THOMPSON LAKE, HOWELL

[capt charlie's charters]

STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THOMPSON LAKE IN HOWELL !  IMAGINE PARKING FOR A FATHER'S DAY TOURNAMENT IN A DESIGNATED AREA FOR TRAILERS, NO SIGNS ABOUT AND FIND A TICKET FOR $30 !  AND IF YOU DON'T PAY IT WITHIN 48 HOURS IT COSTS $60.  THIS AFTER DINING IN HOWELL, SPENDING OUR MONEY...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY...HOWELL HAS SEEN THE LAST OF ME AND MY MONEY....SCREW'EM.

CAPT CHARLIE

[Bender]

I heard that they got rid of the kid who worked in the box, and the whole box itself. The $30 ticket isn't too bad, I think they charge $20 to launch there anyway!  I am surprised they don't have a sign or anything.

Only residents of Howell get free passes, and surrounding townships can purchase them at a reduced rate.

[fiker]

A friend of mine lives in Howell.  He said that the booth is gone, and there is no more daily available to non residents.  He claims that the local police are going to enforce, (obviously they are) and the ticket is stiff.

[Cheetam]

If there is no signage, booth, etc, I'd fight it.

[dartag]

Howell has never like out of towners using there ramp.   did everyone in the tourny get a ticket. 

come to union lake.  no sheriff so anything goes.  Jet skiing at 10:00 pm   no problem.

[djkimmel]

So is the ramp for locals only or how are 'non locals' supposed to fish it?

[Durand Dan]

Review this site for info on Thompson Lake Access. ONLY $80 for a non-resident season launch sticker!!

http://www.howellrecreation.org/BoatLaunch.html

[djkimmel]

I've never fished it yet and would never plan to fish it enough to justify $80. Thank goodness there's 10,999 other lakes to fish in Michigan! And then there's all the other states and provinces... and countries. And many of them actually WANT people to come and fish

[fiker]

Thompson lake isn't that big.  Nice lake, but not that big.  It's acreage is misleading because so much of it is shallow. 

Every one that ones property in the city limits gets a pass to the lake.  I've always fished it with my buddy that lives there.  I don't know about all Howell residents, but my friend would like to keep "out of towners" off the lake. 
Mostly I think so that it is kinda private.

[djkimmel]

Just another version of the good ole human 'you're not from around here, are ya boy' syndrome that we are so good at. Unfortunately...

The truth is, we are all the same people from the same place. I just don't think people will figure that out in my lifetime anyway.

[Skulley]

Thompson has always been a top notch bass lake.  However over the last years they have gone overboard on the weed kill.  How were the weights this year at the Father/Daughter Father's Day Tournament??  They used to be 5 fish over 15lbs to get in the money.  It has been a few years since I have fished the lake.  It will probably be even longer until I fish it again.  There are plenty of other top notch bass lakes in Southeastern Michigan.  I can drive 40 minutes to Thompson or 40 minutes to LSC or 40 minutes to Lake Erie.  Not a hard choice for me.  LSC and Erie every time.


BD