WHAT AREA TO MOVE TO IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

[dricha21]

I retired to Kentucky lake area 2 years ago. I have been hammering Kentucky and Barkely for 2 years. What a disappointment. I guess it used to be great. I fish with 2 guys that have fished it their whole lives and we struggle to catch fish all the time. Hunting deer here is the best i have ever experienced. But I only bow hunt for a few weeks and fish for 9 months. I want to get back to great bass fishing again. I have been concentrating in the Au Grea area to fish Sag Bay. Only done online research. Tried to fish while house hunting there but I had the wife with me and the water was too rough for her. I don't know whether to concentrate my efforts there or maybe further east around Burt or Mullet and those areas. I want to be on the water. Homes seem more reasonable on Sag Bay but I don' care about that. I want to go where the best fishing is. I will have to go to a bigger boat for Sag Bay and I will if that is where the best fishing is. I have a friend who fished Charity Islands 15 years ago and he said it was best fishing ever. He has done the mile roads on St. Clair in the spring and said it was better than that. I have been fishing the mile roads for the last 8 years so I know what good smallie fishing is. Anyway I would like you guys opinion. Thanks

[Jasonrs]

Saginaw bay is awesome, but many days its unfishable from a bass rig. Maybe thats why its so good...my choice would be somewhere near indian river, lots of good lakes, and the great lakes are close by. Oh yea and set some money aside for a snowmobile in winter!

[brnzbaklvr]

Traverse city/ Boyne area is probably the best area but the real estate is high...The Alpena area has some great fishing..Long,Hubbard, Grand, Thunder Bay etc and the price of real estate is half and it isn't as busy as the west side..Taxes are cheaper also....... If you set yourself up right you can be less than an hour from Burt and Mullet, Fletchers, Black lake etc etc...If it was me I would buy some hunting acreage right in between Grand and Long and Burt and Mullet...That gives you alot of water to cover in a close distance..

[MITR185]

I have a place on Saginaw Bay in Caseville. Saginaw has phenomenal fishing in April, May and Early June, you can expect a 25lb bag almost everyday this time of year if you know what your doing. The weather is the limiting factor, you can't always get out. After the spring, the smallmouth fishing gets real specific, and it's easy to miss the fish. You can always largie fish, but they're just starting to recover from the low water and it's not as good as it was. Lots of 2-3's but not many big ones. Caseville is a great beach community, but it lacks an inland fishery for when the wind blows. I also wouldn't recommend spending the winter up there, not much going on. I would definitely rent for a few summers until I figured out exactly where I wanted to be.
-Matt

[opaleski]

I would pick Alpena!!

[thedude]

TC, Alpena, Indian River - you probably won't be fishing 9 months out of the year unless you like ice fishing and snowmobiling. Winter in the NW corner runs Nov-April.

Cadillac is good location also - affordable, rural, plenty of hunting land - only 45 minutes to Traverse area lakes and GTB bays as well as the smaller lake shore lakes. Also close to a lot of good LM fishing as well. Also not too far from grand rapids (hour or so) for bigger-city ammenities now and then.

[MI_ProStar21XL]

I'd position myself between Indian River and Traverse City. Tons of lakes and opportunities to fish. Everything from the big lakes to the small lakes. I know in this area there are always waterfront homes for sale. Burt, Mullett, Charlevoix, Torch, Elk, Skeg, Walloon, Grand Traverse Bay, Crooked, Pickerel are just a few places that offer good if not great bass fishing. As far as deer go, it's hit and miss unless you have an 'in' on some good managed private land or farm land to hunt. If not, good luck. Public land gets pounded and the deer are getting pressured from mid September through December. I'd save your money on a snowmobile too. Winters aren't what they used to be and too many people destroy the trails the first time 2 inches of snow falls.

[eriedude]

After reading this now I want to move up to northern Mi. Thanks guys!

[magnumb]

Let me know when you find something and keep the basement cleared out and get a spare set keys made.

[dricha21]

Haven't listed my house here in ky yet.couple minor repairs and some driveway work to be done. Probably a week or 2 before i list it. But once i get settled in up there, there will be an open invitation to go fishing. I am hoping to find a place in alpena so i can fish the bay and other inland lakes. I will know absolutely no one and know nothing about the water so the easiest way is to fish with people that have some experience up there. I will probably join a bass club to find some people to fish with. Anyone looking for a move to ky give me a yell.

[Ranger519VS]

Get your florocarbon ready. I use a 7# sunline sniper leader on 12# Nanofil main line on my spinning reels. Tubes, senkos, and dropshots are the main thing you will be fishng.

[bigmikeMN]

You won't be disappointed with the Alpena area. Just got back from a tourney on Long Lake. Lots of fish, not all big but enough water to keep you busy and learning. Hubbard, Grand, Thunder Bay, Fletchers, and just a short distance north is Black, Burt & Mullet. Plenty of water in a relatively quiet side of the state. Winters will be a bit of a shock, but you're only a day's drive to Tennessee or Alabama.

[CJ1]

Burt and mullet area. Cj
I have been up here for 40+ years and that is where I would start looking.