In this episode of the Great Lakes Dude podcast, we’re gonna chit-chat and take a journey into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Capt. Brad Petzke, owner of Rivers North Guide Service. Yes, it’s still Michigan. Once you cross that big, long Mackinac bridge and head north from the Lower Peninsula, it almost seems like another state. Once you cross it, things start to get a little more wilderness, a lot less towns and cities and villages, and just a lot of water and opportunities to explore.
I used to take the kiddo and the wife up there on family vacations and of course it’s a great family place, not only for angling opportunities, But, you could also incorporate a family vacation with so much to do looking at Picture Rock National Park along the South shores of Lake Superior. But we just always had a good time up there camping and fishing and hiking around. And sometimes you wouldn’t see anybody for the entire week that we were there, especially if you didn’t wanna be seen. But bring your bug spray in the summertime. That can get a little buggy up there. Of course, But the trade off is that it’s just a great wilderness areas to explore. So we’re back to what we’re gonna really be talking about is the angling opportunities that can offer.
It’s amazing the diversity of the fishery. It’s a very, very short season. Of course, winners can get a little harsh up north compared to down south on the south shores of Lake Erie where I’m living. But it’s worth the effort to get up there sometime may all the way through November. So pack up the kiddos or grab your fishing partner and start heading up there and maybe make a plan this summer to do it. But to help you do it, I’ve invited on long-time friend Captain Brad Petzke from River North Guide Service. Brad and I met a long time ago and he is gonna be running through his programs, his calendar year of how he dissects the inland lake trout, fishing inland lake trout streams, what species are available.
He’s also gonna be chatting about the streams that run into Lake Superior, Huron, and Michigan you can target the trout, the salmon, and of course some Atlantic salmons. Once we start digging into it, everybody probably wants to hear about the Atlantic Salmon program that runs up the St. Mary’s River. Brad has that pretty dialed in. I’ve done it multiple times. It’s an amazing fishery there. And then he’s gonna graze a little bit about muskie fishing in the fall time, can’t not go up north without maybe trying to wet a fly for muskie. And then a little bit of how he’s starting on when everything falls apart and then the rivers might get a little blown out.
How he targets Lake Superior stripping streamers out there for all the different multi-species that he can chase out there. So it’s gonna be a great episode. So stay tuned and I’m excited to bring this episode to you. Today’s episode is gonna be super special. I’m super stoked, long-time friend and fishing guide of over 20 plus years. Brad Petzke from Rivers North Guide Service.