Fair Haven Boat Launch

The water at the ramp can get surprisingly shallow, especially later in summer when Lake St. Clair levels drop. If you're running a deeper-draft boat, pay attention to your trim coming off the ramp — you don't want to drag your skeg through the muck in Oyster Bay.

Three lanes for a launch this popular is just not enough. Weekends can turn into a standoff between boats launching and boats retrieving, and nobody moves for 20-30 minutes at a time. Staff sometimes directs traffic, but if they're not there, it's chaos. Get there before 7am on Saturdays or plan on waiting.

52 trailer spots sounds decent until you see the lot — it's a bit rough with potholes, and it fills up quick on any nice weekend. Once it's full, you're out of luck. Thursday evenings and weekday mornings are a completely different experience — practically empty.

There is zero lighting at this launch. If you're coming off the lake after sunset, you're backing into pitch black. Bring a good spotlight and have someone on the dock guiding you in — the ramp is steep enough that you don't want to misjudge your approach in the dark.

The big advantage here is quick access to Lake St. Clair through Oyster Bay. You're on open water fast, and there's a bait shop within walking distance of the lot. For a no-fuss weekday trip chasing walleye or smallmouth, it's hard to beat this spot on the south end of St. Clair County.