The National Cherry Festival in July draws plenty of visitors to Traverse City. The festival features popular entertainers, parades, fireworks, exhibits, cherry creations and more. Traverse City offers plenty of shopping and fine dining. You can tour the local wineries. Natural beauty is another plus of heading to Grand Traverse County. You can scale the Sleeping Bear Dunes and stroll the National Lakeshore. Or drift lazily down the Boardman River on a sultry summer afternoon. There are Lake Michigan beaches and miles of hiking trails. The quaint fishing village of Leland and Fishtown is a great place to sample some of the awesomest smoked fish on earth.

For more information on activities and accommodations in the Traverse City area, contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-872-8377, or online at www.tcvisitor.com.

Long Lake would be a great place as a base of operations if you want to take in the sights of Traverse City and enjoy some fishing time. Long, at 2,860 acres, has received heavy plants of walleyes for years, and they are starting to pay big dividends. Long Lake has plenty of ideal habitat for walleyes. A good starting point is near the islands in the middle of the lake. One prime location is right off the boat launch on the north end. Using a slip-bobber to suspend a minnow, leech or crawler is a proven tactic, and your offering is likely to interest the lake's jumbo perch, smallmouth bass and giant bluegills, too. Concentrate on the 15- to 30-foot depths. Long Lake is extremely clear, so the best fishing takes place early and late in the day, or after dark.

For more details on fishing, contact MC Sports at (231) 933-6158.

GAYLORD
Gaylord is a perfect example of what northern Michigan is all about. There are dozen of lakes, miles of streams, and hundreds of acres of national and state forest at its doorstep. It's a natural place to plan a family fishing getaway.

Natural beauty is a big part of the Gaylord experience. The Pigeon River State Forest offers miles of hiking trails where you may catch a glimpse of an elk or bobcat. There are more than a dozen trout streams within a short drive offering canoeing and excellent fishing. The Gaylord area is also famous for its spectacular golf courses.

Gaylord hosts plenty of festivals and events, too, including the Alpenfest in July, the Celtic Festival in August, the Otsego County Fair, the Odawa Homecoming, a Fourth of July celebration, and arts, crafts and music. For more information on dates and accommodations, contact the Gaylord Convention & Visitors Bureau at (989) 732-6333, or online at www.gaylord-mich.com
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Otsego Lake, at 1,972 acres, is located just south of Gaylord and offers excellent family fishing opportunities. Otsego Lake has been the benefactor of massive plants of walleye and northern pike fingerlings, and the plants are paying off. A good place to search for walleyes is near the points on the east side of the lake. The 'eyes will average 2 to 3 pounds, and are suckers for a slip-bobber or crawler harness. Anglers seem to do best on pike in the north and south portions of the lake. Try chucking a white spinnerbait there. All the predators in Otsego Lake tend to keep panfish populations in check, so the remaining bluegills, sunfish and perch grow to respectable sizes. Try using a worm or leech below a slip-bobber in 10 to 15 feet of water along the weed edges near the center of the lake. A good base of operations is Otsego Lake State Park.

For live bait, tackle and lake maps, contact Don's Sport Shop at (989) 732-4157.