Kalkaska County 75th National Trout Festival

75 years of celebrating the opening day of Trout Fishing in Northern Michigan. Kalkaska County is home to three rivers and numerous streams with an abundance of state land. What better place to spend your time casting on the beautiful clean 3 rivers and 90 lakes in Kalkaska County.

The National Trout Festival was born in Kalkaska in the 1930s. Here is an excerpt from Ashes of Years by author Fred H. Tomkins. "For a great many years the trout season opened May first, and so it was when we landed in Kalkaska. Le Roy Greenman, long since deceased, and I started a campaign, to close all business in Kalkaska, except eating places, on May first, except when it fell on Saturday.
We soon acquired the name of "The town that closes all business to go fishing." Roy and I had dreamed up a map of the county, made in the form of a large sign board, and erected where the McLean Barber Shop now stands, and it showed all the lakes and streams in the county.
This map, later moved down by the Boardman Pond, was the best piece of advertising for outdoor devotees. In the summer there was always someone studying the map, trying to decide where to fish or hunt. Many commendatory notices were received from other towns."

To continue the history click on the link above for the National Trout Festival. Kalkaska continues the tradition set so many years ago and while our businesses do not shut down our schools do and we proudly are the only school system in the country who closes for "Trout Friday". Many celebrations and parades over the week-end; red carpet has been rolled out for all those visiting the community and there is a sense of pride among the Kalkaskians that we continue the vision set so many many years ago.
Kalkaska County is among one of the most beautiful natural areas in Northern Michigan with abundance of nature. Visti www.homewaters.net or contact mary@homewaters.net for information on waterfront real estate in this charming area.