Torch Lake gets all the glory in Michigan — longest, deepest, bluest. But two hours from Traverse City, in Roscommon County, there's a quieter option that trades crowds for calm: Lake Saint Helen, a 2,400-acre glacial lake with 18 miles of shoreline and a reputation as one of the state's most underrated spots for fishing and boating.
The lake has an unusual layout. Rather than one basin, it's three connected pools — known locally as First, Second, and Third Lakes — and for the most part it stays shallow, under 10 feet, with Third Lake maxing out around 25 feet. That shallowness shapes how people use it: pontoons dominate the water, but it's a designated all-sports lake, so jet skiing, waterskiing and tubing are all fair game. About 13 miles of shore remain lined with unbroken greenery, which is why one visitor described it as "picturesque and numbingly beautiful."
For boaters, access is straightforward. There are three public ramps — two on First Lake (one near Saint Helen Cove Park, a paved three-lane launch with 79 trailer spots and two piers) and one at Artesia Beach Campground and Marina on Third Lake. The St. Helen Marina is the practical hub: seasonal slips, winter storage, pontoon rentals, and the only fuel station on the water. Weekday mornings are the sweet spot if you want quiet water; summer weekends and holidays get busier.
The fishing is the real headline. Fourteen species are recorded here, with sand beds and underwater vegetation providing genuinely good habitat. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are the main draw — lighter spinning setups for the small ones, medium-heavy casting rods with spinnerbaits, plastic worms or jigs for the lunkers. Northern pike hide in the grassy shallows; use inline spinners or live minnows with a steel leader or they'll snap your line. Sunfish, bluegill, crappie, walleye, yellow perch, brown trout and bullhead round out the list. Winter doesn't close things down either — ice fishing is allowed, with solid action for pike and panfish.
Getting there is easy from Michigan's main hubs: under two hours from Traverse City, about two hours and 15 minutes from Lansing, and two and a half from Grand Rapids. If you want to build a bigger lake-country trip around it, Spider Lake near Traverse City adds scenic islands and top-rated fishing just 30 minutes further.
Lake Saint Helen suits anyone who wants the classic Michigan lake holiday — casting at dawn, pontoon afternoons, paddling before dinner — without the boat traffic and price tags of the big-name destinations. Bring your own rods and tackle, or rent a pontoon at the marina and keep it simple.
