Suggestion for early spring smallie lakes

[McCarter]

Starting to plan the annual smallmouth trip for this spring and would like some suggestions on lakes.  In the past, we have hit Long Lake in Hillman, Fletchers, Bear and Margarithe (sp?) In Kalkaska, Peach in West Branch, Hamlin in Ludington,  and a few other unheard of puddles along the way.

Basically, all we need is a decent sized lake with cabins or houses for rent for a long weekend.  Something in the 4-5 hour drive range is fine.  I have suggested a few to the crew but they want more options.  So if any of you have suggestion for good spring smallmouth fishing ( 2nd week of may ) on lakes that have rentals, please share.

McCarter himself

[Durand Dan]

You might want to look into Beaver Lake in Alpena County. Good Smallmouth population

[rapalapro]

Hi fellas just joined,but been lurking for a while.i know your looking for cabins,but me and the wife and friends stay on the ausable river,for a week each year.we camp on the river banks and fish cook pond and the river between cook and ft.dam McCarter let me tell ya its heaven.lots of pig sm and othe fish.but there are no cabins there but i think glennie or alcona might have them ...good luck

[Waterfoul]

Lower Lake Leelanau.  Just about any lake around Traverse City.  have you considered Travers Bay??  A little further south, Croton pond.  Hardy Pond.

[joshimoto son]

For me, Hardy Dam is a great place for smallies. the county park has cabins for I think $45 a night, we've had many a club tourny there. So I know it is bass boat friendly. Just remember to bring a heater.

joshimoto son

[spinninbug]

I have to agree with Josh about Hardy,  the cabins are only 35 a night,  at least that is what they were last year.  And the fishing is awsome.

You could check out Portage lake in Onekama,  that is a good lake too.  Last year Hubby and I were pre fishing and a boat came all the way up there from Muskegon,  they were in a tournament out of there,  they said it took them an hour and a half to get there and would probably take over two hours to get back,  but it had paid off for them before,  don't know how they did but it was pretty cool watching that champion come cruising up lake michigan into the channel.

Just a couple of options for you to think about,  if you need more info on Portage let me know.

[Waterfoul]

As has been suggested, head north!! 

Glen Lake smallie....



Lake Ann smallie...



Both these fish were caught this past Labor Day weekend... 

[MBell]

Thats prime pre spawn time on Saginaw Bay, although it's not the type of place you could plan a trip too with the upredictable spring weather.  Grand traverse is awesome but your trip is a little early for the easy fishing, Elk rapids would be the place to go about 2-3 weeks later.  Charlevoix has some of the best numbers of big fish I've seen outside of the great lakes and st. clair, but any cabins would be expensive.  I'm still working on taking a trip up to the beaver islands in the spring.  People have told me their not what they used to be, but I want to see it with my own eyes.   
-Matt 

[Savage]

I know a place you can stay pretty cheap right on the water on Black Lake, and the area is full of great lakes if you get tired of the hogs on Black.  Mullet, Burt, Long Lake (Alpena, the big one), and Grand are within easy short driving range, plus there are a couple really cool small lakes I can fill you in on too.  It's pretty common to wail on 30 to 50 smallies a day up there that time of year.

hit me with an IM and I can give you details on the cabin.  3 bedrooms, clean, a place to plug in the charger...

[McCarter]

Any thoughts on Skegemog.  I was checking into that and found a nice cabin/house for rent right on the water.  Sleeps 13 and is 1200 square ft.  ALways heard good things about Skegemog but not too sure about the time of year.  Tho, with a max depth of 14 ft, seems like it would be a good spawning ground for fish coming from both Elk and Torch. 

McCarter himself

[spinninbug]

I don't know for sure but that might be a bit early for skeg,  the farther north you go the later the spawn.  I know they don't usually spawn on  crystal till mid june.  And it seems the last time we fished skeg in june they were just coming off beds,  had a hard time getting a limit in fact,  but we did and ended up placing.

Dan might be able to give you some more insight on skeg,  he's fished it alot more than I have. 

[Savage]

Skeg is pretty weedy and I'm not sure about the fish bedding there, but Elk is full of good spawning spots.  Elk and Skeg are night and day different as far as how they fish.  Skeg is really just a flooded swamp, while Elk is your normal natural lake with nice sandy bottom and scattered rock and wood.

[brg_bassmaster]

wixom lake in gladwin county has excellent smallie poplulation..in a club tournament kevin vida flw pro caught 30lb 7 fish limit. all smallies this was in october though. but spring you would think would have bigger females. we caught ours on white terminator spinnerbaits with single 4.25 willow leaf blade. everyone else caught theres on crankbaits or jigs. the lakes is 2,100 acres i belive.

[BigSmallie]

Very simple..............Burt & Mullet.

BS 

[djkimmel]

Skeg is major spawning grounds for Elk and Torch. Been that way forever and been hammered forever with some local meat hunters 'targeting' them each year for the cooler that time of year.

But it's been going on for years and the last time I was up there, there were TONS of beds still with good numbers of big fish. It can be a little harder to see some of the beds with the water color being more tannic at times or stirred up. But the beds are usually there.

[TheFishinPollock]

If you choose skegamog . Don't forget to make a trip uplakes to Bellaire. Last year 7 of my clients put at least 1 MA smallie in the boat.  Torch also  was a hotspot for one weekend last year.  The toruny there  was a slaughter.  Was like fishing in a barrell almost.   Leelanau is also a fantastic lake.  More fish outa the south lake , but bigger fish out of the north lake. If ya can find them.   Last year's tourny there we took 3rd with over 21 lbs and never lost site of the Leelanau RV park.  Granted the motor was broke and thats as far as I wanted to go with the TM.   

[McCarter]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info gang.  It looks like we will be going to Grand lake on Presque Isle?  I know nothing of this lake or the area.  So if anyone has the scoop, please feel free to share.

On a side note, i know its not very close....but i am going to try and take a day to head over to Burt and Mullet to get a feel for that system for the upcoming BFL.

McCarter himself

[blakstr1]

DUDE !!  what are the dates that you'll be up to Grand, Presque Isle county is where Savage and I grew up.  The Parker House is a good place to stay, then you could fish Long Lake as well.  Get ready for an early season time of your lives.

[McCarter]

We are leaving May 14th so we will be fishing May 15-18. 

McCarter himself