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Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point

I don't know who was more determined, the fish trying to jump up the dam on the Betsie River, or me trying to capture a flying fish with my camera. After a 30 minute battle, I finally got my photo. Unfortunately for the fish, it never made it high enough to get over the dam.

Benzie Dam

Salmon Fishing in July Ludington

New Salmon Fishing Statue at Boat Ramp

Laughing Whitefish Falls

This scene reminds me of the one-on-one battle between man and fish Ernest Hemingway wrote about in The Old Man and the Sea. Serious fishermen are like serious photographers; they dream day and night of being there to experience those exhilarating, unforgettable moments they can't imagine living without. For some it goes beyond being a pastime; it is an important part of their being.

 

White Fish Point Lighthouse

Kitchitikipi From Boat With Fish

Leland is one of the most historic and well-preserved fishing towns on the Great Lakes. I love going there with my camera and stepping back in time. Today was the first time I had photographed Leland in the snow. The snow really helped define the rooflines and textures of the old wooden buildings.

A stretch of the Pere Marquette River known as the Claybanks looks like a winter fairytale world this morning as the biggest, stickiest snowflakes I have ever seen cling to everything in sight. Professional fishing guide Chris "Uber" Raines appears oblivious to the elements as he fly fishes for steelhead.

Fishermen saunter home after an evening of fishing on the Ludington North Breakwater.

With one of her youngsters safely tucked behind her, an adult otter clutched her other baby after a swimming and food hunting expedition on the Leland River at Fish Town. A mooring line ran between them. The scene reminded me of swimmers hugging between lanes after finishing a race. I am certain this was an emotional moment for the otters.

Fish Town in Leland showcases Michigan's Great Lakes commercial fishing heritage while also featuring shopping, dining, and boat cruises. Leland is one of dozens of picturesque Great Lakes small port villages, towns, and cities.

Untold hours of painstaking work went into tying these trout fishing flies. Now Pere Marquette River Lodge guide Uber Rains uses years of trout fishing experience to decide which one will attract a trout. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 19mm

Looking downstream from the Leland River dam, it is easy to imagine what this fishing village looked like a century ago. The citizens of Leland have gone to great lengths to preserve the historic look of this still active commercial fishing port.

Large telephoto lenses are great for photographing wildlife because they allow you to keep your distance from the subject. Many times the subject doesn't even know it is being photographed and its behavior will continue in its natural state. This great blue heron was focused on finding fish in Hamlin Lake and was not bothered by me while I photographed it with a 1050-millimeter telephoto lens.

Did you know that according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Ludington is the number one salmon fishing port in Michigan? Tom Postma, the first mate on Sean McDonald's charter fishing boat Katch Me, helps Bethany Rodenbeck reel in a beautiful steelhead. F8 at 1/1600, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

After a long history of catching fish on the Great Lakes, the fishing tug Richard E. is now moored at the Manistee, Michigan ship museum site. I admire the ruggedness of these sturdy vessels and the men and women who went to sea in them. F5 at 1/80, ISO 3200, 24-70mm lens at 40mm