Every summer Mitch and I try to get out and try some water that we haven’t fished before.  Given that Mitch’s favorite fish is bass and mine is walleye a safe middle ground for us is to fish smallmouth bass.  Our goal for the year was to try and have one of us put a 6 pound bass in the boat.  Our plan for the new water fishing trip was to try the Menominee River up around Pembine.  Plan A was to fish it the third week in May but the weather was brutal so plan B was to try to get up there for a long weekend starting the 22^nd of July before football camp/practice started for Mitch.

The little bit I know about the Menominee River is that for much of its length is serves as the border to keep the Packer fans safe from the Yoopers.  Beyond that there are a number of small dams which generate electricity and create small impoundments.  It has a reputation for some nice smallmouth as well as walleye, some musky and respectable panfish at some times of the year.

We launched out of a township landing on Short Cut Rd. near a place called the Four Seasons Island Resort.  As we came out of the landing in a backwater and headed to the river we got a view of the resort, golf course and the island it is on.  Our plan for the day was to head downstream to fish the reservoir.  We started out throwing 4” Senkos at trees and other obstructions in the water on the shady shore.  Things started slow but eventually we started getting hits and boating a few small to medium sized smallmouth.  Eventually we reached the dam and worked over the rip rapped face.  Senkos again produced the best with lots of small fish running 10-12”.

Figure 1. Miscauno Island in the middle of the river

Later we headed back up to the Resort on Miscauno Island.  It seems like the island is the point at which the river transitions into a slower moving reservoir and began to work our way up stream.  The river is where the action was at.  For the next three hours we put numerous smallmouths in the boat by the time we got out the sandwiches my thumb was all scuffed up from lipping fish and the net had been out a couple times for some fish that Mitch hooked that were pushing 19”.  Our total fish caught for the day was well over 50 smallmouth and a half a dozen pike the largest being about 30” all of which were released.

Figure 2. One of Mitch's nicer fish 18.75"

We were actually staying at my uncle’s cabin down in Mountain so on Saturday we loaded him in the truck and headed back up to the river.  It was a little cooler and this time we didn’t spend any time heading down stream.  We started in the river and stayed there for the remainder of the time we fished Senkos were again a very good producer but Mitch also got some fish on Skittr Pops and Rebel Pop Rs.  We worked our way up stream fishing the rocks, logs, docks and stuff that diverted the current in the river.  Our journey up stream was cut short by some thunder, lightning and a hard cold rain but since we were in the river with lots of things to hit the lower unit we couldn’t get back to the landing very fast. 

Figure 3 . Uncle Al's first fish of the day

As we were nearing the landing the rain let up and we decided to fish around Miscauno Island.  We saw some fish busting the surface at the head of the island and on my first cast to the blow up I picked up a nice smallmouth.  Mitch put on a white crankbait and it got smacked by a 15” walleye.  Once Uncle Al saw the walleye his eyes lit up and he forgot all about the smallmouths.  Saturday’s fishing wasn’t as productive as Friday but the fish we did catch seemed to be a little bigger overall than Friday with about 35 fish put in the boat in four hours.

Smallmouth bass may be the fish that gets me to start respecting the sport of bass fishing.  The ones we ran into on the Menominee fought hard, showed of incredible aerobatic ability and the range of colors of the fish was incredible.  Some of the fish were deep brown others had a lighter color with dark bars and splotches.  We caught smallies ranging from about 10” all the way up to just shy of 19” and the sheer number of fish that we caught and saw makes me think they have to be the primary predator in that stretch of the river. 

Overall we found that stretch of the Menominee to be pretty boater friendly if you didn’t have to go ripping around at full throttle.  There are hazards in the river but if you keep it to an idle or a little faster as you get an idea of where the hazards are you should be OK.  The water is stained but clear enough to see the stuff you need to watch out for.  I was amazed at how little boat traffic there was both on Friday and Saturday.

After we wrapped up fishing on Saturday we drove over to the Resort.  The place is spectacular looking and I learned that during week days, Monday through Thursday it is only $79 a night for double occupancy.  There is a 9 hole golf course on the island and the Resort itself has a small museum within and best of all hookups to permit you to charge your boat.   

Figure 4. I think I can convince my bride we should visit

After fishing this area I know I will be going back.  That hotel would definitely interest my wife and the golf will make it an easier draw for her.  In talking to folks in the area the resort’s food is supposed to be pretty good.  I’m thinking maybe a fall trip, leave the kids with grandpa and make a romantic weekend, me, the boat and my wife.  If I can convince her to leave the golf clubs home and the fish bite it might be perfect.