GUARDIAN BOOK REVIEW
Hey! Take me fishing, again! and Family Outdoor Journal
by Janis Stein

Port Huron area resident and outdoor enthusiast John Heidtke values the time he spends in nature and is now sharing that passion with adults and young people through his new book, Hey! Take me fishing, again! In addition, Heidtke offers a companion book, Family Outdoor Journal, which encourages family members of all ages to begin documenting their joint outdoor adventures.

Hey, Take me fishing, again! is the perfect guide for families fishing around Lake Huron and the St. Clair River. Through the pages of his book, Heidtke offers a wealth of helpful information for beginning anglers as well as sharing fishing hot spots for seasoned fishing families.

Thin enough to fit in a vehicle’s glove compartment yet filled with sage advice, Hey! Take me fishing again! will make every family outdoor vacation more enjoyable. Heidtke encourages parents to get their children hooked on fishing, and offers avid anglers helpful tips to ensure their passion is passed to the next generation.

Heidtke’s book begins along “The River Route” via Michigan’s M29, featuring fishing hot spots from New Baltimore to Algonac to Marysville with several stops along the way. Heidtke’s comprehensive book is complete with a fishing key, marking sites as KF for “kid friendly” or CFS for “challenging fishing spot.”

Heidtke then journeys with anglers to the Thumb and beyond, via M25 to M13, covering the Lake Huron shoreline fishing opportunities from Port Huron to Port Austin, around the tip of the Thumb through Caseville and Sebewaing, and onward to Bay City, the Saginaw Bay and Linwood. Hey! Take me fishing again! references various bait and tackle shops, public boat launches and fishing license vendors along the way, so anglers new to the area can spend less time on research and more time on the water.

Via M23 and traveling along Michigan’s sunrise side, Heidtke highlights still more angling potential beginning in AuGres and ending in Cheboygan with shoreline stops along the way in Oscoda, Rogers City and more. Planning more than just a day trip? Heidtke does the homework by listing state parks, campgrounds, party stores with bountiful snacks to replenish the cooler and area restaurants.

In addition to keeping fishing trips simple, Heidtke recommends planning ahead by packing the essentials and reminds adults that young anglers have a short attention span. Nothing will turn a young angler off more than by sitting under a hot sweltering sun for hours on end without the slightest nibble on their line. By planning to spend a specific time fishing, young anglers know what to expect, and when the fish don’t bite, they’ll still be ready to try again next time.

And what do parents do to entertain their young anglers when the fish aren’t biting? Heidtke’s guide has it covered. Hey! Take me fishing again! offers a town-by-town calendar of events and lists area attractions as well, so children can enjoy their vacation on and off the water. Heidtke’s book also references area Chamber of Commerce telephone numbers so anglers can locate additional hot spots on dry land!

Heidtke designed Hey! Take me fishing again! for adults and children alike. As young anglers read the fascinating trivia tidbits and interesting quotes and anecdotes, this book will help delay the inevitable and continual age-old question, “Are we there yet?” Heidtke also encourages families to jot down notes on the intermittent blank pages provided so that when it’s time to go fishing again, families will be able to locate their own fishing hot spots!

Ever committed to nature and children, Heidtke concludes his book with suggested practices to preserve the environment and offers a list of publications for children designed to increase their fishing knowledge and to entertain with inspiring fishing tales!

To make every fishing adventure more productive and fun, remember to pack Heidtke’s Hey! Take me fishing, again! as well as Family Outdoor Journal, so that every member of the family can document their outdoor adventures. Those journal entries may be the only record of that big one that got away, and over the years, the Family Outdoor Journal will turn into a keepsake, marking the passing of time and the special memories made in the great outdoors!

©2008 Stein Expressions, LLC