Need help with Bass Fishing on Douglas Lake

[bassdude]

My father and I are planning a fishing trip to Douglas Lake in September. He fished there as a kid, but has not been back there in 40+ years. Any help that could be given would be much appreciated- fishing tips/lures/specific places to fish on lake, etc. thanks! 

[djkimmel]

Where are you going to launch from? How and where did you used to catch fish up there?

[bassdude]

I believe there is only one place to drop in near the town of Pellston? Dad used to fish with his dad for smallies and pike using various lures. They did alot of trolling with daredevll spoons for pike. any suggestions? thanks

[djkimmel]

The only ramp I know about is the one next to the bar. Parking has been a problem on and off there. I keep thinking maybe there is another ramp I don't know about since I haven't been there very many times? Watch out in case there's still a couple missing cement slabs in there if you have a bigger boat. Used to be shallow and tough. Hopefully they've fixed it up a little.

Trolling isn't a bad idea in the fall to find them. They roam more there in the fall from what little I've seen of fall fishing. You can try looking for the big reed beds and work your way out from those. They used to spawn in the reed beds around the lake back the last time I was there in the spring - a number of years ago. If you get there early in the day, start with a topwater. It was a pretty good topwater lake at least early in the day and once you found one bass you found some more in the general area - dropoff, weedbed, gravel.

It's not a real big lake where you can't cover a lot of if with fast baits to find concentrations. Seems like every time I went there, a different part of the lake was better.

[bassdude]

Thanks for the helpful information! I am brand new to this site and am enjoying it! Anyone else out there that can help me with helpful advice on fishing this lake? thanks!

[bassdude]

we will be staying in Pellston. If the fishing is not up to par on Douglas, then does anyone have any other suggestions for lakes to fish up in this area? thanks

[djkimmel]

Crooked and Pickerel. Both kinds of bass. Good fall fishing usually.

[bassdude]

thanks! also looking for a cottage to rent on Douglas and would be willing to pay a guide for the first day of fishing on douglas to help us get on the fish. any suggestions?

[djkimmel]

A guide for Douglas is a tough one. Not sure who is up there that would be familiar with that lake. I have one idea I'll check into.

I don't know anything about cottages on the lake. I always start with the Internet and the local chamber when I don't know someone with a specific recommendation. The one time I stayed near Douglas was a zillion years ago at a little motel right off of I-75 exit closest to the lake.

Search for this: "douglas lake michigan cabin" on Google and you'll find some options to consider.

[motocross269]

We launched a Team Bass tournament at Pellston a couple of years ago...It is doable but a Pain in the rear...Dan is right about the launch being by the bar...There are no docks to launch from so hopefully you have someone with you that can back you in,...

I have never fished it in the fall but there are some big flats adjacent to deep water...That is probably where i would start..

The water on that lake has a strange copper color to it...

As far as hotels...It seemed to me that that lake was in the middle of nowhere....

Guides...If you are considering a guided trip there are bigger and maybe better bodies of water up in that are to do that...
Douglas is a smaller lake and you should be able to cover it in a day pretty easily....

[Bender]

I was driving around up that way and decided to try this lake. The launch was the worst I have used and was deep sand, I had to use 4WD to get out and it is so shallow that I had to get in the water to beach the boat. On top of that there was no parking area even though the DNR site says there is space for five. All of the areas have signs that parking is reserved for Douglas Lake Bar customers. I parked in the deep sand along the launch.

[BIGSHOW]

For cottage rentals I always go to vrbo.com. Vacation rentals by owner. Had some good luck there. PS where is Douglas Lake?

[Bender]

Just north of Burt Lake:

Also there were no signs that this was a public boat launch. I wonder if the bar took them down? Their parking lots were completely full.

[djkimmel]

Always been an issue with parking there. We used to have club tournaments there a loooonnnnggg time ago. I can't launch there anymore. Probably been 8 or 10 years. Someone at the bar told me you could park in the small lot just up the road but you had to be out before the bar opened. Others have told me you can't park there anymore. I haven't found the person who can tell me for sure.

Luckily, there's plenty of good lakes up there. Maybe some day U of M research will quit trying to keep a real public ramp off there (that's what I'm told anyway and I'm sure you can add that to some locals who never want a public ramp on 'their' lake) and we'll get one. Been close a few times over the 25 - 30 years.

The fishing was a lot better in the late 80's to mid-90's compared to the last time I was there though the fish seemed a little bigger on average. Hard to say how good my unofficial assessment is considering the few times I've been there after the mid to late 90's and that I haven't been on there for some time now.

[bwebber]

BassDude,

Douglas is fishing pretty good lately, spinnerbaits in chartruese or white with gold double willows when it's windy has been working pretty well, jerkbaits right on the weed edges is working well also.  I was on the lake last weekend 8/19, the water is low so the boat ramp is a little challenging but worth putting in and giving a good day of fishing.  You can just about catch them anyway you want to lately.  Hope that helps.

StratosMich

[Bender]

bwebber, where do you park there? The streets all had no parking signs and the lots were all reserved for the bar. I only saw one parking spot right along side the ramp where I parked. Is there additional parking?

[bwebber]

Bender,

I park where you did or on the shoudler of the street adjacent the bar parking lot.  I fish it regularly and have never had an issue.  Very rarely are there enough visiting boats to clog the parking area.  That's really why there have not been any tournements on the lake, too little parking.  It's really too bad that the MDNR has not addressed the parking issue, it's a quality lake.  I guess the good part is that it minimizes pressure, I usually have the lake to myself when I'm fishing other than the little fishing boats.

Webber

[djkimmel]

Good to here the bass fishing has picked up on Douglas. Very little fishing pressure probably helps.

I remember a few of the little local boats used to troll through the spawning areas during the spawn and put some bass on the stringer but it probably wasn't enough numbers of anglers doing it and enough bass being kept to hurt the lake. It's usually forage and cover issues. Been many, many years since I've been on Douglas during the spawn. Just a few fall trips.

I imagine the catch and release ethic has changed even on that lake over these same years as it has on most lakes. Sometimes keeping a few fish is good for the population on some lakes.

I'd like to see a better boat ramp since it was fun for a change-up once in a while. It doesn't take very long to fish a lot of the lake since it isn't real big. I know I can't get my boat in there but there are plenty of lakes with better ramps.