Public bowfishing spots in Michigan without a boat?

[insttech1]

It's been years since I've done it, and the kids got me all the goodies to bowfish for Christmas...

I want to get them involved a bit too, but it's been so long that I can't remember any of the places I bowfished 20+ years ago...

I know "somewhere" around Saginaw Bay and some thumb-area inlets should be good, but any more specific locations where I could get the kids on the banks with a few fish would be greatly appreciated, and when the fish might be starting to come in?

Thanks Much!!!
Marc

[mich-mtnman]

all along the sides of the roads in the cuts on harsons island.
 entering port huron ,at black river at the i-94 overpass across from boat launch...plenty of big carp, gar,bowfin.
pull in at lions community park and drive down to turnaround, then walk the banks..it also has old remnents of docks that you can stand and wait for carp to cruz by.
or get agressive...put on old sneakers and bluejeans and walk the cuts at lions park .....shallow,and lots of fish.
 as long as you are in the water it is legal to fish and bowfish/spear even when it has public property on both sides of water.
lexington harbor is cool too....just slowly make your way along the pier and shoot cruzing carp in the harbor.
hey man this is michigan...ya cant go three miles before hitting some body of water.
good luck.
jamie

[insttech1]

Thanks Jamie!!

I just fished Lexington a few weeks ago...bloody cold, and no fish, but a good day nonetheless...

So you can walk on the docks??  I thought it was an "understood" thing that if you're not renting a slip, you're not really welcome on them...
But if you can go on 'em, I'm all for it!!

Thanks SO MUCH for the tips!
Marc

[mich-mtnman]

what were u fishing for?
if u are looking for salmon you better go all the way to the inlet to the harbor and chuck deep diving ratl traps/rapalas.
 if you want browns and steelhd. come down to mouth of blk. river and st.clair river with the noodle rod. with big minnows, lt sinker....if u dont get salmon yull at least get some nice perch.

[whitebuffalo]

DUDE,Ive got a lot of spots for gar at night and carp and succers in the morning. contact me if you wanna go some time.Just a pair of old sneekers will do.I bowfish the park and the rangers come right up to me and ask,,How many have ya got,,with a grin . They want to see more bow fisherman on the flat river doing there part. Fish should be moveing right now. I like mornings the most cause it seems the fish are moving up and down the river feeding and I can sit and ambush like I'm deer hunting. In the middle of the day I stalk around and look for the subtle sign of a fin or a tail to close in on and make a shot..JB

[insttech1]

Wow thanks guys!
I'm gonna have to follow up on that lexington harbor and blk river tip!
I was with the kids, using minnows and bobbers, who would be extremely bored just sitting on the rocks, so we hung out on the inside where some guys had landed 2 steelies...in the entire day.  If it's just me, or me and another adult, I'll go out to the rocks...but the kids don't have quite that amount of patience just yet unless the fish are really hittin'...

Jason--
I might just do that!!  We're saving up for a 10-day trip to Georgia on an island off the coast, but I may be able to squeak a Saturday or Sunday in for something along the banks with the kids...

We're leaving on June 9th...how long does the carp and sucker run last??  And which park?  A state park?  I gotta get my annual sticker again..

Thanks Again Guys!!!!
Marc

[whitebuffalo]

This park is open to the public all the time and you don't need a sticker.
Its Fallsburg park near Lowell MI which is just off of I 96. They are in this river year around and you can find them once they are moving in the shallows, Good smallmouth fishing to go with the bowfishing. I just try and find some cover like big trees,over hangin brush,whatever I can find and typically you'll find them around that. I think last year I started in June just cause of time constraints in the spring.

[insttech1]

Jason,
Thanks for the info.
I'm gonna take a look on a map in the next day or two...
If I get a chance before I go on vacation, I'll give you a shout and maybe we can meet up!

Thanks Again!
Marc