# Best Fishing "Holes" in the State!!!



## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

What do you consider to be some of Michigan's best fishing holes? By "fishing holes" I do not mean any specific spots in either a river or lake, but rather sections of any rivers, and entire lakes that offer anglers a package of great fishing opportunities.

Here's a couple of my candidates and why I picked them.

*Grand River in Grand Rapids between Sixth St. Dam and Market St:* This stretch of river offers more than just salmon and steelheads in season. In this 3 (about) mile section of river there's a ton of fish and opportunities to catch them. Smallmouth bass, catfish, walleyes, and carp are found in numbers and sizes....except for the smallmouths....that are eyepopping. A summer's day can be spent plying this stretch of water with whatever an angler wants to toss with expectations of bringing some excellent fish all an angler must do is find the holes and especially the runs and they're in business, the business of catching fish.

*Lake St. Clair: *While I have only fished the lake for a few hours one Saturday for perch a couple of years ago I have listened to enough anglers sing the praises of this lake to know it would have to be on most fishermen's list of "best fishing holes" in the state. Perch, walleyes, smallmouth bass...LARGE smallmouth bass...muskies,and northerns are all available in sizes and numbers that would turn heads.

I know there are others so let's hear them. Muskegon Lake? Houghton Lake? and others????????


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

L. St Clair- The best warmwater fising in the state, if not the country. Pick your species, it's there in abundance somewhere.
Huron Bay, L. Superior- Warmwater, coolwater, amazing variety and numbers of fish season to season.
Tahquamenon R.- beautiful surroundings, muskie and smallies, what more could a man ask for?
Antrim Counties Chain-O-Lakes - Not at all like they were in my youth, these days the connecting rivers on the lower lakes are like crowded freeways anymore. Still beautiful and a nice variety of fishing opportunities.

As for the rest......well, maybe in my dying breath.:lol:


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Oh boy I'm going to keep and eye on this thread. It's SURE to ruffle a few feathers! 

Let's keep it civil folks!

John


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Fremo .... no I can't, that was just too easy. 

I guess that would depend on the time of year:

White Lake - In the winter for northerns. Almost always end up with something.

Lake Mich - From March to Sept.

The above almost mentioned lake ... after the flat-landers with their speed boats leave (after Labor Day).

Also really enjoyed Crooked Lake (Emmit Co) a couple weeks back. Not much size to the eyes ... but was very good fishing, if you don't need them for a meal.


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

Lake Erie!!!!!!!!! Detroit River!


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

muskegon lake.


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## waggleduck (Oct 16, 2004)

My favorite fishing hole: Auburn Pond










What we catch: Bass- This one was about 13"









Catfish
18"er

















(My brother and his 24" catfish that won the 2005 Cornfest Fishing Frenzy.:coolgleam )

Ok so maybe this isn't a world class fishery but it has lots of fish and the best part, its only a five mintute bike ride away from my house.  We've caught about 15 different species of fish here including bluegill, catfish, carp, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, rainbow trout, walleye, perch, and sheepshead. Our current record for biggest fish from the pond is a 26" carp my dad caught. 

The pond is also home to the elusive "Albino Rhino":smile-mad The story of the "Rhino" goes back to the 2002 Cornfest fishing frenzy. My brother hooked into a huge fish and pretty soon, half the people in the contest were crowded around to watch the fight. He got the fish which was almost pure white in color, to surface about 5 feet from shore (of course nobody had a net:help before the line snapped and it swam back to the depths never to be seen again. Some claim it was a dogfish, others say carp, while others insist it was the biggest catfish in the history of the Auburn Pond. Either way, it was pushing 36", easily the biggest fish in the contest. It was here it made its way into local legend. 

Every summer since, countless kids have fished for the Albino Rhino, and so far as I know it hasn't been and likely never will be caught again.:tdo12:  
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/526/AP_BASS_2.jpg


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Saginaw Bay!


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## Can't Touch This (Dec 31, 2002)

Lower Detroit River- On any given day, during anytime of year, you can get your limit of eyes in an hour, go for jumbo perch, very common 12+ inchers, as many as you want. Or, if you want to cast, for outstanding largemouth and smallmouth bass in the bays and the river channel edges and the dumping grounds, and possibly the best pike fishing in the state. We also have "hidden" spots were you can get into some BULL gills, easy limits of 8+"ers.

Kent Lake- A lot of people can't seem to find luck on this lake, i guess it really depends how and where you fish in this lake. This lake has some of the biggest largemouth bass in the state, early season ice fishing ,we consistently jig up 6-8lbers, also some HUGE pike in good numbers. This lake also has to be among the top panfish lakes in the states, LOTS of big crappie and gills, and SOME jumbo perch, though, those are hard to find.

Sylvania- Only for smallies, but, that is more than enough. This is a very rustic wilderness area that has like 3 dozen cystal clear lakes, and really tall 200' pine trees. It is also no motors, makes for a very beautiful setting. In the 3 days we camped there, we(3 guys) must have caught over 300 smallies. The smallest one i caught was 15 inches, around 2lbs, biggest, pushing 6 lbs. These fish averaged over 4lbs, and, man did they put up a tremendous fight. I very highly recommend this spot for those of you interested in portages and rustic camping.

Those are 3 of the many great fisheries i experienced in this state. Some others are Houghton Lake(it REALLY disappointed me my last time there), Grand Traverse Bay, Huron River, Ford/Bellville lake, Lake St.Clair.


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Saginaw Bay-PIKE, Walleye, bass, perch, catfish
Saginaw/Tit-Walleye, Walleye, and then there is the occasional walleye!
Lake St. Helen-As many hand size bluegills as you care to catch.
Hardwood Lake-not many fish, but good for two or three lunkers every time.


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## The Whale (Jan 12, 2001)

Mecosta Lake - a sunken island off the launch that with a pig/jig, L.M.'s that are a solid 4lb - 5lb common. 

Saginaw Bay - Walleyes - 'nough said. Big Perch (10"+), are there, find the roaming schools, last ice, big fun ! Smallies - very nice, play the rocks around the island and hang on for some 5 lb'ers. Big Pike - mid-inner Bay deep holes w/weeds - 36"+ / 12lb & up !  

Muskegon River - upper stretches from Croton, even above rogers Dam. Nice 'eye action, great smally water too. Throw in some rainbow escapees from the early hatchery days of Paris Fish Hatchery, excellent.

Au Sable River / Loon Sh_ t Bay - good smaller pike water, beauty gills (look for 'em !), Perch, Walleyes - it's all in there ! Big fun on the hard water. 

Pine River - west of Cadillac, off of M-37. Excellent smallie and 'bow water. Hard water to fish, fast and deep, lots of hairpins with timber, worth the effort !

Can't give 'em all away.


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## waterfoul (May 18, 2005)

Mister ED said:


> Fremo .... no I can't, that was just too easy.
> 
> I guess that would depend on the time of year:
> 
> ...


man, that was a close one!!!


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

The pristine waters of the Clinton river right at Yates!!!!!!!:lol: :lol: Loads of steelhead and salmon.


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## Swamp Ghost (Feb 5, 2003)

WALLEYE MIKE said:


> The pristine waters of the Clinton river right at Yates!!!!!!!:lol: :lol: Loads of steelhead and salmon.


LMAO! Pristine...................


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

WALLEYE MIKE said:


> The pristine waters of the Clinton river right at Yates!!!!!!!:lol: :lol: Loads of steelhead and salmon.


Your the mod in here Bucko so I'll let you handle the avalanche of protesting posts pilfering this thread due to your callous revelation of such a "honey hole".........:lol: :yikes: :lol:


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## SR-Mechead (Jan 25, 2004)

Any place you can get a line wet and a worm or spinner in the water is a great place to fish.


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

Hard to beat Lake St. Clair for many species, also hard to beat Lake St. Clair for "Tuna Boats" and large boat wakes. Next choices would be Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay. 

To mention any inland lakes in this post might be hazardous to my fishin'.  :yikes: :yikes:


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

deer lake basin( you can't keep 'em, u can't eat 'em) eye tourneys..2 man team, one rod per man,artificials only, first team to 50 fish!..marquette record..43 minutes.................


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

I'm with ShameTamer, though back in the early 90s it was pike. Over 70 by lunch, many 30-38 inchers, biggest was a 48 incher. The boat launch kept most of the fancy fishermen out of the lake.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

The St. Mary's River has to be in the top 5


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