Hamlin Lake Fishing Reports
General Hamlin Lake Fishing Information
Hamlin Lake is more than 12 miles long and 5,000 acres large. Hamlin Lake touches Manistee National Forest on the north, towering dunes in the west and miles of undeveloped wilderness all around. This man made lake originated during the logging hey-day when lumbermen dammed the Big Sable River to make an enormous holding pond for trees felled upstream.
Whether you traverse the bayous or head for deeper waters, Hamlin Lake offers a smorgasbord of fish. Tiger muskie, northern pike, large and small mouth bass, perch, crappie, blue gill and over 600,000 walleye, planted several years ago, promise a superb catch. The fishing doesn't cool down in winter either. Tip-ups and shanties dot the ice as fishermen pull in delicious panfish and walleye.
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Reports
Panfish Biting in Hamlin Lake
Panfish were biting in Hamlin Lake at mid-week and Bass were being caught in the Hamlin Lake Bayous and Lower Hamlin Lake.
Gills Around the Narrows
Fishing has been good on Hamlin Lake. Reports of good size gills around the narrows. Bass are hitting on crawlers and spinners almost everywhere. A few Walleye reported on harnesses in 15 feet of water outside North Bayou and south of the Ludington State Park.
Hamlin Lake Fishing
The lake level is at summer level now. The fisherman are out and about. We have had a pretty cold windy spring, but signs of summer are starting to show. The surface water temp is still in the upper 50's and lower 60's. So dress warm if you are going out in a boat.
Reports are scattered.
Bluegill:
Some anglers have done very well Bluegill fishing in all three of the Lower Hamlin Lake Bayous. Others say they can't find them. I think it is timing more than anything else.
Reports are good from shallow water fishermen from Upper Hamlin. Nice catches of gills.
Pike.
Reports are that the pike have been crazy recently. One angler reported that they were killing them on Bombers.
Another person told me they were doing well on Mepps with pink or red twister tails.
Walleye:
I have seen and heard of several nice catches of walleye. I am getting more positive reports this year then I have for many years.
Some anglers are catching them just off the drop during daylight hours. Some are catching them in shallow water very late at night.
Crappie:
Reports from Crappie fisherman are better now. Most anglers are using minnows on some sort of small jig, but a few are hook and bobber fishing.
Bass:
Bass are now legal and many fisherman are doing very well for largemouth by fishing the shallows. I have not heard of many smallies being caught yet.
Good Luck Fishing!
Bluegill Fishing Good
Bluegill fishing has been good, especially by the North Bayou on Lower Hamlin Lake and Wilson Hill Park on Upper Hamlin. Bass are being caught by Indian Pete Bayou on Upper Hamlin. Crappie fishing has slowed down with the wind we've had. Bait sales have been mostly worms, crawlers and wax worms.
