MK Livin'

Picture yourself out on the flats, surrounded by emerald and turquoise hues of crystal clear water and the coos and caws from flocks of gulls and shorebirds.  White sand beaches the color of vanilla ice cream line every shoal and reef in this vast archipelago complex.  Belize?  British West Indies? Hawaii? Nope, think Michigan, specifically Beaver Island, Michigan.

Beaver Island is an oasis out in the northern part of Lake Michigan.  Accessible by ferry or aircraft, this little gem is a one of the country’s best kept secrets, on par with some of the best flats fishing in North America.  Monster carp, gigantic smallmouth bass, and the elusive Beaver Island permit: the freshwater drum, are all quarry that can be taken on a fly.  The scream of your reel as you watch a thirty pound carp take you deep into your backing is a moment second only to watching the take of your fly.  There’s also the remote chance that you may hook into a large lake-run brown trout, lake trout, or even steelhead.  The best part?  Beaver Island is within reach of a large portion of the population of the United States and doesn’t require a passport for travel.

Fly selection is quite unique when fishing the Great Lakes for carp.  Unrivaled as the apex predator, carp have adapted to feeding on another introduced species, the round goby.  Often attaining sizes in excess of four to six inches, gobies have quickly become a favorite of Great Lakes fishes.  I even witnessed a Northern Watersnake feasting on a large goby, hunted out from a rocky shoreline.  Think big when fishing to carp.  Though carp have poor eyesight, their highly advanced lateral line, barbels, and sense of hearing allow them to be effective hunters out on the flats.  Large bunny strip or leech patterns in sizes 2 through 4 are effective, as well as large sculpin or crawfish patterns.  The bottom line is that you want to fish a fly with a large profile and enough weight to get down to the bottom fast, especially when fishing in knee to waist deep water.  Think meaty.

Sometimes you need to occasionally pinch yourself, to remind you that you’re not out in the ocean, but in the middle of Lake Michigan.  It’s easy to do.  Miles of sandy shoreline, gin clear water, and laid back attitude easily transport you to a feeling of the tropics. The only things missing are the swaying palms and the smell of salt in the air, and waiting in line at the bank to exchange currency.