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Hackert Lake Association Homepage
Where ARE all those fish?
I'm not a fisher(wo)man. Something about squiggly worms... okay, so I did my bit when the kids were small. They had to put
the minnows on the hook, but I learned to get the hook out of the fish's mouth & throw it in the pail of water while their
daddy rested up after pulling an all-nighter at Dow during the "war of '74". I admire the patience of a fisherman
and will be first in line for a freshly fried batch of perch... and I love to see folks fishing on the lake.
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A while back Rod & Kay Danielson from Rod's Reef talked to our membership about their diving experiences in
Hackert Lake.
Among other things, Rod showed us a drawing of the lake and pointed out where they see different varieties of fish while
diving. I frantically scribbled a rough drawing pointing out the fish, amongst my notes for the minutes, and shared them with
my grandkids, so I was delighted when John Ochs mailed me an article from "Fishing and Hunting News" about the very same subject.
They tell us that the best fishing should be at around 15-20 feet, along the dropoff. In the adjoining photo, areas
marked 1, 3, 4, and 5 show where the depth is about 15 feet. This depth tends to be about 15-30 feet from the shoreline. Area
2 encircles the dropoff at about 35-40 feet deep.
What kind of fish are keeping that fabled giant northern pike company?
Well for one thing, lots of pike, especially in the deeper water. Even though pike like to eat them too, we have a pretty
good supply of bluegills and crappies. In the summer they're hiding out in the deeper weeds. Walleyes were last planted in
Hackert Lake in 1999, and they say we've got largemouth bass especially in the weeds & around sunken timber. (Does that
include the little sunken boat in front of our wooded lot? My grandson tells me he's seen freshwater crayfish hanging out
there.) The divers have seen perch and if you want to try for those big old tiger muskies, "Fishing and Hunting News" recommends
checking out the deeper water along the northern basin.
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Fishing where the numbers are should get you some of the big ones!!
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Area 1 has the best of everything - heavy weeds, dropoffs & deep water - the place to look for those muskies. In late
summer and early fall the walleyes should be hanging out in the BIG dropoff (at 52 feet more or less).
Area 2 is
also a good place for walleyes.
Area 3 - well, the magazine says it's a good place to look for gators. I guess that
explains why I see the kids casting their lines towards shore. Anyway, a little further toward the center of Area 3, you should
be able to find some pike hanging out in the weeds, facing toward the deeper water.
Areas 4 and 5 have lots of weedbeds
and according to the experts, it's the best place for bass and panfish to hide out.
Well, that's about it, folks.
Happy fishing! .... and don't be afraid to say hi as you troll by.
Thanks to Rod & Kay Danielson from Rod's Reef in Ludington for finding those fish for us
& telling us all about it at the June 2000 HLA meeting.
Thanks to Mike Zielinski in "Fishing and Hunting News" September 7-21, 2000, which confirmed
the Danielsons' fish story.
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