October fishing trip

[jdude]

We are looking for a place to fish around the middle of Oct. We are looking for panfish and a lake that we could take our boat (16' deep V 75 H.P. motor). A cabin would be our preferred accommodations with a dock. We usually go north to Houghton Lake in September but the fishing has not been too good the last few years so we are looking for something maybe south of Indy. Is Monroe a good place for what I described? I live in N.E. Indiana so we want to keep it within 4 hours drive, possibly Northern Kentucky? Open to thoughts and experiences from places you have been.

 

[amboy49]

You said panfish and you'd like to use your boat. This doesn't fit either of those criteria - but consider going to Baldwin, MI and fish the Pere Marquette River for King Salmon. If I could figure out how to post a picture I'd show you the 30 pound King I caught last year - one fish among many. It's walk--in areas are accessible and the fishing method is relatively easy to learn. There are many small motels in Baldwin; however, many are booked up (especially on weekends) during the prime season which is now untill the first week of October.

The one downside is that apparently Michigan has decided to try to make additional revenue off of out of state fisherman and have the raised the license price to $76.

I mention this since you mentioned Houghton Lake - which I believe is in Michigan.

A nice small lake for panfish in Indiana is Glen Flint - they have a boat ramp and good panfish/bass fishing. Don't know about the accomdations in the area.

I also don't remember how long it takes to get to Dale Hollow - arguable the best crappie lake in the nation.

Good luck.

 

[dnurk]

Rent a houseboat on Dale Hallow lake. Your cabin moves with you and you can tie your fishing boat right up to it. Great Fall fishery.

 

[YoungGunLover]

You said panfish and you'd like to use your boat. This doesn't fit either of those criteria - but consider going to Baldwin, MI and fish the Pere Marquette River for King Salmon. If I could figure out how to post a picture I'd show you the 30 pound King I caught last year - one fish among many. It's walk--in areas are accessible and the fishing method is relatively easy to learn. There are many small motels in Baldwin; however, many are booked up (especially on weekends) during the prime season which is now untill the first week of October.

The one downside is that apparently Michigan has decided to try to make additional revenue off of out of state fisherman and have the raised the license price to $76.

I mention this since you mentioned Houghton Lake - which I believe is in Michigan.

A nice small lake for panfish in Indiana is Glen Flint - they have a boat ramp and good panfish/bass fishing. Don't know about the accomdations in the area.

I also don't remember how long it takes to get to Dale Hollow - arguable the best crappie lake in the nation.

Good luck.

Hey, I find it amazing that you mentioned Baldwin, MI. I was just up there last summer with my family to see some land we have up there. My father was left some plots of land in Idlewild, MI that we had never been to. His aunt and uncle had bought it sight unseen, and my family had never seen it. So we made a trek up there to see it. Its a really small plot, but it is a free deed to land located in a National Forest. Cant really beat that if you ask me. Anyways, is the salmon fishing worth it to go? I have a few friends who are big outdoors people (along with me) and if it is as great as you make it sound, then I have a bit of a incentive to make it up there a little more then. I know there are tons of lakes and ponds around, and just wondering if those also provide good fishing, and if the hunting in the National Forest is decent up there? It would be nothing to throw a small mobile home or cabin on my land and make it a hunting and fishing spot for my family and friends. Just wanted some input on what you think about the hunting and fishing of the area? Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread, feel free to just PM me instead, unless others would like the info on the area.

BTW everyone, if you do make a trip up there to fish or anything, do a little wiki magic and googling about Idlewild, MI. It was a huge black summer resort area back before the civil rights movement. It is now a very depressed area but back in its prime it had performers such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, and many many others. Basically any older black performer was there. They have a small museum worth taking a 10 minute walk around in to look at. It was known as the "Black Las Vegas". Just an interesting history tip for anyone going up there.

Again, sorry if I pulled a thread hijack!