# Trout Lakes Near Houghton Lake??



## MSUFW07 (Jan 22, 2009)

I am heading North, with thousands of others I'm sure, for the holiday weekend. I am looking for a good small lake with trout in it. I have a 14' canoe that I want to get out on the water. I have been searching through my two Michigan Lake books and found Crater lake in Oscoda County and Kneff Lake In Crawford County. I can't seem to contact anyone at Kneff Lake, got # from USFS, so Im thinking about Crater Lake. Has anyone fished either one of these lakes? Im hoping to get any info I can before I drive and hour from where I'm camping to either one only to find out its not worth going to. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I have fished Kneff lake before and had some success. I would suggest hitting the Au Sable or Manistee to river fish. If that isn't your thing check out Kneff.


----------



## jmckeon (Feb 21, 2009)

i grew up camping right down the road from crater lake. it is a nice lake but the name says it all. it is at the bottom of a crater. we used to carry our 10ft john boat down to it and fish the walk down hill isnt bad but sucks carrying it up hill. it is quite a hill to. not trying to discourage i have heard of nice trout taken from that lake. when you take 33 north from rose city to mio you will come to a road that runs to the west called loon lake loop. fowllow that road west you will go in past loon lake, and island lake, keep following the road you will come round the back side of loon lake and you will see crater lake sitting down off your driverside. there are a couple kindof camping spots(not really a camp ground though) and some parking area. then there is a wooden rail with steps going down to the lake. if you are interested in that area loon lake also has trout in it not sure how many my father caught trout out of their years ago. and you can access that either off loonlake loop (same thing as above have to carry boat up and down hill for launch) or you can go a little further up on m33 where the pink store is and they used to have a camp ground across from there where you could launch a boat. Honestly i would try kneff lake you will have less of a hassle launching there and i have heard better reports and trout fishing in that lake. i know there is alot of trout at kneff and you can launch right at the camp ground. depending how far you want to travel lake george back south of westbranch a little bit is also a decent trout lake i have never fished it but my father does if you need more info on that lake pm me


----------

