Hamlin Lake

Located 4 miles north of Ludington, Michigan.

At 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. It is a very popular lake, even in the winter, as ice shanties pop up and anglers fish for blue gill, crappie, perch, northern pike, muskie, and walleye.

The Michigan Ice Open, which was scheduled for February in 2012, was cancelled due to unseasonable warm weather and ice conditions. The tournament will be back in 2013. Participants agree that Hamlin Lake is one of the best lakes on the circuit in which to fish, and the weekend includes a seminar, social hour, and kid's ice camp.

The Hamlin Hookers Ice Fishing Tournament is on February 11 (tentative) from 7am-5pm, sponsored by Hamlin Grocery. Cost is $15 to enter, and there will be a 100% pay out with cash and prizes. Winners to be determined by a point system based on length...not weight.

The State of Michigan offers its residents and outstate visitors two Free Fishing Weekends per year, and February 11 & 12 are the dates set for the first one in 2012. The summer weekend is June 9 & 10. According to the Michigan Fisheries Department (517) 373-1280, the February date is always the weekend before President's Day. For both days, all fishing licenses will be waived, but fishing regulations still apply. Enjoy great fishing on inland lakes and all five Great Lakes.

Winter also means ice-skating and cross-country skiing on miles of groomed trails along Hamlin Lake and through Ludington State Park's frozen wilderness, truly making Hamlin a lake for all seasons.

For additional information regarding the entire Ludington area, check out VisitLudington.com.