Stumps, weedbeds, river channels and shallow water abound, making Wixom an excellent choice for visiting anglers. But the water can be clear or stained -- a fact anglers need to keep in mind when planning their trip.

Access is off Dundas Road on the north shoreline of the lower branch of the lake. For more information, contact the Southern Lake Huron Management's Bay City office at (989) 684-9141. Call the Midland County Visitor's Bureau at 1-888-464-3526.

MUSKEGON LAKE
"I'd have to say the bass fishing on Muskegon Lake is excellent," said Rich O'Neal, fisheries biologist with the Central Lake Michigan Management's Muskegon office. "Muskegon is one of the best bass lakes in my district. It's a productive lake with a big river system flowing in and an influx of water moving in from Lake Michigan through the channel. The whole lake is good for largemouths, and it doesn't seem to matter where you are out there. Just target wherever you find structure and weedbeds."

Muskegon Lake's catch-and-release restriction that had been in effect will probably be terminated this year, according to O'Neal. He pointed out that the special regulation was no longer needed. The last creel census in 2002 showed 4,219 largemouth bass were caught and released while only 118 were harvested. The angler survey showed that less than two hours were required to catch a bass, which is a pretty good catch rate. Combining the sampled smallmouth bass with the largemouth bass, over 2,000 fish were released during the survey.

Anglers will land some good-sized bass this year, and a few will go over 5 pounds. Tournaments are a common sight on Muskegon and another indication the fishing is good. O'Neal pointed out that fishing pressure is heavy, and it does affect the bass angling but not enough to move it from his top-of-the-line bass fishery list.

Muskegon Lake is located in Muskegon County, a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. The lake covers 4,150 acres, with boating access from several launch sites on the west, south and east sides of the lake. For more information, contact the Central Lake Michigan Management Unit at (231) 788-6798. Travel information is available from the Muskegon County Visitor's Bureau at 1-800-250-9283.

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Looking for some of Michigan's biggest largemouth bass? These are the waters offering an excellent chance at landing a lunker of a lifetime this season!