Hamlin Lake Advice??

[jacondie]

Anyone have any advice regarding where to fish and what tactics to try for the opener on Hamlin Lake (Ludington State Park)? Would like to catch walleye and northern pike. Will post results when I return. Thanks in advance.

[Water Wolves]

jacondie,
I have vacationed and fished Hamlin Lake for the past five years (going again this year June 15 for a week) and the results for pike and walleye have been wildly different each year. I have never been there for an opener, but this is what I know, for what it's worth. Some things may be applicable to the opener:

Our first year there was '97 and we couldn't stop catching fish. We stayed at Sunset Bluff Resort on North Hamlin Lake and caught virtually every species in that lake. We even caught a four pound eelpout right off the dock on a worm and bobber that we fried up and ate that night!

I like to fish for pike and bass and I have found that the best place and way to do that is on the north shore across from Barnhardt's Marina, casting spinners and larger Rapalas. Crawlers get you pike there, too. You'll recognize that portion the lake for several camps and homes on the shore. There is a seawall over there that has yielded some nice bass. Out from the shore about 100 feet starts a nice drop off with clear water and excellent pike weeds.

http://www.hamlinlake.com/LocateMap.html

Above is a link to a map of the lake. The area I'm talking about for pike is the entire north shore area from "The Narrows" eastward to where it says "Upper Hamlin". Also, east of "Upper Hamlin", we've pulled some decent pike out, but that area is really, really weed-choked, especially in late summer. We went in late August of 2000 and it took us literally an hour to get to the narrows from Upper Hamlin, the weeds were so bad. There was a drought, I think, and Lake Michigan had begun to decline in level, affecting Hamlin.

For walleye, we drifted with leeches, crawlers and minnows the deep water between Barnharts Bait (#2 on the map) and the north sore with some success. We also caught walleye in the many pike bays around the lake. This summer, I am going to cast in the little bays all day for pike and bass. Don't fish much for walleye. Walleye are also found in the deep water across from North Bayou all up and down Lower Hamlin. That's where you'll see most of the walleye guys drifting with crawlers and minnows and whatever. We always had the best luck with leeches for some reason.

Other good fishing spots we've found include: the south shore where it is indicated "Upper Hamlin", near and west of the boat ramp (pike and nice bass). This area is rather undisturbed as there are no houses at the shore, just woods. There's a good pike bay east of the narrows and just west of the Indian Pete Bayou. There is a tiny bay on the north side of the narrows, to the upper lake side, that is pretty fertile, too. Finally, the east shore from roughly North Bayou to The Narrows is rather rocky and sandy and people have pulled smallies out of there, though I never have. Caught some nice bucketmouths there, though! In this area, there is a very distinct dropoff that is highly visible and which may hold some good northerns or walleyes.

We went one year, '98 I believe it was, when those tornados came through and it ruined the fishing for two weeks. Not to mention the fact that we didn't have any electricity for three and a half days! What we did to combat the slowdown was throw really large spinners and crankbaits, and it worked. The fish were biting the big ones after the severe weather.

Went last year and had the worst results yet. My brother and I hit the lake two, three times and day and threw everything artificial and live at the fish and didn't see a single pike that whole week. I'm still embarrassed! The weather was rainy and stormy for three weeks straight right before we went in early June and that seemed to ruin it for the week. Even drifting for walleyes for hours on end out in the big lake only got us some pesky rock bass. The only person who had any luck was my four year old who must have caught 100 rock bass, bluegills and perch right off the dock! What a thrill for him, though.


Kinda longwinded, but hope it helps! Good luck!


Water Wolves

[Whit1]

Jac,
If you are going to Hamlin Lake in mid-June don't neglect the excellent bluegill fishing that can be found there. The fish will be off their spawning areas in the deeper holes of 10-15 feet in depth. If you are going to use crawlers, don't neglect a single hooked, inflated crawler. Putting a bright colored floater above the hook helps also.

Get that lake map that was suggested as well.

[Water Wolves]

Hey, Whit1 is right. The bluegill can't be beat in this lake!

WW

[sfw1960]

YES , they are LarMunGous!!!

[outsider]

Water Wolves , I have thought about trying Hamlin for some time , If the opprotunity comes up, your information, and especialy that link will surely be apreciated. THANKS

[Water Wolves]

...Thanks. I don't think you'll be sorry there. I fished mostly the upper lake which is really an extension of the Au Sable river and thus, to me, possessing of more fertile fishing opportunity.
The water level is controlled by the dam and when I went up there to book our cabin for June, the dock at the resort was bone-*** dry. The lady there said the water level would be up by the time we got there. She said that the powers-that-be start holding back water at the dam a few weeks before Memorial Day. Heck, I hope so!
As I said in my reply, though, the weather really kills that lake for a long time, it seems, after heavy rains or severe weather, so I would recommend to anyone, if going in the late spring or fall, go after it has been nice for a couple of days. In the middle of the summer, when it's really hot and the lake is low, it's tough as nails trying to get anything caught. The upper lake doesn't seem to get much recreational pressure, either, compared to the lower lake.
One other thing I forgot earlier was that some guys were telling me that fishing below the dam is pretty good when the water is decent depth. Don't know because I never did it.
I'll be out there for a week beginning June 15. If you see an older, red Lund with a 25 hp Evinrude and two big, burly guys in it, that would be me and my brother from Alaska!

All the best,

WW

[Whit1]

There is an article on fishing Hamlin Lake in the May issues of Midwest Outdoors. I liked mine better though...........LOL!

[craig2321]

I will be fishing Hamlin Lake and wondered where I launch my 20' boat? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, is fishing good on Pere Marquette Lake anyone??

Thanks,

Craig

[BigBass55]

Try Strawberry point. Good place to throw some deep diving worms, or Senkos.

I'm in fact going up there tomorrow until the 26th.

Good Luck!

-Greg