On a map, even a simple road map, there's so much blue that it's intimidating.

Author Noel Vick hooks up just 100 yards from shore in Lake Michigan. Photo by Noel Vick.

In real life, that blue crashes against rocks, bangs against your hull and even swallows merchant vessels.

Without doubt, this is no place for your 18-foot aluminum walleye boat with the secondhand, but sweetly tuned, 90-horse. But some talented anglers, like Pat Kalmerton, have tamed the Great Lakes.

Kalmerton operates Wolf Pack Adventures on the western shores of Lake Michigan. He hunts a rich sampling of Great Lakes species, including king salmon, coho salmon, rainbows, browns and lake trout. Considered largely pelagic, offshore types, it's natural to think you need to motor miles to find these fish. Not true, rebukes Kalmerton.

"I fish a lot within a half mile of shore," said the veteran guide. "Every species of salmonid swims close to shore during some period of the year. And usually when they're shallow they're feeding."

BOAT
This nearness begets flexibility, too. Meaning, you have the option of booking a vessel from Kalmerton's fleet or flying solo in your own rig. Understand the limitations, though, as not every boat that floats qualifies.

"Don't show up with a 12-foot flat-bottom boat," cautions Kalmerton. "But about any deep-V, boat, like a Lund or Sylvan, gets the job done."

So let's operate under the assumption that you're captaining a seaworthy V-hull with enough horsepower to get you to the dock if a storm breaks. That rules out "kicker" class 7.5- to 25-hp spitfires, but also means you don't need twin 300s.

From here, getting outfitted is as easy as running down a checklist. Nothing on Kalmerton's roster breaks the bank or requires extensive rigging, either. In fact, some of the items you might already own.

Trolling is as elemental to fishing the Great Lakes as fly-casting is to wading streams. To this end, the core package Kalmerton is about to describe is predicated on trolling techniques.

RODS
Back to the checklist where Kalmerton proselytizes about rod and reel selection. Know, too, that for this exercise I asked him to not only identify the "right" gear, but also name affordable options.

For Kalmerton, calling out a qualified rod was second nature.

"The Shakespeare Ugly Stik, no questions asked." So I asked anyway. Kalmerton humored me with an answer. "They're durable; have a soft tip but plenty of backbone, and are pretty inexpensive."

Regardless of make and model, you'll want something 7 feet or longer.

REELS
Kalmerton pairs the rod with an equally specific reel. He rolls with a Daiwa Sealine line-counter reel. Daiwa is a preference. Having line-counting capabilities is a necessity. To duplicate your successes, you need to know how much line is behind the boat.

On the troll, Kalmerton constantly tinkers with line-length. Lure depth is influenced by the length of the leash you give it. If you crack a fish with 200 feet out, get that lure back to the 200-foot mark. Moreover, make sure at least one other line gets the same treatment, including a lure match.