I don’t know what I enjoy the most, catching salmon or cooking salmon on the grill for family and friends. It’s that time of year here in Michigan and the salmon fishing really gets good in the Great Lakes. Salmon fishing in Lake Michigan is especially fun because the King salmon will begin to make their spawning runs in rivers like the Pierre Marquette and there is nothing like hooking into one of those beauties on a fly rod or casting line. The landing rate is not that great, but with some skill and a good net man you can expect to boat a couple.

The easier way to fill your cooler with fresh caught salmon is to charter a boat and go out on the big water for a day of trolling. King Salmon, Chinook and Lake Trout are all on prowl and catching them is an easy task if you are with an experienced captain and mate. Almost every lake shore harbor hosts a fleet of charter fishing boats from Benton Harbor to Ludington and around the top of the mitten into Lake Huron. Charter boat fishing is great family fun, with the added benefit of supply your freezer with some wonderful fresh water salmon fillets.

One of the best ways to enjoy fresh caught salmon is to grill it. The real purest will use a little salt, pepper, fresh dill and some lemon, but here is a receipt, as an alternative, that will be sure to please. It uses organic spices in a rich tasting marinate to add exceptional flavor to salmon fillets for the grill. Prepare the marinate in a small bowl, using the following ingredients:

¼ cup of brown sugar, olive oil and soy sauce.

2 teaspoons of organic pepper

1 teaspoon dried organic thyme

1 teaspoon dried organic basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon organic garlic powder

Zest from one lemon.

Pour the marinate into a one gallon plastic zip bag and add the salmon fillets. Let it rest in the refrigerator of a few hours before you put it on the grill. Heat the grill to a medium high heat. Remove the salmon and place on the grill, once you have sprayed the grates with a light coat of vegetable oil. If the skin is still on the fillets, place them meat side down first. Toss the marinate away. It will take 5 -6 minutes a side to cook properly. Depends on how hot your grill is, but the rule is don’t over cook.

Enjoy!