Well, it’s that time of year again. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are finally starting to warm up, and the turkeys are gobbling in the woods. The start of May in Michigan every year brings hundreds of thousands of folks to the outdoors to fish, hunt, camp, hike, and go boating.

For me, it means getting serious about fishing. It’s the time of year when I spend hours at my local bait and fly shops talking about fish and trying to figure out what is working on the local rivers. Three months from now I’ll be swearing off fishing for good and cursing my bad luck on the water, but never mind that now. May means hope—that this year I’ll be reeling in lots of smallmouth bass, walleye, and trout.

I’ve been fishing a lot of ned rigs the past week and trying to really master the finesse game with my spinning setup. I’m running ultralight braid, a lighter rod, and soft plastics in the 1/6 to 1/4 ounce range. I also have begun tying my own flies. So far I’ve got the Borcher’s Parachute and Wooly Bugger down pretty well. Next week I am planning my first fly fishing of the season. I can’t wait to wade into the cool clear water and start making some loops.

My turkey season is also about to begin. The tag I have this year is a public land one that starts on May 9th. I’m hopeful that the later hunt will provide increased bird activity with the warmer weather. I picked up a ghillie suit recently and am excited to see if it allows me to stalk in a little closer on some wary toms. This will be the first season that I’m going to forgo the blind and try to hunt turkeys on the move. We’ll see how it goes.

Most of all, I am excited to spend lots of time outdoors this spring and summer doing what I love: fishing and hunting. Deer season will return soon enough and with it the cold winds of winter. For now, though, it’s time to get out in the sun and enjoy all the things that make Michigan such a special place. See you out there!