[chef daddy]

does anyone know an area where you can rent a shanty for a few days! would like to take the kids away for a few days in january! distance is not a prob! thanks

 

[Quack Wacker]

Fletchers Flood Waters/pond.

 

[UNCLE AL]

http://houghtonlakefishing.com/shanty/shantyrental.htm

this place will take you out to the shanty in the morning, so you and the kids don't have to walk.

 

[lyrick]

Fish Point Lodge on Saginaw Bay. You will need a group of 8 or more.
I would call now I waited to long last year and they were booked.
http://www.fishpointlodge.com/

 

[Kelly Johnson]

I saw this one on Craig's List
http://detroit.craigslist.org/spo/942020478.html

 

[chef daddy]

any input from anyone as to what to bring ? i want to rent the 6 man sleeper? what do u need , when should u go? how is lymans? do they take care off u? etc etc?? I know alot of questions but its the first time and i would like to hedge off any thing we can before we book!! thanxs folks!!!

 

[ih772]

I'd shy away from Houghton Lake if you're taking young kids. The pan fish numbers are way down and the fishing is pretty slow in January. I have a cabin up there and spend a lot of time on the ice, so I'm speaking from quite a bit of experience.

Its mostly a dawn and dusk lake. You can catch small pike between sunrise and sunset, but the kids may get bored waiting.

It's been my experience that Lyman's exaggerates their ice thickness reports, so they may or may not exaggerate other things like how good the fishing is.

 

[Cedar Swamp]

any input from anyone as to what to bring ? i want to rent the 6 man sleeper? what do u need , when should u go? how is lymans? do they take care off u? etc etc?? I know alot of questions but its the first time and i would like to hedge off any thing we can before we book!! thanxs folks!!!

I'd shy away from Houghton Lake if you're taking young kids. The pan fish numbers are way down and the fishing is pretty slow in January. I have a cabin up there and spend a lot of time on the ice, so I'm speaking from quite a bit of experience.

Its mostly a dawn and dusk lake. You can catch small pike between sunrise and sunset, but the kids may get bored waiting.

It's been my experience that Lyman's exaggerates their ice thickness reports, so they may or may not exaggerate other things like how good the fishing is.

I have a cabin there as well and fish it quite often.

For the sleeper, bring blankets, pillows, etc. They supply the heat at all their shanty's. Fishing supplies depend on what you want to fish for.

Pike : Tip-Ups and 1 stiff ice rod and reel combo (to set-up in the shanty).
Panfish : I wouldn't panfish their shanty area, too many pike.

I rent from Lymans all the time to take my girls pike fishing. Have had days where I caught 30 pike (14 - 28 inches) before 10:00 am and other days with only a handful for the day. That's why it's called fishing and not "catching". Panfish are far and few between in their shanty area. Panfish can be found but you have to search for them.

They are top notch in customer service, they'll run ya back and forth to the bathroom or for supplies. They start taking ya to the shanty's at 7:00 and will shut them down just before dark or shortly there after.

Try to book with them at least 2 weeks in advance as the fill the shanty's most week-ends.

Hope this helps

 

[ih772]

Like I said, Houghton Lake isn't a good lake to introduce someone to icefishing at this point in time. Your kids will get bored quickly.

When I look at my fishing log from the last three years, the months of January and February I have to make 7 or 8 trips out on the ice before I have anything that I can take home and put in the frying pan.

I spent quite a bit of time last winter concentrating on finding panfish with little success.