Torch, Clam, skegemog, Elk and Bellaire Lakes in Antrim County

[FSU Basser]

Heading up to Antrim County to fish Torch, Clam, Bellaire, Skegemog, and Elk lakes Saturday for a week. Wondering if anyone has been up there lately and if anyone has any hits on catching some giant small and largemouth?

[gbaade]

I was just up there last weekend and fished Elk and Skeg. Only fished Elk for about an hour before it was overrun with jet ski and water ski traffic. Had a pretty good spot by the mouth of the river (a hot spot according to a local guy) and caught a couple of 2 to 3 pounders before I was run off by a rich woman with a big mouth who screamed from her dock that it was water skiing time. I didn't feel like arguing so I left and went to Skegemog. With no electronics I went looking for what I could see and settled on a stump field the map said to avoid. It was pretty dicey in there but I used an ore to get in to it and stayed there the whole day. I ended up with a total of a 19 pound Musky, 5 SM counting the 2 from the Elk River, 3 LM biggest being 4 pounds, and 3 small pike. All fish came on Rapala DT6 craw color, and carolina rig with a black powerbait lizard.

The water is clear and super deep! If you have electronics you should be able to find some monsters in the deep and do alot better than I did.

[djkimmel]

Water skiing time, huh? Must be a new law we all missed somehow...? Tell me where the house was so next time I can stop by and be educamated but good by her. You should never stop learning!

Any pictures of the big ones (musky included)?

[gbaade]

I left this part out to save myself the embarrasement, but since you asked. When I was on the dock tying the boat up at the boat rental place, I had a little mistep and went into the lake. Lost my shoes in knee deep muck and destroyed my phone with the pics. Had to walk back into the marina looking like a wet dog barefoot. Probably the most bummed out I've been in a long time. All the guys at the marina thought it was pretty funny though. 

[mikesmiph]

Did anyone get pics of THAT? would be much better than more old fish pics. LOL I think I'd love to sit right off that womans dock and fish the day away. I have some really good ear plugs.

[djkimmel]

Shoot! I didn't mean you had to reveal embarrassing secrets... But THANKS for doing so!!

As far as ear plugs... I've been living with and working with mostly women my entire life! I no longer need physical plugs. After all, they are the true selective hearing experts!!

[TheFishinPollock]

Actualyl they should be heating up.   2 weeks ago they were post spawn hard. All ya could find were small males.  I could see the bigger smallies on the graph ,but even hitting them in the head with drop shots they wouldn't eat.    I'll be all over that chain  this week since its my home waters. If ya see an older gray and silver champ go blasting by  wave.  Id start with Bellaire from the fishermans paradise launch all the way around to the oppisite shoreline.  After that jump over to the south corner and work your way to the launch.  The west side is a great drop off ,but there is absoutlyyyyyyyy nothing on it but sand.   the other lakes are good, but Bellaire combines all the lakes in the chain into 1 lake. Good depth, good surface area, weeds and timber.  Any other questions don't be afraid to ask

[djkimmel]

BTW, if I have offended any female members and visitors to this site... I didn't mean you!! You're anglers!! You're different!!

[Got Fish??]

 White tubs work best on Skag. Most locals sware by them.Belair Lake is a nice lake to fish, with a lot of smallmouth. Wayne's Canadian mist works great on Belair. LongLake is a local favorite for largemouth. Clam Lake gives up a lot of musky and largemouth. If you get hungry, there is a great restraint at the mouth of Clam were it runs in torch lots of slips to dock your boat.

[djkimmel]

Whitish tubes can work real good in Torch. All you have to do is get one look at the 'ghost' crayfish in there and you'll see why. I have had some good burgers at the restaurant. And I have had on a couple huge musky just into Clam Lake!!

[bassassasin88]

Anyone have any pics, or common or scientific name of those "ghost" crayfish? I'm always looking for new patterns to paint.

[djkimmel]

I don't have any. I have to believe it is something in the water and/or something in their diet that makes them that color. If I get back up there, I will attempt to capture one or two. They usually look dead when you first see them and then, off they go just like any other crayfish.

[LipRip]

Me and a few buddies rented a cottage on torch for this weekend and next week. I'm draggin my bass boat and all my gear up there to try to conquer these lakes! I've never fished these lake but have been on torch and clam once. Any update on how the fish are biting or any additional information on these lakes would be great! I cant even wait to get there.

[djkimmel]

White on Torch (wait until you see the crayfish). May have to fish deep on the breaks. Clam is usually easier, shallower and a mixed bag of just about everything.