# Lake of the Week, Oct. 5th: Bond Falls Flowage



## SC Mike (Aug 14, 2006)

* Bond Falls Flowage, Ontonagon County*

*Surface water area:* 2,100 acres

*Maximum depth:* NA

*Water clarity:* Clear

*Accessibility:* USFS-owned public access with earthen ramp on west shore; parking for 20 vehicles

*46¡ 23 40.39 N / 89¡ 7 51.81 W*

*Accommodations:* Park, visitor center, waterfall with viewing area 





*Fishing Information:*
Bond Falls Flowage is an impoundment of the Middle Branch of the Ontonagon River. The 2,100-acre flowage sprawls across a large area of southern Ontonagon County. It holds muskies, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and black crappies, but its best known for its walleyes and northern pike, according to Brian Gunderman, fisheries biologist for the DNRs Lake Superior Management Unit office in Baraga. The flowage seems to have good natural reproduction for all the species mentioned above, however, the DNR is helping to make sure the number of walleyes stays high by stocking them occasionally.

Gunderman said that Bond Falls Flowage currently has very little shoreline development, although there are plans to sell lands near the shoreline and permit development nearby. As of this writing, this hotly debated issue remains unresolved.

Flooded timber around the shorelines currently provides good structure for fish. This wood is especially good for crappies, walleyes and bass. The flowage also has many points, coves, bays, narrows and islands. Plus, if you can locate the original river channel with your depth-finder, youll have an inside track to good fishing.

The flowages walleyes are numerous, but tend to run on the small side. Gunderman noted that the lake is more of a meat fishery than a trophy fishery.

Pike are abundant, but run small. Gunderman noted that about 20 percent of fish in the last survey would meet the 24-inch minimum size limit. There are 30- and 40-inch fish out there, but youve got to work for them.
There are muskies, but their numbers arent great. Fish of 36 inches are common, and 40-inch-plus fish are boated.

Bond Falls has a good smallmouth bass population, but the fish tend to run small. Work the wood with jigs equipped with a brush guard, or try Texas-rigged plastic worms to keep from snagging. Topwater lures would also be good choices.

Perch are present in good numbers, but the sunken trees are ideally suited to crappies. Try fishing minnows below a slip bobber near the sunken trees.

The flowage has a boat landing on the west end.

Sportsman's Connection is a leading publisher of lake maps and fishing information. 130-250 Michigan lakes are covered in each of 7 (newly revised) fishing map guides, and are available for download at http://www.sportsmansconnection.com/michigan/


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## PWOG (Jun 24, 2007)

The lake was down 10-20' this july when we where on it,
Years of drought


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## KeepTheBond (Nov 27, 2007)

Were you aware that UPPCO/WPS is planning to sell the land outside of the project lands to Naterra Land Developer? They already sold 960 acres.

UPPCO also plans to convey easements through the project lands (buffer surrounding the lake) that would allow trails and private lighted docks to the lot owners. Just imagine this lake surrounded by 424 boat slips. 

While we cannot stop the sale of the land, we can minimize the impact this development will have on the lake and the premier trout stream it feeds (Middle Branch) by stopping the docks.

The lot owners are not purchasing lake front property. The project lands are supposed to be managed for the public & are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Visit our website at www uppac.com where you can sign our petition asking for an environmental impact study.

Bond is not the only lake affected. UPPCO plans to sell a total of 7300 acres located at 5 other flowages (Victoria, Prickett, AuTrain, Boney Falls and Cataract). The beauty of these lakes will be lost forever unless you get involved.


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## waterfoul (May 18, 2005)

See, now I find maps like that one (and there are several in the Sportsman's Connection) usless. No contours. Useless.

Mike, why don't you post some of the lakes that have the HD countours? Much more interesting and informative.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I bought a book a few years ago and all the lakes had the contours on them. I wonder if it's just the transfer to the internet or SC Mike is holding out a little bit so you still buy the book. Let's face it, we could all wait until every lake has been posted and never purchase the book.


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

there are quite a few lakes in the sout east book with no contours.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

RyGuy525 said:


> there are quite a few lakes in the sout east book with no contours.


I'll have to dig mine back out and check. Then again mine is probably nearly 10 years old. I bet some lakes have just never been mapped.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

bond is a flooding and experiences lots of fluctuations in water levels...not a stable flooding like fletchers or croton either.....


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## jb10 (May 14, 2001)

They left the lake very low this summer (heard they were doing work on the damn) but it was probably the best fishing I had seen out there last June in maybe ten years. Fish were much more concentrated with the water low. Should be back up to more normal levels next year.


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

jb10 said:


> They left the lake very low this summer (heard they were doing work on the damn) but it was probably the best fishing I had seen out there last June in maybe ten years. Fish were much more concentrated with the water low. Should be back up to more normal levels next year.


 When we were there last summer we were told ya they lowered the water for flood purposes, and it never rose back to normal levels, then decided it was a perfect time for some dam reconstruction, but in the next 2 years. So it wil be a while till the water levels return to normal! We also saw alot of signs about NO DOCKS, I agree that this is a public place and docks would ruin the wildlife expierence.


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## sea nympho (Aug 7, 2006)

bassdisaster said:


> ...I agree that this is a public place and docks would ruin the wildlife expierence.


Word Up!!! If only our (even recent) ancestors would have had the general public in mind when constructing dams/flowages (like croton!) instead of almighty dollars. A public river dammed for public works(like croton), should NOT be lined w/ private land/houses, and _CERTAINLY NOT_ sold to commercial interests.


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## alex-v (Mar 24, 2005)

gunrod said:


> I I bet some lakes have just never been mapped.


Many, many lakes were never had their bottom contours mapped. We know the shoreline and the rivers and streams feeding in and out and the roads near the shores. But, there never was any mapping of the bottom.

Not to mention that some lakes have next to no bottom contour.


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## SC Mike (Aug 14, 2006)

Thanks for all the comments guys. I've been meaning to get some more lakes posted, but right now most of my time has been occupied due to the production of the MI Atlases. that being said, hopefully I can get something up this week. Alex-v is right. Sometimes the information just isn't available to us.


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