# Houghton Lake



## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

Anyone have any info on Houghton Lake in central Michigan? I was doing some research and it sort of jumped out at me. Sounds like a nice walleye and panfish lake. Might be a good lake to try since we stopped going to Canada.


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

Very nice. Ice fished there a few years in a row. Camped near by and explored the area a few summers ago.


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## walleye willey (May 29, 2014)

We used to go for family vacations every year when I was young , loved the lake , big very shallow with big weed beds , GREAT panfish lake , small Walleye and lots of small Pike , thanks for the reminder I need to go back


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

Thanks for the replies. It's getting a little last minute for planning a summer vacation but may have to put something together for next year. Ive been looking for an alternative lake to fish. We spent most of my life at Rice Lake,Ontario. My dad is getting older and doesn't like that far of a drive. And the fishing declined. We primarily panfish and walleye fish so Houghton sounds a lot like Rice. Are there any rental cottages on the lake? I looked online but only found 1 camp.


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## walleye willey (May 29, 2014)

There used to be a ton of rental cabins on the lake not as many now but I know there is more than a couple of palces , google Houghton Lake Rentals , I have not fished the lake in years but always did well on BIG bluegill and sunfish would catch walleye but were almost all 16 to 19 inches , lots of northern pike but again those were on the small side 

Fun lake , good swimming lake for kids because it has pretty sandy bottom and no sharp drop offs , kind of like a big shollow bowl


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

I've had good luck calling the local real estate office. They know the area better than anyone. Found a cabin once that a family rented out for one week a year.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

I've been to Houghton Lake about 5 times now and it is pretty awesome. It's a huge fishbowl, which makes it very prone to wind, but when you catch a good day out on the water it is usually pretty amazing. Most people fish the various weedbeds up there for bass and walleye. The two coves on the NW and SE are known for pike and bass as well, but we've always had best luck fishing the weeds. 

I have stayed in cabins on the northern bank and had good luck fishing the north/central weedbeds, but I've grown to prefer to stay along the east coast so that you have options. 

Walmarts and other stores up there sell a waterproof lake map which will help tremendously for finding the weedbeds. Navionics also has them on their chip:









Here's the ground I covered on my last trip:









For information on the lake, I'd suggest you call Korbinski's bait shop. His contact information as well as another good map and all of the other bait shops in the area can be found on this website:
http://www.visithoughtonlake.com/fish-houghton.shtml

Korbinski's Marine & Bait Shop
365 W. Houghton Lake Dr. · Prudenville, MI 4865
(989) 366-5306


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## Alex895421 (Jun 1, 2014)

Nice, hope you enjoyed


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

davycrockett said:


> Anyone have any info on Houghton Lake in central Michigan? I was doing some research and it sort of jumped out at me. Sounds like a nice walleye and panfish lake. *Might be a good lake to try since we stopped going to Canada*.


I would be curious to know why you "stopped going to Canada"? I can't imagine that Houghton Lake provides anywhere near the solitude or fishing experience as that had in Canada.


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

BMustang said:


> I would be curious to know why you "stopped going to Canada"? I can't imagine that Houghton Lake provides anywhere near the solitude or fishing experience as that had in Canada.


Several reasons. After 9/11 a lot changed. Passports and just the royal pita trying to get across now. My dad is older now and doesn't travel as well as he used to so anything closer to home is worth considering. The fishery had gone downhill due to poor management by the ministry( apparently they have implemented some long overdue regs on the lake but a little too late IMO) the camp owners sold a few years back and the camp is gone now so we'd have to stay elsewhere and learn a new area of the lake. The last year we went north (summer 2001) we didn't get treated all that well.You got the feeling that they didn't want us there but by god they wanted our money. We fished Rice Lake BTW.


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

Thanks again for the replies. My wife and I may take a drive up there over a weekend and check things out.


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

davycrockett said:


> Several reasons. After 9/11 a lot changed. Passports and just the royal pita trying to get across now. My dad is older now and doesn't travel as well as he used to so anything closer to home is worth considering. The fishery had gone downhill due to poor management by the ministry( apparently they have implemented some long overdue regs on the lake but a little too late IMO) the camp owners sold a few years back and the camp is gone now so we'd have to stay elsewhere and learn a new area of the lake. The last year we went north (summer 2001) we didn't get treated all that well.You got the feeling that they didn't want us there but by god they wanted our money. We fished Rice Lake BTW.


Sorry to hear that you had a poor Canadian experience.

Passports are no excuse, they are easy to get and actually make crossing into Canada easier. The border agent simply scans the passport bar code and all of your past travel history comes up as well as your criminal record if any. If you are clean, you are good to go. Also, it wasn't the Canadians who implemented the passport requirement - it was good ole Uncle Sam. You actually don't need a passport to get into Canada, but you need one to get back.

I've stayed at quite a few Canadian camps and visited quite a few others and have always been made to feel welcome. Like anything else, there are bad apples in every basket, but I would NEVER trade my Canadian fishing experience for anything in Michigan, NEVER!!!!


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## WillyB2 (Dec 28, 2008)

BMustang said:


> Sorry to hear that you had a poor Canadian experience.
> 
> Passports are no excuse, they are easy to get and actually make crossing into Canada easier. The border agent simply scans the passport bar code and all of your past travel history comes up as well as your criminal record if any. If you are clean, you are good to go. Also, it wasn't the Canadians who implemented the passport requirement - it was good ole Uncle Sam. You actually don't need a passport to get into Canada, but you need one to get back.
> 
> I've stayed at quite a few Canadian camps and visited quite a few others and have always been made to feel welcome. Like anything else, there are bad apples in every basket, but I would NEVER trade my Canadian fishing experience for anything in Michigan, NEVER!!!!



A big *"AMEN"* !! I just got back from a great Canadian trip and can't wait for next year. Very well treated...


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