GnatOutdoors

About Gnat

Mike Gnatkowski has worn a lot of different hats during his years in the out-of-doors. Mike has been an outdoor writer/photographer/book author for more than 30 years. His award-wining images and articles have been honored by the Michigan Outdoor Writers Association as some of the best in their field. Captain Mike is a USCG license captain that's regarded as one of the most knowledgeable charter boat captains on the Great Lakes. He also was one of the first drift-boat guides in Michigan and plied his trade on the Big Manistee, Pere Marquette and Muskegon rivers where he was considered one of the top river guides in the country. Mike is a sought-after lecturer and seminar speaker on a variety of subjects from outdoor photography to waterfowl hunting to Great Lakes fishing.

He has published hundreds of articles and images in publications such as North American Fishermen, In-Fishermen, Ducks Unlimited, Wildfowl, Game & Fish Publications and many others. He recently published his first book, Wild Game Simple, which contains more than 140 recipes for wild game and fish. He continues to contribute to an array of outdoor publications as a freelance writer/photographer while now also working for the world's foremost outfitter, Cabela's, as a copywriter.

It was during his college years that Mike discovered his love of the outdoors could be combined with his intrinsic writing and photography skills. Highly recruited as a baseball pitcher, Mike chose to attend Alma College, a small liberal arts school in central Michigan. He complete a stellar baseball career by being named to the M.I.A.A. All-Conference team for three years, was named MVP of the league his sophomore year and received All-American recognition his senior year. While at Alma, Mike took advantage of the school's outstanding curriculum and educators to major in biology and English with a Program of Emphasis in Biological Journalism/Outdoor Writing. The POE included an independent study as an intern at Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine, marketing analysis of outdoor publications, creative writing and editing and submission of articles and images to outdoor magazines. Mike was first published in Michigan-Out-of-Doors magazine in 1976.