Torch Lake <Michigan>

[Buckeye Fan]

Where is a good place to stay? Would prefer a house with a dock for 2-3 boats? Or a close by slip? Pet friendly.

 

[Plpbecks]

Following. Planning a trip next year ourselves.

 

[jcyamahariders wife]

Look on VRBO and Homeaway and check the box for pet friendly places. I found alot of options one time when I looked. Nothing with docks but plenty of houses next to the water and public ramps. I wanted to do a 2 week trip there next summer but we decided to put our 5th wheel at Table Rock Lake all summer instead. Definitely looks awesome and Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan looked appealing also since its right next to Torch.

 

[Babin Farms]

I would stay on Clam lake or Torch River otherwise you will have to use a mooring buoy. We made the mistake of docking our pontoon while staying on Torch and payed for it, winds picked up overnight and fenders popped up on dock letting the boat rub the dock overnight. Torch gets pretty rough when the winds pick up and Clam stays nice & calm. Check facebook or craigslist for rentals.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Can you access Torch from Clam on the boat?

 

[Babin Farms]

Yes, there is a chain of lakes that all connect through rivers. Clam river is about 500ft long going to Torch lake. Torch river connects Torch lake to Skegemon lake to Elk Lake to Traverse Bay/Lake Michigan. There is a strict "no wake" on all of the rivers that connect the lakes. Do a map search and check out all of the lakes you can access.

 

[GTBRMC]

Yes, there is a chain of lakes that all connect through rivers. Clam river is about 500ft long going to Torch lake. Torch river connects Torch lake to Skegemon lake to Elk Lake to Traverse Bay/Lake Michigan. There is a strict "no wake" on all of the rivers that connect the lakes. Do a map search and check out all of the lakes you can access.

This is true, but, there is a dam between Elk Lake and the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay/Lake Michigan at the village of Elk Rapids. You will need to trailer from one side to the other. The marina on the Lake Michigan side has a very good ramp, I do not know anything about the ramp(s) on the Elk Lake side. All of those lakes are unique and have their own charm, well worth a trip.

Grand Traverse Bay is my home water, it is an exceptional boating area, but make sure you watching the forecasts If you go. Strong winds out of the NW or N can make for treacherous conditions on the Bay with large, short period waves building quickly a potential hazard, particularly if sustained winds swing from the prevailing Westerlies to the North.

 

[Babin Farms]

Haven't been that far up Elk yet. Knowing that, maybe next year we might venture up that far now that we have a boat that gets around a bit quicker.

 

[nesnah2]

Can you access Torch from Clam on the boat?

Yes you can. Here are some good resources. We stayed up there at the end of August. Rented a house in Bellaire on the Intermediate River. It was awesome! You gotta check out the Grass River too.
Chain of Lakes
Chain O' Lakes Lake Map Antrim County Michigan Fishing Michigan Interactive™

This is on the Grass River. The picture does zero justice.

 

[Babin Farms]

We are making arrangements to go back to Clam Lake next summer. Looking at the end of July or early August. I've never been up The Grass river but by the pic I think I'm going to venture that way and check it out. Is the Grass River very busy like Torch River? We've hung out on the Torch River quite a bit but it gets so busy with traffic and some that have no business running a boat that I've seen way too many close calls. The wife even mentioned heading north on Torch to check out the other end of the lake.

 

[nesnah2]

It wasn't terribly busy when we were up there, but it was the end of August. I don't know what it's like at the end of July when it's busier up there in general, but it would be worth it to check out. It averages about 4' deep, and is crystal clear with a sand bottom. It's about 2.5 miles long and all no wake...
P-town huh? I grew up just north of you in Dixon. Do you guys get a house right on Clam Lake? I really liked being right in Bellaire, but it made the boat ride to Torch about an hour. We were 2 blocks from Short's Brewery so maybe it's not all that bad. lol

 

[Babin Farms]

Yep, grew up in Sterling and ended up moving to P-town, love the small town. Wish I could move to Michigan but the wife doesn't like cold and keeps hinting at moving south.
The house we stay at is about half way down the lake, on the North side of Clam Lake Road but we have lake access and a dock that comes with the house. We headed down to the end of Clam before and seen boats going into the Grass river but decided to just stay on the lake. We are going to try some different places to swim due to the fact that some in our group last time up there got swimmers itch. Mainly the sandbar and the Torch River is where we narrowed it down to. It will be nice going from the pontoon at 21mph to the AR230 for getting to different spots and not taking all day to get there. Are you planning another trip up there next season?

 

[nesnah2]

Nice. I spent a lot of time in Sterling at the mall growing up. It's not any colder here in the SW corner than IL, but we a get hammered with lake effect snow. The Carolinas are sounding better though. Especially now that we have a boat!
We are looking at going back next year. We haven't committed yet though. We need to decide before all of the houses are snatched up.

 

[Babin Farms]

It's official, we're headed back to the Clam Lake house next summer. Wife just told me to pencil in August 1-8. We'll definitely be heading up the Grass River during our time up there along with going to the northern end of Torch and maybe going to Elk Rapids as well.

 

[penziol]

Do you have a link to the house?

 

[Babin Farms]

I let the wife take care of all of that but I'll see what I can come up with. U interested?? I would check VRBO, I believe that's where we have found the palaces we've stayed on Torch and Clam lakes.

 

[nesnah2]

It's official, we're headed back to the Clam Lake house next summer. Wife just told me to pencil in August 1-8. We'll definitely be heading up the Grass River during our time up there along with going to the northern end of Torch and maybe going to Elk Rapids as well.

Sweet! When you do go up, you have to make sure you stay in the channel when you are exiting the Torch River into Lake Skegamog. LOTS of tree stumps to jack your boat up with.
Lake Skegemog Map Antrim County Michigan Fishing Michigan Interactive™

 

[Babin Farms]

Been that way before and yeah, I remember the maze to get through there. Stuff everywhere. Liked it over on those 2 lakes, not as busy.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Yes you can. Here are some good resources. We stayed up there at the end of August. Rented a house in Bellaire on the Intermediate River. It was awesome! You gotta check out the Grass River too.
Chain of Lakes
Chain O' Lakes Lake Map Antrim County Michigan Fishing Michigan Interactive™

This is on the Grass River. The picture does zero justice.
View attachment 107877

Did you take your boat out everyday or dock it?

 

[nesnah2]

Did you take your boat out everyday or dock it?

The place we rented had a dock on the Intermediate River, so I kept it in the water.