A northern Pike

Every year, the first week in July, my family travels to northern Michigan, and I do some fishing.  This year, I caught some perch in the Crooked River in Alanson, but one of my sources told me that summer is not the best time of the year for fishing there, as the fish are not moving between the lakes.  However, I did do well at Spring Lake, along M-119 near Harbor Springs.  I was catching a lot of bluegill, and a dad was pointing out to his little kids how I was catching fish.  Fortunately, they did not see what happened next!  While I was slowly reeling in a small bluegill, a pike came out of nowhere and swallowed it!

 I was very careful bringing the pike in, and when I landed it, I discovered that the tiny hook the bluegill had bitten was lodged in the pike's mouth.  Apparently, this pike has a reputation.  A couple of days later, I was talking to an angler at Spring Lake, and he said the same thing has happened to him, and that this pike likes to hang out near the shore where people like to fish.  Sometimes, the pike gets a free meal out of it!

Also, while I was Up North, I made my regular visit to the Oden State Fish Hatchery.  I love this place!  I heard at Oden that some people have been trying to illegally fish in the trout stream, and that they have had to call in the Conservation Officers.  Other people have complained that they have too many fish in the hatchery!  I can tell the staff at Oden works hard, and they always make my visits there rewarding!