For friends, family and the random search engine visitor. This blog started as an experiment in mobile blogging from my Palm TREO 600, 700, Prē, HTC Evo, Samsung 5, Pixel 3, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL. Now it serves as a simple repository of favorite activities. Expect bad golf, good fishing, great sailing, eating, drinking, adventure travel, occasional politics and anything else I find interesting along the way including, but not limited to, any of the labels listed here...
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Since Northern Pike were introduced into the Lake in the mid-nineties, pike have become the dominant gamefish in Big Shag Lake. As a consequence of that fact, combined with the DNR regulations that put no minimum size limit on the fish (with a 1 pike/day over 24" limit), we catch a lot of pike. A lot.
Harlan wins First, Most, and Last Fish of the trip
When I arrived, Dad and Harlan already had 5 pike in the trap and we still had some frozen filets in the freezer from the Spring trip. My 27" trophy was the biggest fish of the trip, and the year, and probably matched my biggest fish ever out of the lake. Harlan took trip honors for First Fish and Most Fish, as it took Dad a few days to get off the snide.
Dad finally gets off the snide with his first Fall fish.
Pike are fun to catch but, over a period of weeks, the challenge is to find variety in how to prepare and eat them. Because we eat what we keep. This trip we met that challenge head on.
Pikenagi Donburi Bowl
First up - we went for the exotic. Pike backstrap filets in a sesame oil on the grill, drizzled with Unagi Sauce and served over rice accompanied by grilled veggies. The idea is replicate an Unagi Donburi Bowl.
It was pretty close and pretty darn good. But pike filets are not as oily as unagi so, when cooked, tends to be drier. Next time I'll cook them less.
Every time I carve a pike and dispose of the carcass (which happens frequently on these trips), Dad tells me this story: His dad, my grandfather, Hyman would go to the fish market and pick up fish heads and bones from the fish mongers for a pittance or free, take them home, and make a fish stock. I decided it was time to attempt that culinary family tradition and make our own Yooper fish stock [Recipe we mostly followed linked here].
Of course, if you're going to make a fish stock, you need to do something with it. Roy and Roxie's arrival at Camp provided the inspiration - Sinigang - a traditional Filipino sour and savory Fish Soup using the home made Yooper fish stock. This would be a culinary first for me.
The whole process took a lot longer than I anticipated, and we did not eat dinner until 10:30 PM, but it was worth it.
Roxanne declared the dish authentic and granted me honorary Filipino status. I was humbled.
Smoked Pike
Smoking pike is not a new preparation for us. This was our fourth smoked pike project. These efforts are always led by Brian when he brings his smoker. The most memorable being our first smoking attempt when Tucker took the initiative. This trip Brian arrived with his smoker for his first Camp trip this year.
Brining, Drying, Racking and Smokin'
But there is another story here. After renovating the lake house 10 years ago, we dedicated a new hallway wall near the entrance as the Fishing Wall Of Fame. Since then, pretty much everyone in the family had their notable catches memorialized on the wall. Everyone except one. Wendy was notably absent. It seems that, as a child, Wendy was taken out to fish on the lake and informed that she would eventually be required to hook the worm herself. That was the end of her interest in fishing. We determined that this situation could not stand. To get Wendy her first Shag Lake catch in 5 decades was no small task.
It took the combined efforts of the two most experienced fishing guides on the lake. Humbly, that would be me and Harlan respectively (and in that order).
Long story short... Success! Wendy caught two Northern Pike. Brian's smoking skills were utilized top prepare the catch and the entire experience was captured by a noted Big Shag Lake Documentarian.
The smoked fish was great, and Wendy is now on the Fishing Wall of Fame.
Yooper Cioppino
Cioppino is traditionally prepared with the day's fresh catch. Harlan continued that tradition with this - the first Big Shag Lake Yooper Cioppino.
Our fall trip to the lake house was wrapping up with visiting cousins Mike and Kris. We had some frozen bluegills from earlier in the season, as well as some more conventional cioppino sea food ingredients (mussels, shrimp, swordfish, salmon). It all needed to be consumed before our imminent departure. But we were lacking the fresh catch of the day.
The Last Fish of the 2021 Fall Trip
There is nothing more likely to ensure a fishing expedition failure, than needing to catch a fish immediately for the next meal. And yet, with dinner mere hours away, Harlan defied the odds and brought back a nice 24" pike.
And the fresh catch of the day was immediately fileted and dropped into the most delicious Yooper Cioppino in history.
It was as good as it looks...
... Actually better. It's going to be tough to ever improve on this year's Piketarian diet.
Among the pleasures of a fall trip to the UP is the opportunity to enjoy season color change in the Northern forest. It's always a bit of crapshoot - weather can move the the peak color change by weeks, and extreme weather can stirp the leaves before one gets to enjoy it.
This year we were lucky on all counts. We arrived to an explosion of color and the weather was close to perfect for most of the trip. Sure we got a little periodic rain, but most days were warm and pleasant with cool comfortable nights. So without further ado, in no particular oder, a selection of fall color pics...
Apparently this Blog has regressed to the point where I am only chronicling trips to Michigan. I'll have to get back on the blogging horse eventually, but in the meantime - it's back at Shag Lake for the Fall Foliage Trip.
10 years ago - Papa at 89 welcoming family to the new "Lake House"
As noted in the spring entry, I'll diverge from the usual chronological narrative to summarize the trip with Five "Fs" - Food, Forestry (Foliage), Fishing, Friends and Family. Make that six - I'll add Fungus. Not necessarily in that order.
In fact, we'll do the last first by chronicling the family visitors this trip.
Harlan and Dad drove up on Monday September 27. I landed on Tuesday the 28th, overnighted at Wendy's place and drove up on Wednesday the 29th. Harlan and Dad already had 5 pike in the trap and a warm pastie from Crossroads was waiting for me.
Katie and Joel kept Dad company on the 30th while Harlan and I caught the last day of the trout season at the Escanaba Lil' Camp. Next up, Roy and Roxie arrived late on Thursday the 30th and stayed until Monday October 4. Somewhere in there we celebrated a birthday.
Wendy and Brian overlapped, starting Sunday October 3 and stayed through Tuesday the 6th.
Mike and Kris arrived on Wednesday the 7th and stayed overnight, where we enjoyed another first - a Big Shag Lake Cioppino that Harlan whipped up with fresh caught pike and bluegills. Delish.
Finally, we wrapped with the visitors the way we began. Katie and Joel spent an afternoon with Dad while Harlan and I worked on closing camp, getting the pontoon boat out of the lake and prepared for winter.
Harlan and Dad departed on Saturday, affording me two days of blissful solitude before driving back on Monday the 18th. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy every minute of all the company this trip. I did, but ...
