I am looking for a decent chance at a musky, yet a good lake for the family. I want to stay within 8 hours of Toledo. I have come across Wixom, Secord, Brevort, Manistique, Antrim Chain, St. Mary's River. Please somebody with some knowledge of these lakes help point me in the best direction for mid June. [smilie=brickwall.gif] I am hoping to catch a few musky and get the family into some northern, walleye and panfish. Looking for the atmosphere of the north with the possibility of some decent musky. I am a Muskie Inc. member, but not a MMA member, so I can't check out the fishing reports.
Thanks for any info that would lead to a successful family vacation! [smilie=2thumbsup.gif]
"The Musky Shakes" Mark
I would say don't go to the eastern UP for Musky. Try around the tourch lake area around travers city. If your not so set on a muskie the eastern UP might be good for walleye and northerns. if your dead set on the up maybee try Casino lake by the pictured rocks, they still stock that lake as of a fiew years ago and its catch and release so there still there. Are you from toledo? I was born and raised in toledo but I live in marquette now, I actually lived in Sylvania but close anogh.
Try lake Margarethe in Grayling. I was on the DNR website recently and it had a good stocking # over the past 10-15 years. for the kids I dont know if it's a good lake to swim in because I used to live in Roscommon and I alwayse herd it had swimmers itch bad almost every year. Houghton Lake is good for Walleye too I think, I never fished it but that's what I was told.
Yes, Margrethe would be a great option. Great family lake, 2000 acres, 1/2 the lake is Nat. Forest or Nat. Guard base, most of the lake is sandy bottom. Since only 1/2 the lake is developed the boat traffic isn't bad, even on weekends. The bass and walleye fishing is very good. The muskie fishing is getting better every year.
It was first stocked in 2002 and has been stocked consistently since. Fish in the mid-40's are available.
In the east UP you have the Tahquamenon River but I'm not sure that's what you're looking for with a family.
I live in Sault Ste. Marie. I can tell the St. Mary's is good musky water down south toward drummond, but there isn't much up here by the locks. Other thazn that, the Taq has good numbers but nothing of really any size. If you're happy woth pike than you can try Brimley bay or anything in the St. Mary's. We always see a bunch tracking sturgeon around sugar island
Secord has great fishing for panfish, bass, pike and enough muskies too, but can be pretty hellish for pleasure boat traffic. It is a very narrow impoundment so you can't get away from it, and you feel all the wakes at least twice! Also tough to come by good swimming areas for the kids, it is much more like a river than a lake but with lots more weeds. But maybe the cabins have nice spots cleared for that? Oh by the way check your messages on here.
Oh and just for the record "Casino Lake" (actually Cusino) up in the yoop is NOT C&R. It is more like a catch & keep undersized muskies lake. I think you are thinking of Craig Lake way over by Baraga
Mark, I would try Hamlin lake. If you are looking for the best of both worlds (family friendly + chance @ muskies) I think Hamlin would be a good choice. Our family vacationed there about 15 years ago with a couple others. There are many campgrounds around the lake. This was before it had muskies, but we kept ourselves busy filling the coolers with jumbo perch (up to 15"ers) and LOTS of eater walleyes. We even go out for the occasional pike. One person in the campground got a 38"er.
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