smallmouth lake question

[JL]

Hey guys, I am new to this forum and this question may have been asked before, but I was wondering, myself and some buddies are planning a fishing trip in late spring and we will be targeting smallmouths this trip.  What do you guys think is the best inland lake in lower Michigan is for smallmouth that time of the year? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Genie]

Hardy Dam Pond in Newaygo county.

[fowlmouth]

need more info, do you mean the whole mitten or lower lower peninsula?

[Cheetam]

In SE MI, Cass and Kent have some good populations of Smallies (Cass more so than Kent).  Belleville also has some good smallmouth...

[joshimoto son]

JL ... welcome to the board!

Southern, central Michigan, some lakes to try for smallmouth.
Wamplers Lake
Gillettes Lake
Devils Lake
Clark Lake

Most of these lakes really produce during the pre-spawn and spawn, after that... well... it gets a lot tougher to catch em.


By any chance, are you the one I was talking to at Gander Mountain on Wednesday?


joshimoto son

[Cy]

Welcome to the Board.

South West Michigan, Kalamazoo River, St Joe River and I have heard Gull Lake can be good.  I also agree with Genie on Hardy but Croton can be good too.

In general river systems, excluding the Grand River from Grand Rapids down stream can be good.

Cy

[Revtro]

Cass repordedly has a good population, but they can be tough to catch in my experience.  it's very clear water.  Not sure why you're specifically wanting an inland lake, but if you want the best smallmouth fishing in Michigan, you should spend some time on St. Clair.  Lots of numbers and size.  And they're relatively easy to catch. 

[DDBethke]

Welcome JL,

I would suggest Lake Windemere...

Duane

[bshaner]

Welcome to the boards JL and good first post.  If your boat can handle it then you definately need to be on Clair for smallies. 

If you can only do inland then I would say Cass is the best runner up.  Bellville has alot of smallies but it can be a very tough lake.  Clark lake has a good population of smallies.  Josh is correct about the post spawn and summer smallie fishing being tougher but for my money I'd go with Cass if you arent in the prespawn and spawn.

B

[JL]

Hey guys thanks for all the input, anybody fish much in upper lower Michigan?  I think if we stay in the southern lower we will fish St. Clare or Erie.   

[Revtro]

Burt/Mullet can be good.  I don't have a lot of experience there, but I've heard good reports.  It's at the top of the Lower Penninsula.

[fiker]

I don't have the experience that many of the otherws have. 
After 1 morning on  St. Clair a couple of years ago I fell in love. 
If it was only my opinion, and I could schedule a fishing vacation for smallies, I'd pick St. Clair. 

If your boat can't handle the lake, then consider the river system later in the summer.  Even my little 16 footer can handle most of that.

[Genie]

Any lake around Traverse city - Skegmog, elk, torch, burt, mullet, duck, green, long, leelanau ... all have great numbers of smallies.

[Durand Dan]

Hey, Charlavoix!!!!

[BigSmallie]

Burt & Mullet.........then take a day and go to Black.   

My friends and I just Whack em in the spring!       Up to 7 1/2 Lbs last year.   Dan can vouch for the size!

BS

[motocross269]

If you are going to go on the weekend Long lake in Alpena can't be beat.
There is very little boat traffic and plenty of water to cover..On the weekend Burt and Mullet gets pretty crazy. 

[Bronzeback5LBER]

On the east side of the northern lower you might give the Ausable river system a try,if you like lakes long or loon in Iosco county can produce some really nice smallies.