Happy Hooker

07/06/2026

A deck full of “Pink Ladies” aboard the Happy Ho**er and if you know, you know.

Out around Isle Royale, the lure
and its nickname was legendary - passed boat to boat over the radio, friend to friend—a quiet little code to keep the identity of the hot lure under wraps.

These Lazy Ike–style baits didn’t just look good, they flat-out caught fish.

Filling coolers of Lake Superior lake trout in the boat. The ship logs over decades tell the story, trip after trip.

More than just a lure— a piece of fishing history, each with their own story.

07/06/2026

06/18/2026

Projects compete and ready to head North .. and with a pretty new backside …

06/03/2026

The Minnesota DNR’s catch-and-release records recognize anglers for trophy-sized fish that are returned to the water.

09/23/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1WS5ZVP9En/?mibextid=wwXIfr

When the U.S. Coast Guard left Grand Marais, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa stepped up to fill the safety gap. Meet the nation’s first Indigenous-led coast guard, keeping Lake Superior’s North Shore safe.

https://wtip.org/grand-portage-band-launches-first-indigenous-led-coast-guard-on-lake-superior/

09/20/2025

A return trip to Siskiwit Bay with this A team. Solid first day fishing and beautiful Sept weather turned into clouds, wind and waves the second day - hastening an early return back to the Lutsen outpost.

Brent landed the biggest Fish (20 # trout).🎣 Robin put on dockside silverware retrieval clinic🤣.

A lone Island hiker from PA joined us for burgers, fresh fish and Shawn’s cold IPA while the resident fox greeted us again with even more local swagger.

Fished mostly outside Siskiwit ridge 80-130 fow/ 60 degree surface temps. All fish caught on riggers (dipseys and boards caught nothing). Also fished Washinton Harbor and outide Harbor structure with less success before crossibg back to Grand Portage (a managable 2-4 ft sea from a 20mph NE wind). Friday gales proved our Thursday return the right course.

Trip included a Wright Island visit and a Grace Island lunch and weather check. Repaired prop worked flawlessly. No gear was lost despite a couple of cannon ball snags on the Washington Harbor humps.

Great friends, good food and lots of laughs.

08/23/2025

Another successful trip to the island. Steve, John and Scott welcomed Harvey to the crew! Enjoyed connecting with Martina and Ryan at Siskiwit Bay (even if they outfished us!). A mix of sun and fog with light seas… and a suprise prop failure! One night at Siskiwit campground and one night at Grace Island. Incomng weather/ sent us home a day early.

Ship Repair Log: A spun starboard prop resulted in a slow 1 1/2 hour (9mph) one engine return from MC Cormick Rocks to Grace Island dock for repairs. Without the spare prop (thank you George!) we’d have returned to Grand Portage on one engine !

In all .. as John said, ‘we made good decisions.’