few minutes. Branden ran back to the house to get the spud. I stand alone on the ice enjoying the silence. Listening … Continue reading
IT’S BACK
It looked like a hurricane. Every wind gust knocked leaves to the lawn. Some still attached to branches. Sheets of rain pelted the roof and made ponds in the back yard. I pulled on an old pair of waders and a camo rain coat. Zeus sat whining at the door. My dad just rolled his … Continue reading
Last Chance
Football is back. The Detroit Tigers are talking about a playoff run. Even the Lions have a winning record. OK so they’re 1-0. That’s good enough for me. Summer is almost done. My brain is sizzling just thinking about duck blinds, ammo, new waders, gear for Zeus, decoys or Fantasy Football. Bad news for fowl. … Continue reading
Trout on Ice
Tradition is the soul. Anticipation is the heart. Photos are proof. Every outdoor enthusiast has traditions. Shared rituals that kick off your favorite season from Waterfowl to Upland. Walleye to Whitetails. We invite the same people each year. We set off in search of that one spot, the opening morning honey hole, that sets the … Continue reading
The One Legged Mojo
A succesful duck hunt requires balance. I see it like a side-by-side shotgun. One barrel is loaded with everything that can go right. The weather cooperates, the gear operates and the birds work right into the decoys. The other barrel is packed with everything that can go wrong. No wind, no birds and tires that won’t stay … Continue reading
Tune-Up on Early Season Ducks
Hunting early season waterfowl is tough. Local birds are quick to detect changes on their home turf making good blinds an immediate priority. The urge to migrate is softened by warm weather and plenty of food making the birds less likely to work to a call. And if you’re at all like me, your skills … Continue reading
Team-Up for Grouse and Woodcock
Bust-out the blaze orange vests. Dust-off the field jeans and grab a few boxes of #8 game loads. Upland bird season is officially back. And Northern Michigan is a hot spot for Grouse and Woodcock. Zeus and I hunted near Alpena, MI, last weekend and enjoyed a respectable flush-rate of 1.375 per hour. We couldn’t do it alone. We needed some reinforcements who helped … Continue reading
The $200 Weekend
Sometimes a fishing trip is simply perfect. The weather cooperates. The fish hold to a pattern. Your gear works flawlessly. Even your casts just seem to land right where you envisioned them in your head. This weekend was not one of those trips. Slow fishing, a broken rod and a fried deep-cycle battery made for … Continue reading
OBN
Hunt Ducks Hook Fish 