Torch Lake Live Cam

As the sun slowly sets on a warm fall evening, a 12 pound walleye grabs your bait while feeding along the rocky shallows of the upper bay. It is more than a fish story. The waters of Little Bay de Noc are producing large walleyes and are catching the attention of nationally-known anglers.

The Upper Peninsula has an incredible variety of fishing opportunities. The U.P. is surrounded by three Great Lakes, has 4,300 inland lakes, and 12,000 miles of rivers and streams. Fish from a boat, stand on a pier, wade into a stream, or sit in an ice shanty. The waters of the Upper Peninsula are blessed with an abundance of fish.

The largest fish in the big lakes are the chinook salmon, coho, steelhead, lake trout, and brown trout. Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, and smallmouth bass are also popular fish on the Great Lakes. There are 26 marinas and numerous public access sites along the Great Lakes shoreline in the U.P. for launching or docking your boat.

Many fishermen use charter fishing boats to fish waters with which they are not familiar. Several charter captains are located around the U.P. for both Great Lakes and inland fishing.

There exists a tremendous inland lake fishery especially on the small lakes in the Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests and the Copper Country State Forest in Iron and Dickinson Counties. The 21,000-acre Sylvania Wilderness and Recreation Area, near Watersmeet, contains a virgin-type fish population of bass, trout, walleye, pike, perch, and sunfish. The lakes were not accessible for many years until the land was obtained by the U.S. Forest Service. Many areas are only accessible by canoe and are controlled by special fishing regulations.

The largest lake in the Upper Peninsula is Lake Gogebic. Along with northern pike, bass, and jumbo perch, the 13,380-acre inland lake is famous for its walleye fishing. The Manistique Lakes area, Indian Lake, Brevort Lake, and Michigamme Lake have a variety of walleye, northern pike, muskies, bass, and panfish.

Spring and fall bring the rivers alive with spawning salmon, trout, and steelhead. Many streams become lined with dippers looking for smelt as the ice melts in the spring. The Upper Peninsula also has excellent coldwater trout streams for anglers dedicated to finding brook and brown trout.

There is an endless variety of fishing opportunities in the U.P. Fishing is a very popular outdoor recreational sport for both the professional and amateur angler and a great way to enjoy Michigan's abundant waterways.

For rules and regulations make sure you receive the DNR's Michigan Fishing Guide when purchasing a fishing license.

Long after the fall colors fade, the forest comes ablaze with orange for the white-tailed dear firearm season that starts November 15. The Upper Peninsula has traditionally been a popular spot for deer hunters in Michigan.

The best locations for deer hunting have been in Dickinson, Menominee, and Delta Counties with trophy bucks coming from Iron and Mackinac Counties. Good antler development is not uncommon because many bucks survive the hunting season. Several areas are also open for doe permits. There have been an increasing interest in archer and muzzle loading deer seasons as well as the rifle season.

Black bear are often sought in the U.P. They can be found near heavy forest cover and near fall feeding sources like beechnuts, acorns, and wild berries. Bear hunting rules have been changed during the past few years which include limited licenses.

Good ruffed grouse or "partridge" hunting can be found throughout many areas of the U.P. The birds are found in aspen stands along streamsides, lowland areas, and upland edges. Sharptail grouse are found in the eastern end of the U.P.

Wetlands, river mouths, and marshy Great Lake shorelines attract waterfowl and migratory birds in many areas of the U.P. Secluded beaver ponds, protected bays and marshy areas of inland lakes are heavily used by migrating ducks. Canadian geese can often be found near inland lakes, grassy areas, and farm fields as they move to their winter home.

Other hunting opportunities include snowshoe hares, squirrels, bobcats, raccoons, and coyotes. The Upper Peninsula has over six million acres under federal, state, and corporate ownership that are open to hunting.

Canoeing

The canoeist dips a paddle in the waters of a lake which mirrors a dappled sky. Across the surface comes a revered silence, so quiet, one tends to talk in whispers. Overhead, a bright sun warms the canoeist, warms the day. The canoe leaps forward, cutting a silver path toward a campfire glowing along a stretch of sandy beach. Down the shore, a loon calls to its mate. A beaver splashes. Michigan's Upper Peninsula!

Canoeing is a legacy of the north woods, with its abundant recreational waters. There are quiet rivers, floating rivers, romantic fishing rivers, such as Hemingway's Two Hearted. There are rivers that boil and roll with rushing rapids bound for thundering waterfall where canoeists beach their craft and portage to quieter waters below. Along with inland waters, canoeists brave the three Great Lakes that form the Upper Peninsula boundary; Superior, Michigan, and Huron. Outfitters can equip canoeists with supplies and rental equipment, and drop-off and pick-up services wherever they may wish to go. They will also give instructions on where to find the best campsites along the way.