I was looking forward to fishing on Silver Lake with a lot of excitement. On each of my previous trips there, my companion and I explored the sand dunes that surrounded Lake Michigan. My interest in walleye fishing was piqued after reading a number of articles that touted Silver Lake as one of the top lakes in Michigan for catching walleye. There was a threat of precipitation in the atmosphere, and the overcast sky seemed to be hanging like dusty cobwebs in a haunted home. Even the possibility of getting wet was not enough to dampen my excitement. I went ahead and put my boat into the water.
The location of Silver Lake may be found in Oceana County, about thirty minutes to the north of Muskegon and ten minutes to the west of US 31. From either Grand Rapids or Lansing, the trip is quick and straightforward. The sand dunes in this region have helped to make it a popular place for people to visit during the summer months. The little hamlet on the lake, which is often bustling with visitors at this time of year, was calm and serene at the beginning of May.
During the launch, I came face to face with an old buddy named Benonia Bob. Bob was a native of the area and someone I had known for a good number of years prior to then. During the course of our conversation, Bob said that he had spent a lot of time fishing in that lake. He added that although the overall amount of fish has been healthy as of late, the majority of the fish were not suitable for keeping. He instructed me on how to fish more effectively in the lake.
I eased my boat away from the pier and made the decision that I would give trolling a go. I could cover a lot of water and increase my chances of finding fish if I used trolling as my fishing technique. I went with a blue Bomber for the second line and a spinner that was brass colored for the first line. I weighted the brass spinner with a dropper lead of a quarter ounce and attached a “neon” crawler to the bottom of it.
I started trolling in water that was 10 to 12 feet deep and did so for approximately twenty minutes before turning north along the eastern beach. The water began to become deeper. I had just started pushing my baits out into water that was 16 feet deep when I received my first strike. I could tell it was a tasty fish, but it wasn’t the kind of fish I was looking for. After a brief battle, I was able to pick up a Northern Pike that was 25 inches long and had been killed by my bomber. Only one of the lure’s nine hooks held on to the pike’s mouth after it was caught. After removing the hook, I carefully placed the brightly colored fish back in its habitat.
While simultaneously letting go of the pike with the other hand and balancing my camera in the other, I saw a hit on my other pole. Almost instantly, I put down my camera and reached for the trembling pole. After setting the hook on the spinner, I immediately became engaged in a battle with a beautiful walleye measuring 16 inches. After we were aboard the boat, I took some measurements of the fish and then put him in the live well.
Skies started to darken darker. Even though I was aware that I still had about an hour until it became dark, the clouds in the sky started making it seem darker. After the rods were readjusted, fishing operations were resumed. Wham! The bomber took a significant hit from a fish. It started to slide over the surface as it was being brought closer to the surface. A rock bass around the same size as the lure. This fish, on the other hand, was hooked in a quite different way than the pike. It was equipped with four hooks in total. There were three in total: two in the mouth, one in the side, and one in the tail.
After just a few minutes, the clouds began to open up. I turned around and proceeded back towards the boat launch. I ran into Bob once again when the rain began to let up. Bob’s catch included a few juvenile walleyes of varying sizes. It had been a lengthy conversation about fishing, but it was finally time to set up camp.
A rundown of the trip’s events. Approximately an hour and a half were spent fishing by me. I was successful in reeling in a rock bass, a legal pike, and a legal walleye. I decided to launch from Silver Lake State Park, where I also stayed. After Memorial Day, this region becomes highly popular among those who want to camp, ride ORVs and boats, water ski, and use jet skis. In the evening, I went fishing. It seems like the most beautiful time of year on Silver Lake. Nighttime fishing throughout the warmer months often yields good results. In the event that you decide to attend, I would advise you to make reservations in advance for any of the available hotels, resorts, or campsites if you want to stay there for more than one night.