Jerry’s Marina is located south of Tawas Beach Road on the point, and there’s access to big pike right off shore. “I’ve caught fish from 19 to 20 pounds right off the city dock,” said Spencer. Access points to the bay are from the DNR ramps and private launch ramps throughout the area along U.S. 23.

Tawas Lake, connected to the bay, has a lot of smaller pike. It covers over 1,600 acres and seldom exceeds 4 or 5 feet deep. Inlets to the lake include Gray, Silver, Kunze and Sims creeks, which are the best areas to try. Target pike in the open-water weedline areas in the 5-foot holes in the eastern section of the lake below Kunze Creek and just off the shoreline at the intersection of Warren and Clifford roads. The lake becomes weed-choked by late summer, thus weedless spoons and spinnerbaits are standard fare.

Access to Tawas Lake is from the small state-owned public ramp off Rainbow Drive on the southeastern section of the lake. For more information, contact Kirby’s All Season at (989) 362-4512 or the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit at (989) 684-9141.

MURPHY LAKE

Anglers preferring smaller waters can score big northerns on this sleeper lake in Tuscola County. Murphy only covers 200 acres but still offers up some nice-sized pike.

“Murphy Lake has some really huge pike, but they’re hard to catch,” said biologist Baker. “We saw more fish over 30 inches there when we last surveyed than anywhere else we’ve been.”

Baker recommends fishing the deep outside weed edges to locate these big pike. Other hotspots include the 25-foot hole in the southern part of the lake in hot summer weather and the 40-foot hole south of the islands in the main-lake basin. White and redhorse suckers provide plenty of forage for pike in Murphy and contribute heavily to the good growth rates. Adequate deep-water refuge is another factor contributing to this small lake’s bruiser pike.

The public access ramp is on the northeast shore off Murphy Lake Road. “Access is a problem,” said Baker. “About the only way you can put in is by canoe or cartopper. We’re working on it, but for now the only access is on state land, which is primarily a wildlife refuge.” Contact the Southern Lake Huron Management Unit at (989) 684-9141 for additional information.

MANISTIQUE LAKES

“In my area for northern pike, I can only think of one fairly outstanding resource,” said Robert Moody, supervisor of the Lake Superior Management Unit. North Manistique, Big Manistique and South Manistique lakes are all connected by the Manistique River, and according to Moody, there are pike in all three.

“In the spring of 2003 we netted Big Manistique Lake,” said Moody. “We net-surveyed 10 pike over 40 inches in one bay, in one day. There were three different crews and one crew netted a pike measuring 49 1/2 inches. It was the largest pike I’ve ever seen. The pike was a thick, heavy fish. It was almost impossible to believe it was a pike.”

At over 10,000 acres, this three-lake group is one of the largest natural waterways in the Upper Peninsula. Anglers should be aware that it can quickly become dangerous when a storm whips up the waves.

Of the three lakes, Big Manistique is the focus of most pike anglers. Depths range to about 23 feet and water clarity is clear.

“Anglers have been doing pretty good on Big Manistique,” said Kathy Cyran of JR’s Sport Shop. Cyran said three anglers last summer took home three pike over 40 inches, one of which was over 47 inches.

Hotspots for Big Manistique pike are the three midlake submerged bars that have gravel and weedbed cover. Anglers hit these areas pretty hard with excellent results. Anglers will also find a lot of pike in South Manistique, but most are just under the 24-inch minimum size limit. There are quite a few in the 18- to 23-inch range, with some up to 34 inches.

The Manistique Lakes are located in Luce and Mackinac counties in the eastern section of the U.P. The town of Curtis is located on South Manistique about a half-mile south of Big Manistique, just north of U.S. Highway 2. Access is from the state ramp on the south shore on Cook’s Bay off Curtis Road, a public ramp off Route 1245 and on the south shore off Long Road. Contact JR’s Sport Shop at (906) 586-6040 or the Lake Superior Management Unit at (906) 293-5131 for additional information.