57 Fletcher Pond And
Floodwaters 
wildlife viewing |
directions and facility information
This 9,000-acre flooding was created by damming the
South Branch of the Thunder Bay River for hydro electric
power generation. Prior to its being flooded in the
1930s, this area was a large cedar swamp and historically
provided wintering habitat for over 5000 deer annually.
The shoreline is privately owned. Resort and cottage
development is most heavy on the northern shores,
the eastern and western shores are less developed.
Southern portions of the lakeshore are owned by several
large, private hunt clubs and are still largely in
their natural state. The lake, being a large flooding,
is shallow and has many dead snags and floating logs
created when it was flooded. There are extensive areas
of cattails in the shallow shoreline areas, especially
in the southern portions of the lake. The lake is
well-known for its fishing, both summer and winter.
A public boat access has been developed on the north
shore off Jack’s Landing Road. Numerous private resorts
along this portion of the lake provide boat rentals,
lodging and meals, camping, and other amenities.
 Wildlife
Viewing
Most wildlife viewing here is done by boat. Although
viewing opportunities are fairly good throughout the
lake, the better opportunities and best wildlife habitat
are found in the more wild and undeveloped southern
portions. This large, shallow flooding provides excellent
habitat for ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds.
Watch for herons and egrets silently stalking fish
and frogs in the shallows, and the many coves and
bays along the ragged shoreline. More than 25 osprey
nesting platforms have been installed on the flooding.
Many of these are used each year, creating one of,
if not the highest concentration of nesting ospreys
in Michigan. Do not approach nesting ospreys, but
sit in your boat and watch these amazing anglers snatch
fish from the open water for their young. Ospreys
often go into the water up to their wings, and sometimes
even plunge completely underwater to snag their next
meal. They have an unusual ability of lifting themselves
vertically out of the water by curving their wings
in front of them in an almost circular pattern, cupping
the air to get airborne.
Eagle nests are located on nearby hunt clubs to the
south, and eagles are often seen fishing the lake.
The flooding is also a good place to see eagles in
the winter months. Heavy ice fishing on the lake attracts
many eagles, which feed all winter on fish left for
them by anglers. Cormorant numbers have been increasing
on the lake in recent years. On a summer evening,
take a casual drive down Farrier Road, west of the
lake and take advantage of the opportunity to view
deer and flocks of wild turkeys in adjacent farm fields.
Bear are also quite common in the area and an important
bear travel corridor lies in the forest areas just
to the east of the flooding.
Portions of this area are open to public hunting.
Contact the michigan department of natural resources
for affected seasons and locations.
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>Watchable
Wildlife
