Michiana Angler Turns His Fishing ‘Freakness’ into a Career

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Published: 23 December 2025

Michiana Angler Spotlight

By Louie Stout

Mike Jones is a fishing freak who loves fishing, especially on the St. Joseph River for trout and salmon.

And while bass anglers may dream of someday fishing professionally, Jones is fulfilling his lifelong dream as a full-time fishing guide, which he began five years ago after spending years building boats at Bennington and saving the cash to pursue his dream.

“I’d fish 365 days a year if I could,” says the 1990 Mishawaka Penn grad and Osceola, Ind. resident.

He spends his winters guiding on the river and summers on Lake Michigan. And when time permits, he’s fishing for big catfish below river dams or dinking for the plentiful bluegill in the Indiana waters of the St. Joe.

“I guide all winter,” he says. “I won’t have a day off until Jan.14, and that’s only because I have a doctor’s appointment that day.”

His MJ’s Charter Service runs winter charters on his 23-foot enclosed Starcraft boat and summer charters on his 36-foot Trojan.

Here’s a Q&A I did with him:

MON: Is it hard finding clients to fish in winter weather?

Jones: Not for my boat. I keep the inside heated and we catch fish. If my trip doesn’t produce 15-20 steelhead bites I’m not happy. I love fishing for steelhead, but after about 6 months, I’ve got the itch to get out on the big lake and fish out there. The nice thing about river fishing is the clients can feel the bite and hook their own fish as opposed to trolling on the big lake. But both can be fun.

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Anglers Getting on the Ice – But not Everywhere

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Published: 16 December 2025

By Louie Stout

Yes, there’s fishable ice.

Yes, guys are catching a few fish.

But no, not every waterway is safe to walk across.

That’s the consensus we got with random phone calls to bait shops.

Most of the fishing has been done on channels or smaller wind protected lakes. Ice thickness has ranged from 2-4 inches.

“Several channels around here are fishable,” said Steven Syzymczak of Clear H2o Tackle near Edwardsburg, Mich. “It varies from lake to lake, but I’m hearing there’s around 3 to 4 inches. Some guys are getting out on Eagle and say there’s 2-3 inches there.”

He cautioned anglers that no waters in the area are “crazy thick,” and you should use a spud to check ice as you venture out.

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