While there are enough lakes in Michigan to house almost any boat of any size, fishing is not only for those who are in open water. From Lake Michigan to Lake St. Louis Clare to Lake Superior, and almost everywhere in between, our state also has an abundance of dock traps and coastline fisheries that can be equally favorable for casting and fishing.
Muskegon is home to many wharves for visitors and residents. Early morning or evening hours, about two hours before dark, are usually the ideal time for fishing at Muskegon Pier or Muskegon. Bluegill, bass and walleye are the most useful catches, and most of them can only be worn with earthworms during the summer months.
Brighton has a famous dock point in Mill Pond, right in the city center. Some fishing friends tell me that the perfect place to do something is on the boardwalk near the City Hall. Catfish, cattle, blueglai and even a turtle can decorate your line if you work with live bait.
Houghton is home to Dayter Otter Lake, which offers excellent bank fishing. On a beautiful day, you will find that the locals struggled from walk to the dam. There are all kinds of fish: from bass to blue to trout and pike, usually using minnows or synthetic bait.
Alpen was one of the region’s first fishing villages on the island of Thunder Bay, and fishing has always been one of the areas. The Thunder Bay River, which cuts right through the city, offers excellent coastal fishing for trout and other species when you make your way further from the city center. But you don't have to stay in the area to get a good bite. Just a short drive south you will find Lake Hubbard - a house for perch, bass, pike and much more, which has become a hot spot for a family holiday with a dock right in the camps.
Leelanau can be one of the best areas in Michigan to go fishing in a boat. The docks and shoreline of Lake Shore Drive, along Lake Leilano, called The Narrows, were a hot bed for perch after landing in 2012. The lake is a self-sustaining and ideal habitat for perch, because of the abundance of forage and insects. At this place, the use of cranberries and palbaits on summer evenings almost guarantees a catch.
Claire is one of the most internal options, but what it may not have access to in the Great Lakes, consists of excellent coastal and dock fishing. Being close to the college community, there are many fresh anglers testing water and cans. Deerfield Park with the M20 offers a pond and river system, which is open year round for winding crappie, pikeperch, bass and pike.
