Too Many Species!

April is such a great time to be alive, and is an equally exciting time to be an angler. There are so many species to fish for, it makes me dizzy. Freshwater species like walleyes are beginning to run in the rivers, looking for spawning habitat. Bass fishing is truly heating up, with big fish being caught on jerkbaits, blade baits and rattle baits like the lipless crankbait family. Bluegills and crappies are much more active, and steelhead are still running the rivers on their annual spring run. Big brown trout are being caught at pier heads and river mouths around the Great Lakes. Continue reading

AD Maddox

I’ve been a big fan of the artwork of AD Maddox for quite a few years now, and I’m lucky enough to be able to also call AD a friend. My wife and I have several of AD’s originals in our home, which we both absolutely love.

I am proud to announce that my coffee company, Deep Blue Coffee Company, has recently created a new coffee offering called The Angler’s Blend, and adorning our new blend is AD’s work. I cannot express how excited I am to be collaborating with AD on this, and I firmly believe that this coffee blend is as fantastic as the artwork represented on The Angler’s Blend label. Continue reading

Our Deep Blue Coffee Company

I love coffee. No doubt about it. And good thing too, since I own a coffee company, Deep Blue Coffee Company. One of the true joys of owning this company is being able to share what I feel are incredible coffee blends with other people. And many of these people are my fishing customers. I provide hot coffee for every fishing trip that both of my guide companies operate—Traverse City Bass Guide Service and Manistee River Salmon Guide Service. Not only does this allow customers to have a great cup of coffee to begin each fishing day, it provides crucial feedback to me in terms of possible blend refinements and new ways to grow.

Jose Wejebe

The fishing world tragically lost an icon a few days ago. Not only was he well-known in the fishing industry, Jose Wejebe was a true gentleman of the sport, having seemingly done it all. Equally skillful with conventional spinning and baitcasting gear, Jose could fly fish with the best of them, presenting a fly flawlessly time and again. Guide, accomplished tournament angler, celebrity/television personality, and all-around terrific champion for others, Jose had a knack for always bringing out the best in people. Always upbeat, Jose seemed to find the best in any situation. Continue reading

Spring can be awesome and yet frustrating

I absolutely love springtime. Winter is beginning to lose its icy grip, and early blooming flowers are beginning to bud. The air is still chilly, but the promise of spring is unquestionable. Longer days, more sunshine and southerly breezes get me itching to get out on the water. Cabin fever is also hopefully a thing of the past. Continue reading

Introducing My Friends Part 3: Captain Andy Odette

Captain Andy owns Intimidator Sportfishing Charters, and is a top charter captain out of the port of Frankfort, just south of Traverse City. Andy specializes in trolling Lake Michigan for huge limits of king salmon, lake trout, and steelhead. Big brown trout are also quite common early in the season. Continue reading

Introducing My Friends Part 2: Captain Kevin Long

I met Captain Kevin close to a decade ago, and we’ve been good friends ever since. It was with Kevin that I filmed our “Out of the Water and Into the Kitchen” television show pilot. While this was a show featuring walleye fishing on the Detroit River, it was actually on a bass boat while fishing the world famous Lake St. Clair for smallmouths where we felt most at home. Continue reading