Soo True

Ever since the first time I saw Capt. Brad Petzke's presentation on fishing for Atlantic Salmon in the St. Mary's River in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (called "The Soo" by Michiganders), I've been intrigued. The opportunity to catch this rare species, coupled with the legendary fight makes it pretty attractive.

But in the early days, my hard-earned budget for guides was typically spent learning new spots, new fishing styles, or building my skill set. I don't have access to an appropriate boat, nor the necessary gear to even consider doing this on my own. Nevermind that the St. Mary's has fast, tricky currents, major shipping traffic, and many other challenges...

Last year though, the "bucket list" (I hate that term, for the record) came to include doing Brad's program to catch an Atlantic. Want proof that Brad's the MAN for this program? Check his availability. The best dates go fast. I'd been looking at 2014, when July 2, 2013 opened up! As this was the day before my Dad's 70th birthday, I locked it down quickly.

The morning started off slow, and EARLY (5:15am). Dad quickly hooked - and lost - a sizable whitefish. This is another fun aspect of the Soo fishery - it's a mixed bag of species. Then he landed a few whiteys. As a general rule, I'm a catch-and-release angler. But whiteys are another story. These aren't a sport fish - they're a DINNER fish! Suddenly Dad turns into Captain Whitey -- with strike after strike. Meanwhile, I'm getting nothing. Oh, except for one SOLID bobber down. Immediately, I realize I just missed my first Atlantic Salmon. DAMMIT!

After a couple of hours fishing the chutes of the Hydro Dam, we move to another location. One of the things about fishing with Brad is that he likes to keep his secrets. He's spent years scoping out the Soo (as well as a lot of the rest of the UP) and knows some amazing places. So, I feel compelled to keep his secrets. This spot proves fruitless for Atlantics. But...

Dad with a 23" rainbow!

Dad hooks a personal best 23" resident rainbow! After a quick fight, this beauty is landed, photographed, and returned to the river safely. Then I get a 17" rainbow myself! OK, now I'm on the board! Dad hits another teener and we decide it's time to return to the Hydro dam and have a lunch break.

After lunch, as predicted, we mostly have the chutes of the dam to ourselves. It's pretty cool to watch Brad hopscotch us along the dam. Dad picks up a juvenile Atlantic, so at least we've seen the species. By now we're to the point in the day where I'm starting to wonder, "Is it going to happen?" when WHAM!!! Bobber down! A hard, well-timed hookset (not always something you can count on from me) and I'm on my first Atlantic Salmon. Experienced guides always amaze me with their ability to quickly and deftly perform a multitude of tasks, all while coaching the client to not freak out. Within seconds, Brad has us unhooked from the dam, has my mammoth pile of line up with me on the back deck (where he had me move) and is spinning the line up onto the reel so I don't have to handline one of the most challenging freshwater sport fish around.

So, here we have an interesting new challenge. I'm left-handed (as is my Dad). And, of course, I've got this fish hooked on a right-hander rig. I've fought and landed my fair share of wrong-handed fish, but it seems like it never gets any easier. Somehow this time, I found the mental clarity to just put the rod in my right hand and reel left.

This fish has some GO! That's a 9 weight bent in half!

The fight on this fish is just astounding. It's as strong as even the biggest steelhead I've had on and unlike a steelie, this thing just doesn't let up! I'm starting to feel like one of these Hemingway characters who needs to get strapped into the fighting chair. I've got a 9 wt. Scott A4 bent in half for most of the time.

Yeah buddy - my first-ever Atlantic Salmon!

Eventually, I start to get the upper hand - gaining more line than I'm giving. As we ease the fish to the net it's evident this one's a solid beast. Brad estimates around 10-11#. After a few quick pictures, and back in the water we go. As I'm holding this stunningly beautiful fish in the clear blue water on a bluebird day, I think of how lucky I am. I live in a biologically diverse state with a wealth of outdoor opportunities. As of right now, the St. Mary's river is the only place in the United States where you can catch an Atlantic. And I've been fortunate enough to make friends, like Brad Petzke, who know how to help you access these opportunities. To make it even more surreal, Brad points out that there are no clipped fins - meaning this could be a wild fish. Sweet. I'm hooked. See ya' next year, buddy!

If you want a truly special experience, check out Riversnorth Fly Fishing and Brad's program. In fact, if you want to experience any of the magic of Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the fly, Brad's your man.