Jim Rolls of Fenton, Michigan, reeling in a walleye for Captain Brandon Stanton to net.

In the early mornings of Mark Martin’s open water fishing vacation school, students woke up eager and prepared for learning. Well before sunrise, students and staff met at Linwood Corners Café for breakfast and a rundown of the daily gameplan. Day one had forecasted weather conditions calling for wind blowing 14mph out of the north, Saginaw Bay was too rough and wavy, forcing anglers to practice on the lower section of the river where they were more protected. On days three and four, the bay was wide open and approachable where students built their confidence on going out several miles, navigating on the big water, and became knowledgeable on names of different spots.

Big smile for a big fish! Dave Pearson Showing off a marvelous walleye caught while trolling a crankbait on lead core.

Students took to their boats, ranging from Tracker, to Lund, to Warrior, to try their hand at finely tuning their approach with styles of fishing, boat rigging, electronic capabilities, and much more. Every 90 minutes or so, boats would meet at a designated rendezvous point where different captains would switch boats with students to focus on teaching a specific approach that they concentrate on.

Linwood Beach Marina and Campground was the meeting point after breakfast before venturing out onto the bay. This site has a high reputation for being one of the hot spots for walleye anglers to launch on Saginaw bay. When it comes to real experience, students learned the ropes of prepping their boats for a day on the water, getting in the launch line, and backing up to the dock efficiently to minimize holding up others at the ramp. Launch staff were more than helpful to explain how the process of the site worked and pointed where they could park their truck and trailer. They even offered a shuttle service on golf carts so that anglers could get back to the dock quickly. After tying up to the main dock away from the ramp, boats were boarded and finalized in preparation. The parade began shortly after 7:30 AM with engines propelling their way out with hopes to gain experience and catch some fish.

Left: Captain Chris Reinhold could go on for hours explaining all of the things he loves about snap jigging for walleyes. Whether it is with a jig head fitted with a bait of his choosing or a #7 jigging Rapala, it is a recipe for success with the action, the delivery of the bait, and a thunderous strike that creates such an appeal for this method. In river situations, he will pitch his bait up to and around structure to walleye that are looking for a chance to feed and ambush their next meal. Right: Mark Lacroix shows off a marvelous walleye that was caught when snappin a white jigging Rapala on a reef on Saginaw Bay.

All of the staff members for the school held decades worth of experience under their belts. Captain Brandon Stanton went into vast detail on trolling crankbaits effectively with planer boards, using line counters, snap weights, and the Precision Trolling Data app. Captain Chris Reinhold covered his approach and the specifics of casting and snap jigging. Captain Andrew Hendrickson presented information and practice on the craft of vertical or snap jigging while keeping the boat positioned properly. The fishing school principal, Mark Martin, worked his magic with sharing the ins and outs with trolling crankbaits on lead core- something that is often overlooked in the practice of Great Lakes walleye trolling. This is just a summary of what they had shared and covered while on the water. All shared plenty of tidbits of knowledge especially when it came to pulling worm harnesses- a much practiced method to sluggish summertime walleye. The captains brought a sense of energy and passion to get to know the students. They cared very much about their craft and held a belief that it is an honor to share fishing education with others.

Mark Rodebeck of Rockford, Michigan, chose to attend fishing vacation school to improve his open water knowledge, especially with operating functions on his recently acquired Warrior V208. In his lifetime of being an outdoor enthusiast, he had shared plenty of stories about his love for upland bird hunting, small stream trout fishing, traveling, and salmon fishing Lake Michigan. Being from the west side of Michigan, he heard about the open water fishing vacation school on Saginaw Bay and chose to participate because he had always wanted to practice and learn how to approach such a large and unique walleye fishery.

Mark Lacroix of Ada, Michigan, first heard of fishing vacation school at Ultimate Sports Show Grand Rapids several months earlier. Like others, he had many stories of his time spent in the outdoors. Mark was very thoughtful in not only understanding the how, but also the why factors being covered. There were moments where he was able to practice an activity (jigging or working a trolling motor) firsthand and ask questions so he would be skilled at knowing what to do and not to do. Several captains were quite impressed at his ability to show off what he had learned quickly.

Mark Lacroix (left) and Mark Rodebeck (Right) fished together during the school. Both were ambitious to learn and their hard work paid off with some awesome fish. Both being from the west side of Michigan, they chose to attend so that they could learn methods on the Saginaw basin from seasoned professionals.

Husband and wife duo, Jim and Lisa Rolls, of Fenton, Michigan, love fishing and outdoors. They described themselves as people who do it BIG. Whether it was with their history of big game hunting, traveling, etc., they wanted to jump into the world of great lakes walleye fishing after upgrading their boat and enrolling in the Fishing vacation School. They both shared unique and insightful stories from their lives and careers.

Charlie Granzow of Ray Township, Michigan, is no stranger to the world of walleye. Being a southeast Michigan native, he possesses a tremendous amount of experience from the St Clair River/Lake and the Detroit River. He heard about the Fishing Vacation School after speaking with Captain Chris Reinhold on the Detroit River in the springtime. Charlie shared that he had the desire to grow his skillset in walleye fishing by learning the Saginaw Bay watershed. It is always good to have an array of options for fishing locations, but if an angler had no experience on Saginaw Bay, it can come off as intimidating by how much really goes into it. By the end of day four, he was proud to show off his progress and what he had learned, displaying confidence in being able to be successful.

“Anybody can be a good walleye fisherman in the springtime on my home waters, but it takes someone special to be good year-round. I chose to attend this program so that I will be able to sharpen my own skills and apply what I have learned to be more effective on Lake St Clair, Saginaw Bay, or even Lake Erie.”
- Charlie Granzow

Captain Andrew Hendrickson of Northstar Fishing Adventures shares this quote with deep fervor. His “hope” as an educator is to have people get back to fishing and not so much get burdened with the details of the art becoming inaccessible and expensive. He shares that good fishing is where you find it and what you do when you arrive. The internet has changed what how people carry themselves in fishing, when it is is a recreational and relaxing activity to begin with. On day one, he said something that stuck out to many in the crowd. “Fishing has not changed. It is the marketing of fishing that has.” This statement sticks out true because too often individuals get too wrapped up in acquiring or dwelling on having the newest, fanciest gear. The fish are always the same, and sometimes what needs to be done is a small adjsutemnt to what an angler already may have. He has decades of experience guiding and being on the water. He speaks in a philosophical manner to show others a means of better understanding. There are charter captains all over the Great Lakes, but he is unique and approachable in his character. He wants to help others learn and avoid mistakes he and others have made in the past. In the time on students boats, Captain Andrew enables them to learn and live up to their potential as anglers. That is why he is a proud member of the pro staff.

(Above) Captain Andrew Hendrickson of Northstar Fishing Adventures shared valuable insight when it comes to boat positioning for jigging. There might be a lot to keep in mind, but being on top of your operation can mean the world of difference with bait delivery and being effective in this style of walleye fishing.

Chris Reinhold, a licensed captain out of Muskegon, Michigan, shared similar beliefs, citing “it being honor to serve through this medium in fishing education. We have this precious treasure of a resource and it would be a shame to not share it with others.” Reinhold is respected as one of the premier walleye guides in western Michigan and being one of the kindest people there ever was. As an angler who targets anything that swims, he takes a tremendous amount of responsibility and pride in understanding fish and being a member of the school.

Captain Brandon Stanton shows Mark Lacroix and Mark Rodebeck how to properly attach a planer board to their mainline when trolling. Captain Brandon emphasized how important it is to pay attention to the small details.

Captain Brandon Stanton is known as a big name in around the Great Lakes, especially in walleye fishing. Whether it be on his home waters of Saginaw Bay or his impressive resume of competing in national-level tournaments, his reputation for success on the water and ability to be an effective instructor has him more than qualified to fill the position with the program. His personality and “captains charm” shines bright at helping anglers recognize how considerate they need to be when understanding the details that can make or break a day on the water.

In conclusion of this occasion on Saginaw Bay, all of the captains and media staff were impressed. There was a sense of pride and work ethic witnessed in all of the students. The ambition that was felt amongst the crowd was contagious. By the time that the students graduated, they not only spoke the language but also posses critical thinking skills relating to the craft.

When it comes to the fishing industry, maybe even fishing as a whole, it can be said that an event and opportunity like Mark Martin’s Fishing Vacation School, is truly one of a kind. The concept of a fishing school began over forty years ago by the hands of freshwater fishing hall of famers and walleye pioneers Al Lindner and Gary Roach. After several years of being a teacher, Mark Martin was given the program to take over and the rest is history.

The alumni network of anglers who’ve participated in the fishing school program has a proud reputation of taking and making anglers into highly skilled artists of the craft. This kind of experience where people can learn and practice firsthand while having a fully licensed captain as a mentor is truly special occasion. Fishing Vacation School was created so that those who are serious about their business can learn by taking an accelerated course on whatever it may be with walleye fishing. There are a lot of ways to catch a fish, but even more things to go wrong. The mission and overall objective of the program is so that students leave having not only the knowledge, but the confidence to apply what they know and critical thinking skills to consider.

Special thanks and consideration

Please consider supporting the businesses and organizations who helped with making Mark Martin’s Fishing Vacation School happen. Without their support, this program would have not operated as smooth and effectively. Franks Great Outdoors, Linwood Corners Cafe, Linwood Campground Beach Marina and Campground, Go Great Lakes Bay, and AmericInn by Wyndham Bay City, were all outstanding in providing their services and abilities to make this event happen. If you or someone you know is visiting or in the bay area, these places have you covered for your needs when it comes to comfortable lodging, having a delicious meal, purchasing fishing tackle, providing launch site with ample parking accommodations, or sharing motivation to embark on a new adventure.