ST. JOSEPH RIVER
"The St. Joseph River at Mendon, Mottville and below Berrien Springs contains successful year-classes of largemouth bass," Smith said. "The fishery produces large fish and high densities of bass.

"When you have a flowing river environment, the largemouths are definitely oriented to the stumps and structure out of the current," he continued. "We've been finding that the younger fish tend to be up in the bayous and oxbows, while the more mature fish are closer to the open water and the flow. The level of energy in these older fish and the larger forage allow them to be nearer moving water."

Below Mendon, the Prairie, Pigeon, Fawn and Portage rivers' inflows create confluences and varying structure. River access is a problem in this area, and about the only way to launch is from the dams and bridge crossings. The Mottville section is included in this area, above Interstate 80/90.

The section from Berrien Springs to Lake Michigan stretches over 25 miles with a varying flow. Check shoreline cover, smaller bayous and backwaters for largemouths. The river in this section averages about 5 feet deep, with some 30-foot holes.

Access sites are plentiful the closer you get to the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph area. The DNR has constructed a state-owned access above Oxbow Bend. The Shamrock Park access in Berrien Springs has camping facilities as well as boater access to the river.

For more information, contact the DNR Plainwell office at (269) 685-6851.

FLETCHER POND
If the Master Angler Awards are any indication of how good a big-bass water Fletcher is, then it is definitely one of Michigan's premier largemouth lakes.

In 2004, five catch-and-release entries were made for bass over 22 inches here. Of these, two fish were over 23 inches. A variety of baits took these monsters, including a plastic worm, a Jointed Rapala and a spinnerbait. In 2005, another catch-and-release Master Angler Award entry was made for a 22-incher fooled by a topwater bait.

Covering nearly 9,000 acres in Alpena and Montmorency counties near Hillman, Fletcher Pond is known more for its northern pike fishing than bucketmouths, but big bass are there. Fish up to 7 pounds have been caught, and numerous lunker-class fish are taken every year.

The northern shoreline east of Jack's Landing can produce outstanding action. Casting small floating Rapalas up along the shoreline can result in taking a big bass every few yards when the conditions are right.

When this impoundment was first flooded, the standing timber was logged off after it iced over. Stumps and scattered vegetation provide ideal habitat in the shallow water that seldom exceeds 6 feet. The water can be rough, and the stumps are a real danger. Just look at the dents in the rental boats at Jack's Landing and you may opt for renting one of them instead of slamming into the stumps with your own boat.

Anglers will find a public access at the end of Jack's Landing Road on the north side of the lake. For more information, contact the Northern Lake Huron Management's Gaylord office at (989) 732-3541. The Alpena County Visitor's Bureau at 1-800-425-7362 can help with trip planning to the area.