Houghton Lake has an annual ice fishing festival called Tip Up Town. Tip Up Town is actually a town on the lake made up of ice shanties and vendors. The tip up refers to the indicator above the ice that tips down when a fish is on; hence, Tip Up Town because the lake is full of them.
Tip Up Town usually occurs the last two weekends in January, ice permitting. People drive from all over the state to park their shanty on the ice, hang out with visitors and locals and talk about catching the fish. Besides fishing, there are the usual festival events such as a craft show, vendors displaying fishing and outdoor equipment, community fundraising events and a beauty pageant.
Houghton Lake has hundreds of cabins for rent on and near the shore. Check with the Chamber of Commerce to get names of renters and phone numbers to call for availability. Cabins rent out for the week at a winter rate of between $350 to $800, depending on the size and location of the cabin.
Burt Lake is an inland lake in northern Michigan with a large supply of walleye and pike. Pike are prime fish to catch during the winter, as they remain fairly active catching other smaller, inactive fish in shallow grounds. There are also schools of perch in the deeper waters of the lake, which run close to 50 feet in depth.
Burt Lake has a large rental system, with cabins, houses and hotels. Rates are significantly lower during the winter season as compared to the summer season, with rates being between $400 and $1,000 per week for a one to three bedroom rental.
The Saginaw Bay starts in central Michigan but goes up to the northern area of the state. The Saginaw Bay is accessed along Michigan from the tip of the thumb all the way up to AuGres, where it becomes Lake Huron. The area is very popular for fishing because it is enclosed on three sides and ripe with schools of perch.
Fisherman can walk out on to the Bay, use snowmobiles or ATVS or even drive their vehicles out if the ice is thick enough. During ideal winters with cold temperatures, the ice will get three to four feet thick in places. However, you must use caution if out on a sunny day, the ice could crack and a piece could break off, no matter how thick it is. Winds have carried people on ice floats well out in to the lake where only the coast guard could rescue them.
Several communities that sit on the bay, including Caseville, Kawkawlin, Bay City and Linwood all have various cabin units available for rent. The cabins range from one room, compact units to three and four bedroom homes left empty by people wintering in warmer states. Rates run from $400 to $1,000 per week, depending on the size.
