Musky fishing around Kalamazoo, Help please!

[Harold Ray]

Hi, I am Ray Emerson from Waco, Texas. My daughter and her family live in Portage, just outside of Kalamazoo.

I was not sure where to put this post, so I'm placing it in both warm and coldwater. I think musky are a coldwater species, but I thought pike were, too, so it beats me! Here it is:

My purpose in posting is to learn about musky fishing in the part of Michigan near Andrea's home. Since I'm from Texas, I am used to driving quite a way for fishing, business and activities. Its 300 miles to the Texas Gulf where I fish at Aransas Pass and Corpus Christi; 500 miles to Mountain Home, Arkansas where I occasionally fish for trout. I don't mind driving 50 to 100 miles anytime. I just don't know much about Michigan and how far things are apart. I'd like to spend less time friving so I can spend more time fishing if possible.

I would like to find a good, knowledgeable, friendly musky guide within 100 miles, and closer preferably, of Portage. I would like to fish for them, and I'd like to get to the point of taking my young grandchildren out as they grow. Do y'all know of anyone who fits that description you could refer me to? I would greatly appreciate it.

I can fish both conventional and fly.

A friend gave me the web address of Chad Betts in Newaygo, MI which MapQuest says is 93 miles away, just up the road from Kalamazoo. He fishes for Steelhead, Salmon, Smallmouth, & Trout which is great because I want to do that, too, but he doesn't do musky.

Can you find musky in the part of Michigan where Kalamazoo is located? Where do you find them most, rivers, lakes or all of the above? I would really love to learn more about the different species you all have so I can fish some for them with the kids when I am there.

I will appreciate your help!

Thanks!

Ray

[finlander]

There are a couple of lakes near you. www.michiganmuskiealliance.org (http://www.michiganmuskiealliance.org) will help. There is a general forum there. Bankson Lake has skis in it. Need to be careful of too hot water temps, like above 80. Fish dont do well releasing them in that warm water on top. Good luck.

[UNREEL]

Well, if you dont mind driving I would suggest heading to Lk. St. Clair. While there are musky found in many lakes in Michigan, good knowledge of those lakes as well as techniques are a must to be productive. St. Clair is the most productive musky lake in the world, not to mention big fish. About a 2 1/2 hr drive gets you there. PM me and I can give you names and phone #s of some of the best guides on the lake....Later

[Duke]

You're in luck- Portage happens to be a great home base to use to hit some musky lakes. Virtually all of the muskies in lower Michigan inland lakes are stocked, so you won't find them just anywhere. But it just so happens the SW has more stocked lakes than anywhere else in the state. Here is a map of SW Michigan showing the lakes that have muskies. Just for reference, the S's are for "stocked" and the N is for "natural", Portage is located right at Austin Lake on the map, and the counties that are square shaped are 24x24 miles. As far as a guide, I think if you ask on the Michigan Muskie Alliance website mentioned above you will get a lead there.http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1192/muskylakeseh2.jpg