UP tent camping

[solasylum]

Going to the UP the first or second week of September and was wondering if anyone has insight on where to camp. This vacation is a replacement for our yearly Canada adventure. I am looking for something that is remote and on a lake. We would like to fish for pike, bass, or walleye.

In a previous thread someone mention Seney National Refuge....anyone have any info on this area?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Please reply to this thread or you can e-mail me at solasylum@aol.com.

Thanks so much for any and all help!!

Scott

[tangleknot]

We went up to the UP for close to a week this summer and I will do it very differently next time!

We went during the week of July 4th so I was concerned about getting a reservation. I searched on the web and got a public campsite that was ok. On our daily excursions, we checked out a few lakes on public land with rustic campsites(Put your money in the box, no showers, running water, etc.) They were remote and gorgeous. Would have gladly paid for the public site and stayed at the state site had the bikes, cooler, etc. still been back at the public camp. There were a lot of sites available even though it was a popular travel week.

One in particular that we stopped at was on North Lake Gemini, North East of Munising. Stopped and had a great lunch on the edge of the lake mixed with swimming and fishing.

We also visited Seney National Refuge for an afternoon. The pike fishing is pretty good. No limits on pike! No boats allowed either, just shore and some dock fishing. I don't think they had camping but I could be wrong.

Next time, I think we will just take our Michigan Atlas and stop wherever. There are TONS of campsites on public land if you like rustic. It is beautiful in the UP and I can't wait for our next trip. Hope you have a great time. Wish I could help out more with the fishing.:D

[The Nailer]

I'm pretty sure there are no overnite stays allowed at Seney. However, on the south end of Seney I found some years back a really cool primitive site, either State or Nat'l forest campground. While I can't give you specific directions if you look at a map you should be able to see it. There were only a couple of sights and it was right on a river. It was in area that had been recently clear cut (this was about 6 or 7 years ago). When you came in off basically a two track you dropped down a hill to the campground. Another spot I remember I think was off M95 between Marquette and Indian lake. It was again a primitive sight that you had to portage back to on a small lake, very cool. Sorry I can't provide better directions but a little exploring should be able to locate either.

[Big Frank 25]

Check out the recreation link. Might help.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hiawatha/

[kroppe]

I've stayed in the Porcupines Wilderness State Park, on Lake Superior near Ontonagon, and it was very nice. Also have stayed in a back country (hike in 2 miles) site on Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks area, where Beaver Lake empties into the big lake. In looking at the map, it looks like there is a drive-in campsite near Beaver Lake (Pictured Rocks), and also west of Grand Marais at a site called Lake Superior Campground.

As far as fishing, lots of stream trout near there, plus maybe some salmon or coaster brookies are running. Inland lakes are nearby but I don't know them well. I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but I enjoyed these spots and maybe it would interest you.

[The Nailer]

solasylum-

Ok I finally got to look at a map this morning. The place I was thinking about I believe is Colwell Lake off of Hwy 94 not 95 in Schoolcraft county north of Manistique. I'm still not 100% sure w/o seeing for myself though.

[The Paper]

I know that this reply is late, but since September isn’t quite here yet, maybe you can find this of some use. I do a lot of tent camping in the U.P. I love finding remote spots were there is not a lot of people, just a lot of wilderness, and I find it a bonus if I can get in some good fishing.

I have a small 14 ft. Aluminum boat I haul around with me. So most of the lakes I visit are less then 150 acres. Also I stay predominately at State Forest or National Forest Campgrounds. Two spots I love in the U.P. are Pretty Lake State Forest Campground and Culhane State Forest Campground.

Pretty Lake is northwest of Newberry, up by Muskellunge Lake, which has a state park on it. Pretty Lake is close to 5 other lakes, which you can easily portage to. Most of the lakes are trout lakes and it takes a little work to get them. You have to go deep. Around 4 years ago they planted Walleye in Pretty. I did not get there this year to see if they were to legal size yet, but two years ago I caught 20 to 30 undersized Walleye. Fishing may be good. One of the lakes you can portage to is Beaver House. I have taken a few nice Walleyes out of there. Long Lake is supposed to have Bass, but I have never caught anything out of it. Pretty Lake has Splake and a lot of Perch. Camp 8 has Rainbows and a lot of Perch. I love this area. It is remote. The two-hearted river is near by.

The other place I like to go is Culhane Lake. Culhane is planted with Walleye. My best day ever fishing was here. Went out with a good friend just before dusk. My first cast, jigging a walleye assassin, produced an 18” Walleye. Second cast produced a 19” Walleye. My third and fourth cast produced two 20 “ Walleye. I had another one on my fifth cast, but I lost it. My friend never even got his line in the water. He kept netting my fish. The second evening produced the same. The funny part was that everyone else told me the fish were not biting. The second night when I was cleaning the fish, I handed out quite a few chartuse walleye assassins to fellow campers.

Culhane is north of the Tahquamenon Falls, close to Lake Superior. Bodi Lake is close by with its own State Forest Campground, and it produces Walleye also.

Last Summer I spent a week up around Seney. There aren’t a lot of real close campgrounds to Seney, but if you took a thirty-mile radius around the area, there are tons of State Forest Campgrounds on Lakes. There are a few close by on rivers, but we have small kids. So, I like to avoid the rivers. Last year we stayed on Milakokia Lake near Gould City. Fishing there sucked, but I caught a 24-inch and two 20-inch pike at Seney. I told my wife that the next time I went to Seney area I wanted to try out the State Forest Campgrounds north of Seney.

Eight Years ago my wife and I spent a week camping a long the shores of lake Superior in mid-September. It is beautiful up there this time of year, but it can get chilly at night.

I laugh as I write this, because I increase my desire to go back up there. I love going to the U.P. I am glad Michigan lost the Toledo war.