The Lake Huron basin is characterized by dense forests, relatively sparse populations and rich natural resources.

There are even national parks underwater, designed to protect the sites of major shipwrecks throughout the lake.

If it were combined with adjoining Lake Michigan, 332-km long Lake Huron would be the largest lake in the world. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are in fact connected by the Straits of Mackinac.

Lake Huron’s waters are deep and generally unproductive, yet its coastal structure, with roughly 30,000 islands and lengthy shoreline provide ample and varied fish habitat. Its shoreline is the longest of all the Great Lakes. Shallow and sandy beaches, as well as many rocky places, make Lake Huron’s shoreline varied.

Despite its depth, Lake Huron’s waters are generally fairly warm. In fact, the lake very rarely freezes over.

Fishing Lake Huron is most often for trout, though there are also populations of warm-water species such as walleye, lake sturgeon, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed and rock bass. Cold-water species include lake trout, cisco, whitefish, round whitefish and bloater.

Salmon and trout fishing remain popular despite fluctuating populations due to the impact of invasive species such as plankton-depleting zebra mussels. Native species have rebounded while introduced species, such as chinook, have not fared as well.

Walleye, lake whitefish and lake trout, once virtually wiped out in Lake Huron, has improved in the last decade. Local stock enhancement efforts have helped sustain trout and salmon fishing.

River mouths, the deltas of the Bayfield, Maitland and Nine Mile rivers, are popular spots for rainbow in the spring and chinook and coho in the fall. The chinook can range from 15-20 lbs., while the coho are about 10-12 lbs. During summer, salmon along with brown and lake trout, are caught with downriggers, trolling spoons or plugs about 10-15 km offshore.

Using lighter tackle, you can catch yellow perch, smallmouth bass and sunfish from piers and wharves along the Huron shoreline from late spring until early fall.

The Saugeen and Saginaw rivers are considered hot spots by anglers, who generally bottom fish or drift fish using roe as bait.

Lake Huron’s largest fishing derby, the 32nd Annual Chantry Chinook Classic Salmon Derby, hosted by the Lake Huron Fishing Club, takes place July 25-Aug. 9, 2015.

Another exciting derby, the Canadian Tire Fish Kincardine Derby, takes place in May. Lake Huron Rod and Gun co-sponsors the event, which sports large prizes upwards of $1,000. This is a family-friendly derby, with a kids’ day and a family ticket option. This derby is for the waters from Southampton Lighthouse to International Border to the west. East- on the Saugeen River to the legal boundary Denny’s Dam. South boundary is Point Clark.