Headed to Port Austin Area - Need Updates

[stevesykora]

Hi All

Headed to Port Austin for 10 days and plan on fishing Big Lake for Lake Trout, any Silver, and the stray Walleye.

Need help on updates on two things:

- Is the DNR Launch in Grindstone City usable? The last report I received was that water levels too low and no access from Marina area to the lake.

- Any fishing reports out of Port Austin ? Hard to find any.

I am excited to work this area hard again. I had great success last year and was surprised to see hardly any other boats in area when I was fishing. I limited out every trip an am very anxious to get after the larger fish, since fishing Houghton Lake mostly this summer (aside from the annual GH Off Shore Classic).

Any help would be appreciated...

[det07]

You didn't say how big your boat is.. I went and looked at grindstone a few weeks ago and wouldn't recommend going out there. The locals have marked the channel with some white jugs but it isn't marked very good and towards the end of the channel there are some very large rocks on either side. You might be able to pull it off on a dead calm day but any wind would likely push you out of the channel IMO.. I would play it safe and use Port Austin. We stayed in Port Austin and they really fixed the place up. The marina staff was very helpful and was always busy cleaning, painting etc.

Fathers day weekend we picked up one walleye in 30fow on a clown deep diving husky jerk. A few kings out in 80 fow and lakers on the bottom in 100-130 fow. We also picked up a bonus walleye over 80 fow on a 150 copper. I might try to get up there on Saturday give the walleye a try.. If the water isn't warm enough at Port Austin you might have to run West towards Sand Point until you start marking fish. Sounds like the bay is loaded right now.

[stevesykora]

Great.. thanks for the great report. I have a 18 foot Lund... can navigate pretty shallow water, however, do not like to "test" it, especially with rocks like Grindstone has...