SMAKReelandCamp

SMAKReelandCamp “Michigan Bass Fishing 🎣 | Tips, Trips & Real Results”

"Living life one cast and campfire at a time."

Hi I'm Steve from SMAK Reel & Camp, your guide to outdoor adventures in Michigan. Explore breathtaking landscapes, wildlife, and diverse fishing opportunities with me. Embark on thrilling freshwater fishing escapades as we cast lines for various fish species. My family-friendly content shares tips on the best bait, techniques, and fishing spots, ensuring a memorable and successful angling experien

ce for everyone. Journey with us as we explore Michigan's breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and diverse fishing opportunities.

🎣 NEW VIDEO — LAKE ORION!Brian Hayes from Michigan Angler and I hit Lake Orion and had a heck of a day!We both got into ...
08/27/2026

🎣 NEW VIDEO — LAKE ORION!

Brian Hayes from Michigan Angler and I hit Lake Orion and had a heck of a day!

We both got into plenty of fish, Brian found a few pike, and I managed several largemouth including two over 2½ lbs and a solid 3-pounder. 💪🎣

But we also found something pretty interesting on the Mega 360…

TWO different sunken boats sitting on the bottom of Lake Orion. 👀

I've got the sonar footage in the video, and I'm really curious if any of you Lake Orion guys know anything about them.

If you fish Southeast Michigan, this one's for you!

🎥 Watch the full video here:
https://youtu.be/TXXPlquHksI

Let me know in the comments — have you ever come across either of these boats?

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉Brian Hayes, Matt Mackiewicz, Cherri Lee
08/25/2026

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉

Brian Hayes, Matt Mackiewicz, Cherri Lee

🦕 WANT TO SEE A LIVING DINOSAUR UP CLOSE?Michigan anglers have a pretty cool opportunity coming up Labor Day weekend!On ...
08/17/2026

🦕 WANT TO SEE A LIVING DINOSAUR UP CLOSE?

Michigan anglers have a pretty cool opportunity coming up Labor Day weekend!

On Saturday, Sept. 5, the Black River sturgeon hatchery near Onaway is opening its doors for FREE public tours from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Visitors will be able to see 3- to 4-month-old lake sturgeon being raised at the hatchery and learn about their early life history, conservation and the work being done to help restore Michigan’s lake sturgeon populations.

Representatives from the Michigan DNR, Michigan State University and Sturgeon for Tomorrow will also be there to talk about sturgeon biology, research and restoration efforts.

🐟 And here’s the really cool part…

After the tours, the young sturgeon raised at the hatchery are scheduled to be released into the Black River and Mullett Lake.

📍 Black River sturgeon hatchery — Cheboygan County, northwest of Onaway
📅 Saturday, Sept. 5
⏰ Tours: 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
💰 FREE

This would be an awesome experience for anyone interested in Michigan fishing — especially families with kids who’d like to see these incredible fish up close.

Would you make the trip to watch the sturgeon release? 🎣

08/17/2026

Pontiac lake !

🎣 SUNDAY SMAK TALKWhat’s the one fish you lost that STILL bothers you? 😩Not necessarily your biggest fish ever — I’m tal...
08/16/2026

🎣 SUNDAY SMAK TALK

What’s the one fish you lost that STILL bothers you? 😩

Not necessarily your biggest fish ever — I’m talking about the one you can still picture.

Maybe it jumped and threw the hook…
Broke you off at the boat…
Buried you in the w**ds…
Or you actually had your hand on it and somehow screwed it up. 😂

Mine? I’ve definitely got a couple that still haunt me.

👇 Tell us the story. What happened, and how big do you think it was?

🎣 THE SPOT YOU ALMOST SKIP…You ever look at a spot and think, “Nah… probably nothing there” — then make one cast anyway ...
08/15/2026

🎣 THE SPOT YOU ALMOST SKIP…

You ever look at a spot and think, “Nah… probably nothing there” — then make one cast anyway and get SMOKED? 😂

Sometimes it’s not the giant w**d bed or the perfect-looking shoreline.

It’s that one isolated dock.
That single laydown.
A little patch of pads.
One outside w**d edge.
Or a subtle change in depth that barely looks different from everything around it.

Bass don’t always sit where WE think they should.

🔥 What’s the most random-looking spot you’ve caught a good bass from?

Let’s hear some stories. 👇🎣

🚨 **RARE MICHIGAN CATCH!** 🎣Check out this incredible fish!My coworker **Tina Fraser’s son, Gavin**, caught this **rare ...
08/14/2026

🚨 **RARE MICHIGAN CATCH!** 🎣

Check out this incredible fish!

My coworker **Tina Fraser’s son, Gavin**, caught this **rare melanistic bowfin** on a simple worm, no less, here in Michigan. After seeing its incredible all-black coloration, they reached out to the **Michigan DNR** to find out more about it.

The Michigan DNR shared Gavin’s catch and explained that the fish has **excess pigment caused by a rare genetic mutation**, which gives it its all-black appearance. The condition is called **melanism** and is similar to albinism — except while an albino animal lacks pigmentation, a melanistic animal has excess dark pigmentation.

The photos have gotten a ton of attention online, and I asked Tina if I could share Gavin’s awesome catch with the SMAK community as well.

🎣 **What an incredible and rare catch, Gavin!** 👊🔥

How many of you have ever seen a melanistic fish before?

📸 Photos courtesy of **Tina Fraser & Gavin**
ℹ️ Melanism information via **Michigan DNR**

🎣 EVERY ANGLER HAS THAT ONE LAKE…Not necessarily the lake where you caught your biggest fish.Maybe it’s where your dad t...
08/13/2026

🎣 EVERY ANGLER HAS THAT ONE LAKE…

Not necessarily the lake where you caught your biggest fish.

Maybe it’s where your dad took you fishing as a kid.

Maybe it’s where you learned how to bass fish.

Maybe it’s where you caught your first fish, took your kids for the first time, or just made some memories you’ll never forget.

For me, I think some of the best days on the water aren’t always measured by what was on the scale.

👇 What Michigan lake holds the best fishing memories for you — and why?

I’d love to hear the stories behind this one.

🎣

🎣 MID-AUGUST IN MICHIGAN… WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR BASS?We’re getting into that part of summer where figuring out where...
08/12/2026

🎣 MID-AUGUST IN MICHIGAN… WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR BASS?

We’re getting into that part of summer where figuring out where the fish are can be half the battle.

Some bass have moved out deeper, but that doesn’t mean the shallow bite is dead. Largemouth can still be hanging around w**d beds, docks, timber and other cover — while other fish may be relating to deeper structure.

So here’s today’s SMAK question:

👇 When you hit a Michigan lake in mid-August, where are you starting?

🌿 Shallow w**ds & pads
🪵 Docks & wood
📉 Deep w**d edges
🪨 Offshore structure
🎯 Wherever the electronics show fish 😂

And if you’re willing to give away a little information…

What depth has been producing for you lately?

Let’s hear it, Michigan anglers! 🎣🤘

08/12/2026

🎣 Pontiac Lake was producing!

Rich from Tricky Dick Fishing and I got out for a great day on Pontiac Lake and both managed to put some decent fish in the kayak.

I ended up switching over to a Roboworm in Aaron’s Magic on the drop shot, and it came through again. Definitely one of my confidence baits for late-summer bass.

This is just a little taste of the trip. 👀

🎥 The FULL Pontiac Lake episode is LIVE NOW on YouTube!

Search SMAK Reel & Camp and check it out!

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