A buddy recently turned me on to a new jigging lure, the Vibrato by Sebile, which is sort of a hybrid between a spoon and a blade bait. Shaped like a jigging spoon, the Vibrato sports treble hooks on both ends; the line tie is located halfway between the hooks on the dorsal side of the bait …

MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana — A lot of anglers, maybe most, fish the beach in the early season on the southern end of Lake Michigan. For the most part, Dave Engel doesn’t. Oh, he’ll check the beach, but if it isn’t going gangbusters — as it hasn’t this spring — he’ll run out 11 or 12 miles into M…

If you are somewhat of a “last-minute” person like me, right now, you’re probably scrambling to find the perfect gift for Mother’s Day.

TRAVERSE CITY — Gone are the days of the happy camper wandering into a campground with the expectation of finding a campsite. Reservation practices at a growing number of state and federal parks create a trade-off between wanderlust and confidence in knowing a campsite awaits.

Gwizdz’s Gadgets and Gear

BAY CITY — When I arranged to meet up with Jamie Sochocki for opening day of walleye season, I wasn’t at all surprised that he wanted me at the launch ramp at 3 a.m. The guy is hardcore.

Growing up in Michigan as an angler taught me all about the diversity in fishing opportunities throughout the seasons.

TRAVERSE CITY — TART Trails network is on course this season to provide richer, more accessible outdoor experiences.

TRAVERSE CITY — Three Cherryland Middle School eighth graders take the leap from outdoor enthusiasts to Great Lakes advocates.

Cranking in a large fish — say a king salmon or big lake trout — can be a challenge, especially for those who are somewhat physically challenged, like children, people with physical infirmities or health conditions. But there’s a product on the market that will help.

BAY CITY — I could feel a fish hitting my bait, just picking at it, as I dragged it across the bottom, pick, pick, pick, until I felt it finally take it. I set the hook and before I could even begin cranking, the drag started complaining.

It has been a rough year to say the least. As COVID seems to be never-ending we all just need a break ... a way to just get away and enjoy our freedom.

TRAVERSE CITY — On a chilly morning last Saturday, a swarm of about 50 volunteers, assisted by half a dozen members of Traverse City’s homeless community, fanned out to begin what surely ranks as one of the most audacious cleanup projects in the city’s history.

The Rapid River, which never leaves Kalkaska County, isn’t a long river. You can’t float the river, because it breaks into several small channels at various points. People fish it, but you won’t find it listed in any of the popular trout stream books.

Gwizdz’s Gadgets and Gear

ECORSE — Sometimes, fishing is like solving a riddle and the answer just comes to you. Other times it’s more like doing a jigsaw puzzle — you link up the pieces one at a time until it comes together.

Maintaining motivation can be hard. I think this past year has been a long and excruciating example of that in every aspect of our lives. Work, school, diet, exercise, cooking, cleaning, socializing and social distancing — it has all been work to continue to be motivated to do these things.

ST. JAMES CITY, Fla. — The whole idea of a dateline on a newspaper story is to give the readers an idea of where the action is taking place. But we were 30 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico from the home base, far enough away to make a dateline almost meaningless.

This article was updated 4/8/21 to clarify that the Optimist Club property is privately-owned and for use by Optimist Club members and their invited guests only. Call 231-218-4923 for more information.

It had been over 20 years since I was there, a particular bend on the Betsie River accessible only by walking upstream farther than I care to at my age or from downstream in a canoe and an all-day affair. Easier and equally productive places waited nearby, and I hadn’t been back.

A spinner is a spinner is a spinner, right? Not necessarily. Dearborn-based Eppinger, makers of the iconic Dardevle spoon, has a unique line of spinners with an offset main shaft designed to never tangle.

WELLSTON — We’d been on the water for 75 minutes, running plugs in the current of the Manistee River, when the first rod, nearest the bank, went off. The steelhead came out of the water immediately then charged out into the middle of the river tangling up all three other lines.

Things are looking suspiciously like spring, but can we trust it? For those of us inching for truly seasonal weather, there’s hope of the sun and, dare we say it, bare arms on the horizon.

TRAVERSE CITY — The region’s parks and recreation industry depends on getting a fair share of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ funding pie.