Michigan has so many great fishing destinations that it's a challenge to pick just one place to go. Following is a calendar's worth of great fishing venues to help you organize your angling schedule this year.

The Grand River, Lake Cadillac and Baraga County's Pickett Backwater offer first-rate opportunities for bronzebacks. Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

JANUARY
Hamlin Lake Bluegills
Safe ice can usually be found on Mason County's upper Hamlin Lake by Christmas. Fishing is hot for slab bluegills on first ice. Twenty-five-fish limits of 'gills that average 7 to 9 inches are common, and Master Angler bluegills are caught every winter. Anglers using 2- to 4-pound-test line catch limits right alongside experts, but as winter deepens, anglers who use thin monofilament and downsized baits continue catching fish.

A hotspot is off Wilson Park on the upper lake. Target the 6- to 8-foot depths where you find weeds. For live bait, tackle and fishing reports, contact Pere Marquette Sports Center at (231) 843-8676.

Independence Lake Pike
Marquette County's Lake Indepen-dence is a premier trophy pike lake. Hotspots are off the mouth of the Yellow Dog River on the lake's east end and in Alder Creek Bay. Portage Lake Pike

Another U.P. lake that gives up trophy northerns is 9,640-acre Portage Lake, which gives pike plenty of room to grow and no shortage of forage. Try Oscar Bay and Pike Bay on first ice.

FEBRUARY
Saginaw Bay Walleyes
Saginaw Bay's walleye population has exploded in recent years due to several strong, naturally reproduced year-classes. It's usually mid-January before the ice is safe enough for anglers to get on it. Initially, 'eyes can be caught in the 6- to 12-foot depths only a mile or two offshore. As winter deepens, the fish move deeper to reefs off Linwood and Pinconning and the area known as "The Black Hole." Anglers jig with Swedish Pimples, Do Jiggers or Rattlin' Buckshot spoons. For more info, visit Franks' Great Outdoors at www.franksgreatoutdoors.com.

Crystal Lake Trout
Benzie County's Crystal Lake has a hodge-podge of trout species that are available to ice-anglers once the lake freezes over in February. Initially, anglers have good luck in the relatively shallow water off Beulah. Anglers target 5 to 40 feet of water for a mix of rainbows, browns and perch. Spawn or minnows work well for the trout, and the perch are partial to wigglers.

Lake Mitchell Crappies
Try off Big and Little Cove and Blind Island for crappies here. The specks take residence in the weeds, so anglers need to hole-hop to find them and work the entire water column. The crappies will be right under the ice by dark. Minnows work well, but try larvae, too, for fish up to 16 inches.

MARCH
Pere Marquette River Steelhead
The Pere Marquette River between Scottville and Baldwin produces some good early-season action in March. Steelhead that enter the river in the fall and winter are upstream near the spawning gravel at locations like Rainbow Rapids, Sulak and in the flies-only section. Fresh-run fish are in the lower reaches near Custer and Scottville. Most anglers use flies or spawn when fishing the gravel. Downstream plugs often interest rainbows that are moving upstream.