01
EARLY MORNINGS
First Light, First Cast
The water is still, the coffee is hot, and nobody else is up yet.
& cast off
Early mornings, still water and one more cast
before anyone calls him home.
Joe Sepeczi's corner of the internet: days on the water, fish worth remembering and the ones that got away.
1more cast,
every single time
every single time
5AMis a perfectly reasonable
time to be awake
time to be awake
∞stories about
the one that got away
the one that got away
0bad days
on the water
on the water
Joe Sepeczi
Logbook / Sample data
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Lines inJS
Season log
Sample dataSpringSummerFall
+ New catch
Fish landed
142+18
Biggest catch
7.2 lb+0.6
Hours out
318+40
Got away
23all huge
Catches & hours out
CatchesHours out
Species mix
| Trip | Water | Bait | Biggest | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn at the Usual Spot | Lake | Jig | 4.8 lb | Released |
| After-Supper Evening Run | River | Worm | 2.1 lb | Released |
| The One That Got Away | Lake | Spoon | — | Got away |
Rise early, read the water, tie it tight, cast long, stretch the truth.
A few simple rules for a good day out. Start early, pay attention, and let the fish grow a little every time the story gets told.
02
STILL WATER
Read the Water
Watch the surface long enough and it tells you where to drop a line.
03
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
Bigger Every Year
Every fisherman has one. It gains a few inches each time it comes up.
- Set the alarmEarlier than seems reasonable.
- Find the quiet spotThe good ones are never near the parking.
- Make one more castThen one more after that.
Good for everyone
who loves the water.
Four ways onto the water with Joe. Everybody gets a line in, and nobody gets to rush.
COME ALONG
First-Timer
Never held a rod? Good. Nobody starts out knowing. Patience is the only thing to bring.
Bring patienceBring sunscreen
Come alongCOME ALONG
Old Friend
Same spot, same jokes, same argument about who really caught the bigger one.
Tall talesCold drinks
Come alongCOME ALONG
Family
The best conversations happen when nobody has anywhere else to be for a while.
Long talksSandwiches
Come alongCOME ALONG
The Fish
You've been warned. He's patient, he's stubborn, and he already knows where you live.
Catch & releaseNo hard feelings
Good luckThe whole lake,
right down to Joe's water.
Real satellite imagery over NOAA's survey of the lakebed. Start with all of Lake Michigan, then fly in to the harbors a short drive from Fox River Grove.
Lake Michigan, charted from NOAA's depth survey: an average of 278 ft deep, and 905 ft at its deepest. Pick a spot to fly in.
Come out on the
big lake by kayak.
Tell Joe where and when you'd like to go, and he'll take it from there.
- It's a requestJoe replies to settle the day, the launch and the details.
- The lake decidesIf wind or waves aren't safe, the trip moves to another day.
- Life jackets onEveryone wears one, the whole time, no exceptions.
- Fishing too?In Illinois, anglers 16 and up need a fishing license, plus a salmon stamp for salmon.
Want fresh salmon?
Come catch it.
Chinook and coho both run in these waters. Joe knows where to look, and the best salmon you'll ever eat is the one you landed yourself.
The King
The biggest salmon in the lake, and the one that takes all your line.
The Silver
Smaller, quicker and bright as a new dime when it comes to the surface.
Let's Go
Fishing Now!
Joe's probably already out there. Send a trip request and he'll tell you where to meet him.
Bring a hat · Fish not guaranteed