Testing a new lake

It has been quiet on the MICDC lately!

I headed over on Friday to test out a new lake (well, a chain of lakes). Bruin lake has been discussed on this forum before but not alot of people seem to have fished it.

There are actually 7 different lakes (all connected by channels) that make up this chain. Bruin Lake has a State Park with a asphalt launch and a campground. It has depth to 45ft. We did not fish it as it is a very busy location for boaters on the weekend.

You go through a canal into Watson lake. There are giant drop offs throughout the lake (to 25ft). If you travel one way it will take you to Halfmoon Lake, and Blind lake. I didn't venture that way so I couldn't tell you the make up.

From Watson, you go through a canal into a no named lake, through another canal (with a tunnel under a road) that goes into Patterson lake. I didn't explore Patterson due to pleasure boaters but this lake too had a steep drop off. I went through the last Canal to Woodburn lake. It is supposed to be a no wake lake however, I did see a few people that cannot read well!

Again, this lake has steep drop offs. There are two creeks that feed this lake. I found a lilly pad edge on the west end. The lilly's sit in 8 feet of water then it drops off to 15ft. I pushed jigs with minnows in 13ft of water while casting 1/16thoz jigs tipped with 2 inch Big Bite shad into the pads. The fish were very hungry on Friday with the last 1/2 hour of daylight being the most productive. We went again on Saturday and we had a ton of bites however they were just not as aggressive. We did manage a Pike, a bullhead, and a nice bass to go along with our Crappies on Saturday.

This might be a great location to host a spring/early summer event.

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Abby finally decided that it was Ok to hold a fish by it's mouth. Uncle Brian had to help with the Bass

nice mess a fish there:ThumbsUp

Great report Rich! Sure do love to see Abby with those big smiles and big fish. :ThumbsUp I like the idea of Bruin for spring. We need to put that card on the table next month.

This chain was a lot of fun. Comming in and out of the cannals, it was amazing to see how quickly it dropped of. Not gradual at all. Almost like a cliff in some spots. It would go from 1.5 ft down to 25 feet in a matter of traveling a few feet over ground. I marked tons of fish on these dropp-offs and huge bait balls.

We fished Watson Lake on Friday around a small island. The fish were there, we were just too early. I have no doubt we could have caught them there the last 1/2 hour of daylight. I might head back next weekend (if the perch are not in at Grand Haven) and explore over at halfmoon lake.

Bruin is very close to a small town called Unidilla which has a party store. Traveling back towards Gregory, you have a very small mom and pop bait shop (Corser's Farms) which has minnows. I stop by and see Ernie and his wife at least once a week if I can. I believe it would be a great spring location based on the layout. I can see those canals being full of spawning crappies. Deep lakes don't warm up near as fast either.

That's only a half hour from my house. I have fished a few of the lakes around there but not those I might have to try them