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PETOSKEY
North Breakwater
Description
Also called the Federal breakwater, this structure is about 1,200 feet long with a lighthouse at the end. The first 100 feet is riprap with pipe railings on both sides of a cement walkway. The remainder is made of concrete with a raised center portion and narrow walkways to either side.
Access
A 3-foot-wide wooden deck, which is not barrier-free, leads from the parking lot at the end of Wachtel Ave. to the breakwater.
Amenities
The lot accommodates six vehicles. A short distance away is another parking lot with spaces for 24 vehicles. There are no restrooms.
Bear River Pier
Description
At the Bear River mouth in the middle of the harbor is a 350-foot-long boat-docking structure that doubles as an access pier for anglers on its west side.
Anglers also fish from Lake Street Bridge.
Access
There is a parking lot at the pier and barrier-free walkways on both sides of the river upstream to Lake Street Bridge.
Amenities
The lot accommodates 18 vehicles; shortly beyond, two more lots offer 20 and 56 spaces respectively. Barrier-free restrooms are located on the west bank behind the fire station.
East Side Pier
Description
An east-side outer harbor pier is 360 feet long. It serves boaters and anglers, who can fish the first 110 feet on both sides and the last 250 feet on the north side when no watercraft are present.
Access
Same as above
Amenities
More public restrooms are located at the ballfield, behind the 3-lane boat launch to the south of the pier.
What's Hot?
- Brown Trout
- Chinook Salmon
- Steelhead
- Whitefish
Anglers take steelhead from ice-out to Memorial Day and chinook salmon from Labor Day to mid October. They also catch brown trout and occasional whitefish in late fall.
Tactics
To catch trout in spring, fish wigglers or nickel-sized bags of fresh spawn in the Bear River current or off the outer breakwater and pier. Spincasting Blue Fox spinners and Loco spoons also produces. Blue and silver is a good color to try in spring; in fall, choose hot orange or orange and silver. Salmon hit the spoons along with Husky Rapalas and other large plugs. Bait anglers rely on single salmon eggs or spawn. For bait, tackle, and updated fishing information, contact The Old Sportsmans General Store, 2169 US-31 North (231-487-1093); or EZ Mart, 302 W. Mitchell St. (231-348-8183). The Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce is at 401 Mitchell St. (231-347-4150).
Stocking
The DNR annually releases an average of 9,000 steelhead in the Bear River at City Park; 8,000 brown trout at three upstream locations; and 74,000 lake trout in Little Traverse Bay at Harbor Springs. All trout are yearlings.
Additional Information
Area Accommodations
Camping is available at City-owned Magnus Park, 901 W. Lake Street (231-347-2500).
Map of Access Area & Driving Directions
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North Breakwater
From the intersection of US-31 and US-131, go north and east on US-31 (Mitchell St.). Turn north on Wachtel Ave, which ends at the breakwater.
A 3-foot-wide wooden deck, which is not barrier-free, leads from the parking lot at the end of Wachtel Ave. to the breakwater.
Bear River Pier
From Wachtel Ave. turn east onto Lake St. and go to Bayfront Dr.
There is a parking lot at the pier and barrier-free walkways on both sides of the river upstream to Lake Street Bridge.
East Side Pier
From Wachtel Ave. turn east onto Lake St. and go to Bayfront Dr.
Same as above
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