BOISE, Idaho — My earliest fishing memory happened more than 30 years ago at a tiny cabin in the woods of northern Michigan. It was a day filled with excitement and wonder—my dad and five-year-old me didn’t really know what we were doing, but somehow, we stumbled into a few trout for the frying pan, a handful of sunfish, and a big largemouth bass that quickly became my first “one that got away.”
Right then and there, I was forever hooked on the magic of fishing.
We moved away from Michigan when I was 10 years old, and I have lived in Idaho for the past 25 years. Idaho is a wonderful place to live and raise a family (and fish, of course!), and the Gem State is likely our forever home. But something about The Mitten still holds a piece of my heart. The landmarks and street names of my childhood remain etched in my memory. I’m still a diehard Red Wings, Tigers, Lions and Pistons fan (Detroit versus everybody!). And when I go back to visit, there’s an unmistakable sense of peace and belonging, like my soul is reconnecting with the earliest version of itself.
This summer, my wife and I took our two young girls (six-year-old Quinn and three-year-old Skye) to spend a week with family in Michigan. On a whim, I looked up the little cabin in the woods and found that it was still run by the same family and, at least online, looked exactly how I remembered it. So, I booked us two nights in the same cabin my parents had rented three decades prior.
Tight Lines 208: The Places We Call Home
What followed was one of my favorite trips ever—a whole new set of memories sure to stand the test of time. The place feels like it’s frozen in time; the rare kind of gem where nothing has changed in 30 years, but you couldn’t be happier about it. We filled two sunny days scooping up frogs with a butterfly net, riding paddleboats around the lake, hiking through the forest and, of course, catching fish. The big one didn’t get away this time, either — my girls and I caught and released lots of nice largemouth up to 21 inches! Watching my young daughters reel in a giant bass, hold it up for pictures while giggling with cherry-stained faces, and gently release it while waving goodbye was a sight I’ll cherish forever.
There is a simplistic beauty to sharing nature with your kids. Whether it’s catching frogs and fish, watching a muskrat busily line its den with fresh grass, or catching a fleeting glimpse of an elusive snapping turtle, anything feels like it could happen at any moment when you’re enjoying the great outdoors with your favorite people.
During our last night at the cabin, we went out after dark in search of fireflies. None of my girls—not even my wife—had ever seen one. Almost as if on cue, dozens of lightning bugs lit up the night sky with their bioluminescent magic. As they danced and twinkled under the trees and across the lake, I felt exactly how Michigan has always made me feel. Right at home.
I hope there’s a place that gives you that same feeling, and I hope you get to visit it often—ideally, with a fishing pole. Tight lines!
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters for 25 years. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.