Where: Pere Marquette River, Baldwin MI
When: September 23 & 24, 2026
What: The King Salmon Spawning Run.
Who: Bob Born, Ken Welter, Bob Hassett, Steve Baker, Pastor Scott Hayes, and his son Asher.
Why: There are fish in the river.
Bob, Ken, Bob, and Alan had an incredible trip last year and got to go again this year, to fish and spend time in God’s creation. Fishing wasn’t the only thing on the agenda. Scott also led usthrough his inspiring retreat material. This year, our focus was DO LIKE JESUS.
Unfortunately, Alan Haughty had to back out of the trip this year, but for a good reason. He and his wife were on call, awaiting the arrival of their sixth grandchild. Alan informed me today that the baby was born this past Sunday, September 27nd. Lilah Annalise Hautly. Mom and baby are doing great. Congratulations to the Hautly family. Fortunately, Steve Baker was able to fill Alan’s spot.
Tuesday, September 22 — The Journey Begins
On Tuesday, September 22, we all met at Steve Baker’s house, loaded up, and departed around 6:30 a.m. With an eight-hour drive, a few stops, and the loss of an hour as we headed into EDT, we arrived at our hotel, The Red Moose Lodge in Baldwin, Michigan, around 4:00 p.m.
We had enough time to unpack and then meet Pastor Scott and Asher at Pompeii’s Pizza for dinner. Afterward, we covered the first of three sessions on Intentional Discipleship.
Day 1: An Absolutely Beautiful Morning
On Wednesday, we met up with Scott and Asher at Gleason’s Landing at 7:00 a.m. From there, we hopped into two pickups and trailered the boats to our launching site and were on the river around 7:30.
Last year, they had borrowed a raft to accommodate all of us. This year, Scott and Asher had acquired a new drift boat, so they now had two boats that were perfect for fishing the PM.
Temperatures were in the high 40s but quickly rose throughout the morning, reaching the mid-70s by afternoon. There were more fishermen on the river this year, but we quickly found a good spot to fish.
We used 8- and 9-weight rods provided by Scott and Asher, a long leader with up to four split shot, and an egg fly was used throughout the day.
The fishing was a bit slower than we expected, but we all hooked into fish. These fish put on quite a show, taking line out quite far, some up to 100 yards. Jumping, shaking their heads, and provided plenty of excitement.
For lunch, Asher cooked brats on the boat using a small propane BBQ. Brats, chips, and cookies, and then back on the water.
At the end of our day, we ended at Gleasons Landing, retrieved the boats and trailers, and headed to the hotel. We were greeted by our amazing hotel host/owner Debbie. For some unknown reason, she had anointed each of us with nicknames. Trouble, Trouble, Trouble, and Trouble.
For dinner, we all headed to Chase Creek Smokehouse in Chase, Michigan, about 15 minutes away. After dinner, we continued with our second session of Intentional Discipleship.
Day 2: The Fish Were on the Bite
Thursday morning, we hit the river about the same time as the day before. Some of the spots Scott and Asher wanted to start at were already a bit crowded with fishermen, so the decision was made to go much farther downriver—to an area where we normally would have stopped or lunch.
This is where one of the most memorable stories of the trip began. I , Ken, made a cast across the river and snagged a branch. I slowly waded across to retrieve my fly, which was caught on a large log. There was a small run between the log and the shore, and I suddenly saw four or five Kings holding only a few feet from me.
I began flipping my egg fly right past their heads. Just then, Scott came over and gave it a few tries. On his second attempt, he hooked up and the fun began.
The fish immediately wrapped the line around a log a few yards downstream. There was a drop-off leading toward the fish, so Scott handed me the rod and made his way toward the line. I handed the rod back to him, and he reached both arms into the water, up to his shoulders. He managed to pass the rod underneath the log, freeing the line, and then handed the rod back to me.
The fish was still on, but the line was now caught under another smaller log about 20 yards downstream. Scott made his way to the log and was able to lift it, freeing the line again.
By this time, the fish was at least 100 yards downstream. We both headed downriver, with me fighting the fish. Asher was on his way with the net, and got it to Scott as he made his way toward the fish.
The fish found another batch of downed branches along the opposite shoreline and became tangled there. Scott was about 30 yards from me, but he was able to free the line and eventually net the fish.
What a team effort. High fives all around!
We finally made our way to the “Lunch Spot.” The plan worked perfectly. We had a large stretch of water all to ourselves. This area held fish, and we began hooking up. Some made it to the net, while others were able to head-shake, flip, splash, and elude us.
Lunch was a real treat. Scott and Asher broke out the grill and cooked up some venison steaks and grilled potatoes.
That afternoon, Asher also provided a display of his amazing fishing skill’s. He caught and netted a couple of fish using a child’s Barbie Rod (see photos). He later reached into the water with his bare hands and pulled up a King Salmon. Who needs rods and reels? Okay, that salmon was tired and near his end, but still!
We wrapped up our day with a campfire and cook out at Scott and Asher’s campsite in the nearby Manistee National Forest. Burgers, brats, chips, cookies and great fellowship. We finished the evening with our final session on Intentional Discipleship.
Stay tuned: another FATC group arrived right after we left.
What a trip! Great fishing, incredible scenery, plenty of laughs, unforgettable stories, and, most importantly, meaningful time together learning what it means to DO LIKE JESUS.
