If grouse, woodcock and trout are your life...

[Brett Hoop]

Interesting topic. Knowing what you want seems to be almost as hard as affording it. About the only thing I want more of is October. And I’ll be spending those in the north woods talking mostly with a Setter and occasionally cussing at myself.

When the kids were growing up they liked the beach and we would hit that for a week. I usually I would hitch a ride on a Big game boat and we’d run 80 miles out to the canyons and fish for tuna or white marlin. That was fun, but couldn’t do it often the beach is biggest part of 8 hours away. Had to compromise and settle for a Great Lake beach and walleye and steelhead fishing. The boat at 25’ hard top is half the size of fishing vessels but still plenty of adventure. And just 2 1/2 hours from home. The sunsets are just as epic as any ocean. World class steelhead stream fishing, no it isn’t bending cane floating drys at Henry’s Fork and the waters are never as emerald as the Shoshone coming out of the gorge. But the lake run bows will rival their relatives from the Cinder River on the Alaskan peninsula.
All of that is in NE Ohio, and yes it features winter as a season, but can be very beach like 5 months of the year. Grouse aren’t there but you can be at the Mighty Mac in about 7 hours and you’ll have driven past a few grouse already.