Misc. Great Lake Destinations
- Thread starter Ken34
- Start date
Play Dough
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- RO Number
- 29135
- Messages
- 146
A few of the places we've been the past several years.
Home port Harborview Marina. Ludington, MI.
Ludington Harbor & SS Badger
Morning Trollers
Betsie Lake. Frankfort, MI.
Lake Michigan. Frankfort, MI
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Grays Reef
White Shoal
Straits State Harbor. Mackinaw City, MI
Straits of Mackinac
Mackinac Island, MI
Grand Traverse Bay
Suttons Bay, MI
Door County Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay Channel
Egg Harbor, WI
Fish Creek, WI
Eagle Harbor, WI
Cave Point
Palmer Johnson Yacht Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI
North Channel. Lake Huron.
Harbor Island. NW of Drummond Island.
Blind River, Ont.
Whalesback Channel
Baie Fine
The Pool. Baie Fine.
...and so many others.
Home port Harborview Marina. Ludington, MI.
Ludington Harbor & SS Badger
Morning Trollers
Betsie Lake. Frankfort, MI.
Lake Michigan. Frankfort, MI
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Grays Reef
White Shoal
Straits State Harbor. Mackinaw City, MI
Straits of Mackinac
Mackinac Island, MI
Grand Traverse Bay
Suttons Bay, MI
Door County Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay Channel
Egg Harbor, WI
Fish Creek, WI
Eagle Harbor, WI
Cave Point
Palmer Johnson Yacht Builders, Sturgeon Bay, WI
North Channel. Lake Huron.
Harbor Island. NW of Drummond Island.
Blind River, Ont.
Whalesback Channel
Baie Fine
The Pool. Baie Fine.
...and so many others.
Play Dough
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- RO Number
- 29135
- Messages
- 146
We enjoy the Ludington area. The slip in the center of your picture with the Tiara is the slip we now occupy. We have a bucket list cruise itinerary that would take us from Ludington across the lake up the Wisconsin coast to the Straits of Mackinac and into Lake Huron and the North Channel. Then down through Georgian Bay, into the Trent/Severn to Lake Ontario. From there into the Erie Canal back to Lake Erie and continue on through Lake Huron back to Lake Michigan. If we made a bit of a detour (at Detour, MI) and went to the Soo, we could enter Lake Superior and touch all 5 Great Lakes. A fresh water version of the great loop. Don't know if we'll actually attempt the trip, but it's a strong desire when I retire in a few years.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2002
- RO Number
- 10885
- Messages
- 228
Ken
How about info on the North, Middle & South channel. We have been to The Old Club on the south channel and now looking for other places. What other marinas on the above listed channels offer dockage, food and a base to operate from? We will have our dingys with us. Will have 2 to 3 days available to us. We estimate our trip length to be about 12 to 14 days. Cove Marina, by the Thames River. Get on the train and go to Toronto for 3 days. The rest of the time we would like to fill cruising around the area.
Mainly the north side of Lake St. Clair and maybe as far north as Sarnia.
Ron
How about info on the North, Middle & South channel. We have been to The Old Club on the south channel and now looking for other places. What other marinas on the above listed channels offer dockage, food and a base to operate from? We will have our dingys with us. Will have 2 to 3 days available to us. We estimate our trip length to be about 12 to 14 days. Cove Marina, by the Thames River. Get on the train and go to Toronto for 3 days. The rest of the time we would like to fill cruising around the area.
Mainly the north side of Lake St. Clair and maybe as far north as Sarnia.
Ron
-Sarnia Bay has a nice facility, just avoid Bayfest week if you are not into party all night crowds.
-St. Clair has a great harbor and town.
-Algonac harbor Club is nice.
As for the flats, most all locations are boat clubs. If you are a member of another club and make proper reservations you may have many options with Excellent locations.
North Channel Clubs:
North Channel Yacht Club
Bouvier Bay Yacht Club
Middle Channel:
Clinton River Boat Club (Very cool centralized location)
South Channel:
Idle Hour Yacht Club
Old Club
South Channel Yacht Club
Sni (Chanel About Round):
Conger Bay Boat Club
New Baltimore Highway:
Poormans yacht Club
On Lake St. Clair:
Mac Ray
Belle Maer
Metro
Jefferson Beach
If you have any specific questions, let me know.
PS Cove Marina was always a great place to visit!
-St. Clair has a great harbor and town.
-Algonac harbor Club is nice.
As for the flats, most all locations are boat clubs. If you are a member of another club and make proper reservations you may have many options with Excellent locations.
North Channel Clubs:
North Channel Yacht Club
Bouvier Bay Yacht Club
Middle Channel:
Clinton River Boat Club (Very cool centralized location)
South Channel:
Idle Hour Yacht Club
Old Club
South Channel Yacht Club
Sni (Chanel About Round):
Conger Bay Boat Club
New Baltimore Highway:
Poormans yacht Club
On Lake St. Clair:
Mac Ray
Belle Maer
Metro
Jefferson Beach
If you have any specific questions, let me know.
PS Cove Marina was always a great place to visit!
Play Dough
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- RO Number
- 29135
- Messages
- 146
The Badger does occasionally create a bit of a maintenance chore. It's something that you have to keep on top of. During the summer, the ship is in port only a couple hours a day and runs 2 crossings a day on a 24 hour schedule. It's in May and September that given the right wind conditions, that thing will spew soot on a boat while it sits in port all night long. The EPA is requiring the Badger to cease dumping its ash into Lake Michigan as of the end of 2012. It currently dumps 3.8 million tons of ash into the lake EVERY DAY (over 500 million tons annually). The ash contains a potporri of hazardous elements. Lake Michigan Carferry (LMC) is fighting that requirement and has gotten the local representatives to get the ship designated a National Heritage Vessel which would remain exempt from the EPA regulations due to an amendment written into the Coast Guard Authorization Bill. Edison developed a plan to convert the Badger's boilers to CNG fuel. LMC nixed that plan because of cost and favors the designation that allows them to operate without change (and added cost). The bills are currently going through the legislature so we'll see how it all turns out. There is some opposition particularly from Illinois' Senator Durbin.
This is how bad it can be...but usually isn't:
This is how bad it can be...but usually isn't:
Wow thanks for sharing. This is a nice view into a part of the country I only visited when I was too young to truly enjoy it.
Interesting to see so many shallow spots up there. I am not sure why I always assumed everywhere up there was deep water.
Interesting to see so many shallow spots up there. I am not sure why I always assumed everywhere up there was deep water.
PD-
We fished the Charter Lie A lot. He was a pretty nice guy. Unfortunately we only hit 3 fish. Any recomendations for charters for next season?
We are hoping to be back up for another trip. We plan to bring the little boat for playing around, but also charter.
More Ludington Pics.
We fished the Charter Lie A lot. He was a pretty nice guy. Unfortunately we only hit 3 fish. Any recomendations for charters for next season?
We are hoping to be back up for another trip. We plan to bring the little boat for playing around, but also charter.
More Ludington Pics.
Play Dough
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- RO Number
- 29135
- Messages
- 146
Ken,
That kind of puts me on the spot. Don't know when you were there, but there was a period in July after a major alewife die-off throughout the lake that "catching" became very difficult. If the amount of fish caught is the issue with the Lie-A-Lot charter, that may not be a fair evaluation. Not knowing your requirements, I will name a few charters that I either know or believe to be decent operations. Because I fish myself, I don't use any of them so I may not be the best source. Go to the Ludington Charterboat Assn. website to get much more info.
Gary Smith - Rodmaster Charters. I personally know him and he's a good fisherman and a great guy.
Dreamweaver Charters. Local guys that have a history of success.
Glen Buehner - Ludington Charter Service "Raptor" Writes the local fishing report on the Captain Chucks website.
Pat Thiel - Camel Charters
Doug Stryznski - Polecat. Ususally the first boat in the water in the spring and the last one out in the fall. Is on the lake A LOT.
Those are some suggestions. Search the websites. There are many good captains in Ludington.
That kind of puts me on the spot. Don't know when you were there, but there was a period in July after a major alewife die-off throughout the lake that "catching" became very difficult. If the amount of fish caught is the issue with the Lie-A-Lot charter, that may not be a fair evaluation. Not knowing your requirements, I will name a few charters that I either know or believe to be decent operations. Because I fish myself, I don't use any of them so I may not be the best source. Go to the Ludington Charterboat Assn. website to get much more info.
Gary Smith - Rodmaster Charters. I personally know him and he's a good fisherman and a great guy.
Dreamweaver Charters. Local guys that have a history of success.
Glen Buehner - Ludington Charter Service "Raptor" Writes the local fishing report on the Captain Chucks website.
Pat Thiel - Camel Charters
Doug Stryznski - Polecat. Ususally the first boat in the water in the spring and the last one out in the fall. Is on the lake A LOT.
Those are some suggestions. Search the websites. There are many good captains in Ludington.
PD-
Sorry as I was not trying to put you on the spot! This was my first charter. I am a walleye guy on this side of the mitten and a Steelhead guy on the AuSable, so this lake fishing is a new experience. I was not unhappy with the gentleman, I am just interested in others.
It was the end of July when we were up.
I wish we were closer, I would set the little boat up to run over there and fish more, but I am just entiely to busy with boating over here to invest that much effort into it. It was fun though!
Sorry as I was not trying to put you on the spot! This was my first charter. I am a walleye guy on this side of the mitten and a Steelhead guy on the AuSable, so this lake fishing is a new experience. I was not unhappy with the gentleman, I am just interested in others.
It was the end of July when we were up.
I wish we were closer, I would set the little boat up to run over there and fish more, but I am just entiely to busy with boating over here to invest that much effort into it. It was fun though!
Play Dough
Member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2007
- RO Number
- 29135
- Messages
- 146
Ken,
From my experience, July is some of the toughest fishing. Many boats were traveling 20 miles offshore for fish in July this year. Early season in late May and June is always good and the past few years, late season in September and October has been unbelievable for steelhead and immature salmon (8-12 lb. fish). Beginning about the second week of August through Labor Day is the time to get the returning mature Chinook salmon.
Jim
From my experience, July is some of the toughest fishing. Many boats were traveling 20 miles offshore for fish in July this year. Early season in late May and June is always good and the past few years, late season in September and October has been unbelievable for steelhead and immature salmon (8-12 lb. fish). Beginning about the second week of August through Labor Day is the time to get the returning mature Chinook salmon.
Jim
