Michigan’s shoreline. California’s? 840 miles. The Third Coast altogether? 10,368 miles. The Great Lakes hold more than 20% of the world’s freshwater, covering an area of over 94,000 square miles. Despite a long history of pollution, mismanagement, the wanton introduction of exotic species and other various insults too numerous to catalog here, the fishing is still excellent.
We’ve managed to turn almost all those lemons into lemonade.
Should we wallow in guilt at the sight of a well built steelhead pushing up the Pere Marquette? Or should we hook him in the mouth and wrastle him to hand to admire his beauty? To admire his single minded effort to survive, attacking with a severe purpose all small hooks draped in feathers? Should we awkwardly wade after night’s fall and be disappointed when the heavy brown trout and not the brook takes our big white mayfly? Should we warily pole the flats with reservation because the 20lb golden carp are not native to these waters?
I say no. I say catch that steelhead, catch that brown, stalk that carp, enjoy one of the greatest fisheries left on this green earth.
