Harbor Beach Boat Launch

96 trailer spots sounds great on paper, but the lot is a good distance from the ramp. If you forget your plug or leave your tackle in the truck, you're in for a real walk. Load up the boat before you park the trailer.

The channel into the harbor can be shallower than you'd expect. Boats drawing 4 feet or more have hit bottom even following the harbormaster's directions. If you're running anything with real draft, come in slow and cautious — don't assume the charted depths are current.

Six lanes and a well-maintained ramp mean you're almost never waiting to launch, even on summer weekends. This is a huge advantage over smaller Thumb-area launches where two boats can create a traffic jam.

September through November this place comes alive with coho salmon running. The pier fishing is legit — long walk out, but the bite can be outstanding at dawn. Weekday mornings you might have the whole breakwall to yourself.

The breakwall walk is over a mile long with views of the Harbor Beach lighthouse, and there's a free fish cleaning station that's kept spotless. Restrooms and showers are shared with the marina but they're clean. The $8 launch fee is fair for what you get — this is a proper facility, not a gravel slide into the lake.