Saginaw Bay, has anything changed since......

[lakes]

911 on the hot ponds?
A buddy has tried to convince me for years to freeze and fish the Hot Ponds in Mid-November.  He has not been there since before 911 days, what has changed? Access OK?
Water levels an issue?

Any good places to stay with elect for boat?  Not to mention safe and carefree! Ya-right!

I know nothing of this area or fishing grounds, but I am supplying the boat and need some insight as to expectations.

Any help is appreciated!

lakes

[djkimmel]

I don't recall any posts this year but there have been a couple in the past couple years. You may be able to find them with a search?

The water was low before. It might be lower now since it is lower South of there. Since people have talked about fishing there, I would assume that means you can still fish there. There was some talk about being more challenging to get your boat there or getting access probably due to some of the boat ramps being too low to launch now. Some of the fishing reports were decent and some where so-so.

Hopefully, someone who has been there recently will see this and pipe in. Many of these places are not the kind of place you want to get in without recent, up-to-date information. I haven't fished there in decades.

[gmetime24]

I have not spent much time out in the bay but know it has some of the most under rated smallmouth fishing in the state.  Water levels are pretty low and if you aren't familiar with the area just take your time. Linwood beach marina is good spot to launch and you should have no problem with water levels on that ramp

[djkimmel]

Wouldn't it be closer for the hot ponds to launch at the MDNR ramp near the mouth of the Saginaw River? Though I do like fishing around Linwood too. Someone told me a couple years ago that you could get a small boat out of the Jones Rd boat ramp but that canal looks pretty squirrelly now? Not sure if you can get out of it anymore and with what size boat?

I agree about the smallmouth bass. I think they got a little more pressure this year but not very much. Way below the pressure other, more popular parts of the Great Lakes receive.

[lakes]

Thanks for the reply's so far, I do hope to hear some updated info.  The last thing I want to do is wreck my Triton.
I did do a search and looked at ALL I could find for previous posts, very little info exists.

Still need some lodging info for a couple of nights, thanks in advance!

[gmetime24]

The hot ponds are closer to the saginaw launch but I believe you have to make the run up the saginaw river then, I'm not sure how long that would take.  I have never been to that boat launch so I can't say how well it is maintained. Bay city would have the closest ramps to the hot ponds I believe. I'm sure you could call a field office from the area and they could tell what condition those ramps are in

[djkimmel]

Not sure about lodging recommendations since it has been so long since I've stayed anywhere near there.

There's a big, nice MDNR ramp very close to the mouth of the Saginaw River near the end of Shady Shore Drive, just upriver from the last couple marinas on the West side across from the power plant (Google Maps coordinates 43.640361,-83.851825)

It was a steep enough ramp I would think you could still launch there. Huge parking lot. You could launch 3 boats at a time - 2 or 3 docks.

I definitely wouldn't just run into the hot pond. Especially with a bass boat. You might be able to get some kind of update or information from the local Bay City visitors bureau. Walleye anglers might be more helpful too since I think more of them frequent the hot pond. Maybe michigan-sportsman.com would have some people on there who fit that category?